DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, July 28, 2014
Medical Identity Theft Can Threaten Health As Well As Bank Account
Anndorie Sachs had her life turned upside down when authorities showed up at her door in Salt Lake City and threatened to take her four children away - all because another woman had stolen her identity and given birth to a baby who tested positive for drugs.
When CBS News first reported her story back in 2006, it was estimated that 200,000 Americans each year were the victims of what is called medical identity theft, but in the years since, the problem has gotten dramatically worse. According to a recent report by the Ponemon Institute, an independent research organization specializing in privacy and security issues, the number of victims grew to 1.85 million in 2013 - a 19 percent jump from the year before.
"In the criminal world, medical identity theft is now the low-hanging fruit," says Ann Patterson, the program director of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance, which sponsored the Ponemon report.
More
When CBS News first reported her story back in 2006, it was estimated that 200,000 Americans each year were the victims of what is called medical identity theft, but in the years since, the problem has gotten dramatically worse. According to a recent report by the Ponemon Institute, an independent research organization specializing in privacy and security issues, the number of victims grew to 1.85 million in 2013 - a 19 percent jump from the year before.
"In the criminal world, medical identity theft is now the low-hanging fruit," says Ann Patterson, the program director of the Medical Identity Fraud Alliance, which sponsored the Ponemon report.
More
8 Things We Learned About Burger King’s New Leadership
We tend to focus more on the wacky food items and creepy mascots coming out of Burger King, but we learned this week that there are interesting things going on behind the scenes. Burger King is changing the way that it does business in a way that will either fail catastrophically or set an example for the rest of the fast-food industry.
Bloomberg Businessweek explained the company’s changes to its business model and the relatively young CEO in this week’s cover story.
Burger King’s new chief executive officer, Daniel Schwartz, is only 33 years old. The only CEO in the Fortune 1000 who is younger is Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. Many of the company’s top officers are pretty young, too: their chief financial officer and head of investor relations are both under 30.
Burger King now owns only 52 of its restaurants, having sold more than 1,200 corporate-owned locations since new ownership took over in 2010. They use these for testing and training, but Some experts think that’s a bad idea: by owning so few restaurants, the corporate overlords will know less about what’s going on in restaurants on the ground.
Bloomberg Businessweek explained the company’s changes to its business model and the relatively young CEO in this week’s cover story.
Burger King’s new chief executive officer, Daniel Schwartz, is only 33 years old. The only CEO in the Fortune 1000 who is younger is Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. Many of the company’s top officers are pretty young, too: their chief financial officer and head of investor relations are both under 30.
Burger King now owns only 52 of its restaurants, having sold more than 1,200 corporate-owned locations since new ownership took over in 2010. They use these for testing and training, but Some experts think that’s a bad idea: by owning so few restaurants, the corporate overlords will know less about what’s going on in restaurants on the ground.
Did News Outlet Deceptively Edit Video of Israeli Airstrike?
TheBlaze posted the video Friday after it was originally published by the Gaza news outlet Watania. The point of TheBlaze’s story was simply to show the incredible moment where a bomb allegedly dropped by an F-16 on a Hamas target was actually visible on the screen. But some have used similar videos to criticize Israel for not giving inhabitants inside the structure enough time to evacuate.
Now, a video that closely examines the shadows and the movement of wires says there was much more time between the initial ”knock” — a smaller projectile dropped on top of the structure that serves as a warning to evacuate — and the big bomb that brought the building down.
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Everyone Knows Why Milk Is In The Back Of The Grocery Store
It’s not quite that simple, and not every retail decision is made with the goal of tricking us. NPR’s Planet Money podcast team rounded up a diverse group of grocery managers and retail experts to answer the question. The final verdict: milk is located where it is for practical reasons, not to inconvenience you.
Dairy products are quite perishable, and the people who handle milk during its journey from the cow to your cereal bowl want to preserve its shelf life. That’s why you’ll find dairy coolers at the back or on the side of a store. On the other side of those rolling shelves is a walk-in cooler. Often stores are laid out so that dairy can go right from a refrigerated truck to the back of the store, and products never reach room temperature until they hit your cart.
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Illegals Demand Representation In White House Meetings
“We are among the millions of people who will either benefit or be harmed by the decisions the President makes, and we are here to represent ourselves in any future negotiations,” said Rosi Carrasco, one of organizers, in a statement announcing the action.
Billing themselves “undocumented immigrant leaders,” the organizers said they will erect a picket line to symbolize their demand.
The groups are fighting to keep momentum in the immigration debate, which has seemingly turned against them in recent weeks as Mr. Obama tries to deal with the surge of illegal immigrant children and families across the border.
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Lawn Chemicals can Stay in Body for Years/ Decades
The pesticides you use on your lawn to get rid of weeds and insects are part of a $10 billion-a-year industry. But some doctors are becoming more concerned about your exposure to those chemicals, CBS News correspondent Vinita Nair reports.
Joe Holland has been in the lawn care business for 30 years. His work requires him to be around a variety of chemicals, which is why he always tells his workers to take precautions.
"You always have to protect yourself when you're using any chemicals, no matter the grade," Holland said. "You have to wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants."
More
Joe Holland has been in the lawn care business for 30 years. His work requires him to be around a variety of chemicals, which is why he always tells his workers to take precautions.
"You always have to protect yourself when you're using any chemicals, no matter the grade," Holland said. "You have to wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants."
More
Chincoteague's 89th annual Pony Swim
The Chincoteague Fireman's Carnival (with rides, games, raffles, and lots of good food) will be open each night during pony penning week beginning at 7pm.
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New Health Plans' Limitations Anger Enrollees
Nancy Pippenger and Marcia Perez live thousands of miles apart but have the same complaint: Doctors who treated them last year won't take their insurance now, even though they haven't changed insurers.
"They said, 'We take the old plan, but not the new one,' " says Perez, an attorney in Palo Alto, Calif.
In Plymouth, Ind., Pippenger got similar news from her longtime orthopedic surgeon, so she shelled out $300 from her own pocket to see him.
Both women unwittingly enrolled in policies with limited networks of doctors and hospitals that provide little or no payment for care outside those networks. Such plans existed before the health law, but with its expansion of insurance, they are covering more people — and some are shrinking enrollees' options further than before. The policies' limitations have come as a surprise to some enrollees used to broader job-based coverage or to plans they held before the law took effect.
"It's totally different," said Pippenger, 57, whose new Anthem Blue Cross plan doesn't pay for any care outside its network, although the job-based Anthem plan she had last year did cover some of those costs. "Now I can't find a doctor."
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"They said, 'We take the old plan, but not the new one,' " says Perez, an attorney in Palo Alto, Calif.
In Plymouth, Ind., Pippenger got similar news from her longtime orthopedic surgeon, so she shelled out $300 from her own pocket to see him.
Both women unwittingly enrolled in policies with limited networks of doctors and hospitals that provide little or no payment for care outside those networks. Such plans existed before the health law, but with its expansion of insurance, they are covering more people — and some are shrinking enrollees' options further than before. The policies' limitations have come as a surprise to some enrollees used to broader job-based coverage or to plans they held before the law took effect.
"It's totally different," said Pippenger, 57, whose new Anthem Blue Cross plan doesn't pay for any care outside its network, although the job-based Anthem plan she had last year did cover some of those costs. "Now I can't find a doctor."
More
Fairfax County seeks ways to address overcrowded housing issue
“This is what one must do in order to provide a home for your children,” said Gomez, whose apartment is part of a bustling complex that overlooks a golf course outside Falls Church. “There are a lot of people in this area living the same way.”
Fairfax County has struggled for years to find a way to address such overcrowding, with county inspectors repeatedly citing homes for having too many families living in them, and planners and lawmakers searching for ways to promote more modest, affordable housing in a community filled with spacious single-family homes and McMansions.
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The Typical Household, Now Worth a Third Less
Economic inequality in the United States has been receiving a lot of attention. But it’s not merely an issue of the rich getting richer. The typical American household has been getting poorer, too.
The inflation-adjusted net worth for the typical household was $87,992 in 2003. Ten years later, it was only $56,335, or a 36 percent decline, according to a study financed by the Russell Sage Foundation. Those are the figures for a household at the median point in the wealth distribution — the level at which there are an equal number of households whose worth is higher and lower. But during the same period, the net worth of wealthy households increased substantially.
The Russell Sage study also examined net worth at the 95th percentile. (For households at that level, 94 percent of the population had less wealth and 4 percent had more.) It found that for this well-do-do slice of the population, household net worth increased 14 percent over the same 10 years. Other research, by economists like Edward Wolff at New York University, has shown even greater gains in wealth for the richest 1 percent of households.
More
The inflation-adjusted net worth for the typical household was $87,992 in 2003. Ten years later, it was only $56,335, or a 36 percent decline, according to a study financed by the Russell Sage Foundation. Those are the figures for a household at the median point in the wealth distribution — the level at which there are an equal number of households whose worth is higher and lower. But during the same period, the net worth of wealthy households increased substantially.
The Russell Sage study also examined net worth at the 95th percentile. (For households at that level, 94 percent of the population had less wealth and 4 percent had more.) It found that for this well-do-do slice of the population, household net worth increased 14 percent over the same 10 years. Other research, by economists like Edward Wolff at New York University, has shown even greater gains in wealth for the richest 1 percent of households.
More
CITY COUNCIL MEETING CANCELED
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE SESSION CANCELED
The Salisbury City Council’s Legislative Session scheduled for July 28, 2014 (TODAY) has been canceled due to the lack of a quorum.
Beretta, Moving Production Out Of Md., Joins Gunmakers Heading To Friendlier States
During nearly 40 years making guns in southern Prince George’s County, Beretta USA has endured a complicated relationship with a state dominated by Democratic lawmakers and left-leaning voters who don’t usually embrace the famous gunmaker’s products.
“Some people considered the factory a good source of jobs,” said Kelly Canavan, a longtime resident and local activist in Accokeek, Md., the company’s home since 1977. “But a lot of other people have been disturbed that this huge gun factory is right here, extremely close to a lot of children and families.”
The culture clash escalated after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where Adam Lanza killed 27 people, including 20 first-graders. In the political furor that followed, Maryland banned 45 types of assault weapons and put in place tough fingerprint, photo identification and training requirements — restrictions viewed by Beretta as the legislative equivalent of a declaration of war on its operations.
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“Some people considered the factory a good source of jobs,” said Kelly Canavan, a longtime resident and local activist in Accokeek, Md., the company’s home since 1977. “But a lot of other people have been disturbed that this huge gun factory is right here, extremely close to a lot of children and families.”
The culture clash escalated after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where Adam Lanza killed 27 people, including 20 first-graders. In the political furor that followed, Maryland banned 45 types of assault weapons and put in place tough fingerprint, photo identification and training requirements — restrictions viewed by Beretta as the legislative equivalent of a declaration of war on its operations.
More
POLICE TACTICAL VEST AND FLIGHT SUIT STOLEN FROM VEHICLE
(BEL AIR, MD) – Maryland State Police are searching for a police tactical vest and related equipment stolen over the weekend in Harford County when the window of a police vehicle was smashed and the items removed.
The theft is believed to have occurred sometime in the early morning hours of July 25, 2014, in the driveway of a Maryland state trooper’s residence in the Bel Air area of Harford County. The rear window of an unmarked Ford Excursion was smashed. An unknown suspect or suspects removed a green ballistic vest on which was labeled “Trooper” and “STATE Team,” and which contained several police tactical equipment including ammunition, a pry bar and a knife. “STATE Team” designates the Maryland State Police Special Tactical Assault Team Element, or SWAT team.
Also removed was a green flight suit on which were the Maryland State Police and STATE Team patches. A gas mask was stolen as well. No firearms were stolen. There were none in the vehicle.
Crime scene technicians processed the scene and are analyzing evidence. A suspicious vehicle seen in the area, described as a tan or gold Cadillac with a loud exhaust and Maryland tags, is being sought to determine if the occupants were connected with the theft.
Anyone with information about this incident or who has knowledge about the location of the stolen items is urged to contact Maryland State Police at the Bel Air Barrack at 410-879-2101. Callers may remain anonymous.
The theft is believed to have occurred sometime in the early morning hours of July 25, 2014, in the driveway of a Maryland state trooper’s residence in the Bel Air area of Harford County. The rear window of an unmarked Ford Excursion was smashed. An unknown suspect or suspects removed a green ballistic vest on which was labeled “Trooper” and “STATE Team,” and which contained several police tactical equipment including ammunition, a pry bar and a knife. “STATE Team” designates the Maryland State Police Special Tactical Assault Team Element, or SWAT team.
Also removed was a green flight suit on which were the Maryland State Police and STATE Team patches. A gas mask was stolen as well. No firearms were stolen. There were none in the vehicle.
Crime scene technicians processed the scene and are analyzing evidence. A suspicious vehicle seen in the area, described as a tan or gold Cadillac with a loud exhaust and Maryland tags, is being sought to determine if the occupants were connected with the theft.
Anyone with information about this incident or who has knowledge about the location of the stolen items is urged to contact Maryland State Police at the Bel Air Barrack at 410-879-2101. Callers may remain anonymous.
Democrat accused of selling his vote
(SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS) — A new racketeering charge handed up by a federal grand jury against state Sen. Leland Yee says he was part of an organized crime operation in which he sold legislative votes and influence for piles of money, just as he was earlier accused of conspiring to traffic in guns.
The indictment made public on Friday reveals for the first time a 2013 incident in which Yee, D-San Francisco, allegedly agreed to take $60,000 — which he believed was coming from a National Football League team owner — in exchange for his and another senator’s vote on a bill dealing with workers’ compensation insurance for pro athletes.
“We gotta juice this thing,” Yee allegedly told an undercover FBI agent.
The indictment made public on Friday reveals for the first time a 2013 incident in which Yee, D-San Francisco, allegedly agreed to take $60,000 — which he believed was coming from a National Football League team owner — in exchange for his and another senator’s vote on a bill dealing with workers’ compensation insurance for pro athletes.
“We gotta juice this thing,” Yee allegedly told an undercover FBI agent.
More Than 200 Guns Exchanged For Groceries
Organizers say 231 guns were collected Saturday in a collection where gun owners received grocery store gift cards.
Klein's ShopRite Supermarkets, along with Baltimore City officials and the non-profit UpLift Solutions held a "Goods for Guns" collection at the New All Saints Catholic Church in Northwest Baltimore.
Each gun owner turning over a weapon received a $100 ShopRite gift card.
"Violence in our communities makes any positive strides more challenging and it affects us all, particularly during difficult economic times. The 'Goods for Guns' program creates a tremendous opportunity to help the communities that we are committed to," states Marshall Klein, Chief Operations Officer of Klein's Family Markets.
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Klein's ShopRite Supermarkets, along with Baltimore City officials and the non-profit UpLift Solutions held a "Goods for Guns" collection at the New All Saints Catholic Church in Northwest Baltimore.
Each gun owner turning over a weapon received a $100 ShopRite gift card.
"Violence in our communities makes any positive strides more challenging and it affects us all, particularly during difficult economic times. The 'Goods for Guns' program creates a tremendous opportunity to help the communities that we are committed to," states Marshall Klein, Chief Operations Officer of Klein's Family Markets.
More
Va. Woman Sues Ocean City Amusement Park
BALTIMORE (AP) -- A Virginia woman whose son was allegedly knocked down and dragged while on a ride at an Ocean City amusement park is suing the park for $1 million.
The Daily Record of Baltimore (http://bit.ly/1uoVwER ) reports that Raffinee McNeill is seeking damages for an injury her son suffered while riding a children's ride called the "Hampton I" at Trimper's Amusements.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Baltimore alleges that in 2012 McNeill's son got out of his car when an operator stopped the ride to let another child off and was then knocked down and dragged when the ride started again.
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The Daily Record of Baltimore (http://bit.ly/1uoVwER ) reports that Raffinee McNeill is seeking damages for an injury her son suffered while riding a children's ride called the "Hampton I" at Trimper's Amusements.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Baltimore alleges that in 2012 McNeill's son got out of his car when an operator stopped the ride to let another child off and was then knocked down and dragged when the ride started again.
More
SFD Calls For Service 7-27-14
- Sunday July, 27 2014 @ 19:03Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday July, 27 2014 @ 18:10Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday July, 27 2014 @ 17:58 Nature: Vehicle Accident w/InjuriesAddress: 110 Truitt St Salisbury, MD 21801
- Sunday July, 27 2014 @ 17:03Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday July, 27 2014 @ 16:46Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
"Hey, Joe"
From Barack Obama democraticparty@democrats.org
To Joe Albero alberobutzo@wmconnect.com
Joe --
Ten years ago today, I got to tell my story to the country at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Back then, I was just a state senator from the South Side of Chicago, running to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate -- a guy with a funny name who no one had heard of.
Since then, a lot has changed. Our troops are coming home, we fought back from the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression, and we extended health insurance for millions of Americans -- I guess we won a couple of pretty big elections, too.
But some fundamentals are as true now as they were then.
I still believe in the idea that we're all in this together. I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper, and that is what makes this country work.
I still believe that the politics of hope will trump the politics of cynicism -- because cynics didn't put a man on the moon, cynics didn't march on Washington to demand full citizenship for all Americans, and cynics have never cured a disease, started a business, or passed the New Deal.
We've shown that if we work together, we can move this country forward. I still believe that if we join together, we can make sure that all Americans have a road to opportunity -- no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from.
But we need people in Congress who share that belief, Joe. We need people who believe in something more than cynicism, gridlock, and dysfunction -- and we've got exactly 100 days left to work to elect people like that.
Thanks,
Barack Obama
To Joe Albero alberobutzo@wmconnect.com
Joe --
Ten years ago today, I got to tell my story to the country at the Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Back then, I was just a state senator from the South Side of Chicago, running to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate -- a guy with a funny name who no one had heard of.
Since then, a lot has changed. Our troops are coming home, we fought back from the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression, and we extended health insurance for millions of Americans -- I guess we won a couple of pretty big elections, too.
But some fundamentals are as true now as they were then.
I still believe in the idea that we're all in this together. I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper, and that is what makes this country work.
I still believe that the politics of hope will trump the politics of cynicism -- because cynics didn't put a man on the moon, cynics didn't march on Washington to demand full citizenship for all Americans, and cynics have never cured a disease, started a business, or passed the New Deal.
We've shown that if we work together, we can move this country forward. I still believe that if we join together, we can make sure that all Americans have a road to opportunity -- no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from.
But we need people in Congress who share that belief, Joe. We need people who believe in something more than cynicism, gridlock, and dysfunction -- and we've got exactly 100 days left to work to elect people like that.
Thanks,
Barack Obama
Have You Seen "The Butler" Yet?
I am not, (nor ever have been) one to go to a Movie Theater. This weekend I took the time to watch this movie at home and for the first time in many years I truly felt like for once I did not waste my time.
How about you?
Police: University of Delaware Grad Student Arrested For Hidden Bathroom Cameras
Doctoral student Javier Mendiola-Soto, 38, was arrested July 1 after a camera was found in a women’s restroom at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, where he worked, University of Delaware Police said Friday in a news release.
A police search of his residence allegedly turned up about 1,500 video files dating back to May 2012. He was charged Thursday with an additional 20 counts of violation of privacy.
Mendiola-Soto, of Mexico, remains in custody at the Howard Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington. His visa has been revoked and he is ineligible to be released on bail, according to investigators.
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White House OKs Underwater Torture Chamber
With all eyes glued on the atrocities in Gaza and Ukraine, another homegrown atrocity may soon be underway. The Obama administration has quietly executed one of those sneaky summer weekend news dumps in hopes of nobody noticing or caring. Because what, after all, are pods of insane dolphins, and hordes of dead turtles, and the extinction of an entire whale species compared to hundreds of battered human bodies?
From Think Progress:
On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved the use of seismic airguns to explore the seabed from Cape May to Cape Canaveral for oil and gas.
These sonic cannons are compressed airguns that get towed behind ships, using dynamite-like blasts to produce sound waves 100,000 times louder than a jet engine underwater every ten seconds. The waves travel through the water and through the ocean floor, bouncing back up at different rates to provide prospective drillers and researchers a better sense of where oil, gas, minerals, and sand lie beneath the waves.
It’s not a surprise that this is dangerous: even BOEM estimates that this practice will disrupt, injure, or kill millions of marine animals, including the most endangered whale species on the planet. It is less surprising that this risky tactic would be approved in large part to ferret out another source of fossil fuels, risking another BP disaster and emitting more pollution that causes global warming. It’s more surprising that this gambit is being entertained in an area that may not even have that much oil or gas.
So why is the Obama administration entertaining it? Because he already ticked off "climate change" on his legacy to-do list by trumpeting proposals to reduce carbon emissions at some vague time in the future. Because compromised politicians want the waters off their sacrosanct borders opened up for the extraction of every last single drop of oil and gas, regardless of the cost. Because the president wants to start handing out drilling leases before he leaves office in 2017. Because there is lots and lots and lots of money to be made for a select few pockets.
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From Think Progress:
On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved the use of seismic airguns to explore the seabed from Cape May to Cape Canaveral for oil and gas.
These sonic cannons are compressed airguns that get towed behind ships, using dynamite-like blasts to produce sound waves 100,000 times louder than a jet engine underwater every ten seconds. The waves travel through the water and through the ocean floor, bouncing back up at different rates to provide prospective drillers and researchers a better sense of where oil, gas, minerals, and sand lie beneath the waves.
It’s not a surprise that this is dangerous: even BOEM estimates that this practice will disrupt, injure, or kill millions of marine animals, including the most endangered whale species on the planet. It is less surprising that this risky tactic would be approved in large part to ferret out another source of fossil fuels, risking another BP disaster and emitting more pollution that causes global warming. It’s more surprising that this gambit is being entertained in an area that may not even have that much oil or gas.
So why is the Obama administration entertaining it? Because he already ticked off "climate change" on his legacy to-do list by trumpeting proposals to reduce carbon emissions at some vague time in the future. Because compromised politicians want the waters off their sacrosanct borders opened up for the extraction of every last single drop of oil and gas, regardless of the cost. Because the president wants to start handing out drilling leases before he leaves office in 2017. Because there is lots and lots and lots of money to be made for a select few pockets.
More
Obama Golfs with ESPN Hosts as US Evacuates Embassy in Libya
Obama has golfed with Messrs. Wilbon and Kornheiser in recent outings, and this is reportedly his first round at the exclusive golf course.
This week, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said that Obama golfs and fundraises during crises because he knows he is "in over his head" as the country's chief executive.
Obama aide Marvin Nicholson, a frequent companion, rounded out the foursome.
Source
Why Are Campus Administrators Making So Much Money?
Americans committed to better living for bosses can take heart at the fact that college and university administrators—unlike their faculty (increasingly reduced to rootless adjuncts) and students (saddled with ever more debt)―are thriving.
In 2011, the last year for which figures are available, 42 private college and university presidents received more than a million dollars each for their work. Robert Zimmer (University of Chicago) was the best-paid, at $3,358,723. At public colleges and universities, nine top administrators garnered more than $1 million each in 2012-2013, with the best-paid, E. Gordon Gee (Ohio State University), receiving $6,057,615.
Since then, it's likely that the number of millionaire campus presidents has increased, for their numbers have been growing rapidly. Indeed, in 2012-13, the number of public university presidents receiving at least $1 million for their servicesmore than doubled over the previous year.
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In 2011, the last year for which figures are available, 42 private college and university presidents received more than a million dollars each for their work. Robert Zimmer (University of Chicago) was the best-paid, at $3,358,723. At public colleges and universities, nine top administrators garnered more than $1 million each in 2012-2013, with the best-paid, E. Gordon Gee (Ohio State University), receiving $6,057,615.
Since then, it's likely that the number of millionaire campus presidents has increased, for their numbers have been growing rapidly. Indeed, in 2012-13, the number of public university presidents receiving at least $1 million for their servicesmore than doubled over the previous year.
More
Judge Rules Man Had Right to Record Austin Police
All private citizens have the right to record officers in public places as they perform their official duties..
Activist Antonio Buehler scored a legal victory this week when a federal judge declined to dismiss his lawsuit against the Austin Police Department, ruling he had a clearly established constitutional right to photograph and film officers when they arrested him multiple times while videotaping authorities.
In an order filed Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane found all private citizens have the right to record officers in public places as they perform their official duties, so long as they don’t interfere, and that the officers in Buehler’s case weren’t immune from allegations that they had detained and searched him without probable cause.
Lane said the city and Police Department could not escape liability for failing to establish a policy and provide training addressing how officers should proceed when citizens videotape or photograph them, according to the memorandum filed in the U.S. Western District of Texas. He rejected Buehler’s claims of excessive force and malicious prosecution.
Read more
Activist Antonio Buehler scored a legal victory this week when a federal judge declined to dismiss his lawsuit against the Austin Police Department, ruling he had a clearly established constitutional right to photograph and film officers when they arrested him multiple times while videotaping authorities.
In an order filed Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane found all private citizens have the right to record officers in public places as they perform their official duties, so long as they don’t interfere, and that the officers in Buehler’s case weren’t immune from allegations that they had detained and searched him without probable cause.
Lane said the city and Police Department could not escape liability for failing to establish a policy and provide training addressing how officers should proceed when citizens videotape or photograph them, according to the memorandum filed in the U.S. Western District of Texas. He rejected Buehler’s claims of excessive force and malicious prosecution.
Read more
This Genius Dad Figured Out How To Fill 100 Water Balloons In One Minute
But finally, there’s a Kickstarter campaign that's trying to solve a very real and pressing problem during these hot summer days -- namely, that water balloons take too damn long to fill up. Need we remind you how much it sucks to wait patiently by the hose to fill 20 water balloons amid an old-fashioned splashfest?
Thankfully, Josh Malone, a Texas-based father of eight and all-around genius, has created Bunch O Balloons, a single-use device that allows you to fill up 37 balloons in roughly 20 seconds. Do you understand what this means!?
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Despite Clinton: O'Malley in Iowa amid 2016 talk
The Maryland governor is filling the void in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond during the early stages of the 2016 presidential race, campaigning for fellow Democrats and making personal appeals while former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton remains the prohibitive -- if yet undeclared -- favorite.
In the summer before November's mid-term elections, Clinton's dominant position in a hypothetical field has limited Democrats' activities in early presidential voting states even while an ambitious slate of Republicans descend. Active Democrats here say O'Malley has become an exception, cultivating relationships and developing a reputation as a loyal foot soldier for the party.
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BREAKING NEWS: 84 Year Old Male Just Pulled From Water In Bishopville
An 84 year old male was just pulled from the water at Bay Point View Road in Bishopville. It is considered a drowning, non breathing. EMS is in route to the scene now.
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 7-28-14
On July 24, 2014 at 1632 PM Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies respond to Walmart located at 11416 Ocean Gateway in reference to a theft. Upon arrival, Deputies identified the suspect to be Stacy Jester 30 yr old of Berlin, Maryland. Deputies discovered through their investigation that Ms. Jester allegedly had switched price tags on an item in order to purchase an item valued at $198.96 for .97 cents. Deputies further discovered Jester then attempted to return the item for a cash refund. Deputies placed Jester under arrest for theft under $1,000. Upon searching Ms. Jester, Deputies recovered suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia. Ms. Jester was taken in front of a District Court Commissioner and was released pending trial.
O'Malley Holding Second Meeting With Clergy On Immigrant Children
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Leaders of Catholic Charities, the Maryland Catholic Conference and the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland are among those due to meet with the governor.
Aides to the governor are saying little about the meeting., All spokeswoman Nina Smith would say about the meeting is that it would take place behind closed doors, and would take place Monday morning.
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Maryland Homeless Man Murdered by Six MS13 Illegal Aliens
Company In Which Joe Biden's Son Is Director Prepares To Drill Shale Gas In East Ukraine
Recall what we said earlier today: the proxy Ukraine war just like that in Syria preceding it, "is all about energy."
Recall also the following chart showing Ukraine's shale gas deposits, keeping in mind that the Dnieper-Donets basin which lies in the hotly contested eastern part of the nation and where as everyone knows by now a bloody civil war is raging, is the major oil and gas producing region of Ukraine accounting for approximately 90 per cent of Ukrainian production and according to EIA may have 42 tcf of shale gas resources technically recoverable from 197 tcf of risked shale gas in place.
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Recall also the following chart showing Ukraine's shale gas deposits, keeping in mind that the Dnieper-Donets basin which lies in the hotly contested eastern part of the nation and where as everyone knows by now a bloody civil war is raging, is the major oil and gas producing region of Ukraine accounting for approximately 90 per cent of Ukrainian production and according to EIA may have 42 tcf of shale gas resources technically recoverable from 197 tcf of risked shale gas in place.
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Chicago Dem. Congressman Says He and Obama Will Give Amnesty to 5 Million Illegals
Since he first started to run for Congress, Chicago’s Democrat Representative Luis Gutiérrez has been 100% all in for open borders. He has been for drivers licenses for illegals, free education for illegals, free healthcare for illegals, free welfare for illegals–the whole ball of wax. And now he claims that he and Obama are working together to offer amnesty to over five million illegals during this current illegal immigration disaster.
The fact is, Gutiérrez has always felt Mexicans and other foreign Hispanics was his constituency, not Americans.
Breitbart TV has the story:
“Let me just say in about an hour, I’m going over to the White House. I’ll be meeting with Jeh Johnson and the chief legal counsel to the president of the United States. We’re going to sit down and we’re going to negotiate additional terms and avenues the president can use and prosecutorial discretion and I think we can get 3 million, 4 million, maybe 5 million names.”
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The fact is, Gutiérrez has always felt Mexicans and other foreign Hispanics was his constituency, not Americans.
Breitbart TV has the story:
“Let me just say in about an hour, I’m going over to the White House. I’ll be meeting with Jeh Johnson and the chief legal counsel to the president of the United States. We’re going to sit down and we’re going to negotiate additional terms and avenues the president can use and prosecutorial discretion and I think we can get 3 million, 4 million, maybe 5 million names.”
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Arrests Made after Man Shot During Heroin Drug Deal in Bear Shopping Center Parking Lot
Bear - Troopers have arrested an 18 year old Newark man and 23 year old Newark woman in connection with a shooting that occurred yesterday morning in a Pulaski Highway shopping center parking lot, which has left a 23 year old male in critical condition.
Preliminary investigation has determined that the incident occurred on Saturday, July 26, 2014 at approximately 10:07 a.m. as a 23 year old male was meeting with Brandon Burns-18 of Newark, Delaware and Rebecca L. Evans-23 of Newark, Delaware in order to sell them heroin in the parking lot of the Sunset Station shopping center, located in the 1800 block of Pulaski Highway, Bear. The three were occupying a silver Oldsmobile Intrigue, with the 23 year old male positioned in the rear passenger seat.
During the transaction, Brandon Burns produced a handgun and fired one round, striking the 23 year old male in the upper body. The 23 year old male was able to exit the vehicle and fled to a nearby business in the shopping center. After the shooting, the couple fled the parking lot in the Oldsmobile with Rebecca L. Evans behind the wheel.
The 23 year old male was transported by ambulance to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where he was admitted and remains in critical condition.
After further interviews and investigative leads, Troop 2 Major Crimes Detectives were able to identify and connect Burns and Evans to the shooting incident.
Last evening, Troopers responded to the residence of Burns and Evans located in the first block of Old Manor Road, Newark, Delaware. Troopers contacted Burns and Evans and both were taken into custody without incident.
A search warrant was executed for residence and the Oldsmobile which was located parked in front of the house. During the subsequent search of the Oldsmobile, it was discovered that Evans attempted to clean blood from the rear passenger seat by utilizing bleach, in an attempt to destroy blood evidence connected to the shooting.
Brandon Burns was charged with Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, Assault 1st Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. He was arraigned and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $180,000 Cash Bond. (Photo attached)
Rebecca L. Evans was charged with Hindering Prosecution (F). She was arraigned and released on $1000 Unsecured Bond. (No Photo available at time of release.)
Troopers continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Preliminary investigation has determined that the incident occurred on Saturday, July 26, 2014 at approximately 10:07 a.m. as a 23 year old male was meeting with Brandon Burns-18 of Newark, Delaware and Rebecca L. Evans-23 of Newark, Delaware in order to sell them heroin in the parking lot of the Sunset Station shopping center, located in the 1800 block of Pulaski Highway, Bear. The three were occupying a silver Oldsmobile Intrigue, with the 23 year old male positioned in the rear passenger seat.
During the transaction, Brandon Burns produced a handgun and fired one round, striking the 23 year old male in the upper body. The 23 year old male was able to exit the vehicle and fled to a nearby business in the shopping center. After the shooting, the couple fled the parking lot in the Oldsmobile with Rebecca L. Evans behind the wheel.
The 23 year old male was transported by ambulance to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where he was admitted and remains in critical condition.
After further interviews and investigative leads, Troop 2 Major Crimes Detectives were able to identify and connect Burns and Evans to the shooting incident.
Last evening, Troopers responded to the residence of Burns and Evans located in the first block of Old Manor Road, Newark, Delaware. Troopers contacted Burns and Evans and both were taken into custody without incident.
A search warrant was executed for residence and the Oldsmobile which was located parked in front of the house. During the subsequent search of the Oldsmobile, it was discovered that Evans attempted to clean blood from the rear passenger seat by utilizing bleach, in an attempt to destroy blood evidence connected to the shooting.
Brandon Burns was charged with Attempted Robbery 1st Degree, Assault 1st Degree, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. He was arraigned and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $180,000 Cash Bond. (Photo attached)
Rebecca L. Evans was charged with Hindering Prosecution (F). She was arraigned and released on $1000 Unsecured Bond. (No Photo available at time of release.)
Troopers continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Michelle Obama complains about money's influence on politics, then asks for 'fat check'
First lady Michelle Obama is complaining on the fundraising circuit about the evils of money in politics -- while also asking Democratic Party supporters to “write a big fat check” before the November elections.
“So, yeah, there’s too much money in politics,” Obama said during a fundraiser Thursday in her hometown of Chicago. “There are special interests that have too much influence.”
However, she quickly pivoted and urged attendees at least twice to write a hefty check.
“There is something you can do right now today to make a difference and that is to write a big, fat check. I kid you not,” she told the crowd of about 150 at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. “I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what we need you to do right now. We need you to write the biggest, fattest check that you can possibly write.”
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“So, yeah, there’s too much money in politics,” Obama said during a fundraiser Thursday in her hometown of Chicago. “There are special interests that have too much influence.”
However, she quickly pivoted and urged attendees at least twice to write a hefty check.
“There is something you can do right now today to make a difference and that is to write a big, fat check. I kid you not,” she told the crowd of about 150 at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. “I’m going to be honest with you. That’s what we need you to do right now. We need you to write the biggest, fattest check that you can possibly write.”
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Former WWE champ nabs suspected burglar in Arizona
PHOENIX (Reuters) - A hapless burglar in Arizona learned a hard lesson when he broke into the Phoenix home of former World Wrestling Entertainment heavyweight champion Daniel Bryan, police said on Friday.
Bryan, 33, was returning home with his wife late on Thursday when he saw two suspects running out of a rear door, authorities said. The ex-professional grappler gave chase and was able to catch 22-year-old Cesar Sosa.
Sergeant Tommy Thompson, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department, said a struggle ensued and that Bryan, whose real name is Bryan Danielson, was able to detain the suspect until police officers could take him into custody.
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Bryan, 33, was returning home with his wife late on Thursday when he saw two suspects running out of a rear door, authorities said. The ex-professional grappler gave chase and was able to catch 22-year-old Cesar Sosa.
Sergeant Tommy Thompson, a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department, said a struggle ensued and that Bryan, whose real name is Bryan Danielson, was able to detain the suspect until police officers could take him into custody.
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Sauerbrey: Undocumented children at the border are not 'refugees'
I read with interest Dan Rodricks' column, "World's refugee crisis comes to the U.S. and Maryland" (July 22). He describes the current flow of Central Americans across our southern border as the "biggest refugee crisis since World War II."
Having served during the Bush administration as assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, I need to challenge Mr. Rodricks' commentary.
First, the thousands of people pouring into the U.S. today are not refugees. The 1951 Refugee Convention clearly spells out that a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country." Few if any of the new arrivals fit that description.
Some claim that the recent flood of migrants pouring into the U.S. has been caused by violence in Central American countries. Unfortunately crime, drugs and violence have long been a way of life in these countries; however the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime statistics actually show a decline in homicide rates in El Salvador Honduras and Guatemala.
According to interviews with our new "guests," the primary reason for the current migration to the United States is widely circulating rumors in home countries that unaccompanied children and adult females traveling with minors will be given free passes allowing them to stay. They are no different than millions of people living in poverty and violence around the world who would like to come to the United States to pursue a better life and economic opportunity.
Refugees and migrants are treated very differently under modern international law. Migrants, especially economic migrants, choose to move in order to improve the future prospects of themselves and their families. Refugees have to move in order to save their lives or preserve their freedom.
U.S. refugee policy is focused foremost on creating situations that allow refugees to return home, which most hope to do one day. We provide humanitarian assistance to countries giving refugee asylum, in some cases for decades. In most countries refugees are kept in bleak refugee camps and are not free to move around the country. Only a tiny percentage of the world's refugees, who have no hope of repatriation, are resettled permanently in the U.S.
In recent years, our resettlement quota has been set at around 50,000 to 70,000 annually. Unlike the current migrants violating our border, refugees who are accepted for resettlement must first have undergone extensive background security checks to ensure that they pose no threat to America. Refugee applicants must clear all required security checks prior to final approval of their application, including biographical name checks for all refugee applicants and fingerprint checks for refugee applicants aged 14 to 79.
We know nothing of the identity or background of most of the illegal migrants currently being given easy entry to the U.S and flown and bussed around the country by the current administration. Those who believe that most will show up at a future hearing to determine if they should be granted asylum are delusional.
Ellen Sauerbrey, Baldwin
Having served during the Bush administration as assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, I need to challenge Mr. Rodricks' commentary.
First, the thousands of people pouring into the U.S. today are not refugees. The 1951 Refugee Convention clearly spells out that a refugee is someone who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country." Few if any of the new arrivals fit that description.
Some claim that the recent flood of migrants pouring into the U.S. has been caused by violence in Central American countries. Unfortunately crime, drugs and violence have long been a way of life in these countries; however the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime statistics actually show a decline in homicide rates in El Salvador Honduras and Guatemala.
According to interviews with our new "guests," the primary reason for the current migration to the United States is widely circulating rumors in home countries that unaccompanied children and adult females traveling with minors will be given free passes allowing them to stay. They are no different than millions of people living in poverty and violence around the world who would like to come to the United States to pursue a better life and economic opportunity.
Refugees and migrants are treated very differently under modern international law. Migrants, especially economic migrants, choose to move in order to improve the future prospects of themselves and their families. Refugees have to move in order to save their lives or preserve their freedom.
U.S. refugee policy is focused foremost on creating situations that allow refugees to return home, which most hope to do one day. We provide humanitarian assistance to countries giving refugee asylum, in some cases for decades. In most countries refugees are kept in bleak refugee camps and are not free to move around the country. Only a tiny percentage of the world's refugees, who have no hope of repatriation, are resettled permanently in the U.S.
In recent years, our resettlement quota has been set at around 50,000 to 70,000 annually. Unlike the current migrants violating our border, refugees who are accepted for resettlement must first have undergone extensive background security checks to ensure that they pose no threat to America. Refugee applicants must clear all required security checks prior to final approval of their application, including biographical name checks for all refugee applicants and fingerprint checks for refugee applicants aged 14 to 79.
We know nothing of the identity or background of most of the illegal migrants currently being given easy entry to the U.S and flown and bussed around the country by the current administration. Those who believe that most will show up at a future hearing to determine if they should be granted asylum are delusional.
Ellen Sauerbrey, Baldwin
IRS faces new grilling over targeting churches
Legal team demanding details of actions in emerging scandal
The Internal Revenue Service, already probably the most reviled of federal agencies, was caught harassing conservative organizations and now is the focal point of multiple investigations by irate members of Congress who believe the agency deliberately withheld information.
Now yet another scandal could be looming.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, one of the largest constitutional-rights legal teams in the nation, has submitted a demand for information about the agency’s actions against churches.
“Secrecy breeds mistrust, and the IRS should know this in light of its recent scandals involving the investigation of conservative groups,” said ADF Litigation Counsel Christiana Holcomb in an announcement Thursday.
“We are asking the IRS to disclose the new protocols and procedures it apparently adopted for determining whether to investigate churches. What it intends to do to churches must be brought into the light of day.”
More
The Internal Revenue Service, already probably the most reviled of federal agencies, was caught harassing conservative organizations and now is the focal point of multiple investigations by irate members of Congress who believe the agency deliberately withheld information.
Now yet another scandal could be looming.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, one of the largest constitutional-rights legal teams in the nation, has submitted a demand for information about the agency’s actions against churches.
“Secrecy breeds mistrust, and the IRS should know this in light of its recent scandals involving the investigation of conservative groups,” said ADF Litigation Counsel Christiana Holcomb in an announcement Thursday.
“We are asking the IRS to disclose the new protocols and procedures it apparently adopted for determining whether to investigate churches. What it intends to do to churches must be brought into the light of day.”
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10 Startling Facts About the History of Heroin
Today, we think of it as the highly illegal brown (and sometimes white) powder you score from some shady dude on the corner. But heroin wasn’t always viewed that way. After its discovery in the latter half of the 19th century, it was hailed as something of a wonder drug. Heroin’s fall in status to scourge of society didn’t happen overnight, though, and the drug’s history—and our dramatically evolving views of it—took some surprising twists. What got me into this? Before my arrest in 2010 during my last semester in college, I was addicted to heroin—and oddly, I enjoyed researching it while high. Let’s just say I got a lot of research done.
1. Heroin possession and use were not always criminal. In fact, it was perfectly legal for the first 50 years of its existence, after its discovery in 1874. In 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Act made the recreational use of opiates and coca leaf derivatives illegal in the US—one of the first federal efforts to regulate nonmedical drug use. But in practice the act just meant that users now had to get the drug from a doctor. Ten years later, the 1924 Heroin Act made the drug completely illegal, even for medical purposes.
Other countries soon followed suit. Mexico prohibited heroin in 1924, Costa Rica in 1928, Poland in 1931, Spain in 1933 and Bulgaria in 1934. Although the UK made the drug illegal in 1926, doctors could—and still can—prescribe it for withdrawal. Denmark and Switzerland also allow the prescription use of heroin for addiction treatment, while in Portugal the drug is illegal but the possession of less than a 10-day supply is not considered a criminal offense.
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1. Heroin possession and use were not always criminal. In fact, it was perfectly legal for the first 50 years of its existence, after its discovery in 1874. In 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Act made the recreational use of opiates and coca leaf derivatives illegal in the US—one of the first federal efforts to regulate nonmedical drug use. But in practice the act just meant that users now had to get the drug from a doctor. Ten years later, the 1924 Heroin Act made the drug completely illegal, even for medical purposes.
Other countries soon followed suit. Mexico prohibited heroin in 1924, Costa Rica in 1928, Poland in 1931, Spain in 1933 and Bulgaria in 1934. Although the UK made the drug illegal in 1926, doctors could—and still can—prescribe it for withdrawal. Denmark and Switzerland also allow the prescription use of heroin for addiction treatment, while in Portugal the drug is illegal but the possession of less than a 10-day supply is not considered a criminal offense.
More
More Than 1,000 New York City Residents Claim to be Victims of Banned NYPD Chokeholds
The NYPD's use of chokeholds, like the one that recently killed Eric Garner, is increasing.
According to the New YorkDaily News, numbers from the Civilian Complaint Review Board reveal that more than 1,000 New York City residents claimed to be victims of NYPD chokeholds in the past five years. The numbers were unveiled as the Board prepares to conduct a study of the allegations.
The Daily News wrote:
As of July 1, the CCRB had received 58 chokehold complaints against the NYPD this year, but had only substantiated one of them.
Out of the 1,022 chokehold allegations reported between 2009 and 2013, only 462 of the complaints were investigated. Out of that number, just nine were substantiated, according to the CCRB.
There wasn’t enough evidence to prove a chokehold was used in 206 of the cases investigated, officials said.
TheNew York Times reported that chokehold allegations in the city have increased from a decade ago, despite the fact that NYPD banned the use of the chokehold 20 years ago.
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According to the New YorkDaily News, numbers from the Civilian Complaint Review Board reveal that more than 1,000 New York City residents claimed to be victims of NYPD chokeholds in the past five years. The numbers were unveiled as the Board prepares to conduct a study of the allegations.
The Daily News wrote:
As of July 1, the CCRB had received 58 chokehold complaints against the NYPD this year, but had only substantiated one of them.
Out of the 1,022 chokehold allegations reported between 2009 and 2013, only 462 of the complaints were investigated. Out of that number, just nine were substantiated, according to the CCRB.
There wasn’t enough evidence to prove a chokehold was used in 206 of the cases investigated, officials said.
TheNew York Times reported that chokehold allegations in the city have increased from a decade ago, despite the fact that NYPD banned the use of the chokehold 20 years ago.
More
Twitter Screenplay About Simpsons Smoking Weed Is Strange and Hysterical
"What if Homer Simpson smoked weed? It's not that crazy to imagine."
It really isn't that crazy to imagine, but a full-length screenplay written entirely via 140-character-or-less Twitter tweets, all about the Simpsons getting high, is.
Earlier this month, one such screenplay, aptly named Marijuana Simpson (@Homer_marijuana) rose from Internet obscurity to gain a substantial cult following. At the time of publication, the account had almost 20,000 followers, but follows just one in return: Eminem. Marshall Mathers doesn't appear anywhere in the play, though—just one of Marijuana Simpson's many strange non-sequiturs. (Read it here.)
It really isn't that crazy to imagine, but a full-length screenplay written entirely via 140-character-or-less Twitter tweets, all about the Simpsons getting high, is.
Earlier this month, one such screenplay, aptly named Marijuana Simpson (@Homer_marijuana) rose from Internet obscurity to gain a substantial cult following. At the time of publication, the account had almost 20,000 followers, but follows just one in return: Eminem. Marshall Mathers doesn't appear anywhere in the play, though—just one of Marijuana Simpson's many strange non-sequiturs. (Read it here.)
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