DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Livid GOP governors threaten legal action over Obama immigration order
A group of Republican governors tore into President Barack Obama on Wednesday over his forthcoming immigration directive and threatened to sue him for breaking the law.
'I would go to the courts,' Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday during an annual retreat for the party's chief executives. 'This is illegal.'
Outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry accused Obama of 'sticking his finger into the eye of the American people' and said his state may take legal action against the president, too.
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'I would go to the courts,' Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday during an annual retreat for the party's chief executives. 'This is illegal.'
Outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry accused Obama of 'sticking his finger into the eye of the American people' and said his state may take legal action against the president, too.
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Sarah Palin: Send Immigrants ‘Back Across Ocean’ to Mexico
In an interview with Fox News tonight, the former Alaskan governor was asked about President Obama’s new plan to partially legalize some of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in America. Palin dismissed the president's idea as “amnesty” and offered an unconventional solution of her own.
“If I were Obama I’d put all 11 million of these folks on boats and send them back to Mexico,” she opined. “The liberal media says it’s impossible to deport that many people. But I say we can do it if we have enough ships.
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Editors Note. The source of this story is The Daily Current. It is known for its satire. Read the comments at the bottom. They were pretty quick to jump on Mrs Palin.
Home invader, 20, rapes 101-year-old woman
'Did not plan the sexual assault or he would have worn a condom'
(JSONLINE) — A Milwaukee man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 101-year-old woman in her home in September.
Antoine Devon Pettis, 20, faces charges of burglary, aggravated battery and second degree sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint and Milwaukee police:
The victim was asleep at her home on the city’s north side, where she lived alone, when she heard a noise and realized someone was in her bedroom. She asked who was there and why, but was only told “shut up” and slapped several times in the face.
(JSONLINE) — A Milwaukee man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 101-year-old woman in her home in September.
Antoine Devon Pettis, 20, faces charges of burglary, aggravated battery and second degree sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint and Milwaukee police:
The victim was asleep at her home on the city’s north side, where she lived alone, when she heard a noise and realized someone was in her bedroom. She asked who was there and why, but was only told “shut up” and slapped several times in the face.
Fifteen-story Hotel Tower Plans Unveiled
Development in Ocean City is building back up – quite literally.
Preliminary discussions were held this week on a proposal to construct a 15-story tower of hotel rooms on 34th Street as an addition to the existing beachfront Quality Inn.
“We’re able to get all the units oceanfront, while leaving the vast majority of the area open so we’ll have more landscaping, light, and air for the neighborhood,” said architect Jack Mumford. “The existing Quality Inn will be supported with this new tower, which will consist of rooms and nothing else.”
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Preliminary discussions were held this week on a proposal to construct a 15-story tower of hotel rooms on 34th Street as an addition to the existing beachfront Quality Inn.
“We’re able to get all the units oceanfront, while leaving the vast majority of the area open so we’ll have more landscaping, light, and air for the neighborhood,” said architect Jack Mumford. “The existing Quality Inn will be supported with this new tower, which will consist of rooms and nothing else.”
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The 2014 Tax Revolt
The voters spoke loud and clear on taxes.
As they whistle past the post-election graveyard, Democrats have found a new tune: Voters may have rejected their candidates for everything from U.S. Senate to dogcatcher, but they really still agree with them on the issues.
Of course this clearly isn’t true when it comes to Obamacare, which just dropped to its lowest approval ever in the most recent Gallup poll. And as we examine the election results in more detail, it’s apparent that voters don’t much like other liberal ideas — like tax hikes — either.
Kansas is exhibit A. Democrats and much of the media were convinced that Republican governor Sam Brownback’s decision to slash state taxes would doom him. Brownback cut the personal-income-tax rate by more than a third, from 6.45 to 3.9 percent, and Kansas became the first state ever to completely eliminate taxes on pass-through income (income earned by individual business proprietors). The papers were full of stories suggesting that Brownback was “an object lesson in the limits of conservative governance,” according to the Washington Post. “Tax Cuts on Trial in Governors’ Races,” echoed a headline in the New York Times. TheFiscal Times warned “Brownback Feeling Big Backlash to Tax Cuts in Kansas.”
But when the smoke cleared, Brownback was reelected.
So were other tax-cutting Republican governors. Obviously taxes were far from the only issue in these races. Still, it is interesting that of the two Republican governors who lost reelection, the most prominent — Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania — was one of the few who raised taxes.
Taxes were a big issue in blue states, as well. In fact, they may have been the biggest reason that some normally solid-blue states turned red. In Massachusetts, for instance, Democratic candidate Martha Coakley said she wanted to explore ways to replace the state’s flat 5.2 percent income tax with a graduated one. She also opposed an initiative on the ballot that would repeal automatic indexation of the state’s gas tax. While Coakley left the door open to additional tax hikes in the future, her opponent, Charlie Baker, ran on a firm “no new taxes” platform. No doubt Coakley was a poor candidate all around, but this was still Massachusetts, the home of Michael Dukakis, Ted Kennedy, and John Kerry. That Baker will be the next governor shows that the power of taxes as an issue has not gone away.
In Maryland, too, taxes helped flip a deep-blue state. The Democratic candidate, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, was closely tied to Maryland governor — and wannabe presidential candidate — Martin O’Malley, who had raised the state’s taxes by more than $9.5 billion since he took office. Republican Larry Hogan was outspent by roughly five to one, but hammered home relentlessly a message of rolling back taxes and reducing state spending. He won in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by two to one.
More
As they whistle past the post-election graveyard, Democrats have found a new tune: Voters may have rejected their candidates for everything from U.S. Senate to dogcatcher, but they really still agree with them on the issues.
Of course this clearly isn’t true when it comes to Obamacare, which just dropped to its lowest approval ever in the most recent Gallup poll. And as we examine the election results in more detail, it’s apparent that voters don’t much like other liberal ideas — like tax hikes — either.
Kansas is exhibit A. Democrats and much of the media were convinced that Republican governor Sam Brownback’s decision to slash state taxes would doom him. Brownback cut the personal-income-tax rate by more than a third, from 6.45 to 3.9 percent, and Kansas became the first state ever to completely eliminate taxes on pass-through income (income earned by individual business proprietors). The papers were full of stories suggesting that Brownback was “an object lesson in the limits of conservative governance,” according to the Washington Post. “Tax Cuts on Trial in Governors’ Races,” echoed a headline in the New York Times. TheFiscal Times warned “Brownback Feeling Big Backlash to Tax Cuts in Kansas.”
But when the smoke cleared, Brownback was reelected.
So were other tax-cutting Republican governors. Obviously taxes were far from the only issue in these races. Still, it is interesting that of the two Republican governors who lost reelection, the most prominent — Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania — was one of the few who raised taxes.
Taxes were a big issue in blue states, as well. In fact, they may have been the biggest reason that some normally solid-blue states turned red. In Massachusetts, for instance, Democratic candidate Martha Coakley said she wanted to explore ways to replace the state’s flat 5.2 percent income tax with a graduated one. She also opposed an initiative on the ballot that would repeal automatic indexation of the state’s gas tax. While Coakley left the door open to additional tax hikes in the future, her opponent, Charlie Baker, ran on a firm “no new taxes” platform. No doubt Coakley was a poor candidate all around, but this was still Massachusetts, the home of Michael Dukakis, Ted Kennedy, and John Kerry. That Baker will be the next governor shows that the power of taxes as an issue has not gone away.
In Maryland, too, taxes helped flip a deep-blue state. The Democratic candidate, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, was closely tied to Maryland governor — and wannabe presidential candidate — Martin O’Malley, who had raised the state’s taxes by more than $9.5 billion since he took office. Republican Larry Hogan was outspent by roughly five to one, but hammered home relentlessly a message of rolling back taxes and reducing state spending. He won in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by two to one.
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QUEEN ANNE’S CO. MAN CHARGED WITH DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Maryland State Police Press Release
(CHESTERTOWN, MD) – A Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation has led to the arrest of a Queen Anne’s County man for the distribution of child pornography.
The accused is identified as Zachary A. Geyer, 24, of the 300-block of Longfellow Drive, Chestertown, Md. He is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. Geyer was arrested yesterday and is currently being held on $1 million bond in the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center.
The arrest was the result of an investigation begun by members of the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Section. The online investigation focused on persons suspected of being involved in the distribution of child pornography.
During the investigation, several files of child pornography were distributed online to police investigators. A State Police investigator identified the suspect believed to be distributing the child pornography files as Geyer. A search warrant was served at his home and numerous pieces of digital media including computers and cell phones were recovered and sent to the Maryland State Police Digital Forensic Lab for analysis. The forensic examination provided evidence to support the investigation and led to the charges filed against Geyer.
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is comprised of police agencies from around the state. Its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.
The accused is identified as Zachary A. Geyer, 24, of the 300-block of Longfellow Drive, Chestertown, Md. He is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. Geyer was arrested yesterday and is currently being held on $1 million bond in the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center.
The arrest was the result of an investigation begun by members of the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Section. The online investigation focused on persons suspected of being involved in the distribution of child pornography.
During the investigation, several files of child pornography were distributed online to police investigators. A State Police investigator identified the suspect believed to be distributing the child pornography files as Geyer. A search warrant was served at his home and numerous pieces of digital media including computers and cell phones were recovered and sent to the Maryland State Police Digital Forensic Lab for analysis. The forensic examination provided evidence to support the investigation and led to the charges filed against Geyer.
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is comprised of police agencies from around the state. Its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.
Pinch Me Therapy Dough featured in AMA gift bags
Rothner sent 150 containers of Pinch Me Therapy Dough, which will be gifted and photographed during the event.
“I am thrilled and honored to have Pinch Me Therapy Dough featured in celebrity gift bags,” Rothner said. “Getting the word out and bringing awareness to the product makes me beyond excited and elated.”
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Taxes and the Tale of Two Cities
In America and in New York City – much like anywhere else with law and order, there must be boundaries and rules. There can’t be two sets of rules.
Reverend Al Sharpton is a fixture for New Yorkers, and in the last few years, left-leaning cable news viewers have come to rely on his political and social commentary. Love him or hate him, he has been around forever and his brand has matured since the Tawana Brawley days. Particularly in the current de Blasio administration, Sharpton has grown quite powerful; so powerful, that, as the New York Post says, he dictates policy to the police commissioner. He is also very close with President Barack Obama, the United States Commander-in-chief.
Leaving aside Sharpton’s “colorful”history, how is it possible that powerful elected officials in this nation associate with and take advice from a national leader who does not pay his taxes? Politicians avoid shady characters, and taxes are a matter of fact issue (which in fact pays the salaries of these folks.)
As the uber-liberal New York Times reported today, in records they reviewed it was apparent that Sharpton owes, “more than $4.5 million in current state and federal tax liens against him and his for-profit businesses.” While Sharpton’s friends de Blasio and Obama have been in power, his tax bills have grown – and the organization which he runs, the National Action Network, has not paid federal payroll taxes.
Maybe the IRS has been too busy harassing the Tea Party to look at people on their own side of the political fence.
More
Reverend Al Sharpton is a fixture for New Yorkers, and in the last few years, left-leaning cable news viewers have come to rely on his political and social commentary. Love him or hate him, he has been around forever and his brand has matured since the Tawana Brawley days. Particularly in the current de Blasio administration, Sharpton has grown quite powerful; so powerful, that, as the New York Post says, he dictates policy to the police commissioner. He is also very close with President Barack Obama, the United States Commander-in-chief.
Leaving aside Sharpton’s “colorful”history, how is it possible that powerful elected officials in this nation associate with and take advice from a national leader who does not pay his taxes? Politicians avoid shady characters, and taxes are a matter of fact issue (which in fact pays the salaries of these folks.)
As the uber-liberal New York Times reported today, in records they reviewed it was apparent that Sharpton owes, “more than $4.5 million in current state and federal tax liens against him and his for-profit businesses.” While Sharpton’s friends de Blasio and Obama have been in power, his tax bills have grown – and the organization which he runs, the National Action Network, has not paid federal payroll taxes.
Maybe the IRS has been too busy harassing the Tea Party to look at people on their own side of the political fence.
More
Worcester County Clarifies Solar Regulations
SNOW HILL – A bill approved this week by the Worcester County Commissioners will streamline solar energy regulations for developers.
The legislation, which was amended to address concerns raised by county residents as well as commissioners last month, was created to smooth the process for developers interested in building solar arrays in Worcester County.
The main difference in what was approved this week and what was considered last month is that utility-sized solar projects will be permitted in estate, village and commercial zoning districts in addition to agricultural and industrial districts. The bill as it was first proposed only allowed those projects in agricultural and industrial areas.
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The legislation, which was amended to address concerns raised by county residents as well as commissioners last month, was created to smooth the process for developers interested in building solar arrays in Worcester County.
The main difference in what was approved this week and what was considered last month is that utility-sized solar projects will be permitted in estate, village and commercial zoning districts in addition to agricultural and industrial districts. The bill as it was first proposed only allowed those projects in agricultural and industrial areas.
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Teachers Union Ignores State Law Against Campaign Spending
Complaint: Lax oversight led to exploitation of teachers
Pennsylvania’s largest teachers union exploited its members to aid Democrats in the midterm elections and may have broken state law in the process, according to charges filed by a veteran educator.
Pennsylvania College of Technology professor Mary Trometter claims in a state Labor Relations Board complaint that the NEA-affiliated Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) sent mailers endorsing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf to her husband. Wolf beat incumbent Republican Gov. Tom Corbett by 10 points.
“As a family member of an educator, you know they are devoting their career to helping others … Please join Mary in voting for Tom Wolf for Governor on November 4th,” the letter says.
The letter was signed by PSEA president Michael Crossey and NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, but Trometter, who is a member of the PSEA, said the union’s endorsements did not represent her views. She is now going after the PSEA for violating the Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act, which bars employee organizations from giving money“either directly or indirectly to any political party or organization or in support of any political candidate for public office.”
“My union dues are paying for this letter,” she said. “The union has been very vocal about using dues money for political gain … the fact that my name was exploited and being used to promote their political cause was the last straw.”
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Pennsylvania’s largest teachers union exploited its members to aid Democrats in the midterm elections and may have broken state law in the process, according to charges filed by a veteran educator.
Pennsylvania College of Technology professor Mary Trometter claims in a state Labor Relations Board complaint that the NEA-affiliated Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) sent mailers endorsing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf to her husband. Wolf beat incumbent Republican Gov. Tom Corbett by 10 points.
“As a family member of an educator, you know they are devoting their career to helping others … Please join Mary in voting for Tom Wolf for Governor on November 4th,” the letter says.
The letter was signed by PSEA president Michael Crossey and NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, but Trometter, who is a member of the PSEA, said the union’s endorsements did not represent her views. She is now going after the PSEA for violating the Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act, which bars employee organizations from giving money“either directly or indirectly to any political party or organization or in support of any political candidate for public office.”
“My union dues are paying for this letter,” she said. “The union has been very vocal about using dues money for political gain … the fact that my name was exploited and being used to promote their political cause was the last straw.”
More
‘It should disgust you’: Video shows PE teacher forcefully dragging 14-year-old into pool
A California physical education teacher has been charged with corporal injury to a child after video surfaced of him attempting to throw a 14-year-old girl into the pool during his class, News10 reports.
On the video — taken by another student — Edison High School P.E. teacher Denny Peterson can be seen dragging the girl toward the pool while she yells, “My top is falling down.”
The lawyer representing her, Gilbert Somera, admitted that the girl was lying about her reason for not wanting to go in the pool — she had had her hair done earlier that day for an event she was attending that evening and didn’t want it ruined — before adding that it was immaterial to the way in which she was treated, given the claim she was making.
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On the video — taken by another student — Edison High School P.E. teacher Denny Peterson can be seen dragging the girl toward the pool while she yells, “My top is falling down.”
The lawyer representing her, Gilbert Somera, admitted that the girl was lying about her reason for not wanting to go in the pool — she had had her hair done earlier that day for an event she was attending that evening and didn’t want it ruined — before adding that it was immaterial to the way in which she was treated, given the claim she was making.
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Why Ending FEMA Will Improve Disaster Response
Under the U.S. Constitution, the powers delegated to the federal government are “few and defined,” as James Madison noted in Federalist 45, while the powers of the states “will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people.”
That decentralized structure of government has served America well, but it has been rapidly eroding as Washington grabs ever more power over domestic policy. One troubling area of federal expansion is the preparation and response for natural disasters, such as hurricanes. The interventions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies are increasingly displacing the activities of the states and private organizations.
In decades past, individuals, businesses, and charities took the lead on disasters. After the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, for example, the private response was huge. Aid poured in from across the country, with millionaires such as Andrew Carnegie making major contributions. Southern Pacific Railroad evacuated 200,000 people from the city at no charge. Home-products company Johnson and Johnson rushed in free supplies. Insurance companies paid out the vast majority of claims for the 90 percent of all property owners who had policies. The Red Cross and other charities also provided relief.
In recent decades, these sorts of private responses are being replaced by federal intervention. President Jimmy Carter created FEMA by executive order in 1979, and Congress created the current legal structure for disaster relief in the 1988 Stafford Act. The Act allows for federal intervention only if disasters are of “such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments.” But the government often violates that limit by intervening in emergencies that could be handled locally.
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That decentralized structure of government has served America well, but it has been rapidly eroding as Washington grabs ever more power over domestic policy. One troubling area of federal expansion is the preparation and response for natural disasters, such as hurricanes. The interventions of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies are increasingly displacing the activities of the states and private organizations.
In decades past, individuals, businesses, and charities took the lead on disasters. After the devastating San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, for example, the private response was huge. Aid poured in from across the country, with millionaires such as Andrew Carnegie making major contributions. Southern Pacific Railroad evacuated 200,000 people from the city at no charge. Home-products company Johnson and Johnson rushed in free supplies. Insurance companies paid out the vast majority of claims for the 90 percent of all property owners who had policies. The Red Cross and other charities also provided relief.
In recent decades, these sorts of private responses are being replaced by federal intervention. President Jimmy Carter created FEMA by executive order in 1979, and Congress created the current legal structure for disaster relief in the 1988 Stafford Act. The Act allows for federal intervention only if disasters are of “such severity and magnitude that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the affected local governments.” But the government often violates that limit by intervening in emergencies that could be handled locally.
More
OC Wants To Survey Property Owners
OCEAN CITY – With three new elected officials now on board, the Mayor and City Council agreed this week it is time to conduct a new survey to hear the opinion of property owners.
At the conclusion of this week’s Mayor and City Council legislative session, Councilman Dennis Dare suggested the town conduct another National Citizen Survey, which was last conducted in 2007.
“We hear from the same two citizens every week, maybe three sometimes, and we need to hear from everybody. There are 30,000 property owners, and 7,000 residents in town, and it is important to hear from all of them,” Dare said.
Seven years ago, a “Town of Ocean City, Maryland Report of Geographic Subgroup Comparisons/National Citizen Survey” was conducted. Dare explained it is a standardized survey used in many municipalities throughout the country where property owners can rate Ocean City overall, including its many services.
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At the conclusion of this week’s Mayor and City Council legislative session, Councilman Dennis Dare suggested the town conduct another National Citizen Survey, which was last conducted in 2007.
“We hear from the same two citizens every week, maybe three sometimes, and we need to hear from everybody. There are 30,000 property owners, and 7,000 residents in town, and it is important to hear from all of them,” Dare said.
Seven years ago, a “Town of Ocean City, Maryland Report of Geographic Subgroup Comparisons/National Citizen Survey” was conducted. Dare explained it is a standardized survey used in many municipalities throughout the country where property owners can rate Ocean City overall, including its many services.
More
Obama's AG Nominee's Office Seized Over $904 Million in Asset Forfeitures in 2013
In September, US Attorney General Eric “Fast and Furious” Holderannounced his resignation, and people everywhere rejoiced.
We’ve been waiting to see who his successor will be, and on November 8 Obama announced his pick.
Her name is Loretta Lynch, and she’s currently the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. She is expected to be confirmed as our new US AG in early 2015.
One can only hope she takes the Constitution more seriously than her predecessor.
Unfortunately, a major red flag has already been raised.
Lynch recently announced that her office seized over $904 million in asset forfeitures – in 2013 alone.
Barry Donegan of BenSwann.com reports:
MoreAccording to a quote from The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, “As a prosecutor Ms. Lynch has also been aggressive in pursuing civil asset forfeiture, which has become a form of policing for profit. She recently announced that her office had collected more than $904 million in criminal and civil actions in fiscal 2013, according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.” The editorial calls for senators to ask questions in an effort to clarify Lynch’s views on the controversial policy.
Campaign Brightens Holiday Season For Local Kids
BERLIN – A local group is hoping to share the “Christmas experience” with area children through the 4th Annual United Christmas Spirit Campaign.
The Young Professionals of Ocean City will host the United Christmas Spirit Campaign on Dec. 6. Each year the event provides 50 underprivileged children with a $100 shopping spree at Walmart.
“It’s really a great event,” said Rob Mattie, chairman of this year’s campaign for the Young Professionals. “It’s one of the most heartwarming events I’ve ever had the privilege to take part in.”
Mattie’s group spends months fundraising to come up with the $5,000 needed to give each child $100 to spend at Walmart the morning of the trip. While donations have been a little harder to come by this year, Mattie is confident that the group will reach its goal.
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The Young Professionals of Ocean City will host the United Christmas Spirit Campaign on Dec. 6. Each year the event provides 50 underprivileged children with a $100 shopping spree at Walmart.
“It’s really a great event,” said Rob Mattie, chairman of this year’s campaign for the Young Professionals. “It’s one of the most heartwarming events I’ve ever had the privilege to take part in.”
Mattie’s group spends months fundraising to come up with the $5,000 needed to give each child $100 to spend at Walmart the morning of the trip. While donations have been a little harder to come by this year, Mattie is confident that the group will reach its goal.
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You Are Kidding, Right?
Actress in 'drunk girl' hoax viral video that appeared to show men preying on her apologizes saying she was tricked into doing it by producers who told her it would just be a 'light-hearted prank'
Less than a week after a video seemingly showing men trying to take advantage of a drunken woman on Hollywood Boulevard was revealed to be a hoax, the actress who took part in the marketing ploy issued an apology.
Jennifer Box, a 24-year-old Los Angeles-based actress and model, took to YouTube Tuesday saying that she had been led to believe that she will be taking part in a 'light-hearted prank' when she was hired to portray a drunk girl.
'Had I known the damaging outcome of this video, I never would have participated,’ Box said.
More
Less than a week after a video seemingly showing men trying to take advantage of a drunken woman on Hollywood Boulevard was revealed to be a hoax, the actress who took part in the marketing ploy issued an apology.
Jennifer Box, a 24-year-old Los Angeles-based actress and model, took to YouTube Tuesday saying that she had been led to believe that she will be taking part in a 'light-hearted prank' when she was hired to portray a drunk girl.
'Had I known the damaging outcome of this video, I never would have participated,’ Box said.
More
SFD Calls For Service 11-21-14
- Friday November, 21 2014 @ 22:18Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday November, 21 2014 @ 21:47Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday November, 21 2014 @ 21:42 Nature: Vehicle Accident w/InjuriesAddress: 1015 S Salisbury Blvd Salisbury, MD 21801
- Friday November, 21 2014 @ 21:22Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday November, 21 2014 @ 18:53Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
A sneak attack on taxpayers
An Ohio pay grab is a warning to state capitals everywhere
Election Day should have taught legislators everywhere the lesson that they must be more respectful to the men and women who pay the taxes, and to show a little respect for the dollars those men and women send to municipal, state and federal treasuries. The message seems to have got lost on the way to Ohio.
One Ohio legislator, a Republican named Gerald Stebelton of Lancaster, is using the lame-duck session of his legislature to sneak through a dramatic pay raise for nearly every officeholder in Ohio. Nice work if he can get it, and Mr. Stebelton obviously thinks he can get it if he tries.
Ohio once awarded automatic pay raises to officeholders from governor on down to county commissioners and members of the boards of election commissions, but the law expired in 2008. Mr. Stebelton has introduced a bill to bring back the automatic annual cost-of-living raises, based on the Consumer Price Index, and capped at 3 percent a year. The proposal, reports the Ohio news website IdeaStream, would increase judges’ salaries 5 percent and increase the paychecks of rural county and township officials to align them with salaries of their city counterparts.
Mr. Stebelton wants judicial pay attractive to lawyers who want to be judges. The relatively low pay earned by Ohio’s state and local judges, he says, discourages lawyers who would make the best adjudicators from aspiring to be judges.
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Election Day should have taught legislators everywhere the lesson that they must be more respectful to the men and women who pay the taxes, and to show a little respect for the dollars those men and women send to municipal, state and federal treasuries. The message seems to have got lost on the way to Ohio.
One Ohio legislator, a Republican named Gerald Stebelton of Lancaster, is using the lame-duck session of his legislature to sneak through a dramatic pay raise for nearly every officeholder in Ohio. Nice work if he can get it, and Mr. Stebelton obviously thinks he can get it if he tries.
Ohio once awarded automatic pay raises to officeholders from governor on down to county commissioners and members of the boards of election commissions, but the law expired in 2008. Mr. Stebelton has introduced a bill to bring back the automatic annual cost-of-living raises, based on the Consumer Price Index, and capped at 3 percent a year. The proposal, reports the Ohio news website IdeaStream, would increase judges’ salaries 5 percent and increase the paychecks of rural county and township officials to align them with salaries of their city counterparts.
Mr. Stebelton wants judicial pay attractive to lawyers who want to be judges. The relatively low pay earned by Ohio’s state and local judges, he says, discourages lawyers who would make the best adjudicators from aspiring to be judges.
More
Air Force Documents Show President Obama Ran up $1,539,402.10 in Flight Expenses Alone for Labor Day 2014 Weekend Trips
After fundraising in Westchester, New York, Obama flew home to ‘spend the night in his own bed’ before returning for a wedding, running up to $295,227.80 in additional expenses
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it has obtained records from the United States Air Force revealing the flight cost for President Obama’s Labor Day 2014 weekend trips for fundraising, personal business, and politicking came to a total of $1,539,402.10 in taxpayer-paid transportation expenses. The documents regarding the transportation expenses came in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on September 2, 2014.
According to the newly released records obtained by Judicial Watch:
Flights for Obama’s 2014 Labor Day weekend fundraising trips to Westchester, New York, and Providence, Rhode Island, cost taxpayers $527,192.50
Transportation for Obama’s round-trip flight from D.C. to Westchester, New York, to attend a wedding cost taxpayers $358,490.90
The flight for Obama’s trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to speak at “Laborfest 2014” cost taxpayers $653,718.70
Obama began his Labor Day weekend by taking off on yet another flurry of fundraisers in the Northeast. He began his money-raising venture by heading to Westchester, New York, on Friday, August 29.
While in New York, Obama attended two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee, one of them a BBQ at the home of former UBS CEO Robert Wolf. Obama later that day took off for Providence, Rhode Island, for a fundraiser at the private residence of former Nortek CEO Richard Bready and Betty Easton, where tickets cost up to $32, 400. This event marked Obama’s ninth fundraiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this year.
Obama was originally scheduled to fly back to Westchester, New York, Friday night, spend the night there, then return to D.C. after attending the high-profile wedding of the White House chef Sam Kass to MSNBC host and liberal commentator, Alex Wagner on Saturday.
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(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it has obtained records from the United States Air Force revealing the flight cost for President Obama’s Labor Day 2014 weekend trips for fundraising, personal business, and politicking came to a total of $1,539,402.10 in taxpayer-paid transportation expenses. The documents regarding the transportation expenses came in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on September 2, 2014.
According to the newly released records obtained by Judicial Watch:
Flights for Obama’s 2014 Labor Day weekend fundraising trips to Westchester, New York, and Providence, Rhode Island, cost taxpayers $527,192.50
Transportation for Obama’s round-trip flight from D.C. to Westchester, New York, to attend a wedding cost taxpayers $358,490.90
The flight for Obama’s trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to speak at “Laborfest 2014” cost taxpayers $653,718.70
Obama began his Labor Day weekend by taking off on yet another flurry of fundraisers in the Northeast. He began his money-raising venture by heading to Westchester, New York, on Friday, August 29.
While in New York, Obama attended two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee, one of them a BBQ at the home of former UBS CEO Robert Wolf. Obama later that day took off for Providence, Rhode Island, for a fundraiser at the private residence of former Nortek CEO Richard Bready and Betty Easton, where tickets cost up to $32, 400. This event marked Obama’s ninth fundraiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this year.
Obama was originally scheduled to fly back to Westchester, New York, Friday night, spend the night there, then return to D.C. after attending the high-profile wedding of the White House chef Sam Kass to MSNBC host and liberal commentator, Alex Wagner on Saturday.
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New International Gang Of Thieves Make Somali Pirates Look Like Amateurs
When the two young petty thieves, Rinconete and Cortadillo, came to Seville they were quickly censured for stealing.
To their surprise, it wasn’t for the theft itself, but instead because they were not registered with the local thieves’ guild.
In this upside-down world imagined by Miguel Cervantes, theft was not a crime, but a craft—performed in the name of God and justice.
And like any other craftsmen of the day, the thieves had formed a guild. There they provided training and support to their members, while maintaining an exclusive right to engage in the trade.
This past month, a real-life guild of thieves was formed. With 51 governments pledging their support to each other for the protection of their ignoble craft of theft. And another 30 pledging to join by 2018.
From day one, governments have been pilfering their citizens’ assets through taxation, claiming a monopoly on thievery.
From the largest institution to the pettiest pickpocket, anyone else who tries to engage in theft is severely punished, as governments work to protect their exclusive right to steal.
Frighteningly, they do this all out in the open, believing that they actually have a moral right to commit theft.
You can see this delusion in the US government’s claims that last year they “lost out” on $337 billion from people avoiding taxes. As if they have some moral claim to the money they’d failed to pilfer.
Nonetheless, they use this claim to justify actively hunting down and penalizing anyone who takes action to avoid being stolen from.
The ones that are doing this are the bankrupt countries, and the deeper they slide into debt, the more desperate they become.
Which is why these broke governments are now joining forces, pledging to to collect and share information amongst themselves about citizens’ bank accounts, taxes, assets and income outside local tax jurisdictions.
Basically—I’ll help you steal from your citizens if you help me steal from mine.
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To their surprise, it wasn’t for the theft itself, but instead because they were not registered with the local thieves’ guild.
In this upside-down world imagined by Miguel Cervantes, theft was not a crime, but a craft—performed in the name of God and justice.
And like any other craftsmen of the day, the thieves had formed a guild. There they provided training and support to their members, while maintaining an exclusive right to engage in the trade.
This past month, a real-life guild of thieves was formed. With 51 governments pledging their support to each other for the protection of their ignoble craft of theft. And another 30 pledging to join by 2018.
From day one, governments have been pilfering their citizens’ assets through taxation, claiming a monopoly on thievery.
From the largest institution to the pettiest pickpocket, anyone else who tries to engage in theft is severely punished, as governments work to protect their exclusive right to steal.
Frighteningly, they do this all out in the open, believing that they actually have a moral right to commit theft.
You can see this delusion in the US government’s claims that last year they “lost out” on $337 billion from people avoiding taxes. As if they have some moral claim to the money they’d failed to pilfer.
Nonetheless, they use this claim to justify actively hunting down and penalizing anyone who takes action to avoid being stolen from.
The ones that are doing this are the bankrupt countries, and the deeper they slide into debt, the more desperate they become.
Which is why these broke governments are now joining forces, pledging to to collect and share information amongst themselves about citizens’ bank accounts, taxes, assets and income outside local tax jurisdictions.
Basically—I’ll help you steal from your citizens if you help me steal from mine.
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Understanding How Your Blood Reacts To Cold Is A Lifesaver
Every winter we are bombarded by information about the cold and how to protect ourselves from it and from health issues associated with it.
Wrap up warm; keep one room heated to a minimum 18*C; avoid hypothermia; eat and drink warm food; get the boiler serviced to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning; turn off the Christmas tree lights to avoid fire. It’s endless.
Every winter in the UK, upwards of 20,000 extra deaths occur that are attributed in one way or another to the cold. These are referred to as ‘excess deaths from all causes’ on the official statistics. Now, that wording makes it sound like the medics record which deaths are caused by the cold. In some cases they do, but in most they don’t; the figure is derived by taking the figure for the deaths recorded during non-winter months and taking it away from the winter tally; the number left is the excess deaths from all causes figure.
Now, some things that happen in winter are fully understandable and clearly lead to more deaths than would occur in drier warmer weather. Road accidents, domestic boiler incidents, house fires, drowning from falling through ice, asthma, pneumonia, falls, influenza and so on all have a higher incidence level in winter than at any other time of year.
There are, however, other deaths that occur that are directly attributable to cold weather that never even get a mention as weather related. We are all aware that heavy duty snow shoveling can cause a person to keel over with a heart attack, but this is not the main cause of heart attacks during cold weather. Heart attack and strokes, or to give them their proper names, cardiac arrest and cerebro-vascular accidents are responsible for thousands of cold weather deaths each year. They are listed on the statistics as exactly what they are, but as a heart or brain does not have ‘packed up due to cold weather’ stamped on it at autopsy it’s hard to absolutely say the death was caused by the weather.
Even though it was.
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Wrap up warm; keep one room heated to a minimum 18*C; avoid hypothermia; eat and drink warm food; get the boiler serviced to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning; turn off the Christmas tree lights to avoid fire. It’s endless.
Every winter in the UK, upwards of 20,000 extra deaths occur that are attributed in one way or another to the cold. These are referred to as ‘excess deaths from all causes’ on the official statistics. Now, that wording makes it sound like the medics record which deaths are caused by the cold. In some cases they do, but in most they don’t; the figure is derived by taking the figure for the deaths recorded during non-winter months and taking it away from the winter tally; the number left is the excess deaths from all causes figure.
Now, some things that happen in winter are fully understandable and clearly lead to more deaths than would occur in drier warmer weather. Road accidents, domestic boiler incidents, house fires, drowning from falling through ice, asthma, pneumonia, falls, influenza and so on all have a higher incidence level in winter than at any other time of year.
There are, however, other deaths that occur that are directly attributable to cold weather that never even get a mention as weather related. We are all aware that heavy duty snow shoveling can cause a person to keel over with a heart attack, but this is not the main cause of heart attacks during cold weather. Heart attack and strokes, or to give them their proper names, cardiac arrest and cerebro-vascular accidents are responsible for thousands of cold weather deaths each year. They are listed on the statistics as exactly what they are, but as a heart or brain does not have ‘packed up due to cold weather’ stamped on it at autopsy it’s hard to absolutely say the death was caused by the weather.
Even though it was.
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Supporters Turn Out To Support New West Salisbury School
SALISBURY – Many supporters of the replacement of West Salisbury Elementary School attended this week’s County Council meeting, but they were disappointed to find the resolution to fund the project had been removed from the agenda and delayed till next month.
Earlier this month, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt requested the County Council adopt a resolution providing the issuance and sale of general obligation bonds in an aggregate amount not to exceed $16,525,000. The proceeds are to be used for the public purpose of funding costs of certain capital projects.
The capital improvement projects include the Board of Education projects of about $5.7 million for the Bennett Middle School Project and $1.25 million for the replacement of West Salisbury School; $1,800,000 for Phase 3 of the Westside Collector; $500,000 for Lower Wicomico River Dredge Material Placement (DMP) Site and $500,000 for the Middle River DMP Site; the purchase of a State’s Attorney Building for about $4 million; the A.W. Perdue Stadium Restoration/Modernization Project for $1.58 million; $1 million for the Youth and Civic Center Upgrade and Expansion; and $200,500 for the contingency fund.
The resolution was scheduled to come before the council during Tuesday morning’s session but was removed due to County Executive-Elect Bob Culver taking office on Dec. 2. Culver will need time to review the list and choose to make changes.
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Earlier this month, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt requested the County Council adopt a resolution providing the issuance and sale of general obligation bonds in an aggregate amount not to exceed $16,525,000. The proceeds are to be used for the public purpose of funding costs of certain capital projects.
The capital improvement projects include the Board of Education projects of about $5.7 million for the Bennett Middle School Project and $1.25 million for the replacement of West Salisbury School; $1,800,000 for Phase 3 of the Westside Collector; $500,000 for Lower Wicomico River Dredge Material Placement (DMP) Site and $500,000 for the Middle River DMP Site; the purchase of a State’s Attorney Building for about $4 million; the A.W. Perdue Stadium Restoration/Modernization Project for $1.58 million; $1 million for the Youth and Civic Center Upgrade and Expansion; and $200,500 for the contingency fund.
The resolution was scheduled to come before the council during Tuesday morning’s session but was removed due to County Executive-Elect Bob Culver taking office on Dec. 2. Culver will need time to review the list and choose to make changes.
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Brooklyn Woman On Ebola Monitoring List Drops Dead Bleeding From "Face, Mouth, Nose"
Just a week after Dr. Craig Spencer was declared 'Ebola-free', The Daily Mail reports a woman, who had arrived from Guinea 18 days ago (and was on the NYC Ebola monitoring list), dropped dead in a Brooklyn hair salon this afternoon. FDNY sent their Special Operations and Hazmat units but she was declared dead at the scene. Witnesses said she was bleeding from the "face, nose, mouth, everything."
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How Ferguson's peacemaking state police captain 'infuriated' cops
Leaked emails show anger over 'soft' approach to protesters
Newly released email exchanges between police brass show that the Missouri State Police captain placed in charge of security in Ferguson after Michael Brown's killing was both vilified and praised for attempting to replace authorities' militarized approach with one more sympathetic to protesters.
The emails, obtained by The Associated Press through an open-records request, also show that police tried to find a way to protect members of the clergy who were in the protest crowds, and that some officers objected to an order to take their meals in public.
The messages offer a small window into the inner workings of Missouri law-enforcement agencies as they tried to quell the tensions that arose following the fatal shooting of the black 18-year-old by white police officer Darren Wilson.
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Newly released email exchanges between police brass show that the Missouri State Police captain placed in charge of security in Ferguson after Michael Brown's killing was both vilified and praised for attempting to replace authorities' militarized approach with one more sympathetic to protesters.
The emails, obtained by The Associated Press through an open-records request, also show that police tried to find a way to protect members of the clergy who were in the protest crowds, and that some officers objected to an order to take their meals in public.
The messages offer a small window into the inner workings of Missouri law-enforcement agencies as they tried to quell the tensions that arose following the fatal shooting of the black 18-year-old by white police officer Darren Wilson.
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Darren Wilson's supporters attack President Obama
For 'failing to support officer's family' - and claim shooting deaths have been turned into 'race war'
Supporters of the white cop who shot dead a black teenager in Missouri have published a slick video attacking Barack Obama for failing to back the officer’s family.
The seven-minute clip says that the President should have got in touch with Darren Wilson’s relatives to give them his support in the wake of the August 9 killing in Ferguson, a suburb of St Louis.
The video says that Wilson’s life was ‘turned upside down’ and that Mr Obama aligned himself with Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was killed.
The unabashed footage is upbeat in tone and is set to two songs: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by rock band Journey and ‘We’re not gunna take it any more’ by Twisted Sister.
It makes clear the strength of feeling among some in St Louis that Wilson, 28, is the victim and not just Brown.
The footage also uses inflammatory language to attack Brown and calls him a ‘thug criminal’ who carried out a robbery shortly before he was killed.
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Supporters of the white cop who shot dead a black teenager in Missouri have published a slick video attacking Barack Obama for failing to back the officer’s family.
The seven-minute clip says that the President should have got in touch with Darren Wilson’s relatives to give them his support in the wake of the August 9 killing in Ferguson, a suburb of St Louis.
The video says that Wilson’s life was ‘turned upside down’ and that Mr Obama aligned himself with Michael Brown, the 18-year-old who was killed.
The unabashed footage is upbeat in tone and is set to two songs: ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ by rock band Journey and ‘We’re not gunna take it any more’ by Twisted Sister.
It makes clear the strength of feeling among some in St Louis that Wilson, 28, is the victim and not just Brown.
The footage also uses inflammatory language to attack Brown and calls him a ‘thug criminal’ who carried out a robbery shortly before he was killed.
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Frontier Town Integrated Into County
Waste management at Frontier Town had, until recently, an Old West lawless feel to it with part of the service being supplied by the county through the Assateague Point system and the rest provided by septic systems.
On Tuesday, however, the county commissioners approved a plan to integrate the attraction into the Mystic Harbour Sanitary Service area with an S-1 designation, the costs of which will likely only be for infrastructure physically connecting it to the wastewater treatment plant.
A force main will be constructed to pump wastewater northward along Route 611 and connect to an existing force main servicing Castaways Campground.
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On Tuesday, however, the county commissioners approved a plan to integrate the attraction into the Mystic Harbour Sanitary Service area with an S-1 designation, the costs of which will likely only be for infrastructure physically connecting it to the wastewater treatment plant.
A force main will be constructed to pump wastewater northward along Route 611 and connect to an existing force main servicing Castaways Campground.
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'Obama Promised Obamacare Wouldn't Do Exactly What Gruber Says it Will Do'
Earlier this year, Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber was caught dead-to-rights in a brazen lie that undermines the White House's legal stance in a critical Supreme Court case. In recent days, the Gruber cancer has spread. A string of videos emerged showing the MIT economist spewing venom at Obamacare opponents, candidly confirming numerous conservative critiques of Obamacare (on cost containment, "keep your plan," taxes, and redistribution), and gleefully celebrating the law's lack of transparency -- which he deemed a great political boon to Democrats, by allowing them to deceive "stupid" American voters. Democrats have clumsily attempted to disclaim Gruber as one of their own, disavowing his comments, and trying to downplay his role in shaping their unpopular law. They've been exposed as frauds at every turn. Gruber wasn't just an influential insider throughout the entire process; he was arguably the central policy cog in the Obamacare wheel. Fox's Special Reportbroadcast an excellent review of Grubergate earlier in the week, and now CNN's Jake Tapper has added another unsparing report into the mix:
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Local Man Claims Million Dollar Lotto Prize
Back on Nov. 7, the multi-state draw game’s top prize of $21 million was won by a player in New Jersey, which triggered a total of 14, $1 million prizes around the country. The Maryland Lottery then announced one of the $1 million Monopoly Millionaire’s Club winning tickets had been sold at the Greene Turtle in West Ocean City, igniting intrigue around the tight community about the identity of a new millionaire.
The intrigue ended somewhat on Monday when the winner turned in his winning ticket and claimed his prize at Maryland Lottery headquarters. While many by now have figured out who won the million dollar prize through the process of elimination, the winner asked that his identity not be revealed and the Maryland Lottery obliged. The Dispatch will as well. Interestingly enough, the photo released by Maryland Lottery this week shows the typical “big check” presentation with the identities of the winner and his significant other obscured by the iconic black top hats long associated with the popular board game.
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"You have to live in fear": One undocumented immigrant's story
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"We just want to be acknowledged in this society as human beings. I just want to be acknowledged that I exist," said Armando Ibanez, a 32-year-old undocumented worker in Los Angeles. "In general, I think you have to live in fear of being separated from your family any time, any moment."
Ibanez was born and raised in Mexico, but considers the United States home. He crossed the border illegally 14 years ago, and has been living in California ever since.
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Teachers Unions Aim To Demonize Banks That Have Lent School Districts Money
A heavily union-funded organization called The Alliance to Reform Our Schools has mounted a campaign to vilify financial institutions that have lent money to public school districts and local governments around the country.
The American Federation of Teachers is using the term “toxic deals” to describe transactions involving school districts that received huge sums of money in exchange for promises to repay that money with interest and fees.
“These deals are robbing schools and kids of desperately needed resources at a time when budgets have been cut to the bone and our schools are already being asked to do more with less,” AFT president Randi Weingarten proclaimed in a press release the union sent to The Daily Caller.
Possibly unaware that creditors and debtors have a vested interest in painstakingly recording the terms of large financial arrangements, Weingarten demanded “basic transparency and accountability” from creditors and from school officials.
“Putting this money back into the classroom could mean more teachers, nurses and social workers; restoring art and music; creating community schools; and wrapping services for kids and families around schools,” Weingarten lectured.
The AFT is blaming unnamed financial institutions for the truly terrible bets made by school district officials in a host of cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia (which faces a $161 million loss).
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The American Federation of Teachers is using the term “toxic deals” to describe transactions involving school districts that received huge sums of money in exchange for promises to repay that money with interest and fees.
“These deals are robbing schools and kids of desperately needed resources at a time when budgets have been cut to the bone and our schools are already being asked to do more with less,” AFT president Randi Weingarten proclaimed in a press release the union sent to The Daily Caller.
Possibly unaware that creditors and debtors have a vested interest in painstakingly recording the terms of large financial arrangements, Weingarten demanded “basic transparency and accountability” from creditors and from school officials.
“Putting this money back into the classroom could mean more teachers, nurses and social workers; restoring art and music; creating community schools; and wrapping services for kids and families around schools,” Weingarten lectured.
The AFT is blaming unnamed financial institutions for the truly terrible bets made by school district officials in a host of cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia (which faces a $161 million loss).
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Why Living In A Post-Bubble World Is No Fun
What do we do when the bubble economy cannot be reflated?
It is generally conceded that we are living in an era of Peak Everything: peak central bank omnipotence, peak powerless of the non-elites, peak wealth inequality, peak media-induced delusion, peak market-rigging, peak bogus official statistics, peak propaganda, peak bread and circuses, peak deception, peak distraction, peak sociopathology, peak central statism, peak debt, peak leverage, peak derealization--need I go on?
Peaks generate bubbles. Bubbles reach extremes and then they pop. There is nothing mysterious about this causal chain: peaks generate extremes that manifest as bubbles, which eventually implode as extremes revert to the mean and mass delusions are shattered by the unwelcome reality that extremes are not sustainable.
The status quo solution to the devastation of a popped bubble is to inflate another even bigger bubble. If debt reached extremes that imploded, the solution is to expand debt far beyond the levels that caused the implosion.
If fudging the numbers triggered a loss of confidence, the solution is to fudge the numbers even more, so they no longer reflect reality at all.
If gaming the system crashed the system, the solution is to game the system even harder.
If the masses protest their powerlessness, the solution is to push them further from the centers of power.
And so on.
This blowing new bubbles to replace the ones that popped works for a while, but at the expense of systemic stability. Each new bubble requires pushing the system to new extremes that increase the risk of instability and collapse.
In other words, the stability of the new bubble is temporary and thus illusory.
It is generally conceded that we are living in an era of Peak Everything: peak central bank omnipotence, peak powerless of the non-elites, peak wealth inequality, peak media-induced delusion, peak market-rigging, peak bogus official statistics, peak propaganda, peak bread and circuses, peak deception, peak distraction, peak sociopathology, peak central statism, peak debt, peak leverage, peak derealization--need I go on?
Peaks generate bubbles. Bubbles reach extremes and then they pop. There is nothing mysterious about this causal chain: peaks generate extremes that manifest as bubbles, which eventually implode as extremes revert to the mean and mass delusions are shattered by the unwelcome reality that extremes are not sustainable.
The status quo solution to the devastation of a popped bubble is to inflate another even bigger bubble. If debt reached extremes that imploded, the solution is to expand debt far beyond the levels that caused the implosion.
If fudging the numbers triggered a loss of confidence, the solution is to fudge the numbers even more, so they no longer reflect reality at all.
If gaming the system crashed the system, the solution is to game the system even harder.
If the masses protest their powerlessness, the solution is to push them further from the centers of power.
And so on.
This blowing new bubbles to replace the ones that popped works for a while, but at the expense of systemic stability. Each new bubble requires pushing the system to new extremes that increase the risk of instability and collapse.
In other words, the stability of the new bubble is temporary and thus illusory.
Brooks County: Illegal Immigrants on the Rise
BROOKS COUNTY - The flow of illegal immigrants appears to be on the rise again in Brooks County.
Rugged trails on ranches are littered with empty bottles, the remnants of the journey made by those who entered illegally and those who are making their way north. People in the area said foot traffic is once again on the rise.
Dr. Michael Vickers said he is seeing more of these water bottles left behind on Brooks County ranches.
Vickers said, "We had two groups, Sunday a week ago. Seven of them gave up to me. They were Hondurans and Salvadorans."
Vickers said he is seeing a stream of illegal immigrants. He and the Texas Border Volunteers are gearing up for another massive wave.
"My feeling is and the intel that I'm receiving from law enforcement is that we're going to see a new surge. A new surge of traffic coming through," said the doctor.
Vickers said President Obama's talk of executive action on immigration could be looked at as an open invitation to people south of the border to make their way north.
"Every time he opens his mouth about immigration and what he's gonna do, there's a huge negative impact on us that live out here along the border, especially in the rural areas where all the smuggling trails are," said Vickers.
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Rugged trails on ranches are littered with empty bottles, the remnants of the journey made by those who entered illegally and those who are making their way north. People in the area said foot traffic is once again on the rise.
Dr. Michael Vickers said he is seeing more of these water bottles left behind on Brooks County ranches.
Vickers said, "We had two groups, Sunday a week ago. Seven of them gave up to me. They were Hondurans and Salvadorans."
Vickers said he is seeing a stream of illegal immigrants. He and the Texas Border Volunteers are gearing up for another massive wave.
"My feeling is and the intel that I'm receiving from law enforcement is that we're going to see a new surge. A new surge of traffic coming through," said the doctor.
Vickers said President Obama's talk of executive action on immigration could be looked at as an open invitation to people south of the border to make their way north.
"Every time he opens his mouth about immigration and what he's gonna do, there's a huge negative impact on us that live out here along the border, especially in the rural areas where all the smuggling trails are," said Vickers.
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Hawaii's $8.5 billion in unfunded retirement liabilities, a national trend
HONOLULU — A new report from State Budget Solutions, a national nonprofit organization focusing on states’ fiscal responsibility, warns it’s time for newly elected state officials in Hawaii and throughout the country to address unfunded liabilities in the retirement system.
The share of Hawaii’s $30-billion unfunded liability per resident is $21,852, the seventh highest in the nation, said Joe Luppino-Esposito, the study’s author.
He said Hawaii’s Employees’ Retirement System is only 29 percent funded because the state isn’t putting enough money into the system to pay future promised benefits. The unfunded liability amounts to 41 percent of the state’s gross domestic product.
State officials paint a different — if still grim — picture, showing the pension system as 60 percent funded.
The translation in real dollars is $8.5 billion. That’s a major discrepancy from the SBS $30 billion estimate.
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The share of Hawaii’s $30-billion unfunded liability per resident is $21,852, the seventh highest in the nation, said Joe Luppino-Esposito, the study’s author.
He said Hawaii’s Employees’ Retirement System is only 29 percent funded because the state isn’t putting enough money into the system to pay future promised benefits. The unfunded liability amounts to 41 percent of the state’s gross domestic product.
State officials paint a different — if still grim — picture, showing the pension system as 60 percent funded.
The translation in real dollars is $8.5 billion. That’s a major discrepancy from the SBS $30 billion estimate.
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The Last President Who Couldn't Get Congress To Act On Immigration
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Sounds like something President Obama has said countless times.
But the quote above was uttered by his predecessor, George W. Bush on June 28, 2007 -- after more than a year and a half of speeches designed to get Congress to enact immigration reform.
"The American people understand the status quo is unacceptable when it comes to our immigration laws," he said that day after the Senate voted 53-46 to block a vote on the immigration reform bill he wanted. Sixty votes were needed.
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Meet the Snobocrats
Jonathan Gruber’s disdain for the proverbial masses is thematic of the last six years.
Last week, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Jonathan Gruber, one of prominent architects of Obamacare, was exposed as little more than an elitist fraud.
Gruber was caught on videotape expressing the haughty attitude that drove the Affordable Care Act, deriding the “stupidity” of Americans as a way to justify misleading them.
Gruber apparently thinks such deception is okay because yokel voters could not handle the truth about the looming chaos he helped to engineer in their health coverage.
Unfortunately, Gruber’s disdain for the proverbial masses — he was paid nearly $400,000 in consulting fees — is thematic of the last six years.
Another master-of-the-universe drafter of Obamacare was Ezekiel Emanuel. He scoffed on national television that the number of people covered by Obamacare at that point was “irrelevant.”
Emanuel also drew attention for his recent adolescent rant in a men’s magazine about the desirability of everyone dying at 75 to save society the expense of maintaining what he sees as the unproductive elderly.
Former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi lectured of Obamacare that “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it.” The same elitist message reverberates: that government and academic elites are smarter than average Americans, and so need not explain what they are doing.
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Last week, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Jonathan Gruber, one of prominent architects of Obamacare, was exposed as little more than an elitist fraud.
Gruber was caught on videotape expressing the haughty attitude that drove the Affordable Care Act, deriding the “stupidity” of Americans as a way to justify misleading them.
Gruber apparently thinks such deception is okay because yokel voters could not handle the truth about the looming chaos he helped to engineer in their health coverage.
Unfortunately, Gruber’s disdain for the proverbial masses — he was paid nearly $400,000 in consulting fees — is thematic of the last six years.
Another master-of-the-universe drafter of Obamacare was Ezekiel Emanuel. He scoffed on national television that the number of people covered by Obamacare at that point was “irrelevant.”
Emanuel also drew attention for his recent adolescent rant in a men’s magazine about the desirability of everyone dying at 75 to save society the expense of maintaining what he sees as the unproductive elderly.
Former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi lectured of Obamacare that “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it.” The same elitist message reverberates: that government and academic elites are smarter than average Americans, and so need not explain what they are doing.
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The Farm Budget Blowout That Could Cost Taxpayers Billions
WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. farmers are about to reap a bumper harvest not just in corn and soybeans but also in new subsidies that could soar to $10 billion, blowing a hole in the government's promise that its new five-year farm bill would save taxpayers money.
If payments for 2014, the first year the farm bill takes effect, do come in at that level - as some private economists have calculated - they would be more than 10 times the U.S. Department of Agriculture's working estimate and more than double the forecast by the Congressional Budget Office.
Farmers will be in line for payouts if revenues fail to meet benchmarks tied to long-term price and production averages. Both the USDA's and the CBO's estimates were made before crop prices tumbled this year on oversupply from a huge harvest.
The farm budget blowout for 2014 is unlikely to cause a furor in Washington, despite the clamor for cost-cutting among Republicans who now control Congress. The trillion-dollar farm bill took so long to enact because of controversy over some of its other major planks, including food stamps for low-income families, that lawmakers are loathe to re-open it.
From Monday, farmers were able to start signing up for the compensation programs. Most participants will be the families who own and operate about 98 percent of all U.S. farms, large and small.
"The (farm) bill actually did little to rein in costs," said Republican Representative Tom Petri of Wisconsin, in an emailed statement. "What we're seeing is a program that still costs far more than it should and fails to include reforms that actually save taxpayer dollars."
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If payments for 2014, the first year the farm bill takes effect, do come in at that level - as some private economists have calculated - they would be more than 10 times the U.S. Department of Agriculture's working estimate and more than double the forecast by the Congressional Budget Office.
Farmers will be in line for payouts if revenues fail to meet benchmarks tied to long-term price and production averages. Both the USDA's and the CBO's estimates were made before crop prices tumbled this year on oversupply from a huge harvest.
The farm budget blowout for 2014 is unlikely to cause a furor in Washington, despite the clamor for cost-cutting among Republicans who now control Congress. The trillion-dollar farm bill took so long to enact because of controversy over some of its other major planks, including food stamps for low-income families, that lawmakers are loathe to re-open it.
From Monday, farmers were able to start signing up for the compensation programs. Most participants will be the families who own and operate about 98 percent of all U.S. farms, large and small.
"The (farm) bill actually did little to rein in costs," said Republican Representative Tom Petri of Wisconsin, in an emailed statement. "What we're seeing is a program that still costs far more than it should and fails to include reforms that actually save taxpayer dollars."
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Medicare Doles Out $45B in Improper Payments
It’s not news that the federal government has a serious issue with improper payments. During each of the last five years, agencies have doled out more than $100 billion in erroneous payments from various major benefit programs. Even knowing this, the problem only seems to be getting worse.
The latest program to be flagged by federal auditors is Medicare’s Fee for Service –which has seen a steady uptick of improper payments over the last five years.
This year, the program’s error rate jumped to 12.7 percent, from 10.1 percent last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General.
The auditors said that this year alone, Medicare’s Fee for Service program made about $45 billion in improper payments. That’s up significantly from $28.8 billion in 2011, when the error rate was 8.6 percent.
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The latest program to be flagged by federal auditors is Medicare’s Fee for Service –which has seen a steady uptick of improper payments over the last five years.
This year, the program’s error rate jumped to 12.7 percent, from 10.1 percent last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General.
The auditors said that this year alone, Medicare’s Fee for Service program made about $45 billion in improper payments. That’s up significantly from $28.8 billion in 2011, when the error rate was 8.6 percent.
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Lemmings for War
I spent this past weekend at the Libertopia 2014 Festival in San Diego. During the same days this was held, there was a military veterans program at the same hotel. It seemed to be a family event, with young children of the participants in attendance. As the war system depends upon conditioning the minds of children in both the virtue and necessity of war – a lesson to be carried out in their adult lives by going to foreign lands to kill strangers and, perhaps, to be killed themselves – I asked myself how seemingly loving parents could encourage their children to partake in such destructiveness. At a time when the government War Department acknowledges that an average of twenty-two military veterans commit suicide every day, the dispirited, dehumanizing, and deadly consequences of the war system should be a sufficient threat to their children so as to elicit deeper questions than were probably being asked at this pro-military gathering.
For those who love their children more than they do the state, and who would appreciate a reinforcement of the life-enhancing values of peace as an antidote to the collective psychopathy of modern America, I thought it might be helpful to republish my March, 2003 article on The Great Lemming Race.
“Wake up, son,” Papa Lemming shouted as he ran into Little Boy Lemming’s bedroom. “President George W. Lemming has just announced that all lemmings, particularly the young ones, are going to have the honor of participating in the great race to the Persian Gulf! There’s even talk of restoring the draft in order to get more participants.”
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For those who love their children more than they do the state, and who would appreciate a reinforcement of the life-enhancing values of peace as an antidote to the collective psychopathy of modern America, I thought it might be helpful to republish my March, 2003 article on The Great Lemming Race.
“Wake up, son,” Papa Lemming shouted as he ran into Little Boy Lemming’s bedroom. “President George W. Lemming has just announced that all lemmings, particularly the young ones, are going to have the honor of participating in the great race to the Persian Gulf! There’s even talk of restoring the draft in order to get more participants.”
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Frequent White House Visitor Accused Of Sexually Abusing A 15-Year-Old Boy
Terrance P. Bean, 66, is a major Democratic donor and helped found the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund.
According to The Oregonian, Bean was arrested at his Portland home on Wednesday and charged with two counts of third-degree sodomy and one count of third-degree sex abuse for an incident involving the underage male that occurred in 2013 in Eugene, Oregon.
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This is Why Rand Paul is Hilary Clinton’s Worst Nightmare
As Hilary Clinton starts to ponder the curtains she wants to hang in the Oval Office, there is only one person who can realistically stand in her way: Rand Paul
As Hilary Clinton starts to ponder the curtains she wants to hang in the Oval Office, there is only one person who can realistically stand in her way: Rand Paul.
Readers of this site will be well aware that I spend very little time focusing on Presidential politics. There are many reasons for this, but more than anything else, I believe there are two key components to genuine cultural change, and none of them have to do with electing a savior. These are:
1) Knowledge - Ignorance is not bliss. Particularly when it comes to the advance or decline of a civilization. Thomas Jefferson said it best:
Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.
I am trying to do my own little part in that regard here at Liberty Blitzkrieg.
2) Internal Change – It is much easier to complain about others and the world at large than it is to improve oneself. I’m as guilty of this as anyone, but I am cognizant that you can’t change the outside world unless you have changed what’s inside. Gandhi said it best:
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.
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As Hilary Clinton starts to ponder the curtains she wants to hang in the Oval Office, there is only one person who can realistically stand in her way: Rand Paul.
Readers of this site will be well aware that I spend very little time focusing on Presidential politics. There are many reasons for this, but more than anything else, I believe there are two key components to genuine cultural change, and none of them have to do with electing a savior. These are:
1) Knowledge - Ignorance is not bliss. Particularly when it comes to the advance or decline of a civilization. Thomas Jefferson said it best:
Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.
I am trying to do my own little part in that regard here at Liberty Blitzkrieg.
2) Internal Change – It is much easier to complain about others and the world at large than it is to improve oneself. I’m as guilty of this as anyone, but I am cognizant that you can’t change the outside world unless you have changed what’s inside. Gandhi said it best:
We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.
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What Do College Undergrads Spend Their Student Loans On: High-School Classes
Over the weekend we closed the chapter on the "mystery" of America's collapsing labor force and the record 90+ million Americans out of the labor force. As Pew reported [8], confirming what we had said all along, it has little to nothing to do with Boomers retiring - simply because under ZIRP they can't afford to retire - and everything to do with Millennials staying in school because they can't find the well-paying jobs they had expected, raking up $1.2 trillion (and exponentially rising [9]) in government-funded student debt in the process. To wit:
More and more Americans are outside the labor force entirely. Who are they? According to the October jobs report, more than 92 million Americans — 37% of the civilian population aged 16 and over — are neither employed nor unemployed, but fall in the category of “not in the labor force.” That means they aren’t working now but haven’t looked for work recently enough to be counted as unemployed. While that’s not quite a record — figures have been a bit higher earlier this year — the share of folks not in the labor force remains near all-time highs.
You might think legions of retiring Baby Boomers are to blame, or perhaps the swelling ranks of laid-off workers who’ve grown discouraged about their re-employment prospects. While both of those groups doubtless are important (though just how important is debated by labor economists), our analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggests another key factor: Teens and young adults aren’t as interested in entering the work force as they used to be, a trend that predates the Great Recession.
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More and more Americans are outside the labor force entirely. Who are they? According to the October jobs report, more than 92 million Americans — 37% of the civilian population aged 16 and over — are neither employed nor unemployed, but fall in the category of “not in the labor force.” That means they aren’t working now but haven’t looked for work recently enough to be counted as unemployed. While that’s not quite a record — figures have been a bit higher earlier this year — the share of folks not in the labor force remains near all-time highs.
You might think legions of retiring Baby Boomers are to blame, or perhaps the swelling ranks of laid-off workers who’ve grown discouraged about their re-employment prospects. While both of those groups doubtless are important (though just how important is debated by labor economists), our analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data suggests another key factor: Teens and young adults aren’t as interested in entering the work force as they used to be, a trend that predates the Great Recession.
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Sheriff Joe Arpaio Sues Obama, Says Action Will Result In More Criminal Aliens Released
“Specifically, it will severely strain our resources, both in manpower and financially, necessary to protect the citizens I was elected to serve,” Sheriff Arpaio said in a statement.
Among the many negative effects of the action, he said, “will be the increased release of criminal aliens back onto streets of Maricopa County, Arizona, and the rest of the nation.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges that both Mr. Obama’s actions outlined Thursday evening and his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) are “unconstitutional abuses” of the president because “instead of legislation first passing both houses of Congress and then being sent to the president under the ‘Presentment Clause’ for signature and implementation or veto, the president originates legislation by himself and then dares the Congress to disagree.”
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5th Annual Small Business Saturday offers more ways for consumers to shop small on 11/29
On November 29th, Small Business Saturday will celebrate its fifth year in kicking off the holiday season for small, independent businesses. Held each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday is a day for communities to come together in support of the businesses that keep their neighborhoods thriving. In fact, the main reason why two-thirds of consumers patronize small businesses is because they value the contributions they make to their community – according to the just-released Small Business Saturday Insights Survey from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and American Express.
Since its creation in 2010, Small Business Saturday has grown tremendously. This year, nearly 3,000 neighborhoods from every state and the District of Columbia have signed on to host events and in-store promotions for shoppers. In addition, a number of new initiatives are making it easier than ever for consumers to patronize small businesses.
Since its creation in 2010, Small Business Saturday has grown tremendously. This year, nearly 3,000 neighborhoods from every state and the District of Columbia have signed on to host events and in-store promotions for shoppers. In addition, a number of new initiatives are making it easier than ever for consumers to patronize small businesses.
Heartwarming moment Jay Leno surprises wounded soldier with 2015 Dodge Hellcat muscle car and tells him 'America loves you'
When comedian Jay Leno invited Cpt Ethan LeBerge for a ride in a shiny red muscle car, the soldier had no idea that he would walk away from the experience as the proud owner of a 2015 Dodge Hellcat.
LeBerge, who has been severely wounded in Afghanistan, became the subject of Today Show's 'Shine a Light' segment featuring Mr Leno, which aired Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, the 64-year-old entertainer announced his decision to cancel his attendance at an upcoming gun trade show in response to a petition by the Newton Action Alliance.
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LeBerge, who has been severely wounded in Afghanistan, became the subject of Today Show's 'Shine a Light' segment featuring Mr Leno, which aired Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, the 64-year-old entertainer announced his decision to cancel his attendance at an upcoming gun trade show in response to a petition by the Newton Action Alliance.
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Bronx man wrongly accused of putting broken glass in a cop's burger gets whopper of a settlement as New York City pays him $437,000
A former McDonald's worker who claimed to be falsely accused of putting glass in a cop's Big Mac has received his own whopper of a settlement with New York City paying him $437,000 for his troubles.
While Bronx man Albert Garcia's suit against Officer John Florio was dismissed back in 2012, the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, agreed to hear his argument.
With that, the unusual settlement was struck.
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While Bronx man Albert Garcia's suit against Officer John Florio was dismissed back in 2012, the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, agreed to hear his argument.
With that, the unusual settlement was struck.
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Henry Was Correct!
In 1920 H.L Mencken wrote prophetically, “As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron.”
Piloting the otherworldly Toyota Mirai
Just ahead of the LA Auto Show, Toyota rolled out the Mirai sedan, its first production-ready hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle (FCV). It looks like Toyota is making the sort of big bet on hydrogen that it did with the Prius back in 2000, a move that started the hybrid-car wave. We drove a prototype of the Mirai last winter and liked it fairly well.
The Mirai is based on a modified Lexus HS platform, a car that’s a bit smaller than a Toyota Camry. Power is rated at 153 horsepower and acceleration is claimed to be 9 seconds from 0 to 60 mph. That’s not a quick sprint time and unlike other electric cars, the Mirai doesn’t feel so eager to gather speed. Once rolling, though, it glides quietly and effortlessly. You do hear a distinctive whine while accelerating with this example. The Toyota rep who joined me on our ride told me that that comes from a compressor sucking outside air into the fuel stack where the chemical reaction producing the electricity takes place, and he advised that it would be muted prior to production.
Otherwise, the ride is unobtrusive in a Toyota kind of way. The suspension soaks up bumps well. Handling is nothing to write home about and in truth not that much different from a Prius. The high-tech interior has two display screens and a sci-fi ambience. Fit and finish looks and feels appropriately upscale. Unfortunately, the Mirai seats only four; in lieu of a center rear seat there’s a covered storage bin.
Two tanks with a combined volume of 122 liters (about 33 gallons) hold 5 kilograms of high-pressure hydrogen gas good for a driving range of about 300 miles, Toyota says. The tanks take five minutes to refill. While the price of hydrogen at yet-to-be-built fueling stations is not established, current estimates are that it ought to be about $10 per kilogram, which works out to about $50 to get 300 miles of driving.
Toyota says the Mirai will go on sale in small numbers by the end of 2015. Only about 200 will be available at first, but U.S. allocation will grow to 3,000 by 2017. The initial price will be $57,500, reduced to about $45,000 after various clean-energy incentives. But Toyota expects that about 90 percent of customers will lease one instead, for $499 a month including three years of free maintenance and most crucially, complementary hydrogen fill-ups. That’s definitely the way to do it as the technology advances rapidly.
What Obamacare was really about
The health care engineers always knew it was an epic seizure of freedom
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” — Sir Walter Scott
Last week, we saw the key intellectual and practical architect of Obamacare, MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, reminding us on tape that the entire Obamacare house of cards was built on deliberate lies.
But Mr. Gruber’s greatest public service was in reminding us what Obamacare was really all about for President Obama and the left.
The crown jewel of the redistributive state has always been socialized medicine, for one simple reason: If the government controls your health care, the government controls you.
This is why Mr. Obama and the Democrats spent their first year and a half hysterically dashing through the health care weeds when most Americans were crying out for jobs and economic growth. They moved fast and with near-complete disregard for public opinion. And they made sure that their redistributive superstructure was built on a direct infringement of your personal liberty: an unprecedented legal mandate to buy a good or service as a basic condition of living in the United States.
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“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” — Sir Walter Scott
Last week, we saw the key intellectual and practical architect of Obamacare, MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, reminding us on tape that the entire Obamacare house of cards was built on deliberate lies.
But Mr. Gruber’s greatest public service was in reminding us what Obamacare was really all about for President Obama and the left.
The crown jewel of the redistributive state has always been socialized medicine, for one simple reason: If the government controls your health care, the government controls you.
This is why Mr. Obama and the Democrats spent their first year and a half hysterically dashing through the health care weeds when most Americans were crying out for jobs and economic growth. They moved fast and with near-complete disregard for public opinion. And they made sure that their redistributive superstructure was built on a direct infringement of your personal liberty: an unprecedented legal mandate to buy a good or service as a basic condition of living in the United States.
More