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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.


The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,


Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.


My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,


Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.


In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,


So slumbered I, perhaps I started to dream.



The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,


But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.


Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound


of footsteps outside in the snow.


My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,


And I crept to the door just to see who was near.


Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,


A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.


A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,


Perhaps a Trooper, huddled here in the cold.


Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,


Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.


"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,


"Come in this moment. It's freezing out here!


Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,


You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"


For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,


Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts.


To the window that danced with a warm fire's light


Then he sighed and he said, "It's really all right,


I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.


"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,


That separates you from the darkest of times.


No one had to ask or beg or implore me,


I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.


My Gramps died in Europe on a day in December,"


Then he said,


"That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."


I've not seen my own son in more than a while,


But my wife sends me pictures. He's sure got her smile.


Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,


The red, white, and Blue American Flag.


I can live through the cold and the being alone,


Away from my family, my house and my home.


I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,


I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.


I can carry the weight of killing another,


Or lay down my life with my sister and brother.


Who stand at the front against any and all,


To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."


"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,


Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."


"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,


"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?


It seems all too little for all that you've done,


For being away from your wife and your son."


Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,


"Just tell us you love us, and never forget


To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,


To stand your own watch, no matter how long.


For when we come home, either standing or dead,


To know you remember we fought and we bled.


Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,


That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

NASA Discusses Environmental Concerns After Rocket Mishap

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. (WAVY) — NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility held a public information meeting Monday night to discuss environmental and safety concerns after the recent Antares rocket explosion.

An unmanned rocket on its way to the International Space Station exploded seconds after launch from Wallops Island, October 28. NASA’s Associate Chief of Communications for Wallops Flight Facility, Jeremy Eggers, said data collection and testing hasn’t stopped since the mishap, and it won’t stop any time soon.

Accomack County residents and all community members were invited to Monday’s information session at Wallops Visitor Center. Attendees had varying reasons for wanting to know the environmental impact of the explosion: one attendee was a local farmer, another person’s house had damage to it after the explosion.

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'Beef' between motorcycle clubs leads to stabbing in Jersey City, police reports say

A "beef" between motorcycle clubs led to a man being stabbed early this morning at Summit Avenue and Charles Street in the Jersey City Heights, according to police.

Police found the 27-year-old victim lying on his back in a pool of blood outside a local bar around 2:40 a.m..

The man, who was rushed by ambulance to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health, had been stabbed on the upper side of his right arm and an artery had been severed, police said.

He underwent emergency surgery at the hospital.

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Will U.S. flag ever fly on student T-shirts?

A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling criticized as an approval of “mob rule” in public schools, has been taken to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The case arose in 2010 when school officials at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California, south of the Bay Area, barred students from wearing shirts bearing the U.S. flag on the Cinco De Mayo Mexican holiday, “because other students might have reacted violently.”

The “mob rule” criticism came from 9th Circuit Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain in his minority dissent of the court’s decision not to rehear the case.

“It is a foundational tenet of First Amendment law that the government cannot silence a speaker because of how an audience might react to the speech,” he wrote. “It is this bedrock principle – known as the heckler’s veto doctrine – that the [majority] panel overlooks, condoning the suppression of free speech by some students because other students might have reacted violently,” he wrote.
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Family Coincidentally Spots Trio Accused of Robbing Their Home — and Takes Action Into Their Own Hands

An Alabama family that had fallen victim to a home burglary last week happened to spot the suspected intruders Sunday as they drove down the street — and they didn’t let them escape.

According to WBRC-TV, members of the Wyatt family coincidentally spotted the three alleged intruders as the trio drove down a neighborhood road after committing yet another robbery.

Upon seeing them, the family followed their vehicle, stopped them and held them at gunpoint until police arrived on the scene.

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Santa Pulled From Annual School Concert After Complaint

Santa Claus was disinvited from making his traditional appearance Dec. 12 at the Winter Concert of the Andrew Peabody School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, because of the opposition of at least one parent, CBS News in Boston reported.

Jennifer Ford, the school's principal, informed parents a day before the concert that Santa had been nixed.

"I am writing to you today to inform you of a change in our concert series this winter. Our First through Fourth grade concert as well as our kindergarten concert will not include a visit from Santa Claus this year," CBS affiliate WBZ TV reported.

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Tyler Perry donates $20K to Md.-based women veterans charity

ACCOKEEK, Md. (WJLA) – A Hollywood A-lister has written a sizeable check to help out a local female veterans group owed thousands of dollars by an actress and her management company.

On Sunday, Tyler Perry pledged $20,000 to Women Veterans Interactive (WVI). He also made a personal phone call to the head of the organization. During that phone call, Perry reportedly told WVI’s founder, Ginger Miller, he’s not giving because one of his actresses owes money—he doesn’t want to comment on that at all—but because he wants to reward the work Miller does for female veterans.

Just hearing from actor, director and businessman Perry himself was a surprise for Miller.

“Wait a minute, Mr. Perry, do you have my cell phone number?” she said. “I’m just like, ‘It’s Tyler Perry!’ I was floored.”

Then came an unexpected gesture—a $20,000 donation to WVI, the nonprofit’s largest gift from an individual.

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Ohio HS Student on Strike Over Removal of Ten Commandments

Harding High School ninth-grader Anthony Miller has gone on strike. He is refusing to take part in certain activities to protest the removal of a plaque containing the Ten Commandments from the hallway of his Marion, Ohio, school, the Marion Star reported, crediting the Harding Herald student paper.

Miller said he told principal Kirk Koennecke that until a deal was reached over where to place the plaque, he would not take part in Harding-related extracurricular activities, participate in classes — though he will attend them — or do his homework.

"I won't even wear my Harding Marching Band shirt," he said.

Miller, along with several other students, is circulating a petition to have the plaque remounted. It was a gift from the school's class of 1953. The principal says it will be stored as part of an archival history of the school.

Superintendent Gary Barber said he was following the law and had the plaque taken down to avoid legal entanglements that other school systems in the state were encountering.

Barber and Miller, along with local clergy and members of the community, are to resume discussions in January about where to place the plaque.

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Death Toll Linked To Faulty GM Ignition Switch Increases

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The death toll rises. Forty-two deaths have now been positively linked to accidents involving faulty ignition switches in General Motors’ cars. That’s according to an attorney for the victims’ compensation fund—but auto safety advocates say the number is much higher.

Meghan McCorkell has more on the increase.

GM originally linked just 13 deaths to their faulty ignition switches. That number has more than tripled.

Sixteen-year-old Amber Marie Rose was a healthy, active teenager but in 2005, on a dark Charles County road, she lost control of her Chevy Cobalt. GM admits her death—along with 41 others—is linked to their faulty ignition switches.

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Convicted With No Evidence by an All-White Jury, Black Community Leader Rev. Edward Pinkney Faces Life in Prison

The fight in Benton Harbor is a war, it’s not a conflict. It’s a war over whether America will have prosperity and democracy, or live in poverty under the heel of open corporate rule. - Rev. Edward Pinkney

As reports escalate of police assaults and murder of unarmed black men for "suspected" crimes, a jury trial certainly sounds like welcome justice.

Not so for many in Michigan, where a 66-year-old black activist, Rev. Edward Pinkney, convicted of felony election fraud by an all-white jury, faces a life sentence, amid accusations of trumped-up charges and no direct evidence of wrongdoing.

When an all-white jury is chosen to try a prominent black community leader of an impoverished city with a 90 percent black population, when the powers that be have numerous reasons to want him discredited, when the evidence is entirely lacking and the punishment is draconian, there is ample cause to suspect another egregious breach of justice - one as blatant as refusing to indict the police who killed an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, and choked a father of six to death in Staten Island.

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BREAKING NEWS: Gunman sought in 6 Pa. killings found dead

The Montgomery County District Attorney's office says the body of Bradley William Stone, 35, who shot and killed his ex-wife and five of her relatives in a shooting spree near Philadelphia, has been discovered in a wooded area.

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Conjoined Twins In Florida Undergo First Surgery

A set of conjoined twin boys, born late Friday, underwent the first of what's likely to be a number of surgeries to repair some damage to organs that are partially exposed. The boys, named Conner and Carter, are joined at the sternum and the abdomen. They are currently recovering from the operation at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.

After Conner and Carter were born on Friday, doctors did tests and determined the brothers shared only a liver and part of their small intestines. The family said for the time being their doctors plan to hold off on the surgery to separate the boys. They are what's known as omphalopagus twins, joined at the abdomen, which statistically has the highest survival rate since the body can easily regenerate liver tissue on its own.

As of Saturday, the boys were on a respirator, recovering and in relatively stable condition, though the family said Carter has begun to have some heart problems due to an enlarged aorta.

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Facebook Doesn’t Love The Idea Of A ‘Dislike’ Button

San Francisco (AFP) - Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg wants people to be able to quickly express broader ranges of feelings at the leading online social network, but a "dislike" button doesn't make the cut.

During a question-and-answer session with an audience at the Facebook headquarters in Northern California, available online Friday, Zuckerberg gave a thumbs-down to the idea of a button to register disdain for posts at the social network.

"That's not something that we think is good for the world," Zuckerberg said, expressing concern that "like" and "dislike" buttons could turn into a voting system to judge posts.

"The thing that I think is very valuable is that there are more sentiments that people want to express."

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Obama amnesty is unconstitutional, federal judge finds

Ruling doesn’t immediately overturn policy

A federal judge has found parts of President Obama’s new deportation amnesty to be unconstitutional, issuing a scathing memo Tuesday accusing him of usurping Congress’s power to make laws, and dismantling most of the White House’s legal reasoning for circumventing Congress.

Judge Arthur J. Schwab, sitting in the western district of Pennsylvania, said presidents do have powers to use discretion in deciding how to enforce the law, but said Mr. Obama’s new policy goes well beyond that, setting up a full system for granting legal protections to broad groups of individuals. He said Mr. Obama writing laws — a power that’s reserved for Congress, not the president.

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Ice Bucket Challenge dumped hundreds of millions into ALS Association coffers

A feel-good phenomenon of dumping cold water over our heads warmed our hearts this summer.

In the process, the Ice Bucket Challenge raised some $220 million to promote awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

A little more than half the money — $115 million — splashed into ALS Association coffers in Washington, D.C., more than five times the nonprofit's normal annual budget. And another $105 million was soaked up by affiliated chapters in the U.S. and around the world, including $16 million in Canada.

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SFD Calls For Service 12-15-14

  • Monday December, 15 2014 @ 21:32Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Monday December, 15 2014 @ 18:13 Nature: ElectricalAddress: 732 N Westover Dr Salisbury, MD 21801
  • Monday December, 15 2014 @ 16:54Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Monday December, 15 2014 @ 15:28Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
  • Monday December, 15 2014 @ 14:33Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury

Troopers Investigate Attempted Robbery with Shots Fired

Georgetown - Delaware State Police are currently investigating the attempted armed robbery of a Georgetown area store in which a suspect fired rounds from a gun that occurred yesterday evening.
The initial investigation has determined that the incident happened at approximately 8:45 p.m. last night, Monday, December 15, 2014, as two male suspects entered The Corner Store, located in the unit block of Ebony Street, in the County Seat Gardens Mobile Home Park, Georgetown. The suspects, one of which was armed with an unknown make and model handgun, confronted a 40 year old male employee of the store and demanded money. The employee however, refused to comply with the suspect's demands. The suspects then fled from the business and while doing so, the armed suspect fired rounds from the handgun in the direction of the business, striking it once. There were no injuries.
The suspects were both described as black males. One was 5'11"-6'00" tall with black hair and brown eyes. He was also armed with a handgun. The second suspect was 5'08" tall and heavyset. He also had black hair and brown eyes. No further physical or clothing description is available. No surveillance photographs are available at this time.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact Detective Truitt at Troop 4, at 302-856-5850 or by utilizing the Delaware State Police Mobile Crime Tip Application available to download at: http://www.delaware.gov/apps/. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet atwww.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."

Returning Soldier Told He Can’t Stay With Wife and Child Because Lease Says “No Visitors For More Than a Week”

Imagine being a soldier who returns home for the holidays only to be told that you can’t stay with your family because your landlord says you’d be overstaying the week allowed to visitors. Sergeant William Bolt is living this nightmare, all because his name is not on the lease his wife signed. Time to get a new landlord.

From The Daily Mail:

A soldier who returned home for the holidays to spend time with his wife and newborn baby has been told that he will have to stay elsewhere after the landlord said that he would be breaking the terms of his wife’s lease.

Sergeant William Bolt is stationed in Missouri, but his wife lives in Central, South Carolina with their newborn baby girl.

However, the landlord of the apartment is forcing Sergeant Bolt to leave his wife’s home because he would be overstaying the time allowed for visitors.

An agreement signed by his wife Lily, stated that guests can only stay in the residence for up to a week – but no longer.

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100 Places That Will Give You Free Stuff on Your Birthday

Hooray!  It’s your birthday!
The last thing you should do is pay for stuff.  So we’ve put together a list of 100 places where you won’t have to!
Most of these places require that you sign up at least 7 days before your birthday, so get busy now and then enjoy the free stuff as it rolls in on your birthday….
  1. A&W All American Food - Get a free root beer float on your birthday by joining the Mug Club.
  2. Ace Hardware - Receive a free $5 off coupon when you join Ace Rewards.
  3. AMF Bowling - Get xsome free bowling by signing up with the AMF Pinsiders Club.
  4. Applebees -  Sign up for their Email Club and get a free dessert on your birthday.
  5. Arby’s - Get a free milkshake on your birthday when you register with Arby’s.
  6. Atlanta Bread Company - Get a free cookie on your birthday when you join their Loyalty Program.
  7. Au Bon Pain – Join their eClub and get a free birthday lunch.
  8. Auntie Anne’s – Sign up for Pretzel Perks and get a free pretzel on your birthday.
  9. Aveda - Receive a birthday gift valued at $20 when you  join Aveda’s Rewards Program.
  10. Bare Escentuals – Join the Friends and Benefits Program and they’ll send you a gift on your birthday.
  11. Barnes and Noble (Kids) - Sign up for the B&N Kids’ Club and your child gets a free cupcake on his/her birthday.
  12. Baskin Robbins - Join their Birthday Club and get free ice cream on your birthday.
  13. BD’s Mongolian Grill - Get a free entree on your birthday when you join Club Mongo.
  14. Benihana’s - Register for the Chef’s Table and they’ll send you a $30 birthday certificate.
  15. Bennigan’s – Receive a BOGO entree as well as a free dessert when you sign up for their  E-Club.
  16. Big Boy – Join their Email Club and get a free dessert on your birthday.
  17. Bonefish Grill - Become a  BFG Insider and get special offers on your birthday.
  18. Boston Market - Join the VIP Club and get a special birthday surprise.
  19. Buca di Beppo – You’ll receive a free pasta on your next visit as well as a $20 birthday gift for joining their eClub.
  20. Buffalo Wild Wings - Get a free birthday dessert when you join the Buffalo Circle.

Alleged 9/11 conspirator says he 'holds no grudge' against the CIA

The United State's Central Intelligence Agency has recently come under fire for harrowing torture practices following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But one of the prisoners accused of accused of planning and carrying out the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks says he 'does not hold any grudges' against his torturers.

On Friday, lawyers of Ammar al Baluchi issued a statement in response to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence's controversial 500-page report on the CIA's interrogation techniques in which they were referred to as 'deeply flawed,' ABC reports.

James Connell, al Baluchi's lead attorney, said the prisoner 'holds no grudge against the CIA for his torture, and saw the suffering of those who torture,' according to Courthouse News Service.

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British troops are banned from shouting at insurgent terror suspects

British soldiers have been banned from shouting at insurgent terror suspects, banging their fists on tables or walls, or using 'insulting words' in new 'soft-touch' rules for interrogation.

Military chiefs have warned that troops are 'no longer able' to carry out tactical questioning, placing the lives of soldiers at serious risk.

The revised 'Challenge Direct' regulations were introduced after Iraqi detainee Baha Mousa died in custody with 93 injuries after being kicked and punched by soldiers in Basra.

But there is said to be growing concern within the ranks as troops believe the latest rules are so strict that it makes interrogation pointless.

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Worcester County Sheriff's Office Press Release 12-16-14

Worcester County Sheriff's Office

On December 10, 2014 at approximately 1600 hours, a Deputy from the Worcester County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to Walmart in Berlin, MD for a reported theft. Upon arrival, the Deputy met with Walmart asset protection specialists who had Cornell Brinkely Smith, 30, of Millsboro, DE in custody. Walmart asset protection advised the Deputy that Smith had stolen a number of items totaling $587.73 in value, and showed the Deputy video surveillance which revealed Smith pushing a shopping cart containing goods out the front door without paying. Smith was placed under arrest and a criminal citation was issued. Smith was released upon signing the citation.

Maryland Is Accepting Applications To Create Economic Development Zones Around colleges

Maryland is not waiting for the new year or a new governor to start taking applications for a program intended to boost business development around colleges and universities.

The state is now taking applications for its new Regional Institution Strategic Enterprise Zone program(called the "Rise Zone" program for short). It requires two application stages. The first stage, which is now open, requires higher education institutions, regional higher educational centers or nonprofit organizations that are associated with federal agencies to apply to the state Department of Business and Economic Development. The state will then qualify those groups.

At that point, institutions that have qualified will need to work with a county or city government on a second application. The second application will go to DBED to create the RISE Zone.

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Rescued kayaker sues FDNY for injuries during rescue

A teenager who flipped his kayak in Jamaica Bay says he was seriously hurt by responding firefighters.

Frank Marino Jr., 17, was kayaking May 30 about 1,000 yards west of the Marine Parkway Bridge when something went wrong, and he found himself in the drink, according to his Queens Supreme Court lawsuit against the city and firefighters.

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Matt Drudge says spending bill passed because NSA has 'dirt' on John Boehner

Matt Drudge of the influential Drudge Report news aggregation site expressed discontent over a federal spending bill that passed with votes from both Republicans and Democrats in the House.

The $1.1 trillion spending bill that runs through September 2015 is now up for a vote in the Democratically-led Senate. Many conservatives, including Drudge, are upset that the bill funds both Obamacare and President Obama's immigration executive orders.

"Obama got EVERYTHING," Drudge tweeted Friday. "NSA dirt on Boehner must be incredible. Chicago wins."

Despite opposition on the left led by Sen, Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and on the right by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tx., the bill is expected to pass the Senate.

Source

FEATURE STORY: COAST GUARD, FIRST IN FLIGHT BY WRIGHT


Coast Guard aviators have patrolled the nation’s skies for nearly 100 years, but it wasn’t the pilots who first helped get the airplane off the ground.

On a stretch of empty sand in the Outer Banks of North Carolina 111 years ago, a group of surfmen from Life-Saving Station Kill Devil Hills guarded the shore near the town of Kitty Hawk. The surfmen lived hidden away between the Atlantic Ocean and Albemarle Sound, within the sparsely populated lands of the Outer Banks.

Commanded by Capt. Jesse Etheridge Ward, the surfmen; Will S. Dough, Adam D. Etheridge, Bob L. Wescott, Tom Beacham, “Uncle Benny” O’Neal and John T. Daniels, patrolled the isolated stretch of sand between their own Kill Devil Hills Life-Saving Station and the four-miles north to Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station.

Their life was that of routine, stability and endurance. The Atlantic was a treacherous neighbor, having claimed numerous wrecks along it’s shoreline throughout the years.

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Sony exec in race row after saying TV is Hollywood's new 'black baby'

Sony boss Amy Pascal is facing another race row over details made public from her email account.

RadarOnline reports that buried in her email sent folder is a message to another Sony executive saying that TV deals were becoming so popular in Hollywood that they were 'the new black baby' that everyone wants.

The comment appears to be a racially charged jibe at white Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron and Sandra Bullock who adopt African or African-American children, according to Radar.

Pascal's remarks imply that such adoptions were little more than a hot fashion accessory in her eyes.

Pascal has previously been under fire for suggesting that she talk only about a series of slavery-related movies during a brief meeting with President Barack Obama. She later apologized for those comments.

In the newly-released email, Pascal - the co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment - is communicating with Sony Television President Steve Mosko, who was angry that he wasn't looped in on a new TV rights deal that Sony had struck.

Pascal replied that the deal mostly had to do with films.

'But like everyone with half a brain these days television is the thing they want to do,' she wrote.

She then told Mr Mosko that he was 'not used to TV being the new black baby,' according to emails viewed by Radar.

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French parliament prepares new end-of-life legislation

French parliament to debate a draft law that will give doctors in France the right to put terminally-ill patients into a deep sleep until they die

Doctors in France will have the right to put terminally-ill patients into a deep sleep until they die, under plans unveiled on Friday that reignited a national debate on euthanasia.

Apart from Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, few countries in the world explicitly permit euthanasia or assisted suicide.

In France, a 2005 law permits "passive euthanasia", where a person causes death by withholding or withdrawing treatment that is necessary to maintain life.

The proposals by two MPs – one from the ruling Socialists, the other from the opposition UMP – go a step further, as they allow doctors to couple passive euthanasia with "deep and continuous sedation" for terminally-ill patients who are conscious and whose treatment is not working or for those who decide to stop taking medication.

Patients who are not able to make decisions could in certain circumstances also be placed into deep, permanent sleep.

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OC Experiencing Bus Driver Shortage; Committee Reviews Change In Standards

OCEAN CITY – The newly-formed Transportation Committee hit the ground running as it agreed for bus driver standards to become more flexible as the resort is facing a driver shortage.

Last Thursday morning, the city’s Transportation Committee met for the first time.

“This was established at the organizational meeting of the Mayor and City Council to meet with you all and address the issues within the Transportation Department and familiarize everybody with the operations,” said Mayor Rick Meehan, who was elected to serve as the committee chairman.

Also serving on the committee is Council Secretary Mary Knight, Councilman Dennis Dare and Councilman Tony DeLuca, City Manager David Recor, Public Works Director Hal Adkins, Chief-Deputy Director James Parsons, Airport Manager Jaime Giandomenico and Superintendent of Transportation George Thornes.

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When atheists put up an inflammatory billboard, this Christian fought back with a billboard of his own

They are at it again. Atheists in Pender County, North Carolina recently erected a billboard that advertised the upcoming American Atheists convention and drove the point home with an inflammatory message.
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H.R.5344 - Responsible Body Armor Possession Act

Text: H.R.5344 — 113th Congress (2013-2014)All Bill Information (Except Text)

There is one version of the bill.

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Introduced in House (07/31/2014)

Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this legislative text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF or HTML/XML. [Congressional Bills 113th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office] [H.R. 5344 Introduced in House (IH)] 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5344 To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by civilians, with exceptions. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 31, 2014 Mr. Honda (for himself, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Hastings of Florida, and Mr. Pascrell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To prohibit the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by civilians, with exceptions. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Responsible Body Armor Possession Act''. SEC. 2. BAN ON PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, OR POSSESSION OF ENHANCED BODY ARMOR BY CIVILIANS; EXCEPTIONS. (a) In General.--Chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 932. Ban on purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by civilians ``(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for a person to purchase, own, or possess enhanced body armor. ``(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to-- ``(1) a purchase, ownership, or possession by or under the authority of-- ``(A) the United States or any department or agency of the United States; or ``(B) a State, or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State; or ``(2) enhanced body armor that was lawfully possessed by any person at any time before the date this section takes effect.''. (b) Enhanced Body Armor Defined.--Section 921(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(36) The term `enhanced body armor' means body armor, including a helmet or shield, the ballistic resistance of which meets or exceeds the ballistic performance of Type III armor, determined using National Institute of Justice Standard-0101.06.''. (c) Penalties.--Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 932 shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.''.


Democrats Are In Worse Shape Than People Realize

The most immediate consequence of the Democrats’ midterm disaster was losing control of the Senate and ceding Congress to the GOP.

For the next two years, Democrats will have to deal with conservative legislation, right-wing hijinks, and — in all odds — a vacancy crisis, as Republicans freeze confirmations and refuse to fill spots in the executive branch and on the federal bench.

That is bad for the Democratic Party. What’s on the horizon is worse. As Amy Walter notes for the Cook Political Report, Democrats lost big at all levels of government, including the states.

“Today,” she writes, “about 55 percent of all state legislative seats in the country are held by Republicans. That’s the largest share of GOP state legislators since the 1920s.” What’s more, “just 11 states have an all Democratic-controlled legislature,” and Democrats hold single-party control in just seven states.

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WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST STUNNED: MD GOVERNOR-ELECT TO KEEP CAMPAIGN PROMISE

Apparently, Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney is used to politicians lying on the campaign trail—so much so that he seems astounded that at least one elected official is saying he intends to keep his vow.

“If Maryland Gov.-elect Larry Hogan (R) has a secret plan to be flexible and compromise with Democrats over taxes and spending when he takes office next month, he’s doing an excellent job of hiding it,” McCartney writes.

But there’s no need for a "secret plan" or "flexibility."

Hogan’s election stunned the political establishment—the sort of people who write columns for the Washington Post. Hogan never led in any pre-election polls but swept to victory over Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. Hogan won because he promised to trim the size and expense of Maryland’s expansive government.

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Police officer lets Muslim man go with dead child in his trunk after he says he has a permit

A Millersville, Tenn., police officer pulled over a man while driving because his car’s temporary tag was unreadable. The driver produced his driver’s license and told the officer that he had a dead baby in his trunk, with a permit to transport it. He refused to let the officer search his trunk, however, claiming it went against his religion.

According to Biz Pac Review,

In a sign of how browbeaten police have become in today’s politically correct world, the officer actually let the man go.

Police officials later said at a press conference the driver, who was the child’s father, had a permit from the coroner that allowed him to transport the body.

The dead child was being taken to a private Muslim cemetery in Franklin, Millersville Police Chief David Hindman said, but he admitted that the officer erred in letting the man go without seeing the body and calling a supervisor.

The officer was not disciplined, and the police chief explained that part of the reason for the mix-up was a language barrier. “You have to understand this is a one in a million incident,” Millersville Police Chief David Hindman said. “In my 30 years of law enforcement, I have never seen or heard of something like this happening.”

While fortunately no one was harmed, this would never have happened if Shariah law had not started creeping into our society. Islamic laws do not take precedent over our laws, America is not a theocracy. Nor should Islam get preferential treatment over other religions.

Texas Has A Law Protecting People Who Say “Merry Christmas”

It’s amazing that we actually need laws to protect free speech

So you can safely toss the generic holiday greetings out the door.

As students head into the final week before “winter break” and plan for their “winter parties” state lawmakers are reminding residents that they are free to use the greeting of their choice — “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah” or “Happy holidays,” if you must.

“Our teachers and students are able to celebrate the upcoming holiday season without fear of retribution or punishment,” said Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, who last year helped pass the Merry Christmas law.

The Legislature wanted to make sure that students can exchange traditional holiday greetings — and display Christmas trees, menorahs and Nativity scenes at school as long as more than one religion and a secular symbol are included — without fear of sparking a lawsuit.

The response from the ACLU is a hoot

“I think it’s stupid,” said Terri Burke, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas. “There is no ‘war on Christmas.’ There’s no need for this law.

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NEWS YOU CAN USE FROM WICOMICO SCHOOLS

City Of Salisbury Boards and Commissions Openings
The City of Salisbury has the following openings for City Boards and Commissions:
Salisbury Board of Zoning has three (3) openings
Building Board of Adjustments and Appeals has three (3) openings
Central City District Committee has one (1) opening
Ethics Commission has one (1) opening
Historic District Committee has two (2) openings
Marina Committee has several openings
Mayor’s Council in Support of People with Disabilities has one (1) opening
Recycling Advisory Committee has openings in all four quadrants (SW, SE, NW, NE)
If you are interested in any of the aforementioned openings, please send a letter of interest and/or resume to the Mayor’s Office located at:
Office of the Mayor
125 N. Division Street
Room 304
Salisbury, MD  21801
All letters of interest must be received by Dec. 31. If you need more information regarding any Board or Committee listed above, please contact the Office of the Mayor at (410) 548-3100.

Pending Chicken Manure Regulations Fan Debate In Md.

When Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) hits his last few days in office next month, he plans to enact dramatic new regulations for farmers who use chicken droppings to fertilize their fields.

The move could further bolster O’Malley’s environmental résumé ahead of a possible run for president, demonstrating to Democratic activists that he is not afraid to take on the state’s powerful poultry industry in a quest to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.

But it is also likely to collide with the incoming governor, Republican Larry Hogan, who has promised to fight what he described as “politically motivated, midnight-hour” regulations.

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Congress Approves Plan to Allow Pension Cuts

More than a million retired and current truck drivers, construction workers and other union workers could see their pension benefits cut now that Congress passed a proposal aimed at shoring up some of the nation's biggest pensions.

Tacked on as an amendment to the government's $1.1 trillion spending bill, the proposal was approved by the Senate late Saturday night.

While those sponsoring the pension proposal say it is "the only available option" to save failing multiemployer pension plans, other groups -- like the AARP and the Pension Rights Center -- are crying foul.

Multiemployer pension plans cover more than 10 million workers and retirees in the trucking, manufacturing and other industries. But many of these plans have struggled in the last decade as they grapple with an aging workforce and major investment losses from the recession. Plus, many larger employers have pulled out of the plans.

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**Update** Troopers Investigating Fatal Crash east of Millsboro

Millsboro, DE - The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently investigating a fatal motor vehicle crash that has left one man dead which occurred early this morning east of Millsboro.

The initial investigation has determined that the crash occurred this morning, Tuesday, December 16, 2014, at approximately 12:57 a.m., as an unknown male subject was operating a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix and was traveling in a westbound direction on SR 24 (John J. Williams Highway), just west of CR 298 (Legion Road), at an apparent high rate of speed. The operator of the Grand Prix then lost control of the vehicle causing it to cross the center line of the roadway and enter into the eastbound lane. The front of the Grand Prix then struck the front of a 2007 Dodge Ram 3500 that was being operated by Mark A. Bradford, 29, of Millsboro, DE, and which was traveling in an eastbound direction on SR 24.

The operator of the Grand Prix, whose identity is unknown at this time, was not properly restrained at the time of the crash. The male victim was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the victim will be released after he is positively identified and his next of kin is notified. During the investigation it was determined that the Pontiac had recently been stolen from Sunny's Auto Sales located at 25924 John J. Williams Highway, in Millsboro.

Mark Bradford, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was trapped in his vehicle which became engulfed in flames. He was freed, however, with the assistance of several witnesses. Bradford was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to Beebe Healthcare where he is being treated for his non-life threatening injuries.

The investigation into this crash by the Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is on-going and no charges are expected.
John J. Williams Highway between Oak Road and Legion Road was closed for approximately four hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.

Bye Bye, Car Key? Keyless Systems Taking Over

Officially, it isn't a recall, just a technical service bulletin.

Whatever General Motors is calling the announcement, dealers have been advised to replace the keys on 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models, as well as several other large vehicles. That development may herald a wider shift in the auto industry to cars that no longer rely on keys.

Some owners have complained that when they shift gears, they can knock the key out of position—bringing to mind this year's recall of GM vehicles with defective ignition switches.

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DSP Troop 5 Announces Needy Family Fund Visits

Bridgeville - For over twenty years, Delaware State Police Troop 5, Bridgeville, has participated in the Needy Family Fund which provides Christmas gifts to children in need, necessities to senior citizens, and food items to help needy families prepare a Christmas dinner to help brighten their holiday season. The names of the families who could benefit from the Needy Family Fund are received by Troop 5 from school officials and representatives from senior centers in the area.

This year Troop 5 has sponsored four families and four seniors, two of which are caring for their grandchildren. A total of 18 children will be receiving Christmas gifts donated to the fund. Troopers will leave Troop 5, Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. and drop off items at addresses in Bridgeville, Greenwood, Seaford, Laurel, and Delmar.

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS IN WICOMICO SCHOOLS THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK

Wednesday, Dec. 17
Superintendent’s Open Door Session
Board of Education Building
Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen will hold a Superintendent’s Open Door Session from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17 in the Administrative Conference Room of the Board of Education Building, Mt. Hermon Road and Long Avenue, Salisbury.  Open Door Sessions will be held throughout the 2014-2015 school year to provide the opportunity for people to meet one-on-one with the superintendent. People may express concerns, offer comment, or ask questions on any issue involving Wicomico schools. No appointment is needed. Each visitor will have approximately 15 minutes to meet with the superintendent. Follow-up sessions will be held if there are more visitors than there is time on the scheduled night. Open Door Sessions are also scheduled for 4-6 p.m. Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18, April 15 and May 20. 410-677-4495

Dec. 22-Jan. 2
Winter Holidays
Wicomico School System
Schools will dismiss at regular time on Friday, Dec. 19. Schools will be closed for the winter holidays from Monday, Dec. 22-Friday, Jan. 2, reopening on Monday, Jan. 5.
During the winter holiday break, the Central Office and many school offices will be open Dec. 22, 23, 29 and 30 and Jan. 2. For school office hours on these dates, please contact the school or call the Central Office at 410-677-4400.

Monday, Dec. 29
Deadline to register for Jan. 24 SAT administration. Juniors and seniors should visit the guidance office prior to the close of school on Dec. 19 for information.

Troopers Investigating Fatal Crash east of Millsboro

Millsboro, DE – Troopers are currently on the scene of a fatal crash on John J. Williams Highway (SR 24) in the area of Legion Road, east of Millsboro that occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. this morning.

Preliminary investigation indicates that one person has died as a result of the two vehicle crash. The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently at the scene conducting their investigation.

John J. Williams Highway is closed between Oak Road and Legion Road and is expected to be for an extended period of time. Commuters are asked to find alternate routes of travel while the investigation continues.

BREAKING NEWS: Taliban members kill 84 students in school attack

Taliban members stormed a Pakistan military-run school Tuesday killing 84 students in the northwestern city of Peshawar, a Pakistani official said.

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Troopers Investigating Fatal Crash east of Millsboro

**Traffic Advisory**

Millsboro, DE – Troopers are currently on the scene of a fatal crash on John J. Williams Highway (SR 24) in the area of Legion Road, east of Millsboro that occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. this morning.

Preliminary investigation indicates that one person has died as a result of the two vehicle crash. The Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit is currently at the scene conducting their investigation.

John J. Williams Highway is closed between Oak Road and Legion Road and is expected to be for an extended period of time. Commuters are asked to find alternate routes of travel while the investigation continues.

Information regarding the crash will be released when it becomes available.

Released: 121615 0315

Biden recalls threatening to kill a kid over bullying of his sister

In his youth, Vice President Joe Biden once assaulted and threatened to kill a local bully who kept pushing his little sister off her bike.

Biden colorfully recalled the incident at a recent women's rights charity event in New York City held to 'celebrate men who combat violence against women, 'according to the Daily Beast, which obtained and released a video of his remarks on Friday.

'I remember coming back from Mass on Sunday,' Biden told attendees of the Wednesday evening Vital Voices gala. 'Always the big treat was, we’d stop at the donut shop…We’d get donuts, and my dad would wait in the car.

'As I was coming out, my sister [Valerie] tugged on me and said, "That’s the boy who kicked me off my bicycle." '

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