Barbaric slaughterhouses in China use the hide of pets slaughtered for food to make leather goods - and they are already in UK high street stores, campaigners warn
Leather gloves, shoes and other goods being sold in British shops and online may be made out of dogs slaughtered in horrific factories in China, it has been claimed.
Dog skin produced in the slaughterhouses are used in products, labelled real leather, destined for export to the West, according to an animal rights group.
Footage taken by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) shows workers stood by a door at a slaughterhouse in the northern province of Hebei. As dogs are led through the door, the men kill them with a heavy stick. Sometimes it takes several blows to finish off the unwitting animals.
Meathooks sway grimly in the foreground of the upsetting footage. PETA Asia's investigator saw workers peel the skin off dogs who were still alive.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Former President George H.W. Bush hospitalized, office says
A spokesman for Bush, 90, said he will be held for observation at the Houston Methodist Hospital as a precaution.
Bush spent nearly two months in the same hospital and was discharged in January 2013 after treatment for a bronchitis-related cough and other health issues.
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ANOTHER LAWSUIT?!?: Jesse Ventura Back in Court Against Chris Kyle, American Sniper
In July, the disgraced former governor won $1.8 million from the Kyle’s estate in a dispute over a subchapter about a California bar fight between the SEAL sniper and a man he called “Scruff Face” and publicly identified as Kyle during subsequent interviews.
The latest lawsuit, a naked grab at money from a deceased hero, is against the books publisher, Harper Collins. According to documents filed with the court, the publicity of Ventura getting dropped like a sack of potatoes “generated by the false and defamatory story about Ventura substantially increased sales of ‘American Sniper,’ thereby generating millions of dollars in revenues and profits for Harper Collins.”
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The Fed Is "Confused & Confusing"
Too Clever By Half
Yesterday I received an email from a well-known hedge fund manager which in its entirety read as follows: “At the end of the day, the Fed is confused and confusing, so if you spend too much time addressing their comments you end up confusing as well”.
In this light, I will detail one observation in this note that leaves me to conclude that the post-FOMC market reaction is farcical. Bear with me while I explain.
The FOMC meeting was slightly hawkish for two simple reasons.
1) The Fed slightly moved forward its time frame for the first rate hike to the April-June time frame when Yellen stated, “It is unlikely the Federal Open Market Committee will raise rates for at least the next couple of meetings”. This statement is indeed wishy-washy enough as to allow the Fed flexibility around the comment; nonetheless, the center point for ‘lift-off’ was moved forward.
2) Yellen said the drop in the price of oil would have a transitory effect on inflation and was seen as “tax cut” for the consumer and businesses.
These were the only new pieces of information that emerged from the meeting. How would a day-trader have reacted in normal markets? The US dollar would have risen. Oil would have fallen despite the rise in the dollar. The front end of the Treasury market would have dropped (i.e. higher yields). And, equities would have gone down. All of these occurred except for equities which exploded higher in wild grab-fest fashion. Why?
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Yesterday I received an email from a well-known hedge fund manager which in its entirety read as follows: “At the end of the day, the Fed is confused and confusing, so if you spend too much time addressing their comments you end up confusing as well”.
In this light, I will detail one observation in this note that leaves me to conclude that the post-FOMC market reaction is farcical. Bear with me while I explain.
The FOMC meeting was slightly hawkish for two simple reasons.
1) The Fed slightly moved forward its time frame for the first rate hike to the April-June time frame when Yellen stated, “It is unlikely the Federal Open Market Committee will raise rates for at least the next couple of meetings”. This statement is indeed wishy-washy enough as to allow the Fed flexibility around the comment; nonetheless, the center point for ‘lift-off’ was moved forward.
2) Yellen said the drop in the price of oil would have a transitory effect on inflation and was seen as “tax cut” for the consumer and businesses.
These were the only new pieces of information that emerged from the meeting. How would a day-trader have reacted in normal markets? The US dollar would have risen. Oil would have fallen despite the rise in the dollar. The front end of the Treasury market would have dropped (i.e. higher yields). And, equities would have gone down. All of these occurred except for equities which exploded higher in wild grab-fest fashion. Why?
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Bayfront Resident Granted Wind Turbine Conditional Use Five Years After Initial Proposal
Last Tuesday evening, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a subsequent public hearing to consider Ocean City resident James Motsko’s request for a Conditional Use in the R-2 Medium Residential District to permit installation of one ground-mounted small wind turbine in the area of 6th Street on the bayside.
In early October, a public hearing was held before the commission regarding the installation of the wind turbine but the hearing was postponed to provide an opportunity for Motsko’s engineer to be in attendance to address noise concerns. At that time, the commission also requested a private noise reading be conducted.
Zoning Administrator Blaine Smith acknowledged Motsko’s request is the first for a monopole base wind turbine within the limits of Ocean City, and he is “the author of bringing wind turbines into Ocean City” as he has been working on this matter since 2009.
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SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT 12-23-14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 621 PM EST TUE DEC 23 2014 MDZ021>025-VAZ099-100-240200- DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- ACCOMACK-NORTHAMPTON VA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CAMBRIDGE...SALISBURY...CRISFIELD... PRINCESS ANNE...SNOW HILL...OCEAN CITY...CHINCOTEAGUE... WALLOPS ISLAND...MELFA...EASTVILLE 621 PM EST TUE DEC 23 2014 ...AREAS OF FOG THIS EVENING... AREAS OF FOG WILL PERSIST OVER THE LOWER MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA EASTERN SHORE THROUGH THIS EVENING. VISIBILITIES WILL BE RESTRICTED TO AROUND 1/2 MILE IN SOME PLACES. DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITIES REDUCED TO LESS THAN 1/4 MILE IS POSSIBLE DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR SUDDEN CHANGES IN VISIBILITY DUE TO THE AREAS OF DENSE FOG. DRIVE AT REDUCED SPEEDS AND USE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ONLY.
Governor's Challenge Partners with Hometown Hero Fernando Guerrero for Holiday Giveaway
The Fernando el Guerrero Foundation has announced that Fernando Guerrero will spread holiday cheer in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center’s Midway Room on Friday, Dec. 26 and Saturday, Dec. 27 from 4-6 p.m. by giving away toys, books, Nike and Converse sneakers as well as clothing. Alex Guerrero, the Guerrero family and the Guerrero Steppers will also be on site. The event is free and open to the public, but the community is asked to not begin lining up before 3 p.m. Items will be given away while supplies last, and there is a limit on how many items each person can take for free.
Following the giveaways, the Guerrero brothers will join the action at the Governor’s Challenge Basketball Tournament where they will be available for autographs and pictures. Additional items will be raffled during the Tournament as a fundraiser for the Fernando el Guerrero Foundation.
Following the giveaways, the Guerrero brothers will join the action at the Governor’s Challenge Basketball Tournament where they will be available for autographs and pictures. Additional items will be raffled during the Tournament as a fundraiser for the Fernando el Guerrero Foundation.
Officials: 22 Indicted In Multistate Dog-Fighting Ring
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Authorities said Monday that a Baltimore grand jury returned indictments against 22 people involved in the ring, 14 of whom are in custody. They're all charged with animal cruelty, dog fighting and conspiracy.
The indictments came after authorities raided 18 locations in the Baltimore area and a compound in West Virginia.
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Bathing Man Grabbed By Testicles and Beaten; SWAT Lied to Get Raid
Chad Chadwick, a Texas man with a clean record, is still trying to live down the multiple nightmares unleashed upon him by a SWAT team three years ago. Because none of those nightmares ended with the lurid and violent raid.
What would precipitate a raid for someone who had never broken the law? A tip, of course. Apparently, a friend reported him to the Missouri City police concerning hisemotional well-being. When someone’s down and out – who you gonna call? None other than SWAT – who eagerly went down to business.
They decided they needed some semblance of justification to SWAT this guy. So they unequivocally fabricated a complete lie to a judge in order to get approval.
They said he had taken some hostages…
They knew this was untrue – they came up with it. My Fox Houston also claims that SWAT was aware of his owning a single shotgun, with which he had never threatened anyone.
So on the night of September 27th, 2011 they arrived while Chadwick was napping in the bathtub.
(How do they always know when you’re in the shower?)
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What would precipitate a raid for someone who had never broken the law? A tip, of course. Apparently, a friend reported him to the Missouri City police concerning hisemotional well-being. When someone’s down and out – who you gonna call? None other than SWAT – who eagerly went down to business.
They decided they needed some semblance of justification to SWAT this guy. So they unequivocally fabricated a complete lie to a judge in order to get approval.
They said he had taken some hostages…
They knew this was untrue – they came up with it. My Fox Houston also claims that SWAT was aware of his owning a single shotgun, with which he had never threatened anyone.
So on the night of September 27th, 2011 they arrived while Chadwick was napping in the bathtub.
(How do they always know when you’re in the shower?)
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Dr. Carson: 'The Community Has to Recognize That a Thug Is a Thug'
"I believe it would be a very wise idea to start talking about the good that the police did," Carson said. "We can find bad things about anybody. If we just emphasize those bad things all the time, it's called demonization."
Carson noted that there are bad apples in any group, but peoples' lives in every community are made better by police.
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Officials: Missing dog was dyed to deceive
Coco, a reddish-brown pit bull with white markings, went missing from her Southern California home on Thanksgiving.
Nearly a month later, she was found and reunited with her owners — but she was a different color.
Riverside County animal services officials made the match when they scanned a stray, black dog for an implanted microchip and found she was listed as an 8-month-old reddish-brown pit bull adopted in October from a San Jacinto shelter.
She actually recognized me when I went in there to verify it was her,' owner Heather Lowery told NBC Los Angeles.
'She shakes her whole body as if she were Pluto basically, and she did it again today. She jumped right on (me) and took pictures with me.'
Officials believe Coco was stolen and dyed in an act of deception to make it harder for Lowry to find her, said Riverside County Field and Shelter Deputy Director Frank Corvino.
Officials believe the dog escaped from the thief's property.
'The dye job is not very good,' Corvino said. 'But it would work if someone's looking for their missing, reddish-brown dog.'
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Nearly a month later, she was found and reunited with her owners — but she was a different color.
Riverside County animal services officials made the match when they scanned a stray, black dog for an implanted microchip and found she was listed as an 8-month-old reddish-brown pit bull adopted in October from a San Jacinto shelter.
She actually recognized me when I went in there to verify it was her,' owner Heather Lowery told NBC Los Angeles.
'She shakes her whole body as if she were Pluto basically, and she did it again today. She jumped right on (me) and took pictures with me.'
Officials believe Coco was stolen and dyed in an act of deception to make it harder for Lowry to find her, said Riverside County Field and Shelter Deputy Director Frank Corvino.
Officials believe the dog escaped from the thief's property.
'The dye job is not very good,' Corvino said. 'But it would work if someone's looking for their missing, reddish-brown dog.'
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Sony now says the will release The Interview on Christmas day
It seems that Sony will be releasing their film The Interview after all.
After announcing they would not distribute the film following the reluctance of many theaters to run the picture in the aftermath of a terrorist threat from hacking organization Guardians of Peace, Sony has now decided to allow the film to play in selected theaters and on video on demand on Christmas.
The studio released a statement on Tuesday confirming the news, and James Franco shared his joy on Instagram, thanking President Obama before taking some time to mock him after flubbing his name during a news conference last week.
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After announcing they would not distribute the film following the reluctance of many theaters to run the picture in the aftermath of a terrorist threat from hacking organization Guardians of Peace, Sony has now decided to allow the film to play in selected theaters and on video on demand on Christmas.
The studio released a statement on Tuesday confirming the news, and James Franco shared his joy on Instagram, thanking President Obama before taking some time to mock him after flubbing his name during a news conference last week.
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More Illegal Aliens from Other Nations Crossing Southern Border than Mexicans
For the first time, more immigrants illegally crossing the southern border of the United States came from countries other than Mexico. Central Americans from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras accounted for 239,229 of the FY 2014 apprehensions while the number of Mexican nationals being apprehended during the year was 229,178.
The numbers reflect a continuing change in the demographics of illegal immigrants according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report obtained by Breitbart Texas. The apprehension of Mexican nationals actually fell by fourteen percent compared to FY 2013. However, the apprehension of what DHS refers to as OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) rose by sixty-eight percent. The OTM apprehensions were predominately from Central America.
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The numbers reflect a continuing change in the demographics of illegal immigrants according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report obtained by Breitbart Texas. The apprehension of Mexican nationals actually fell by fourteen percent compared to FY 2013. However, the apprehension of what DHS refers to as OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) rose by sixty-eight percent. The OTM apprehensions were predominately from Central America.
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Twelve Injured in School Bus Crash
Newark- The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a school bus crash in which eleven students were injured that occurred this morning east of Newark.
The initial investigation determined that the crash occurred this morning, Tuesday, December 23, 2014, at approximately 7:00 a.m., as Arlene A. Holden, 60, of Newark, DE, was operating a 2014 Blue Bird Bus owned by the Christina School District, and was traveling in a southbound direction through the parking lot of the Shue Medill School, located at 1500 Capital Trail, Newark. Holden had to swerve her vehicle after being cut off by an unknown make and model white in color SUV that was also traveling through the parking lot. The school bus then struck a light pole on the property where it came to rest. The white SUV fled from the parking lot in an unknown direction. No information could be provided for the operator of the vehicle.
Arlene Holden, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where she was treated for minor injuries.
Eleven of the 23 students who were on the bus at the time of the crash were also removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children where they were treated for minor injuries.
The investigation into the crash by the Delaware State Police is continuing.
The initial investigation determined that the crash occurred this morning, Tuesday, December 23, 2014, at approximately 7:00 a.m., as Arlene A. Holden, 60, of Newark, DE, was operating a 2014 Blue Bird Bus owned by the Christina School District, and was traveling in a southbound direction through the parking lot of the Shue Medill School, located at 1500 Capital Trail, Newark. Holden had to swerve her vehicle after being cut off by an unknown make and model white in color SUV that was also traveling through the parking lot. The school bus then struck a light pole on the property where it came to rest. The white SUV fled from the parking lot in an unknown direction. No information could be provided for the operator of the vehicle.
Arlene Holden, who was properly restrained at the time of the crash, was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Christiana Hospital Trauma Center where she was treated for minor injuries.
Eleven of the 23 students who were on the bus at the time of the crash were also removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children where they were treated for minor injuries.
The investigation into the crash by the Delaware State Police is continuing.
Hillary Clinton Support Dips In New Poll
Clinton desperate to remain relevant
Hillary Clinton’s lead over potential 2016 Democratic rivals has shrunk considerably, a new poll finds.
According to the poll, from ABC News and the Washington Post, 61% of likely Democratic voters say they would vote for Clinton. This is down from last month’s lead of 63%, and January’s 73%. This latest poll was conducted earlier this month and released on Sunday.
Vice President Joe Biden is a distant second with 14% of the potential vote.
Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren comes in third at 13%. The same survey last month found that she was only commanding 11% of the vote. In January, that number was only 9%. Warren has repeatedly denied that she is seeking a bid for president.
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Hillary Clinton’s lead over potential 2016 Democratic rivals has shrunk considerably, a new poll finds.
According to the poll, from ABC News and the Washington Post, 61% of likely Democratic voters say they would vote for Clinton. This is down from last month’s lead of 63%, and January’s 73%. This latest poll was conducted earlier this month and released on Sunday.
Vice President Joe Biden is a distant second with 14% of the potential vote.
Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren comes in third at 13%. The same survey last month found that she was only commanding 11% of the vote. In January, that number was only 9%. Warren has repeatedly denied that she is seeking a bid for president.
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YOU BETTER WATCH OUT, I’M TELLING YOU WHY: TROOPERS ARE CRACKING DOWN ON DRINKING AND DRIVING Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
(PIKESVILLE, MD) – With all the holiday parties and celebrations this time of year, many will drink and drive but you better watch out, I’m telling you why; the Maryland State Police are cracking down on drunk driving.
Due to the increased possibility of alcohol related crashes and fatalities, troopers will be out in force actively searching for impaired, distracted, and aggressive drivers. Drivers are reminded during the holiday season and the rest of the year that drinking alcohol and driving should never be on their to- do list. In 2013, during the Christmas period from December 25 through December 29, there were 5 fatalities and 2 were alcohol related.
Nationally the facts are grim. In December 2012 there were 830 people killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher; 26 of those deaths occurred on Christmas Day. On average, a third (31%) of all crash fatalities in America involves drunk driving. But on Christmas day 2012, the percentage jumped to 36 percent.
“It’s time for all drivers to get the message that drunk driving is not a victimless crime,” said Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent, Maryland State Police. “You could kill yourself or someone else. There will be zero tolerance for impaired drivers on the road. We will see you, we will stop you, and you will be arrested.”
Impaired drivers often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, to lost wages due to time off from work. Even worse, a drunk driver can cause a traffic crash that claims someone’s life, or their own.
Please follow these tips to keep the holidays safe and happy:
• Even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk—or worse, the risk of having a crash while driving.
• If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.
• If you have been drinking, do not drive. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.
Due to the increased possibility of alcohol related crashes and fatalities, troopers will be out in force actively searching for impaired, distracted, and aggressive drivers. Drivers are reminded during the holiday season and the rest of the year that drinking alcohol and driving should never be on their to- do list. In 2013, during the Christmas period from December 25 through December 29, there were 5 fatalities and 2 were alcohol related.
Nationally the facts are grim. In December 2012 there were 830 people killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher; 26 of those deaths occurred on Christmas Day. On average, a third (31%) of all crash fatalities in America involves drunk driving. But on Christmas day 2012, the percentage jumped to 36 percent.
“It’s time for all drivers to get the message that drunk driving is not a victimless crime,” said Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent, Maryland State Police. “You could kill yourself or someone else. There will be zero tolerance for impaired drivers on the road. We will see you, we will stop you, and you will be arrested.”
Impaired drivers often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, to lost wages due to time off from work. Even worse, a drunk driver can cause a traffic crash that claims someone’s life, or their own.
Please follow these tips to keep the holidays safe and happy:
• Even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk—or worse, the risk of having a crash while driving.
• If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.
• If you have been drinking, do not drive. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.
Obama Approval Among U.S. Service Members Plummets To 15%
The men and women of the United States Armed Forces have never had a lower opinion of President Obama, acceding to a Military Times poll of its readers published today.
Just 15 percent of active-duty Military Times readers approve of Obama, down from 35 percent in 2009 and 28 percent just last year.
Military Times blames Obama's collapse on "the cultural changes he's overseeing" in the military, including gays in the military, women in combat, and anti-sexual assault training. But Military Times own data does not back this thesis up. Support for women in combat and gays in the military have both risen substantially (41 percent for women in some combat roles and 60 percent for gays) over the past year.
What does seem to be upsetting morale is lack of pay and the loss of sense of mission from the commander in chief.
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Just 15 percent of active-duty Military Times readers approve of Obama, down from 35 percent in 2009 and 28 percent just last year.
Military Times blames Obama's collapse on "the cultural changes he's overseeing" in the military, including gays in the military, women in combat, and anti-sexual assault training. But Military Times own data does not back this thesis up. Support for women in combat and gays in the military have both risen substantially (41 percent for women in some combat roles and 60 percent for gays) over the past year.
What does seem to be upsetting morale is lack of pay and the loss of sense of mission from the commander in chief.
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Police officer shot and killed in Florida
Sheriff's office, local police investigating
A police officer in Tarpon Springs, Florida, was shot and killed early Sunday, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.
A suspect is in custody.
The fatal shooting occurred in a residential area in the predawn hours, said Cecilia Barreda from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
The slain officer, Charles Kondek, was a 17-year veteran of the Tarpon Springs Police Department.
Kondek, 45, was a New York City police officer for five years before moving to Florida, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office identified the suspect as Marco Antonio Parilla Jr., 23.
Parilla faces a charge of first-degree murder.
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A police officer in Tarpon Springs, Florida, was shot and killed early Sunday, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.
A suspect is in custody.
The fatal shooting occurred in a residential area in the predawn hours, said Cecilia Barreda from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
The slain officer, Charles Kondek, was a 17-year veteran of the Tarpon Springs Police Department.
Kondek, 45, was a New York City police officer for five years before moving to Florida, the sheriff's office said.
The sheriff's office identified the suspect as Marco Antonio Parilla Jr., 23.
Parilla faces a charge of first-degree murder.
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The Castros Finally Hit the Jackpot
Candidate Barack Obama said that, as president, he would talk to anti-American dictators without precondition. He didn’t mention that he would also give them historic policy concessions without precondition.
His surprise unilateral change in the U.S. posture toward the Castro dictatorship came without even the pretense of serious promises by the Cubans to reform their kleptocratic, totalitarian rule.
The trade of Alan Gross, the American aid worker jailed in Cuba for the offense of trying to help Jewish Cubans get on the Internet, for three Cuban spies is understandable (we also got back one of our spies, and Cuba released several dozen political prisoners as a sweetener).
The rest of Obama’s sweeping revisions — diplomatic relations and the loosening of every economic sanction he can plausibly change on his own — are freely granted, no questions asked. It is quid with no pro quo.
After waiting out ten other U.S. presidents, the Castro regime finally hit the jackpot in Obama, whose beliefs about our Cuba policy probably don’t differ much from those of the average black-turtleneck-clad graduate student in Latin American studies.
Every dictator around the world must be waiting anxiously for a call or a postcard from Obama. The leader of the free world comes bearing gifts and understanding. He is willing to overlook human-rights abuses. And his idea of burnishing his legacy is to clinch deals with his country’s enemies.
Who helped negotiate the one with Cuba? Harry Truman had Dean Acheson. Richard Nixon had Henry Kissinger. Barack Obama has Ben Rhodes, the deputy national-security adviser who has what it takes to collapse U.S. policy toward Cuba and get nothing in return.
There is no doubt that economic sanctions are a blunt and dubious instrument, and reasonable people can disagree about their wisdom (I’ve gone back and forth about the Cuban embargo through the years). But dictatorial regimes hate them for a reason. All things considered, they want more economic wherewithal rather than less.
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His surprise unilateral change in the U.S. posture toward the Castro dictatorship came without even the pretense of serious promises by the Cubans to reform their kleptocratic, totalitarian rule.
The trade of Alan Gross, the American aid worker jailed in Cuba for the offense of trying to help Jewish Cubans get on the Internet, for three Cuban spies is understandable (we also got back one of our spies, and Cuba released several dozen political prisoners as a sweetener).
The rest of Obama’s sweeping revisions — diplomatic relations and the loosening of every economic sanction he can plausibly change on his own — are freely granted, no questions asked. It is quid with no pro quo.
After waiting out ten other U.S. presidents, the Castro regime finally hit the jackpot in Obama, whose beliefs about our Cuba policy probably don’t differ much from those of the average black-turtleneck-clad graduate student in Latin American studies.
Every dictator around the world must be waiting anxiously for a call or a postcard from Obama. The leader of the free world comes bearing gifts and understanding. He is willing to overlook human-rights abuses. And his idea of burnishing his legacy is to clinch deals with his country’s enemies.
Who helped negotiate the one with Cuba? Harry Truman had Dean Acheson. Richard Nixon had Henry Kissinger. Barack Obama has Ben Rhodes, the deputy national-security adviser who has what it takes to collapse U.S. policy toward Cuba and get nothing in return.
There is no doubt that economic sanctions are a blunt and dubious instrument, and reasonable people can disagree about their wisdom (I’ve gone back and forth about the Cuban embargo through the years). But dictatorial regimes hate them for a reason. All things considered, they want more economic wherewithal rather than less.
More
FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg's statement on FDA’s blood donor deferral policy for men who have sex with men
Over the past several years, in collaboration with other government agencies, the FDA has carefully examined and considered the available scientific evidence relevant to its blood donor deferral policy for men who have sex with men, including the results of several recently completed scientific studies and recent epidemiologic data. Following this review, and taking into account the recommendations of advisory committees to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the FDA, the agency will take the necessary steps to recommend a change to the blood donor deferral period for men who have sex with men from indefinite deferral to one year since the last sexual contact.
This recommended change is consistent with the recommendation of an independent expert advisory panel the HHS Advisory Committee on Blood and Tissue Safety and Availability, and will better align the deferral period with that of other men and women at increased risk for HIV infection. Additionally, in collaboration with the NIH’s National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the FDA has already taken steps to implement a national blood surveillance system that will help the agency monitor the effect of a policy change and further help to ensure the continued safety of the blood supply.
The FDA intends to issue a draft guidance recommending this proposed change in policy in 2015, which will also include an opportunity for public comment. We encourage all stakeholders to take this opportunity to provide any information the agency should consider, and look forward to receiving and reviewing these comments.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human drugs, including vaccines and other biological products for human use, veterinary drugs, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.
SFD Calls For Service 12-22-14
- Monday December, 22 2014 @ 22:38Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Monday December, 22 2014 @ 21:56Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Monday December, 22 2014 @ 19:21 Nature: Vehicle Accident w/InjuriesAddress: N Salisbury Blvd & Centre Rd Salisbury, MD 21801
- Monday December, 22 2014 @ 16:03Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Monday December, 22 2014 @ 15:47 Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 28135 Pathfinder Ct Salisbury, MD 21801
EXISTING HOME SALES PLUNGE
The pace of exising home sales plunged 6.1% in November to an annualized rate of 4.93 million units.
This was much worse than expected.
Economists had forecast the pace of sales declined 1.1% to 5.20 million units.
"Overall, the weaker existing home sales report suggests that the housing market remains on a somewhat rocky footing as data remains quite choppy," TD Securities Gennadiy Goldberg said. "We suspect that the recent decline in mortgage rates could help provide a near-term boost to activity over the coming months, but believe that further housing market improvement is likely to remain quite gradual, remaining a source of concern for the Fed. "
“Fewer people bought homes last month despite interest rates being at their lowest levels of the year,” said the NAR's Lawrence Yun. “The stock market swings in October may have impacted some consumers’ psyche and therefore led to fewer November closings. Furthermore, rising home values are causing more investors to retreat from the market.”
The median existing home sales price was $205,300 during the month, up 5.0% from a year ago.
The inventory of existing homes available for sale fell to 2.09 million, which represents a 5.1 month supply.
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This was much worse than expected.
Economists had forecast the pace of sales declined 1.1% to 5.20 million units.
"Overall, the weaker existing home sales report suggests that the housing market remains on a somewhat rocky footing as data remains quite choppy," TD Securities Gennadiy Goldberg said. "We suspect that the recent decline in mortgage rates could help provide a near-term boost to activity over the coming months, but believe that further housing market improvement is likely to remain quite gradual, remaining a source of concern for the Fed. "
“Fewer people bought homes last month despite interest rates being at their lowest levels of the year,” said the NAR's Lawrence Yun. “The stock market swings in October may have impacted some consumers’ psyche and therefore led to fewer November closings. Furthermore, rising home values are causing more investors to retreat from the market.”
The median existing home sales price was $205,300 during the month, up 5.0% from a year ago.
The inventory of existing homes available for sale fell to 2.09 million, which represents a 5.1 month supply.
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Chart Points To Massive Slow Down: “This Is The Biggest Collapse In The ‘Trade’ Indicator Since Records Began”
Prior to the crash of 2008 global trade was rocking. It was a boon for shipping companies around the world who are responsible for moving raw materials, commodities and consumer products from one country to another. Wall Street, of course, had devised a way to track all of this movement and often pointed to the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) as the primary indicator for health in the global trade business.
The index itself tracks the cost of transporting one metric ton of raw materials from one place to another.The numbers behind the BDI can essentially be translated into the cost of moving that cargo.
During the collapse in late 2008 we saw the Baltic Dry Index drop from over 9,000 points to under 1,000 in a matter of months. So, in essence, when the world economy was supposedly booming the cost for moving raw materials was around $9,000 per metric ton. After credit markets locked up and companies stopped ordering inventory the price dropped below $1,000 for moving the exact same raw materials to the exact same place.
What happened to the cost of transporting raw materials and cargo is exactly what you might expect with respect to the economics of it all. When businesses around the world are ordering inventory you’d expect shippers to raise the price of transporting that cargo as demand for their services increases. Likewise, if businesses don’t sell their products they will order less in raw materials, forcing shipping companies to lower their costs as demand for their services drops.
It is for this reason that the Baltic Dry Index has become such a key indicator of economic health and stability.
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The index itself tracks the cost of transporting one metric ton of raw materials from one place to another.The numbers behind the BDI can essentially be translated into the cost of moving that cargo.
During the collapse in late 2008 we saw the Baltic Dry Index drop from over 9,000 points to under 1,000 in a matter of months. So, in essence, when the world economy was supposedly booming the cost for moving raw materials was around $9,000 per metric ton. After credit markets locked up and companies stopped ordering inventory the price dropped below $1,000 for moving the exact same raw materials to the exact same place.
What happened to the cost of transporting raw materials and cargo is exactly what you might expect with respect to the economics of it all. When businesses around the world are ordering inventory you’d expect shippers to raise the price of transporting that cargo as demand for their services increases. Likewise, if businesses don’t sell their products they will order less in raw materials, forcing shipping companies to lower their costs as demand for their services drops.
It is for this reason that the Baltic Dry Index has become such a key indicator of economic health and stability.
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James Woods calls Al Sharpton a 'race pimp' and 'disgusting pig'
Actor James Woods took to Twitter on Sunday to blame the Rev. Al Sharpton, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio and President Obama for being ‘responsible’ for the murder of two NYPD officers on Saturday.
Sharpton came in for the worst of Woods’ abuse, with the former Academy Award nominee calling him a ‘race pimp’ and a ‘disgusting pig’.
At one point on Sunday morning Woods’ tweeted: ‘This disgusting pig is DIRECTLY responsible for the murder of two good policemen. No discussion’.
The tweet included a photo of Sharpton at a protest against police.
Woods later took down that post, reports Daily Caller, but he continued tweeting using a series of hashtags including '#PigSharpton', '#RaceHucksters', '#TurnYourBack', '#BlueLivesMatter'
Woods, 67, even called for a boycott of Sony Entertainment - after executives from the company recently promised to work with Sharpton after leaked emails featured racist comments.
The president also came in for criticism including a tweet that featured a photo of Sharpton and Obama and the text ‘mission accomplished’.
Woods also applauded the NYPD officers who turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio during his press conference following Saturday's shootings.
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Sharpton came in for the worst of Woods’ abuse, with the former Academy Award nominee calling him a ‘race pimp’ and a ‘disgusting pig’.
At one point on Sunday morning Woods’ tweeted: ‘This disgusting pig is DIRECTLY responsible for the murder of two good policemen. No discussion’.
The tweet included a photo of Sharpton at a protest against police.
Woods later took down that post, reports Daily Caller, but he continued tweeting using a series of hashtags including '#PigSharpton', '#RaceHucksters', '#TurnYourBack', '#BlueLivesMatter'
Woods, 67, even called for a boycott of Sony Entertainment - after executives from the company recently promised to work with Sharpton after leaked emails featured racist comments.
The president also came in for criticism including a tweet that featured a photo of Sharpton and Obama and the text ‘mission accomplished’.
Woods also applauded the NYPD officers who turned their backs on Mayor de Blasio during his press conference following Saturday's shootings.
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Christie calls on Obama to extradite Tupac Shakur's aunt from Cuba
Chris Christie has personally appealed to President Barack Obama to extradite Tupac's aunt from Cuba.
Joanne Chesimard, a former Black Panther Party member who is living under the name Assata Shakur, last year became the first woman on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list for fleeing to the Caribbean island after executing a police officer in 1973.
Now, following the landmark change in relations between the US and Cuba, New Jersey Governor Christie has launched a bid to retrieve the 67-year-old from her hiding place.
In a letter to the president, Christie slams the deal with Castro's communist government but says it is an opportunity to bring justice and prove Cuba is ready for 'serious change'.
He wrote: 'I do not share your view that restoring diplomatic relations without a clear commitment from the Cuban government of the steps they will take to reverse decades of human rights violations will result in a better and more just Cuba for its people.
'However, despite my profound disagreement with this decision, I believe there is an opportunity for Cuba and its government to show the American people it is serious about change.'
Chesimard was convicted of killing New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster in 1973 during a gunbattle after being stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike.
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Joanne Chesimard, a former Black Panther Party member who is living under the name Assata Shakur, last year became the first woman on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list for fleeing to the Caribbean island after executing a police officer in 1973.
Now, following the landmark change in relations between the US and Cuba, New Jersey Governor Christie has launched a bid to retrieve the 67-year-old from her hiding place.
In a letter to the president, Christie slams the deal with Castro's communist government but says it is an opportunity to bring justice and prove Cuba is ready for 'serious change'.
He wrote: 'I do not share your view that restoring diplomatic relations without a clear commitment from the Cuban government of the steps they will take to reverse decades of human rights violations will result in a better and more just Cuba for its people.
'However, despite my profound disagreement with this decision, I believe there is an opportunity for Cuba and its government to show the American people it is serious about change.'
Chesimard was convicted of killing New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster in 1973 during a gunbattle after being stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike.
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A Nation at War with Itself, Crying out for Leadership
Six years ago, Americans elected Barack Obama the first black President of the United States. It was a sign–not that racism had disappeared from our country, but that race was no longer an impediment to the highest possible achievement. Obama had a chance to use his presidency to affirm that progress–to show that the values and institutions that Americans embraced were indeed universal, to show that our national motto, E pluribus unum (“From many, one”), was a living foundation.
It was America’s great misfortune that Obama was a liberal–no, radical–Democrat, one steeped in the deep resentments of radical politics, who had embraced the conviction that the Constitution itself was fatally flawed by race and property rights. Though his own mixed-race, immigrant origins and privileged upbringing militated against the hackneyed notion that “the system” was inherently unfair, Obama chose a life as a community organizer devoted to bringing down society’s institutions.
Underneath it all, perhaps, Obama remained something of an elitist, prep-school sensibility: the incessant golf games with rich bankers; the endless socializing with Hollywood celebrities; the basic inattention to a humdrum daily work routine. His inability to take responsibility for his own policies was part a deft strategy to deflect criticism, and part a severe character flaw. Yet the Obama in office was no different, ideologically, than the Obama who had agitated in Chicago’s housing projects.
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It was America’s great misfortune that Obama was a liberal–no, radical–Democrat, one steeped in the deep resentments of radical politics, who had embraced the conviction that the Constitution itself was fatally flawed by race and property rights. Though his own mixed-race, immigrant origins and privileged upbringing militated against the hackneyed notion that “the system” was inherently unfair, Obama chose a life as a community organizer devoted to bringing down society’s institutions.
Underneath it all, perhaps, Obama remained something of an elitist, prep-school sensibility: the incessant golf games with rich bankers; the endless socializing with Hollywood celebrities; the basic inattention to a humdrum daily work routine. His inability to take responsibility for his own policies was part a deft strategy to deflect criticism, and part a severe character flaw. Yet the Obama in office was no different, ideologically, than the Obama who had agitated in Chicago’s housing projects.
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SUPREME COURT RULING ON CHRISTMAS
The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in the United States Capital this Christmas season.
This isn't for any religious reason. They simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in the Nation's Capitol. A search for a Virgin continues.
However, there was no problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.
........and to all......a good night!!!
Huge security flaw in mobile phone networks revealed
A massive security flaw that could let hackers listen in on private calls and read text messages has been revealed.
The flaw, is in a global telecom network called Signal System 7 that helps phone carriers across the world, including AT&T and Verizon, route calls and texts.
The flaws, to be reported at a hacker conference in Hamburg this month, are the latest in a string of major flaws in the system.
'Experts say it's increasingly clear that SS7, first designed in the 1980s, is riddled with serious vulnerabilities that undermine the privacy of the world's billions of cellular customers,' said The Washington Post, which first uncovered flaws in the system earlier this year.
The flaws discovered by the German researchers are actually functions built into SS7 for other purposes – such as keeping calls connected as users speed down highways, switching from cell tower to cell tower.
However, hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features for surveillance because of the lax security on the network.
Although the extent of the flaws has not yet been revealed, it is believed hackers can locate callers anywhere in the world, listen to calls as they happen or record hundreds of encrypted calls and texts at a time for later decryption.
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The flaw, is in a global telecom network called Signal System 7 that helps phone carriers across the world, including AT&T and Verizon, route calls and texts.
The flaws, to be reported at a hacker conference in Hamburg this month, are the latest in a string of major flaws in the system.
'Experts say it's increasingly clear that SS7, first designed in the 1980s, is riddled with serious vulnerabilities that undermine the privacy of the world's billions of cellular customers,' said The Washington Post, which first uncovered flaws in the system earlier this year.
The flaws discovered by the German researchers are actually functions built into SS7 for other purposes – such as keeping calls connected as users speed down highways, switching from cell tower to cell tower.
However, hackers worked out a way to repurpose the features for surveillance because of the lax security on the network.
Although the extent of the flaws has not yet been revealed, it is believed hackers can locate callers anywhere in the world, listen to calls as they happen or record hundreds of encrypted calls and texts at a time for later decryption.
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There Is Blood On Hands Of Those Who Demanded ‘Dead Cops’
“What do we want?” drones the blood chant.
“Dead cops!” comes the reply.
Done.
Thus does rhetoric have consequences.
There may have been just a single shooter in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Saturday afternoon. But New York’s failure to denounce without nuance the bloodlust that’s been boiling out of the corners of the Eric Garner-Michael Brown demonstrations for weeks now boils down to this:
There is blood on many hands this morning.
Yes, First Amendment. Yes, redress of grievances. Yes, peaceful protests — even as clogged bridges and mobbed boulevards created, however temporarily, very real peril for tens of thousands of New Yorkers every night for a week.
The free-speech trope is so obviously true that it’s a deflection even to raise it.
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“Dead cops!” comes the reply.
Done.
Thus does rhetoric have consequences.
There may have been just a single shooter in Bedford-Stuyvesant on Saturday afternoon. But New York’s failure to denounce without nuance the bloodlust that’s been boiling out of the corners of the Eric Garner-Michael Brown demonstrations for weeks now boils down to this:
There is blood on many hands this morning.
Yes, First Amendment. Yes, redress of grievances. Yes, peaceful protests — even as clogged bridges and mobbed boulevards created, however temporarily, very real peril for tens of thousands of New Yorkers every night for a week.
The free-speech trope is so obviously true that it’s a deflection even to raise it.
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Martin Armstrong Asks "Will They Hang Bankers Again On Wall Street?"
What took place in Washington over the past two weeks with the repeal of Dodd Frank and then the effective repeal of the Volcker Rule sounds strikingly familiar to at least three previous periods in American History that led to total disaster.
There were of course the Northern “carpetbaggers”, whom many in the South viewed as opportunists looking to exploit and profit from the region’s misfortunes following the Civil War. The “carpetbaggers” would play a central role in shaping new southern governments during the Reconstruction period who were joined by Southerners who saw economic gain in joining the Northerners in the exploitation of the South. They were called “scalawags”.
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There were of course the Northern “carpetbaggers”, whom many in the South viewed as opportunists looking to exploit and profit from the region’s misfortunes following the Civil War. The “carpetbaggers” would play a central role in shaping new southern governments during the Reconstruction period who were joined by Southerners who saw economic gain in joining the Northerners in the exploitation of the South. They were called “scalawags”.
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Bill O'Reilly: NYC Mayor de Blasio Should Resign
Fox News host Bill O'Reilly says New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has lost the backing of his police department and should resign immediately.
O'Reilly was on Christmas break Monday night, but phoned in to "O'Reilly Factor" guest host Greg Gutfeld to criticize de Blasio's handling of the recent protests against police.
O'Reilly said de Blasio lost the police when he called an attack by protesters on two police lieutenants "alleged" when the actions were clearly shown on video.
"Once he said that, that was the end," O'Reilly said. When de Blasio showed up at a hospital on Saturday where two slain police officers had been taken, a line of police officers turned their backs on him in protest.
"Good for them," O'Reilly said.
De Blasio cannot run the city and has lost the respect and control of the NYPD, he said.
"They will never come back no matter what he says," O'Reilly said.
O'Reilly was on Christmas break Monday night, but phoned in to "O'Reilly Factor" guest host Greg Gutfeld to criticize de Blasio's handling of the recent protests against police.
O'Reilly said de Blasio lost the police when he called an attack by protesters on two police lieutenants "alleged" when the actions were clearly shown on video.
"Once he said that, that was the end," O'Reilly said. When de Blasio showed up at a hospital on Saturday where two slain police officers had been taken, a line of police officers turned their backs on him in protest.
"Good for them," O'Reilly said.
De Blasio cannot run the city and has lost the respect and control of the NYPD, he said.
"They will never come back no matter what he says," O'Reilly said.
"He associated with the provocateurs and he has disgraced the office of mayor of New York City. He should resign."
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Fast-Acting Natural Supplement Fights Pain
The problem with most natural pain remedies is that they can take a very long time to work, often weeks. When you are hurting, you don't want to wit that long.
A special extract made from hops called Perluxan is different. It’s a fast-acting, nondrug, anti-inflammatory supplement that can relieve pain from a variety of conditions. This makes it a practical alternative to medications such as ibuprofen.
Inflammation is a major reason why we experience pain. Many people reach for over-the-counter ibuprofen (in Advil and Motrin) and naproxen (in Aleve), which are classified as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. However, these damage the stomach lining and can cause bleeding or ulcers, particularly among people over 60.
“I would opt for a natural anti-inflammatory such as Perluxan,” says pharmacist Dave Foreman. “It doesn’t come with the side effects of a medication.”
Both Perluxan and NSAIDs reduce inflammation by inhibiting an enzyme, called COX-2, which generates inflammatory chemicals in painful areas. However, NSAIDs also inhibit another enzyme, called COX-1, which is beneficial.
COX-1 is found throughout the human body and is necessary for healthy blood clotting, but is most concentrated in the stomach, where it protects the stomach lining. By blocking it, NSAIDs create risk of stomach damage and bleeding.
Perluxan is more selective than NSAIDs, inhibiting the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme without significantly blocking beneficial COX-1. “It has very, very faint activity on COX-1,” Foreman tells Newsmax Health.
In a study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, samples of blood were taken during a nine-hour period after people took either Perluxan or ibuprofen. Both equally inhibited the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme, showing effectiveness against pain.
A special extract made from hops called Perluxan is different. It’s a fast-acting, nondrug, anti-inflammatory supplement that can relieve pain from a variety of conditions. This makes it a practical alternative to medications such as ibuprofen.
Inflammation is a major reason why we experience pain. Many people reach for over-the-counter ibuprofen (in Advil and Motrin) and naproxen (in Aleve), which are classified as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. However, these damage the stomach lining and can cause bleeding or ulcers, particularly among people over 60.
“I would opt for a natural anti-inflammatory such as Perluxan,” says pharmacist Dave Foreman. “It doesn’t come with the side effects of a medication.”
Both Perluxan and NSAIDs reduce inflammation by inhibiting an enzyme, called COX-2, which generates inflammatory chemicals in painful areas. However, NSAIDs also inhibit another enzyme, called COX-1, which is beneficial.
COX-1 is found throughout the human body and is necessary for healthy blood clotting, but is most concentrated in the stomach, where it protects the stomach lining. By blocking it, NSAIDs create risk of stomach damage and bleeding.
Perluxan is more selective than NSAIDs, inhibiting the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme without significantly blocking beneficial COX-1. “It has very, very faint activity on COX-1,” Foreman tells Newsmax Health.
In a study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, samples of blood were taken during a nine-hour period after people took either Perluxan or ibuprofen. Both equally inhibited the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme, showing effectiveness against pain.
DeBlasio, Black Leaders Fuel Flames of Racism
President Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Bill de Blasio, and the Rev. Al Sharpton are fueling the flames of racism in America just as the Ku Klux Klan did 100 years ago. Sounds inflammatory? It is. What’s worse, it’s true.
The reason? They are considered the establishment. They are out in broad daylight perpetrating a racist agenda and, instead of wearing a white sheet to protect their identity, they are shrouded in the cloak of government.
They are adept and skillful at delivering a populist message of redistribution of wealth or how minorities are targeted by the police. Listen my friends, the biggest day of lynchings in America happened to Italians in New Orleans in 1891 in response to nine Italians being found not guilty in the murder of a police chief. A mob dragged those nine Italians and two others from the jail they were being held in and lynched them all.
A March 16th, 1891 New York Times editorial referred to the victims of the lynchings as…”sneaking and cowardly Sicilians, the descendants of bandits and assassins.”
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The reason? They are considered the establishment. They are out in broad daylight perpetrating a racist agenda and, instead of wearing a white sheet to protect their identity, they are shrouded in the cloak of government.
They are adept and skillful at delivering a populist message of redistribution of wealth or how minorities are targeted by the police. Listen my friends, the biggest day of lynchings in America happened to Italians in New Orleans in 1891 in response to nine Italians being found not guilty in the murder of a police chief. A mob dragged those nine Italians and two others from the jail they were being held in and lynched them all.
A March 16th, 1891 New York Times editorial referred to the victims of the lynchings as…”sneaking and cowardly Sicilians, the descendants of bandits and assassins.”
More
9 shot at Miami basketball court in drive-by, suspect on loose
MIAMI – Police say nine people who were playing basketball at a Miami park have been injured, one critically, in a drive-by shooting.
A statement from the Miami-Dade Police department says as a car approached the courts Monday around 4:45 p.m., the car's passenger opened fire.
Police say a 16-year-old boy was struck in the head and was listed in serious but stable condition. All other victims were shot in extremities.
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A statement from the Miami-Dade Police department says as a car approached the courts Monday around 4:45 p.m., the car's passenger opened fire.
Police say a 16-year-old boy was struck in the head and was listed in serious but stable condition. All other victims were shot in extremities.
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Mounting Evidence Exposes Dangers of Energy Drinks
42% report adverse effects such as insomnia, restlessness and heart palpitations
Two research papers, each published separately, suggest that concerns over levels of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks, and their effects on young people who drink them, are mounting.
Energy drinks are beverages that claim to “make you more alert and give you energy.” Most have ingredients like caffeine, sugar, taurine, vitamins and herbs. They can be found anywhere you buy beverages beside the pop, juices and sports drinks.
The amount of caffeine in energy drinks is more than what is recommended for children. Most government public health agencies say that children under 12 years of age should have less than 85 mg of caffeine per day depending on their age. This means that one energy drink can easily put children over their caffeine limits.
Energy Drinks have previously been found to cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel and detrimentally affect the contraction of the heart. A study published in the issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth–specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.
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Two research papers, each published separately, suggest that concerns over levels of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks, and their effects on young people who drink them, are mounting.
Energy drinks are beverages that claim to “make you more alert and give you energy.” Most have ingredients like caffeine, sugar, taurine, vitamins and herbs. They can be found anywhere you buy beverages beside the pop, juices and sports drinks.
The amount of caffeine in energy drinks is more than what is recommended for children. Most government public health agencies say that children under 12 years of age should have less than 85 mg of caffeine per day depending on their age. This means that one energy drink can easily put children over their caffeine limits.
Energy Drinks have previously been found to cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel and detrimentally affect the contraction of the heart. A study published in the issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth–specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.
More
Oneida Indians Plan New 'Oz'-Themed NY Casino
The Oneida Indian Nation plans to open a $20 million casino with a "Wizard of Oz" theme in the village where author L. Frank Baum was born, the Oneidas confirmed Sunday.
Ray Halbritter, chief executive officer of the Oneida Nation, said in a news release that the 67,000-square-foot casino will open in the spring in Chittenango, 14 miles east of Syracuse. The plans, first reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard ( http://bit.ly/1wSda3w ), call for renovating a vacant building in a shopping plaza.
The Oneidas announced plans for the Yellow Brick Road Casino four days after a state panel recommended licensing three non-Indian casinos, including a $425 million casino and hotel 42 miles west of Syracuse in Seneca County. Halbritter said because the Chittenango casino will be on Oneida reservation land, no permission is needed from federal, state or local governments under terms of a 1993 gaming compact with the state.
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Ray Halbritter, chief executive officer of the Oneida Nation, said in a news release that the 67,000-square-foot casino will open in the spring in Chittenango, 14 miles east of Syracuse. The plans, first reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard ( http://bit.ly/1wSda3w ), call for renovating a vacant building in a shopping plaza.
The Oneidas announced plans for the Yellow Brick Road Casino four days after a state panel recommended licensing three non-Indian casinos, including a $425 million casino and hotel 42 miles west of Syracuse in Seneca County. Halbritter said because the Chittenango casino will be on Oneida reservation land, no permission is needed from federal, state or local governments under terms of a 1993 gaming compact with the state.
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Heads Up Local LEO's
Feds Haven't Compensated Native Americans After 28 Years
The protracted relocation effort has cost U.S. taxpayers $564 million so far, with as much as $82 million left to go before the special government office established to oversee the process can shut its doors for good, according to the Department of Interior inspector general.
Congress passed the Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act in 1974, but efforts to relocate Navajo families living on Hopi land are still underway. That law had placed a five-year time limit on the relocation process once a plan was formulated, which didn’t happen until 1981, the report said.
The specially-created government body tasked with approving requests for relocation benefits, now called the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, should have finished by 1986, but 28 years later, it is still determining whether applicants are eligible.
With a staff of 35 and average annual expenses of $9.8 million, ONHIR has relocated an average of just 19 families each of the past five years.
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EMTs made frantic bid to save NYPD cops after shooting
The first paramedics who arrived after two cops were ambushed in Brooklyn said Sunday they desperately tried to revive the mortally wounded officers.
“I had to save (them),” said EMT Tatania Alexander, a chief with the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corp., told the Daily News.
Alexander and her EMT partner Christopher Womble returned to the scene of Saturday’s bloodbath at Tompkins and Myrtle Aves. to recount the steps they took to try to save Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu.
Alexander, 23, said she was at her base station on Marcus Garvey Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant when Womble came rushing in with news of the double police shooting.
When they reached the scene, both wounded cops were still in their patrol car.
Alexander first went to Liu, 32, on the passenger side.
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“I had to save (them),” said EMT Tatania Alexander, a chief with the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corp., told the Daily News.
Alexander and her EMT partner Christopher Womble returned to the scene of Saturday’s bloodbath at Tompkins and Myrtle Aves. to recount the steps they took to try to save Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu.
Alexander, 23, said she was at her base station on Marcus Garvey Blvd. in Bedford-Stuyvesant when Womble came rushing in with news of the double police shooting.
When they reached the scene, both wounded cops were still in their patrol car.
Alexander first went to Liu, 32, on the passenger side.
More
Grow Your Way Out Of Debt? Don't Make Us Laugh...!
Too Much Debt
But today, we continue with our look at the macro situation at the end of 2014… One way of measuring GDP is to add together consumption, investment, government spending and net exports.
The idea is to measure total spending. And in this way, also measure production. Most things produced are sold. Add up how much spending there is and you get an idea of how much production there’s been.
US GDP is reported to be $18 trillion a year – with $3.5 trillion coming from US federal government spending. Add state and local government spending, and the total rises to more than $6 trillion.
This means that the private sector – the part that pays the bills – is only $12 trillion. Total debt – government, corporate and personal – in the US is now $58 trillion (misreported yesterday as $59 trillion… but what’s a trillion dollars between friends?). That’s nearly five times the real economy that supports it.
And it helps explain why it is so hard to “grow your way out” of debt. Assuming an annual interest rate of 2%, even if you could contain debt increases to 3% of GDP a year, the productive part of the economy would have to grow at 5% just to stay even. No developed economy in the world is growing that fast.
At an interest rate of 3%, the annual interest on $58 trillion is $1.7 trillion. That’s slightly less than 10% of GDP. But it’s 14% – or one of every seven dollars – of the private sector economy.
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But today, we continue with our look at the macro situation at the end of 2014… One way of measuring GDP is to add together consumption, investment, government spending and net exports.
The idea is to measure total spending. And in this way, also measure production. Most things produced are sold. Add up how much spending there is and you get an idea of how much production there’s been.
US GDP is reported to be $18 trillion a year – with $3.5 trillion coming from US federal government spending. Add state and local government spending, and the total rises to more than $6 trillion.
This means that the private sector – the part that pays the bills – is only $12 trillion. Total debt – government, corporate and personal – in the US is now $58 trillion (misreported yesterday as $59 trillion… but what’s a trillion dollars between friends?). That’s nearly five times the real economy that supports it.
And it helps explain why it is so hard to “grow your way out” of debt. Assuming an annual interest rate of 2%, even if you could contain debt increases to 3% of GDP a year, the productive part of the economy would have to grow at 5% just to stay even. No developed economy in the world is growing that fast.
At an interest rate of 3%, the annual interest on $58 trillion is $1.7 trillion. That’s slightly less than 10% of GDP. But it’s 14% – or one of every seven dollars – of the private sector economy.
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Islamic Voc. Lesson Part of Common Core Standards
Parents in Farmville, North Carolina want to know why their children were given a Common Core vocabulary assignment in an English class that promoted the Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic faith.
“It really caught me off guard,” a Farmville Central High School student who was in the class told me. “If we are not allowed to talk about any other religions in school – how is this appropriate?”
The Islamic vocabulary worksheet was assigned to seniors.
“I was reading it and it caught me off guard,” the student told me. “I just looked at it and knew something was not right – so I emailed the pages to my mom.”
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Gas Below $2 at Some Stations in 24 States
And here in Missouri, close to the geographic center of the USA, is where drivers can find the cheapest gas as of Friday, according to GasBuddy.com.
"As of this morning, there are 24 states with prices under $2 a gallon. But Missouri is lowest," said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy's senior petroleum analyst.
In Springfield, gas prices at some locations have dipped to $1.96 for a gallon of regular unleaded. They'll continue to drop for a while, DeHaan said.
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THIS HAS TO BE THE DUMBEST E-MAIL WE'VE EVER SEEN
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Bound By A Plantation, Two Georgians Remember A Special Christmas
In the days leading up to Savannah's surrender to the Union, Sherman's troops burned the nearby Mulberry Grove Plantation. They also freed hundreds of slaves, including a baby boy who would grow up on the land as a free man.
One hundred and fifty years later, the descendants of some of the people living on that plantation still share a special connection to that man.
Hugh Golson, a retired history teacher, is a wiry white man in his mid-60s with bright blue eyes.
Martha McCullough, 87, is a former grade school teacher. She's African-American, dressed in a festive red sweater and hat at Golson's Victorian home in downtown Savannah. The house is filled with antiques, bookshelves and richly-painted green walls covered in old photographs.
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A Letter To The Editor: WMDT Story
THEN, we have college graduated “Journalists” (of which you are not one, according to them), telling us at least TWICE in the article that he had a “Beebe” gun! REALLY? BB is a shot size; Beebe is a medical center! Except in Delaware, I suppose…
The MSM and police are put up on the same pedestal as the ambulance chasing firemen and Facebooking teacher friends as guiding forces and role models for our children.
I’ve got to stop writing this; my brain hurts…
I’ve got to stop writing this; my brain hurts…
Federal Employees Will Get 1% Pay Increase In 2015
It's official. Federal employees under the General Schedule will receive a 1 percent pay increase in 2015. President Obama signed an executive order on raises Friday, just before leaving on his Hawiian vacation. Raises are effective Jan. 1. Most commissioned and enlisted service members will receive similar raises. The minimum Senior Executive Salary will also rise 1 percent, to $122,000 dollars. Members of Congress and senior political leaders don't get raises. Their salaries were frozen as part of the fiscal 2015 budget deal. The President's executive order keeps locality pay percentages at 2014 levels.
Governor, NAACP, State Police Release Statements on Body Cameras
They released the following statements about the discussion:
“I thank the leaders of the State NAACP for all of their efforts to advance civil rights in our state,” said Markell. “We had an important discussion laying out the issues that need to be resolved to responsibly introduce body cameras in our state. Just as importantly, we talked about the need to continue to have an open dialogue about the issues facing our African-American community and to help build trust between their community and our law enforcement.”
“The State NAACP had a very positive meeting with Governor Markell, Secretary Schiliro and Colonel McQueen,” said Smith. “This is part of an important process of bringing together the community and law enforcement to introduce these cameras in the right way. We want the benefits of the cameras, but also to ensure that the rights of the citizens and the police are recognized, respected, and protected. We thank the Governor and State Police for agreeing that this is an important issue and that we need to move forward to meet the concerns of the citizens of Delaware.”
“We know the use of body cameras is inevitable and we view these cameras as a positive step that can help protect the rights of citizens and the police,” said Lew Schiliro, Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. “We will need to address privacy, procedural, and technical issues and look forward to continuing to work with NAACP and other organizations to get our policies right around these cameras.”
“I appreciated the opportunity to take part in this constructive dialogue with the NAACP and ensure we are addressing these issues together,” said State Police Colonel Nate McQueen. “I look forward to continuing the dialogue.”
Army To Determine Fate Of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Soon
The Army is a step closer to deciding the final fate of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the former Afghan insurgent prisoner. The Wall Street Journal reports Army officials investigating his 2009 disappearance will forward their findings to the Northern Army commander today. Lt. Gen. Perry Wiggins will decide Bergdahl's punishment, if any. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was briefed on results of the investigation. They won't be made public today. A Pentagon spokesman says they will be eventually. Bergdhal left his unit and was in captivity for five years. He was returned to U.S. custody in a prisoner exchange last May. Army officials have said he acted improperly.
Hedwin closing Baltimore plant and moving to Delaware
When Fujimori Kogyo Co. Ltd. bought Hedwin for $22.2 million at a bankruptcy auction in May, Hedwin officials said the new buyer would preserve the company's jobs. Now the nearly 300 people who work at the plant on Roland Heights Avenue will need to reapply for their jobs at the new facility 67 miles from the current one in the Medfield neighborhood next to the Jones Falls Expressway.
Richard F. Broo, Hedwin's president/CEO, said the Roland Heights Avenue plant doesn't meet strict cleanliness standards for the containers that Fujimori Kogyo wants to start making in the United States. A suitable plant could not be found nearby, he said.
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The New FBI Headquarters, (2.1 million sq. ft.) Could Land in P.G. County
The General Services Administration looks for developers for the new FBI Headquarters. The agency's Request for Proposals asks for a new facility of up to 2.1 million square feet. In exchange, GSA will trade the current FBI headquarters at the J. Edgar Hoover Building. The two agencies haven't nailed down a location for the headquarters yet, but they're considering three options. Two are in Prince George's County, Maryland, and the third is in Springfield, Virginia. The FBI headquarters project is part of GSA's efforts to consolidate underused federal properties.
BARRICADE ENDS PEACEFULLY IN QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY
(STEVENSVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police successfully apprehend an Ocean City man after he refuses to come out of a residence he was attempting to burglarize in Queen Anne’s County.
The man is identified as Brandon Borradaile, 25, of the 9000 block of Golf Course Road in Ocean City, Maryland. Borradaile is charged with first and third degree burglary and malicious destruction of property. He is being held at the Centreville Barrack for processing and will be transported to the Queen Anne’s County Court Commissioner’s Office for an initial appearance.
After a nine hour standoff with police, Borradaile was apprehended by Maryland State Police at the residence he attempted to burglarize this morning. Police believe Borradaile is also responsible for a burglary on Friday, December 19, 2014 at a residence in the 10,000 block of Inlet Road in Ocean City, where a blue Toyota Avalon was reported stolen. The Toyota Avalon is the same vehicle found in the driveway of the Stevensville home this morning.
The man is identified as Brandon Borradaile, 25, of the 9000 block of Golf Course Road in Ocean City, Maryland. Borradaile is charged with first and third degree burglary and malicious destruction of property. He is being held at the Centreville Barrack for processing and will be transported to the Queen Anne’s County Court Commissioner’s Office for an initial appearance.
After a nine hour standoff with police, Borradaile was apprehended by Maryland State Police at the residence he attempted to burglarize this morning. Police believe Borradaile is also responsible for a burglary on Friday, December 19, 2014 at a residence in the 10,000 block of Inlet Road in Ocean City, where a blue Toyota Avalon was reported stolen. The Toyota Avalon is the same vehicle found in the driveway of the Stevensville home this morning.
CDC: Listeria Contaminated Pre-Packaged Caramel Apples Linked to Four Deaths, 28 Illnesses
The holidays are full of sweet treats and fresh-baked goods. But if your snacking plans included finishing off those prepackaged caramel apples from fall, you better come up with different plans. That’s because federal officials say the desserts may be the source of a multi-state listeria outbreak that has been linked to at least five deaths.
Skip Stores And Middlemen: Shop Directly From Chinese Wholesalers
Instead of buying inexpensive, mass-produced junk from China at your local big-box store, why not save time, avoid human interaction, and go right to the source? You can eliminate layers of middlemen by ordering from a wholesaler in China. It’s easy and affordable to do so online for everything from phone cases to wedding gowns, but should you?
Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Release 12-22-14
Daniel Matthew Lake of Salisbury, arrested 12-10-14 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Lake was later released after posting bond.
James Lee Cotton of Westover, arrested 12-3-14 for 4th degree burglary, malicious destruction of property, and theft over $1,000. The arrest was the result of a investigation where Cotton allegedly broke into a home on Fountaine Rd, Westover, and removed aluminum siding, and later sold the material for scrap. Cotton was later released on personal recognizance.
Joseph Janell Bradley of Salisbury, arrested 12-13-14 on a warrants for failing to appear in court. Bradley was held on a $2,000 bond.
Patrick William Waggoner and Amanda Joyce Kulp of Princess Anne, criminal summons served for theft under $1,000. Both subjects were released on signature pending court actions.
Brandon Lashaun Fountaine of Salisbury, arrested 12-15-14 on warrants regarding failing to appear in court. Fountaine was later held on a $30,000 bond.
Travon Marquise Toomer of Princess Anne, arrested 12-16-14 on warrant for failing to appear in court. Toomer was held on a $20,000 bond.
William Clyde Conley of Queen Anne’s County arrested 12-19-14 for escape, motor vehicle theft, and theft scheme. Conley was later held without bond. The arrest was the result of an investigation where Conley stole a county pickup truck while working at the land fill on work release, and fled to Centerville where he was later apprehended by the Maryland State Police Apprehension Team.
Rodney William Burke of Crisfield, arrested 12-17-14 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Burke was held on a $10,000 bond.