DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, January 03, 2015
A New Mortgage Trap
Attention state attorneys general: The mortgage industry may be about to make fools of you, and dupes of home buyers whose legal rights you are supposed to protect.
ICE touts success of smartphone app to catch child predators
WASHINGTON (WJLA) – As we begin 2015, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is touting the success of a smartphone app designed to catch child predators; 2014 marked its first year of use.
This free app is called Operation Predator. It’s available for iPhone and Android devices, and can be found in your app store. This is considered a “first of its kind” for U.S. Federal law enforcement. It marks a new way of thinking when it comes to keeping our kids safe.
“Our goal is to get the bad guys,” said Brian Hale, with ICE.
For years, advances in technology have made it much easier for predators to prey on children. But now, that same technology is making it easier to catch those predators.
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This free app is called Operation Predator. It’s available for iPhone and Android devices, and can be found in your app store. This is considered a “first of its kind” for U.S. Federal law enforcement. It marks a new way of thinking when it comes to keeping our kids safe.
“Our goal is to get the bad guys,” said Brian Hale, with ICE.
For years, advances in technology have made it much easier for predators to prey on children. But now, that same technology is making it easier to catch those predators.
More
A strike against rent-seeking
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow, so last year’s most encouraging development in governance might have occurred in February in a U.S. district court in Frankfort, Ky. There, a judge did something no federal judge has done since 1932. By striking down a “certificate of necessity” (CON) regulation, he struck a blow for liberty and against crony capitalism.
Although Raleigh Bruner’s Wildcat Moving company in Lexington is named in celebration of the local religion — University of Kentucky basketball — this did not immunize him from the opposition of companies with which he wished to compete. In 2012, he formed the company, hoping to operate statewide. Kentucky, however, like some other states, requires movers to obtain a CON. Kentucky’s statute says such certificates shall be issued if the applicant is “fit, willing and able properly to perform” moving services — and if he can demonstrate that existing moving services are “inadequate,” and that the proposed service “is or will be required by the present or future public convenience and necessity.”
Applicants must notify their prospective competitors, who can and often do file protests. This frequently requires applicants to hire lawyers for the hearings. There they bear the burden of proving current inadequacies and future necessities. And they usually lose. From 2007 to 2012, 39 Kentucky applications for CONs drew 114 protests — none from the general public, all from moving companies. Only three of the 39 persevered through the hearing gantlet; all three were denied CONs.
Bruner sued, arguing three things: that the CON process violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause because it is a “competitors’ veto” that favors existing companies over prospective rivals; that the statute’s requirements (“inadequate,” “convenience,” “necessity”) are unconstitutionally vague; and that the process violates the 14th Amendment’s protections of Americans’ “privileges or immunities,” including the right to earn a living.
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Although Raleigh Bruner’s Wildcat Moving company in Lexington is named in celebration of the local religion — University of Kentucky basketball — this did not immunize him from the opposition of companies with which he wished to compete. In 2012, he formed the company, hoping to operate statewide. Kentucky, however, like some other states, requires movers to obtain a CON. Kentucky’s statute says such certificates shall be issued if the applicant is “fit, willing and able properly to perform” moving services — and if he can demonstrate that existing moving services are “inadequate,” and that the proposed service “is or will be required by the present or future public convenience and necessity.”
Applicants must notify their prospective competitors, who can and often do file protests. This frequently requires applicants to hire lawyers for the hearings. There they bear the burden of proving current inadequacies and future necessities. And they usually lose. From 2007 to 2012, 39 Kentucky applications for CONs drew 114 protests — none from the general public, all from moving companies. Only three of the 39 persevered through the hearing gantlet; all three were denied CONs.
Bruner sued, arguing three things: that the CON process violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause because it is a “competitors’ veto” that favors existing companies over prospective rivals; that the statute’s requirements (“inadequate,” “convenience,” “necessity”) are unconstitutionally vague; and that the process violates the 14th Amendment’s protections of Americans’ “privileges or immunities,” including the right to earn a living.
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See This Guy Get Through a DUI Checkpoint Without Saying a Word — Thanks to What He Hung Out His Car Window
Could 2015 be the year those confrontations cool off — thanks to plastic bags hanging out of car windows?
In a video posted to YouTube Thursday, longtime police recording activist Jeff Gray tests out a novel approach to DUI checkpoints in Florida: putting license, registration and insurance information in a plastic freezer bag, along with a Fair DUI message:
I remain silent
No searches
I want my lawyer
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The Birth of a New Civil Rights Movement
2014 was an epochal year for social justice. 2015 could be even more dramatic.
The shattering events of 2014, beginning with Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri, in August, did more than touch off a national debate about police behavior, criminal justice and widening inequality in America. They also gave a new birth of passion and energy to a civil rights movement that had almost faded into history, and which had been in the throes of a slow comeback since the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012. That the nation became riveted to the meta-story of Ferguson—and later the videotaped killing of Eric Garner in New York—was due in large part to the work of a loose but increasingly coordinated network of millennial activists who had been beating the drum for the past few years. In 2014, the new social justice movement became a force that the political mainstream had to reckon with.
This re-energized millennial movement, which will make itself felt all the more in 2015, differs from its half-century-old civil rights-era forebear in a number of important ways. One, it is driven far more by social media and hashtags than marches and open-air rallies. Indeed, if you wanted a megaphone for a movement spearheaded by young people of color, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one than Twitter, whose users skew younger and browner than the general public, which often has the effect of magnifying that group’s broad priorities and fascinations. It’s not a coincidence that the Twitterverse helped surface and magnify the stories of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner and Michael Brown.
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Feds Investigating Powerful NY Dem Sheldon Silver
Federal authorities are investigating New York state's powerful Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver, over payments he received from a New York City law firm, The New York Times reports.
According to the Times, FBI agents and prosecutors with U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office found the law firm, Goldberg & Iryami, paid the Democratic politician money he allegedly did not officially disclose.
The small law firm looks for real estate tax reductions for commercial and residential properties in New York City, The Times notes.
Part-time work by legislators has often come under scrutiny of federal investigators because corrupt lawmakers have used payments for apparent part-time work to mask political payoffs, the Times reports. Such work has also been a concern of watchdog groups because of the potential for conflicts of interest, The Times notes.
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According to the Times, FBI agents and prosecutors with U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office found the law firm, Goldberg & Iryami, paid the Democratic politician money he allegedly did not officially disclose.
The small law firm looks for real estate tax reductions for commercial and residential properties in New York City, The Times notes.
Part-time work by legislators has often come under scrutiny of federal investigators because corrupt lawmakers have used payments for apparent part-time work to mask political payoffs, the Times reports. Such work has also been a concern of watchdog groups because of the potential for conflicts of interest, The Times notes.
More
VENISON, THE OTHER RED MEAT, ON MARYLAND TABLES
In the 2013-2014 hunting season, which runs intermittently from September to February, Maryland hunters bagged nearly 96,000 deer, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
That’s a lot of venison to go around.
“You can barely tell it’s not beef when it’s cooked right,” said Rockville’s Peter Oristian.
Oristian, 50, has been hunting since he was 12 years old and serves venison as much as he can.
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What’s Driving Jim Webb's Potential Bid for President in 2016?
In July, Jim Webb invited some 50 former staffers and their spouses to his northern Virginia home for a reunion that served to toast the release of his most recent book.
Over beers and between reacquainting conversations, Webb took a moment to address the gathering of campaign workers and Capitol Hill aides.
“We’re back,” uttered the former one-term Democratic senator, according to several people in the room.
At the time, most in attendance interpreted the remark as an informal recognition of Webb’s return to the public limelight after disappearing for more than a year to write “I Heard My Country Calling,” a memoir that tracks his hard-knock but admirable life growing up as a military brat. The book had just been published in May.
In July, Jim Webb invited some 50 former staffers and their spouses to his northern Virginia home for a reunion that served to toast the release of his most recent book.
Over beers and between reacquainting conversations, Webb took a moment to address the gathering of campaign workers and Capitol Hill aides.
“We’re back,” uttered the former one-term Democratic senator, according to several people in the room.
At the time, most in attendance interpreted the remark as an informal recognition of Webb’s return to the public limelight after disappearing for more than a year to write “I Heard My Country Calling,” a memoir that tracks his hard-knock but admirable life growing up as a military brat. The book had just been published in May.
More
Over beers and between reacquainting conversations, Webb took a moment to address the gathering of campaign workers and Capitol Hill aides.
“We’re back,” uttered the former one-term Democratic senator, according to several people in the room.
At the time, most in attendance interpreted the remark as an informal recognition of Webb’s return to the public limelight after disappearing for more than a year to write “I Heard My Country Calling,” a memoir that tracks his hard-knock but admirable life growing up as a military brat. The book had just been published in May.
In July, Jim Webb invited some 50 former staffers and their spouses to his northern Virginia home for a reunion that served to toast the release of his most recent book.
Over beers and between reacquainting conversations, Webb took a moment to address the gathering of campaign workers and Capitol Hill aides.
“We’re back,” uttered the former one-term Democratic senator, according to several people in the room.
At the time, most in attendance interpreted the remark as an informal recognition of Webb’s return to the public limelight after disappearing for more than a year to write “I Heard My Country Calling,” a memoir that tracks his hard-knock but admirable life growing up as a military brat. The book had just been published in May.
More
Indiana mulls putting high schoolers to same civics test immigrants take
Under a measure proposed by Hoosier State Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis Kruse, a Republican, students who want to graduate high school would be required to pass the same civics test as immigrants who want to become U.S. citizens, according to the Lafayette Journal & Courier. He plans to introduce a bill during the upcoming legislative session, which convenes next week.
"I believe that if we're asking someone from a foreign country to know this information, that our own citizens ought to know it," Kruse told the paper.
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EVER WONDER
Well, on the bottom of the signs is the name of the sponsor: revcom.us
So, if you're at all curious, just click right here on revcom.us and see who provided those spiffy signs those idiots are holding up. It'll only take a second.
MOST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAUGHT AT BORDER NON-MEXICAN AND ADULT
This information comes from a Pew Research Center study of more than sixty years of Border Patrol data. During Fiscal Year 2014 (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014), about 229,000 Mexicans and about 257,000 non-Mexicans were apprehended illegally crossing the border. Overall, the total number of illegal immigrants was up 16 percent over the previous year.
The Pew Research analysis highlighted several other interesting points:
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A Great American Resurgence is rooted in civic engagement
The American experiment in self-governance relies heavily on an engaged and informed citizenry, who understand the philosophical foundations of individual liberty. This is why it is important to read philosophers like Frederic Bastiat, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, Adam Smith, and others, as well as the writings of our Founders. Without historical context, we cannot understand the foundation of liberty.
And without an understanding of the foundation of liberty, we cannot partake in civic engagement. As citizens, we are given rights from our Creator — but with those rights come certain responsibilities. These are civic duties.
Many conservatives believe that the preservation of liberty is rooted in both an understanding of the teachings of our intellectual forefathers and the practical application of these teachings. During the rise of the tea party movement, groups sprung up to educate average Americans on these constitutional principles. One such organization is called theCenter for Self Governance. Another group that emphases the importance of one of our founding documents is the Bill of Rights Institute, which provides educational resources to teachers. There are likely dozens of other such organization that emphasize these elements.
Fortunately for these organizations, they have their work cut out for them.
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And without an understanding of the foundation of liberty, we cannot partake in civic engagement. As citizens, we are given rights from our Creator — but with those rights come certain responsibilities. These are civic duties.
Many conservatives believe that the preservation of liberty is rooted in both an understanding of the teachings of our intellectual forefathers and the practical application of these teachings. During the rise of the tea party movement, groups sprung up to educate average Americans on these constitutional principles. One such organization is called theCenter for Self Governance. Another group that emphases the importance of one of our founding documents is the Bill of Rights Institute, which provides educational resources to teachers. There are likely dozens of other such organization that emphasize these elements.
Fortunately for these organizations, they have their work cut out for them.
More
Chick-Fil-A Reporting Possible Data Breach
The fast food chain learned recently that there was unusual activity involving credit cards at a few restaurants.
Chick-fil-A is working law enforcement and cyber security experts to determine if there was a breach.
If so, customers will not be responsible for fraudulent charges on their accounts.
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Christie To Attend Hogan Inauguration
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Christie, who is seriously weighing a run for president, will attend Maryland GOP Gov.-elect Larry Hogan's swearing-in ceremony on January 21, Hogan spokeswoman Erin Montgomery said Friday.
Christie made four campaign appearances for Hogan last year, including one in Baltimore two days before the General Election.
Christie is also scheduled to attend Florida Gov. Rick Scott's second inaugural in Florida next week, a spokeswoman said earlier this week.
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28 Signs That U.S. Public Schools Are Rapidly Being Turned Into Indoctrination Centers And Prison Camps
It has been said that children are our future, and right now the vast majority of our children are being “educated” in public schools that are rapidly being turned into indoctrination centers and prison camps.
Our children desperately need to focus on the basics such as reading, writing and math, but instead a whole host of politicians, “education officials” and teachers are constantly injecting as much propaganda as they possibly can into classroom instruction. Instead of learning how to think, our children are continually being told what to think. Not only that, our children are also being trained how to live as subservient slaves in a Big Brother police state. Today, nearly everything that children do in public schools is watched, monitored, recorded and tracked. Independent thought and free expression are greatly discouraged and are often cracked down upon harshly. If students get “out of line”, instead of being sent to see the principal they are often handcuffed, arrested and taken to the police station. In addition, law enforcement authorities are using weapons such as pepper spray and tasers against young students in our public schools more than ever before. Children in U.S. public schools are not learning how to live as strong individuals in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”. Rather, they are being trained how to serve a Big Brother police state where control freaks run their entire lives. If we continue to allow all of the liberty and freedom to be systematically drained out of our school children, then there is not going to be much hope for the future of this nation.
The following are 28 signs that U.S public schools are being turned into indoctrination centers and prison camps….
#1 All 50 U.S. states are now constructing federally-mandated databases that will track the behavior and performance of all public school students in America throughout their entire school careers. According to the New York Post, the Obama administration wants to use the information that is gathered for a wide array of purposes….
The administration wants this data to include much more than name, address and test scores. According to the National Data Collection Model, the government should collect information on health-care history, family income and family voting status. In its view, public schools offer a golden opportunity to mine reams of data from a captive audience.
More
Our children desperately need to focus on the basics such as reading, writing and math, but instead a whole host of politicians, “education officials” and teachers are constantly injecting as much propaganda as they possibly can into classroom instruction. Instead of learning how to think, our children are continually being told what to think. Not only that, our children are also being trained how to live as subservient slaves in a Big Brother police state. Today, nearly everything that children do in public schools is watched, monitored, recorded and tracked. Independent thought and free expression are greatly discouraged and are often cracked down upon harshly. If students get “out of line”, instead of being sent to see the principal they are often handcuffed, arrested and taken to the police station. In addition, law enforcement authorities are using weapons such as pepper spray and tasers against young students in our public schools more than ever before. Children in U.S. public schools are not learning how to live as strong individuals in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”. Rather, they are being trained how to serve a Big Brother police state where control freaks run their entire lives. If we continue to allow all of the liberty and freedom to be systematically drained out of our school children, then there is not going to be much hope for the future of this nation.
The following are 28 signs that U.S public schools are being turned into indoctrination centers and prison camps….
#1 All 50 U.S. states are now constructing federally-mandated databases that will track the behavior and performance of all public school students in America throughout their entire school careers. According to the New York Post, the Obama administration wants to use the information that is gathered for a wide array of purposes….
The administration wants this data to include much more than name, address and test scores. According to the National Data Collection Model, the government should collect information on health-care history, family income and family voting status. In its view, public schools offer a golden opportunity to mine reams of data from a captive audience.
More
Navy Vet and Former Cop Seeks Treatment for Insomnia, Police Promptly CONFISCATE His Firearms
They failed.
The new face of gun-grabbing measures is not one of direct legislation, but of a sneaky, backdoor method that centers on a discussion of “mental illness.”
Of course, nobody wants mentally ill people with firearms; however, inviting the government toi determine who is, and who is not, “sane” enough to exercise this right for which they have been gunning (no pun intended) for decades is purely asking for trouble.
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5 Federal Agencies in the GOP’s Crosshairs
Five federal agencies are bracing for a tough year as Republicans take full control of Congress in January, when lawmakers return to Washington.
The Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency may all see extra scrutiny from Congress, especially when it comes to contentious issues like Obamacare.
To get an idea of just how brutal things may be, consider the CRomnibus spending bill. Republicans, with little opposition from Democrats, slipped a $350 million cut to the IRS’s budget into the spending bill. The IRS has been arguably the GOP’s biggest target ever since the agency honed in on conservative groups. The agency has been scrutinized by both parties as well for excessive spending on lavish conferences, all courtesy of the taxpayer.
The cuts this year are so significant however, that IRS Commissioner John Koskinen has warned they may cripple the agency just as it takes on more responsibility under the Affordable Care Act.
These five agencies are up for extra scrutiny:
Internal Revenue Service
The GOP spent a good chunk of 2014 grilling IRS officials about targeting conservative groups. Though the scandal has not proven to reach all the way to the White House, the GOP is not done scrutinizing the IRS.
More
The Internal Revenue Service, Health and Human Services and the Environmental Protection Agency may all see extra scrutiny from Congress, especially when it comes to contentious issues like Obamacare.
To get an idea of just how brutal things may be, consider the CRomnibus spending bill. Republicans, with little opposition from Democrats, slipped a $350 million cut to the IRS’s budget into the spending bill. The IRS has been arguably the GOP’s biggest target ever since the agency honed in on conservative groups. The agency has been scrutinized by both parties as well for excessive spending on lavish conferences, all courtesy of the taxpayer.
The cuts this year are so significant however, that IRS Commissioner John Koskinen has warned they may cripple the agency just as it takes on more responsibility under the Affordable Care Act.
These five agencies are up for extra scrutiny:
Internal Revenue Service
The GOP spent a good chunk of 2014 grilling IRS officials about targeting conservative groups. Though the scandal has not proven to reach all the way to the White House, the GOP is not done scrutinizing the IRS.
More
SFD Calls For Service 1-2-15
- Friday January, 2 2015 @ 20:19Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday January, 2 2015 @ 20:14Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday January, 2 2015 @ 18:50Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday January, 2 2015 @ 17:58Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Friday January, 2 2015 @ 16:55Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
The Truth About LBJ and MLK
Winston Churchill famously said “history is written by the victors,” and truth is often the first casualty in the aftermath of conflict.
Last week, “historian” Mark Updegrove, who doubles as a paid employee of the taxpayer-financed Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, stretched the envelop in a Politico article in which he claimed that the new movie “Selma,” (starring Giovanni Ribisi, Oprah Winfrey, and David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King), distorts the relationship between President Lyndon Baines Johnson and the civil rights leader. Ironically, Updegrove claims that the movie misrepresents historical truth when it is Updegrove’s narrative that repeats the sanitized “history” of the poisoned relationship between LBJ and MLK.
Next, former LBJ associate Joseph Califano jumped into the fray in the Washington Post, claiming that the “Selma” movie doesn’t properly reflect the productive relationship between Johnson and King.
Of course, both Updegrove and Califano failed to even mention Dr. King’s pivotal opposition to the Vietnam War, which would win the enmity of LBJ. Updegrove and Califano are both trying to truncate history with this omission.
The truth is that Lyndon Baines Johnson was a life-long segregationist who resisted numerous attempts to eliminate the poll tax and literacy tests during his twenty-three year career in the House and Senate. He blocked every major and minor piece of meaningful civil rights legislation as the leader of the Southern block in the US Senate, and as its powerful Majority Leader.
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Last week, “historian” Mark Updegrove, who doubles as a paid employee of the taxpayer-financed Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, stretched the envelop in a Politico article in which he claimed that the new movie “Selma,” (starring Giovanni Ribisi, Oprah Winfrey, and David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King), distorts the relationship between President Lyndon Baines Johnson and the civil rights leader. Ironically, Updegrove claims that the movie misrepresents historical truth when it is Updegrove’s narrative that repeats the sanitized “history” of the poisoned relationship between LBJ and MLK.
Next, former LBJ associate Joseph Califano jumped into the fray in the Washington Post, claiming that the “Selma” movie doesn’t properly reflect the productive relationship between Johnson and King.
Of course, both Updegrove and Califano failed to even mention Dr. King’s pivotal opposition to the Vietnam War, which would win the enmity of LBJ. Updegrove and Califano are both trying to truncate history with this omission.
The truth is that Lyndon Baines Johnson was a life-long segregationist who resisted numerous attempts to eliminate the poll tax and literacy tests during his twenty-three year career in the House and Senate. He blocked every major and minor piece of meaningful civil rights legislation as the leader of the Southern block in the US Senate, and as its powerful Majority Leader.
More
Outraged Parents Say New Play-Doh Tool For Kids Is Obscenely Designed
Parents took to social media to share images of the tool, called the extruder, which came as part of Play-Doh’s Sweet Shoppe Cake Mountain play set and which parents agree shares a strong resemblance to a male’s private parts.
Play-Doh, upon receiving strong feedback after Christmas, issued a statement on its Facebook page to address the issue. The statement read in part: “We have hard some consumer feedback … and are in the process of updating all future Play-Doh products with a different tool.”
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Nevada Supreme Court rules cities have right to lay off employees because of lack of money
CARSON CITY – In a case closely watched by local governments, the Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that a district judge was wrong in keeping the city of Reno from laying off firefighters due to a lack of money.
Reno lost a continuing federal grant and notified 32 firefighters they would be laid off. The International Association of Firefighters Local 731 filed suit to stop the layoffs and to submit the issue to arbitration.
District Judge Lidia Stiglich granted the motion to halt the reductions until the issue was submitted to arbitration.
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Reno lost a continuing federal grant and notified 32 firefighters they would be laid off. The International Association of Firefighters Local 731 filed suit to stop the layoffs and to submit the issue to arbitration.
District Judge Lidia Stiglich granted the motion to halt the reductions until the issue was submitted to arbitration.
More
DNR Press Release 1-3-15
On Monday, officers set up surveillance near Deal Island in Somerset County to check for oyster harvesting before legal hours. At about 5:30 a.m., they saw a boat operating without navigational lights head into Tangier Sound.
The officers tailed the vessel and watched its activity with night-vision glasses. Two officers boarded the vessel and directed the operator, Lance Carl Fridley, 29, of Deal Island, to return to shore. Once back at Deal Island, the officers found seven bushels aboard, all ranging from 55 percent to 69 percent unsorted.
Fridley was charged with seven counts of possessing unculled oysters, oystering before legal hours, having oysters aboard between two hours after sunset and sunrise, power dredging in a prohibited area, operating a vessel without navigational lights, and negligent operation of a vessel.
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Two Cops Use Pepper Spray to Defend Themselves While Getting Choked, Beaten by Seven Attackers
Two Boston police officers were about to put handcuffs on 19-year-old Woobenson Morisset on a warrant for defaulting on court appearances. That’s when, police say, Morisset yelled out — and the nearby apartments emptied. A group of six — Morisset’s 18-year-old brother and five juveniles — allegedly joined Morisset in beating and choking the two officers Monday night, Boston.com reported.
The unnamed officers, a man and woman, used pepper spray to defend themselves before backup arrived, WBZ-TV reported. The officers didn’t draw their guns. Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Dana Pierce described the scene after the two officers encountered Morisset. The Boston Globe reported:
Two officers found him in a rear stairwell, where a “violent struggle ensued” when they tried to arrest him, Pierce said. One officer got elbowed in the neck, suffering vocal cord contusions and hemorrhaging, and the other, a woman, took a punch in the face, the prosecutor said, without specifying who delivered the blows. In the process, police lost control of Woobenson Morisset and “from there on it was essentially a melee in a very narrow stairwell,” Pierce said. The seven teens, acting as a group, punched, kicked, and choked police, resulting in bumps and bruises to both officers and hand, head, and hip injuries to the female officer, she said.
More
The unnamed officers, a man and woman, used pepper spray to defend themselves before backup arrived, WBZ-TV reported. The officers didn’t draw their guns. Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Dana Pierce described the scene after the two officers encountered Morisset. The Boston Globe reported:
Two officers found him in a rear stairwell, where a “violent struggle ensued” when they tried to arrest him, Pierce said. One officer got elbowed in the neck, suffering vocal cord contusions and hemorrhaging, and the other, a woman, took a punch in the face, the prosecutor said, without specifying who delivered the blows. In the process, police lost control of Woobenson Morisset and “from there on it was essentially a melee in a very narrow stairwell,” Pierce said. The seven teens, acting as a group, punched, kicked, and choked police, resulting in bumps and bruises to both officers and hand, head, and hip injuries to the female officer, she said.
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First Baby of 2015 Born at Peninsula Regional
The Junior Auxiliary Board, in 2015, is celebrating its 91st year of service to the physicians, staff and volunteers of Peninsula Regional Medical Center and the people of the Delmarva Peninsula. Since 1924, it has donated more than $8,000,000 to expansion projects, medical equipment, supplies and services at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.
Senators seek information on FBI cell tracking
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday they were seeking answers from the Obama administration about federal law enforcement's use of surveillance technology that sweeps up basic cellphone data.
In a bipartisan letter to the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, described a recent policy change by the FBI that they said had left them with additional questions about how the equipment was used and about what privacy protections were in place.
"The Judiciary Committee needs a broader understanding of the full range of law enforcement agencies that use this technology, the policies in place to protect the privacy interests of those whose information might be collected using these devices, and the legal process that DOJ and DHS entities seek prior to using them," the senators wrote.
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In a bipartisan letter to the departments of Justice and Homeland Security, Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, described a recent policy change by the FBI that they said had left them with additional questions about how the equipment was used and about what privacy protections were in place.
"The Judiciary Committee needs a broader understanding of the full range of law enforcement agencies that use this technology, the policies in place to protect the privacy interests of those whose information might be collected using these devices, and the legal process that DOJ and DHS entities seek prior to using them," the senators wrote.
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New year may bring more small business help from Washington
NEW YORK (AP) -- Small business owners may get more help from Washington in 2015.
Gridlock in Washington in recent years has stalled tax bills and other legislation aimed at helping small companies, but such proposals are expected to be on the agenda in the Republican-led Congress. Democrats have opposed some proposals because of concerns about the impact of those tax breaks on the federal budget.
Parts of the health care law are likely to be debated. And lawmakers and the Small Business Administration hope to make it easier for companies to borrow.
"Small businesses are looking for government to function and get a lot more done," says John Arensmeyer, CEO of the advocacy group Small Business Majority.
But bills friendly to small businesses may not be a slam-dunk. Senate Democrats will have enough votes to filibuster and block GOP-sponsored legislation, and President Barack Obama can veto bills.
TAX HELP SOUGHT
Obama and Republicans support a reduction in the corporate tax rate from the current 35 percent.
But small businesses might not benefit from that, because many company owners are sole proprietors, partners or shareholders in companies who report business income on personal returns.
More
Gridlock in Washington in recent years has stalled tax bills and other legislation aimed at helping small companies, but such proposals are expected to be on the agenda in the Republican-led Congress. Democrats have opposed some proposals because of concerns about the impact of those tax breaks on the federal budget.
Parts of the health care law are likely to be debated. And lawmakers and the Small Business Administration hope to make it easier for companies to borrow.
"Small businesses are looking for government to function and get a lot more done," says John Arensmeyer, CEO of the advocacy group Small Business Majority.
But bills friendly to small businesses may not be a slam-dunk. Senate Democrats will have enough votes to filibuster and block GOP-sponsored legislation, and President Barack Obama can veto bills.
TAX HELP SOUGHT
Obama and Republicans support a reduction in the corporate tax rate from the current 35 percent.
But small businesses might not benefit from that, because many company owners are sole proprietors, partners or shareholders in companies who report business income on personal returns.
More
UPDATE: Missing Since The Day After Christmas
Kristen Jansen
I personally want to thank everyone who shared my post and left comments. We still don't know exactly where he is but Matt did contact my mom thru Facebook and said he was ok. It's means so much that so many people care for him and my family. Hopefully he will see how many times the post was shared and it will help him get thru this rough part of life that he is going thru right now. Thanks again everyone, your the best!!
I personally want to thank everyone who shared my post and left comments. We still don't know exactly where he is but Matt did contact my mom thru Facebook and said he was ok. It's means so much that so many people care for him and my family. Hopefully he will see how many times the post was shared and it will help him get thru this rough part of life that he is going thru right now. Thanks again everyone, your the best!!
7-year-old girl walks away from Ky. plane crash that killed 4, police say
EDDYVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A 7-year-old girl survived a plane crash that killed four people Friday night, and the disoriented little girl walked away from the wreckage and reported the crash to a local resident, authorities said.
The small Piper PA-34 reported engine trouble and lost contact with air traffic controllers as it was flying over the southwestern part of Kentucky about 5:55 p.m. CST, the FAA said.
About a half hour later, a Lyon County resident called 911 and told dispatchers that a 7-year-old girl had walked to his home and said she had been involved in a plane crash, said Sgt. Dean Patterson of the Kentucky State Police.
"This girl came out of the wreckage herself and found the closest residence and reported the plane crash," Patterson said. "It's a miracle in a sense that she survived it, but it's tragic that four others didn't."
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The small Piper PA-34 reported engine trouble and lost contact with air traffic controllers as it was flying over the southwestern part of Kentucky about 5:55 p.m. CST, the FAA said.
About a half hour later, a Lyon County resident called 911 and told dispatchers that a 7-year-old girl had walked to his home and said she had been involved in a plane crash, said Sgt. Dean Patterson of the Kentucky State Police.
"This girl came out of the wreckage herself and found the closest residence and reported the plane crash," Patterson said. "It's a miracle in a sense that she survived it, but it's tragic that four others didn't."
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The Postal Service will start a round of plant closures next week
It says the closures will help save money and adjust to a lower demand for first-class mail. The agency plans to close 82 mail processing centers this year. The Washington Post reports many senators don't want the Postal Service to move forward with its consolidation plan. They wrote a letter to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, asking the agency to complete an analysis of potential impacts. Critics of the plan say it will slow delivery times and harm the Postal Service's brand.
Another Great Opportunity For Local Liberals
The FBI plans to add some new experts to its investigative teams cyber agents. The bureau is looking for professionals with expertise in hacking, network intrusion and data breaches to fight high-tech crimes. The agents will investigate groups and individuals involved in terrorist or criminal organizations. They'll also work to prevent attacks that could disable the country's infrastructure. In its job posting, the FBI said agents need to get a top secret security clearance, spend the first 19 weeks of employment in training in Quantico and be between 23 and 37 years old.
How Much Do State Lawmakers Make?
State lawmakers' pay varies widely by state, with some making more than $90,000 each year, and other receiving no salary at all.
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Hookers are 20% Cheaper in NYC Than SF
Note: There is a general downtrend in the price of prostitution since 2006, maybe this is where Krugman is experiencing the deflation he spends so much time talking about.
Source
Pennsylvania Boy's Hunting Wish Granted By Sheriff All the Way in S.C.
Alex Collins thought he was writing a letter to his local sheriff in Chester County, Pa., asking to be able to participate in a program in which kids get to learn how to hunt and fish.
But his mother had actually come across the program on the Facebook page of the Chester County, S.C. Sheriff's Office, not the one in Pennsylvania.
Alex, the son of a single mom, wrote that he had no one to take him hunting, but desperately wanted to learn.
So despite the mix-up, Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood in South Carolina coordinated with his Pennsylvania counterpart, Sheriff Carolyn Welsh, to make sure Alex got to go hunting for Christmas.
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But his mother had actually come across the program on the Facebook page of the Chester County, S.C. Sheriff's Office, not the one in Pennsylvania.
Alex, the son of a single mom, wrote that he had no one to take him hunting, but desperately wanted to learn.
So despite the mix-up, Chester County Sheriff Alex Underwood in South Carolina coordinated with his Pennsylvania counterpart, Sheriff Carolyn Welsh, to make sure Alex got to go hunting for Christmas.
More