Just changing the date and the "branding". It will now be called "Fire on the Water". The event will take place October 3rd & 4th.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, January 26, 2015
Mayor Ireton Was Wrong. Festival Is Still On. See Below
Just confirmed with chamber staff and Ernie, Jack Heath (our rep to the new Salisbury Festival committee) it's still on.
Uncle Sam Is Coming After Your Savings
Earlier in the week, I discussed the Obama administration's proposal to tax earnings on so-called 529 college savings plans, part of a package of tax hikes that will pay for new programs such as his proposal to make the first two years of community college free. This has been touted as a plan to hike taxes on the rich to help the middle class, but in fact it's more of a plan to redistribute money from the upper middle class to the lower middle class.
As I noted then, this proposal is not going anywhere, not just because Republican congressmen will block it, but because it would be very unpopular with affluent blue-state voters who currently vote for Democrats. About the only people I saw defending this particular idea were blue-state singles who haven't yet confronted the monstrous expense of shepherding their progeny into the new mandarin class to which they belong.
Everyone else seems to be somewhere between confused and aghast. One comment in particular struck me, as I saw it several times on social media and in writings: "How would you feel if they did this to Roth IRAs?"
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As I noted then, this proposal is not going anywhere, not just because Republican congressmen will block it, but because it would be very unpopular with affluent blue-state voters who currently vote for Democrats. About the only people I saw defending this particular idea were blue-state singles who haven't yet confronted the monstrous expense of shepherding their progeny into the new mandarin class to which they belong.
Everyone else seems to be somewhere between confused and aghast. One comment in particular struck me, as I saw it several times on social media and in writings: "How would you feel if they did this to Roth IRAs?"
More
Celebrated Modern Farmer Magazine Is Closing
Modern Farmer, the farm-glam quarterly that debuted in 2013 and won its first National Magazine Award last year, is no more. According to a report in the Times, it "became a magazine without an editorial staff on Friday, when its remaining paid editors walked out its doors" and plans for the Modern Farmer name are, at the moment, up in the air.*
Unfortunately, the news is not entirely surprising. While the magazine was lauded for its editorial highlights and commitment to reporting, and was welcomed by many people when it first appeared, the more recent headlines focused on the small brand's financial and administrative turmoil. A large New Yorker profile last fall focused on the rocky relationship between then-editor Ann Marie Gardner and Modern Farmer's main backer, billionaire Frank Giustra:
The peace held for several weeks, but by the end of October Gardner and Giustra were again disagreeing about how the business should be run. When [asked how to] describe the future of the magazine, she said she wanted to speak to her lawyer. Then she sent [...] this sentence: “The relationship between the company and the primary investor remains tense and the company is still looking for long-term financing.”
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Unfortunately, the news is not entirely surprising. While the magazine was lauded for its editorial highlights and commitment to reporting, and was welcomed by many people when it first appeared, the more recent headlines focused on the small brand's financial and administrative turmoil. A large New Yorker profile last fall focused on the rocky relationship between then-editor Ann Marie Gardner and Modern Farmer's main backer, billionaire Frank Giustra:
The peace held for several weeks, but by the end of October Gardner and Giustra were again disagreeing about how the business should be run. When [asked how to] describe the future of the magazine, she said she wanted to speak to her lawyer. Then she sent [...] this sentence: “The relationship between the company and the primary investor remains tense and the company is still looking for long-term financing.”
More
How O.Care Ruling Could Slash Enrollment
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Roughly 6.3 million people just above the poverty line will drop their Obamacare coverage or face using as much as half of their income for health insurance if a Supreme Court ruling dismantles subsidies in states that haven’t established their own exchanges, a study released Thursday shows.
The findings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute also report nearly two-thirds of those who lose subsidies are white Southerners, and nearly half have full-time jobs.
“It quantifies what you may suspect,” said John Holohan, fellow at the Urban Institute and one of the authors of the study, pointing out the numbers reflect the nation’s mostly white majority.
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The findings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute also report nearly two-thirds of those who lose subsidies are white Southerners, and nearly half have full-time jobs.
“It quantifies what you may suspect,” said John Holohan, fellow at the Urban Institute and one of the authors of the study, pointing out the numbers reflect the nation’s mostly white majority.
More
Some Credit Report Errors Never Get Fixed
Three years after issuing a report revealing that one in five consumers had a documented error on their credit reports, a follow-up study by the Federal Trade Commission found that almost 70 percent still believe that the information they disputed remains incorrect.
The FTC looked at the experiences of 121 consumers who had at least one unresolved credit report dispute in 2012. Only 37 of them said they accept the disputed information as now being correct.
The studies, requested by Congress, sought to determine the level of inaccuracies on credit reports.
Mistakes can be costly. The initial study determined that one in five consumers who found errors on their credit histories took a hit on their credit score that was significant enough to raise the interest rates they would qualify for.
The most recent study also found some distressing news from consumers who still believe they have unresolved errors on their reports: Half plan to just give up after dealing with the mistakes since 2012, leaving them in place.
The FTC also said 1 percent of consumers who reported that an error had been corrected later found it had reappeared.
More
The FTC looked at the experiences of 121 consumers who had at least one unresolved credit report dispute in 2012. Only 37 of them said they accept the disputed information as now being correct.
The studies, requested by Congress, sought to determine the level of inaccuracies on credit reports.
Mistakes can be costly. The initial study determined that one in five consumers who found errors on their credit histories took a hit on their credit score that was significant enough to raise the interest rates they would qualify for.
The most recent study also found some distressing news from consumers who still believe they have unresolved errors on their reports: Half plan to just give up after dealing with the mistakes since 2012, leaving them in place.
The FTC also said 1 percent of consumers who reported that an error had been corrected later found it had reappeared.
More
Delaware First in Internet Speed
Delaware leads the nation in average broadband Internet connectivity speed, according to a recent report. The state's chief information officer called the news encouraging, but conceded connectivity needs to improve in rural portions of Kent and Sussex counties.
On average, Delaware's peak Internet connectivity speed is 75.7 megabits per second, or mgps, the report said. Delaware finished ahead of Connecticut, which recorded an average peak speed of 71 mgps, and Massachusetts with a peak speed of 63.7. In fact, Delaware recorded a higher average peak speed than several industrialized countries including Japan at 65.1 mgps and Canada, which averaged a peak speed of 43.7.
Akami Technologies Inc., a Cambridge, Massachussetts, provider of Internet hosting services which released the study, found that only two locations in the world have faster average Internet speeds than Delaware. Hong Kong's average peak speed is 84.6 mgps and Singapore's peak speed is 83 mgps.
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On average, Delaware's peak Internet connectivity speed is 75.7 megabits per second, or mgps, the report said. Delaware finished ahead of Connecticut, which recorded an average peak speed of 71 mgps, and Massachusetts with a peak speed of 63.7. In fact, Delaware recorded a higher average peak speed than several industrialized countries including Japan at 65.1 mgps and Canada, which averaged a peak speed of 43.7.
Akami Technologies Inc., a Cambridge, Massachussetts, provider of Internet hosting services which released the study, found that only two locations in the world have faster average Internet speeds than Delaware. Hong Kong's average peak speed is 84.6 mgps and Singapore's peak speed is 83 mgps.
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Statins Less Effective Than Lifestyle Changes: Study
Statin drugs give an "illusion of protection" from heart attacks and stroke, say top doctors in the United Kingdom, and more lives would be saved if patients made lifestyle chances, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, and quitting smoking.
While the effectiveness of statins shouldn't be discounted, say researchers at the University of Liverpool, putting more emphasis on lifestyle changes could offer larger health gains as well as relieve pressure on healthcare systems.
"Measures like controlling tobacco, increasing physical activity, improving the contents of processed food products, restricting marketing of junk food, taxation of sugary drinks, and subsidies to make healthier foods more affordable, require renewed attention not just from academics, but crucially from people and policymakers," researcher Martin O'Flaherty told the Telegraph.
Guidelines from the UK's National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) encouraged doctors to offer statin drugs to most men over the age of 60 and women over 65, even if their risk of developing cardiovascular disease during the next decade is as low as 1 in 10, claiming tens of thousands of lives would be saved.
While the effectiveness of statins shouldn't be discounted, say researchers at the University of Liverpool, putting more emphasis on lifestyle changes could offer larger health gains as well as relieve pressure on healthcare systems.
"Measures like controlling tobacco, increasing physical activity, improving the contents of processed food products, restricting marketing of junk food, taxation of sugary drinks, and subsidies to make healthier foods more affordable, require renewed attention not just from academics, but crucially from people and policymakers," researcher Martin O'Flaherty told the Telegraph.
Guidelines from the UK's National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) encouraged doctors to offer statin drugs to most men over the age of 60 and women over 65, even if their risk of developing cardiovascular disease during the next decade is as low as 1 in 10, claiming tens of thousands of lives would be saved.
Thomas Cromwell was the Islamic State of his day
Forget Wolf Hall: this pathologically ambitious "ruffian" sent hundreds to the chopping block and destroyed England's religious and artistic heritage
On July 24, 2014, worshippers in Mosul were asked to leave one of the city’s most historic and famous buildings — an ancient Nestorian-Assyrian church that had long ago been converted into the Mosque of the Prophet Younis (biblical Jonah). The Islamic State then rigged the entire building with explosives, and blew it into oblivion. Tragically, it was a Shia mosque - one of many that have suffered the same fate.
The UK's current primetime TV fantasy blockbuster du jour is Wolf Hall. Everyone loves a costume drama, but there is a world of difference between fictional history and historical fiction. One dramatizes real people and events. The other is an entirely made-up story set in the past. The current tendency is to blur the two, which Wolf Hall does spectacularly.
Thomas Cromwell, whose life it chronicles, comes across as a plucky, self-made Englishman, whose quiet reserve suggests inner strength and personal nobility. Back in the real world, Cromwell was a “ruffian” (in his own words) turned sectarian extremist, whose religious vandalism bears striking comparison with the iconoclasm of Islamic State or the Afghani Taliban.
More
On July 24, 2014, worshippers in Mosul were asked to leave one of the city’s most historic and famous buildings — an ancient Nestorian-Assyrian church that had long ago been converted into the Mosque of the Prophet Younis (biblical Jonah). The Islamic State then rigged the entire building with explosives, and blew it into oblivion. Tragically, it was a Shia mosque - one of many that have suffered the same fate.
The UK's current primetime TV fantasy blockbuster du jour is Wolf Hall. Everyone loves a costume drama, but there is a world of difference between fictional history and historical fiction. One dramatizes real people and events. The other is an entirely made-up story set in the past. The current tendency is to blur the two, which Wolf Hall does spectacularly.
Thomas Cromwell, whose life it chronicles, comes across as a plucky, self-made Englishman, whose quiet reserve suggests inner strength and personal nobility. Back in the real world, Cromwell was a “ruffian” (in his own words) turned sectarian extremist, whose religious vandalism bears striking comparison with the iconoclasm of Islamic State or the Afghani Taliban.
More
A Viewer Writes: Question... Wicomico County District Court
I have gotten some recent reports that a "staffer" at the Wicomico County District Court has been taking speed camera defendants aside prior to the hearing, informing them that they have essentially no chance, and trying (apparently successfully) to pursuade defendants to drop their cases without a fight. If true, this would appear to demonstrate that the district court has essentially prejudged all speed camera cases en mass in an 'irregular procedure' outside the courtroom (which does not surprise me that much given that my own experience in other districts).
I know you ran a few posts about speed cameras in Salisbury, and I am wondering if any people have contacted you who are local to the area and might know more about/be interested in the workings of the local district court and whether they are actually granting fair hearings? If you are aware of anyone local who might be interested in helping us look into this please refer them to me, thanks.
Unfortunately, too many people wait until after their hearings to contact us.
mddriversalliance@gmail.com
I know you ran a few posts about speed cameras in Salisbury, and I am wondering if any people have contacted you who are local to the area and might know more about/be interested in the workings of the local district court and whether they are actually granting fair hearings? If you are aware of anyone local who might be interested in helping us look into this please refer them to me, thanks.
Political Pistachio: Here We Go: D.C. To Allow Illegal Aliens To Vote
While many critics skewer President Obama’s recent amnesty-granting executive action, D.C.’s municipal lawmakers have their own plans for the next battle on the immigration-citizenship front. Invoking considerations of fairness and justice against “anti-immigrant hysteria,” D.C. council member David Grosso (I-At-Large) and several fellow councilmembers on Tuesday introduced the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015, a bill to grant non-American citizens residing in the D.C.-area the ability to vote in municipal elections.
In keeping with similar initiatives in 2013 and 2004, the bill would give suffrage to non-citizen D.C. residents who “have permanent residency status.” Grosso cited U.S. Census Bureau figures from 2012 approximating that over 90 percent of the 53,975 foreign-born, non-naturalized U.S. citizens in the District are 18 years of age or older, to weight down with seriousness his pronouncement that “these are taxpayers who should have the opportunity to have their voices heard in local elections.”
If the bill passes, it would not make D.C. the first to have allowed non-citizens to vote in local elections. Currently, half a dozen towns or jurisdictions in Maryland, including Takoma Park, allow the practice, while Chicago allows all (presumably legal) residents to vote in school board elections. In much the same vein, non-citizens in California now have the right to act as poll monitors, to practice law (even if an illegal alien), and also to serve on juries.
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In keeping with similar initiatives in 2013 and 2004, the bill would give suffrage to non-citizen D.C. residents who “have permanent residency status.” Grosso cited U.S. Census Bureau figures from 2012 approximating that over 90 percent of the 53,975 foreign-born, non-naturalized U.S. citizens in the District are 18 years of age or older, to weight down with seriousness his pronouncement that “these are taxpayers who should have the opportunity to have their voices heard in local elections.”
If the bill passes, it would not make D.C. the first to have allowed non-citizens to vote in local elections. Currently, half a dozen towns or jurisdictions in Maryland, including Takoma Park, allow the practice, while Chicago allows all (presumably legal) residents to vote in school board elections. In much the same vein, non-citizens in California now have the right to act as poll monitors, to practice law (even if an illegal alien), and also to serve on juries.
More
Dem Gov Told Nat Guard Not to Protect Ferguson Businesses from #BlackLivesMatter Looters
This is a familiar story. In New York City, Mayor Dinkins ordered the NYPD to give Sharpton’s mobs a day of grace to loot and kill. Democrats don’t like to offend their own base.
Ferguson Mayor James Knowles told local FOX 2 anchors late on Monday night, November 25, 2014, that he had repeatedly requested the National Guard during the rioting and looting… But his requests were ignored by state Democratic leaders.
The email also made reference to a request to Gov. Jay Nixon to place the National Guard in front of Ferguson police headquarters on the date of the grand jury announcement. “Apparently the guard will not move to the FPD per the governor,” the email said.
Knowles and others were critical of the decision not to have the Guard in place in Ferguson at the time of the announcement, after a dozen area businesses were destroyed in fires during protests.
Source
Ferguson Mayor James Knowles told local FOX 2 anchors late on Monday night, November 25, 2014, that he had repeatedly requested the National Guard during the rioting and looting… But his requests were ignored by state Democratic leaders.
The email also made reference to a request to Gov. Jay Nixon to place the National Guard in front of Ferguson police headquarters on the date of the grand jury announcement. “Apparently the guard will not move to the FPD per the governor,” the email said.
Knowles and others were critical of the decision not to have the Guard in place in Ferguson at the time of the announcement, after a dozen area businesses were destroyed in fires during protests.
Source
Phyllis Diller SAYS
Whatever you may look like, marry a man your own age. As your beauty fades, so will his eyesight.
Phyllis Diller
Housework can't kill you, but why take a chance?
Phyllis Diller
Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is the like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.
Phyllis Diller
A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.
Phyllis Diller
The reason women don't play football is because 11 of them would never wear the same outfit in public.
Phyllis Diller
Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out.
Phyllis Diller
A bachelor is a guy who never made the same mistake once.
Phyllis Diller
I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford. Then I want to move in with them.
Phyllis Diller
Most children threaten at times to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going.
Phyllis Diller
Aim high, and you won't shoot your foot off.
Phyllis Diller
Any time three New Yorkers get into a cab without an argument, a bank has just been robbed.
Phyllis Diller
We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up.
Phyllis Diller
Burt Reynolds once asked me out. I was in his room.
Phyllis Diller
You know you're old if your walker has an airbag.
Phyllis Diller
I'm eighteen years behind in my ironing.
Phyllis Diller
What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day.
Phyllis Diller
The only time I ever enjoyed ironing was the day I accidentally put gin in the steam iron.
Phyllis Diller
I've been asked to say a couple of words about my husband, Fang. How about short and cheap?
Phyllis Diller
His finest hour lasted a minute and a half.
Phyllis Diller
Old age is when the liver spots show through your gloves.
Phyllis Diller
My photographs don't do me justice - they just look like me.
Phyllis Diller
There's so little money in my bank account, my scenic checks show a ghetto.
Phyllis Diller
I admit, I have a tremendous sex drive. My boyfriend lives forty miles away.
Phyllis Diller
My cooking is so bad my kids thought Thanksgiving was to commemorate Pearl Harbor .
Phyllis Diller
My mother-in-law had a pain beneath her left breast. Turned out to be a trick knee.
Phyllis Diller
Tranquilizers work only if you follow the advice on the bottle - keep away from children.
Phyllis Diller
I asked the waiter, 'Is this milk fresh?' He said, 'Lady, three hours ago it was grass.'
Phyllis Diller
The reason the golf pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing.
Phyllis Diller
You know you're old if they have discontinued your blood type.
Phyllis Diller
This is what happens when a civilian kills a cop during a no-knock drug raid
The careless use of SWAT teams in no-knock drug raids — when heavily armed police burst into a home without warning — has resulted in a long list of innocent people being killed or seriously injured in the United States. 2014 alone found SWAT teams in Georgia senselessly killing businessman David Hooks andmaiming toddler Bounkham “Baby Boo Boo” Phonesavanh. And when those raids victimize people who aren’t even selling drugs, narcotics officers seldom face criminal charges and are given every benefit of the doubt. But if, on the other hand, Americans shoot narcotics officers during militarized drug raids—perhaps believing that they are being robbed and are acting in self-defense—charges of first-degree murder are likely. The case of Marvin Louis Guy in Texas is a glaring example.
Guy, an African-American man who is now 50, was the target of a no-knock drug raid on May 9, 2014. Narcotics officers, operating on a tip from an informant who claimed that Guy was selling bags of cocaine, carried out a SWAT raid on his home in Killeen, Texas at around 5:30 AM—and Guy grabbed his gun and opened fire. Charles Dinwiddie, one of the officers, was hit and died two days later. Guy was charged with capital murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty despite his assertions that he thought he was acting in self-defense. Guy’s trial is scheduled for June of this year.
No drugs were found during a search of Guy’s home, only a glass pipe and a grinder—which indicates that Guy was, at worst, a recreational drug user and not a drug dealer. Journalist Radley Balko, author of the 2013 book Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces, has commented on the case in the Washington Post, saying: “The fact that the police didn’t find any drugs in the house suggests that Marvin Louis Guy didn’t know he was shooting at cops. Drug dealer or no, unless he had a death wish, it’s unlikely that a guy would knowingly fire at police officers when he had nothing in the house that was particularly incriminating.”
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Guy, an African-American man who is now 50, was the target of a no-knock drug raid on May 9, 2014. Narcotics officers, operating on a tip from an informant who claimed that Guy was selling bags of cocaine, carried out a SWAT raid on his home in Killeen, Texas at around 5:30 AM—and Guy grabbed his gun and opened fire. Charles Dinwiddie, one of the officers, was hit and died two days later. Guy was charged with capital murder, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty despite his assertions that he thought he was acting in self-defense. Guy’s trial is scheduled for June of this year.
No drugs were found during a search of Guy’s home, only a glass pipe and a grinder—which indicates that Guy was, at worst, a recreational drug user and not a drug dealer. Journalist Radley Balko, author of the 2013 book Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces, has commented on the case in the Washington Post, saying: “The fact that the police didn’t find any drugs in the house suggests that Marvin Louis Guy didn’t know he was shooting at cops. Drug dealer or no, unless he had a death wish, it’s unlikely that a guy would knowingly fire at police officers when he had nothing in the house that was particularly incriminating.”
More
A Comment Worthy Of A Post: Salisbury Police VS Salisbury University Students
Anonymous Said...
Now.......to all these roadside attorneys speaking of lawsuits who are obviously members of the group who know nothing of that which they speak but writes as if they are authorities......you completely misunderstand the implications that the different burden of proof thresholds required to make specific cases. For the purposes of this discussion the burden of proof for probable cause (that which is needed to file charges) was met as indicated by the impartial judicial officer for the district court. That means enough evidence exists to charge the defendants and bring the case to trial. If we had to assign a percentage amount to this level of proof we could attach a number of about 51%. The number needed to convict using the same scale is about 99%. Now....the number needed to win a civil case would be commonly called a preponderance of the evidence.....about 51% if using the same type of number assignment scale. In a nutshell this means that it has been already established that the officer in this case had enough evidence to arrest and bring charges....but according to a jury...not enough to convict. (Arguably) however if the defendants in this case argue that the officer didn't have enough evidence to arrest and that the arrest was false......the contrary has already been established.
The Entire 20th Century Was a Mistake
Committee for the Republic
Washington DC January 20, 2015
My humble thesis tonight is that the entire 20th Century was a giant mistake.
And that you can put the blame for this monumental error squarely on Thomas Woodrow Wilson——-a megalomaniacal madman who was the very worst President in American history……..well, except for the last two.
His unforgiveable error was to put the United States into the Great War for utterly no good reason of national interest. The European war posed not an iota of threat to the safety and security of the citizens of Lincoln NE, or Worcester MA or Sacramento CA. In that respect, Wilson’s putative defense of “freedom of the seas” and the rights of neutrals was an empty shibboleth; his call to make the world safe for democracy, a preposterous pipe dream.
Actually, his thinly veiled reason for plunging the US into the cauldron of the Great War was to obtain a seat at the peace conference table——so that he could remake the world in response to god’s calling.
But this was a world about which he was blatantly ignorant; a task for which he was temperamentally unsuited; and an utter chimera based on 14 points that were so abstractly devoid of substance as to constitute mental play dough.
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Washington DC January 20, 2015
My humble thesis tonight is that the entire 20th Century was a giant mistake.
And that you can put the blame for this monumental error squarely on Thomas Woodrow Wilson——-a megalomaniacal madman who was the very worst President in American history……..well, except for the last two.
His unforgiveable error was to put the United States into the Great War for utterly no good reason of national interest. The European war posed not an iota of threat to the safety and security of the citizens of Lincoln NE, or Worcester MA or Sacramento CA. In that respect, Wilson’s putative defense of “freedom of the seas” and the rights of neutrals was an empty shibboleth; his call to make the world safe for democracy, a preposterous pipe dream.
Actually, his thinly veiled reason for plunging the US into the cauldron of the Great War was to obtain a seat at the peace conference table——so that he could remake the world in response to god’s calling.
But this was a world about which he was blatantly ignorant; a task for which he was temperamentally unsuited; and an utter chimera based on 14 points that were so abstractly devoid of substance as to constitute mental play dough.
More
Kerry: It would be an 'error' to refer to extremists as Islamists
Violent extremists killing children and others in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and other parts of the world may cite Islam as a justification, but the West should be careful about calling them Islamic radicals, Secretary of State John Kerry told an audience of opinion leaders Friday at the World Economic Forum.
In a speech calling for a global effort against violent extremism, Kerry said it would be a mistake to link Islam to criminal conduct rooted in alienation, poverty, thrill-seeking and other factors.
'We have to keep our heads,' Kerry said, according to the Associate Press.
'The biggest error we could make would be to blame Muslims for crimes...that their faith utterly rejects,' he added.
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In a speech calling for a global effort against violent extremism, Kerry said it would be a mistake to link Islam to criminal conduct rooted in alienation, poverty, thrill-seeking and other factors.
'We have to keep our heads,' Kerry said, according to the Associate Press.
'The biggest error we could make would be to blame Muslims for crimes...that their faith utterly rejects,' he added.
More
Take the civics test high school seniors in MI and TX may have to pass
Lawmakers in Michigan and Texas want their states to join Arizona and require high school seniors to pass a written civics test before they can graduate.
The questions would be drawn from the same test legal immigrants must take before they can become U.S. citizens.
Some of the material is comparatively easy for anyone who's seen Saturday Night Live – 'What is the name of the President of the United States?' – while others could be tricky for 18-year-olds who get their news from Facebook.
For instance: 'In what year was the U.S. Constitution written?' Hint: It's not 1776.
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The questions would be drawn from the same test legal immigrants must take before they can become U.S. citizens.
Some of the material is comparatively easy for anyone who's seen Saturday Night Live – 'What is the name of the President of the United States?' – while others could be tricky for 18-year-olds who get their news from Facebook.
For instance: 'In what year was the U.S. Constitution written?' Hint: It's not 1776.
More
Presbyterian Church USA and Arab Palestinian Group Rewriting The Bible To Remove References To Israel
This new version blatantly changes God’s Word. Any mention of Israel – gone. Any mention of Jesus being a Jew – gone. The movement which has brought the world a NEW bible, is called Palestinian Liberation Theology. At its heart is hatred for the Jewish people and for Israel. Of course, keeping in line with this hatred, the leaders of this satanic movement have changed Jesus (Yeshua) from being Jewish to being a Palestinian Arab.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Palestinian and Sabeel Liberation Theology groups have partnered with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as their main support for this satanic doctrine. And no wonder, the Presbyterian Church in recent years has become rabidly anti-Israel and ferociously pro-LGBT. The name of “Israel” occurs 2566 times in 2,294 verses in the Bible.
The Jewishness of Jesus is clearly documented in the Word of God – His Jewish lineage is recorded in the books of Matthew and Luke. But remember, the leaders and teachers of the PLT are reading from a new source – their own bible, hence they have made for themselves a new Jesus.
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (KJV)
TROOPERS ARREST THREE YOUTHS FOR SHOOTING AT VEHICLES ON I-95 IN CECIL CO.
(ELKTON, MD) – Three juveniles, who are believed to have shared a BB rifle to shoot the windows of more than a dozen vehicles traveling on I-95 in Cecil Co., have been identified and charged by state troopers who apprehended them within minutes of the latest incident.
The three were charged late last night as juveniles and are identified only as males, ages 14, 15, and 16, from Elkton, Md. They are charged with reckless endangerment, malicious destruction of property, throwing/shooting an object at a vehicle, and trespassing. All three were released to the custody of parents, pending a juvenile hearing.
The three were charged late last night as juveniles and are identified only as males, ages 14, 15, and 16, from Elkton, Md. They are charged with reckless endangerment, malicious destruction of property, throwing/shooting an object at a vehicle, and trespassing. All three were released to the custody of parents, pending a juvenile hearing.
MORRIS MILL GROUNDBREAKING POSTPONED
The Morris Mill Water System Groundbreaking is postponed due to the possibility of snow tomorrow. The County Executive regrets any inconvenience this may cause. This will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
Former Mexican President Says Most Undocumented Immigrants Don't Want To Become US Citizens
DAVOS, Switzerland -- The crackdown on illegal immigration combined with intensified border security has prompted large numbers of undocumented Mexican laborers to remain in the U.S. permanently -- even as many prefer to go home -- out of fear they will never be able to return, former Mexican President Felipe Calderon told International Business Times. In an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Calderon, who was president from 2006 to 2012, characterized the primary motive of undocumented Mexican immigrants as economic.
Many are simply seeking to stay in the U.S. for a few years to earn money before returning home with cash to build houses and support families, he said. But the American border crackdown has made the crossing so treacherous and expensive, many unauthorized immigrants already in the U.S. are staying put rather than risk being shut out forever, Calderon said.
“Many of them are currently trapped,” Calderon told IBTimes. “There are a lot of these people [who] want to be in Mexico eight months every year, but they are unable to go there, because if they cross the border, they will never be able to cross back again.”
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Many are simply seeking to stay in the U.S. for a few years to earn money before returning home with cash to build houses and support families, he said. But the American border crackdown has made the crossing so treacherous and expensive, many unauthorized immigrants already in the U.S. are staying put rather than risk being shut out forever, Calderon said.
“Many of them are currently trapped,” Calderon told IBTimes. “There are a lot of these people [who] want to be in Mexico eight months every year, but they are unable to go there, because if they cross the border, they will never be able to cross back again.”
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Wicomico County Snow Removal Plan
January 26, 2015 – County Executive Bob Culver announces Wicomico County’s Snow Removal Plan is in forceto address the storm event scheduled to begin tonight (Monday 1/26/2015) at10:00 PM through Noon, Tuesday 1/27/2015. The Department of Public Works activates its salt trucks anytime that frozen precipitation poses a safety hazard for motorists, and will initiate plowing operations generally when snow is forecasted to reach 3 inches. The department salts approximately 301 lane miles of its 700 mile network, the remainder of the roads are plowed. Salting “one round” uses approximately 185 tons of salt. Pickup trucks and one ton dump trucks will be utilized almost entirely in subdivisions due to their mobility. This allows for larger trucks to focus on mainline roads.
Wicomico County is divided into 18 snow removal sections. Some sections require more than one vehicle due to the number of streets and other varying circumstances.The department has loaded five salt trucks for this event.The forecast is for 1-3 inches, the northern part of the county will likely see the maximum accumulation.
The County’s Department of Emergency Services is continuing to monitor the situation in conjunction with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the National Weather Service. Additional Weather Bulletins will be issued if warranted.
Citizens who wish to contact the County Roads Division to report concerns on specific roads should call (410) 548-4872. A messaging system will dispatch calls after hours.
Citizens who wish to contact the County Roads Division to report concerns on specific roads should call (410) 548-4872. A messaging system will dispatch calls after hours.
PUBLIC NOTICE 1-26-15
CANCELLATION OF CLOSED SESSION TODAY
The Closed Session of the Salisbury City Council, scheduled for 5:00 p.m. today, has been canceled. The regularly scheduled Legislative Session will still be held at 6:00 p.m. As always, the Public is invited to attend.
SFD Calls For Service 1-25-15
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- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 22:47Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 19:53Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 16:26 Nature: Automatic AlarmAddress: 1108 New Bedford Way Salisbury, MD 21801
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 10:57Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 09:14Nature: Assist Fire DepartmentAddress: 704 College Ln Salisbury, MD 21801
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 09:14 Nature: Pro Qa FireAddress: 704 College Ln Salisbury, MD 21801
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 07:38Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday January, 25 2015 @ 06:33Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
U.S. TEAMS UP WITH REBELS TAKING OVER YEMEN
Official confirms intelligence ties with Iran-linked Houthis
WASHINGTON – As the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthis take over the Yemeni capital, there are indications the U.S. and the Houthis may be teaming up to battle a common foe, al-Qaida in the Arab Peninsula, or AQAP.
Senior U.S. intelligence official Michael Vickers has indicated that despite the political unrest in Yemen, the U.S. has developed an intelligence relationship with the Houthis that may allow the U.S. to continue its counterterrorism attacks against AQAP.
The undersecretary of defense for intelligence, Vickers told the Washington-based Atlantic Council that it is a “safe assumption” that the U.S. maintains these intelligence ties.
This revelation comes even as the Obama administration has suspended its counterterrorism operations in Yemen with the resignation of U.S. ally and Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
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WASHINGTON – As the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthis take over the Yemeni capital, there are indications the U.S. and the Houthis may be teaming up to battle a common foe, al-Qaida in the Arab Peninsula, or AQAP.
Senior U.S. intelligence official Michael Vickers has indicated that despite the political unrest in Yemen, the U.S. has developed an intelligence relationship with the Houthis that may allow the U.S. to continue its counterterrorism attacks against AQAP.
The undersecretary of defense for intelligence, Vickers told the Washington-based Atlantic Council that it is a “safe assumption” that the U.S. maintains these intelligence ties.
This revelation comes even as the Obama administration has suspended its counterterrorism operations in Yemen with the resignation of U.S. ally and Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
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Black Man Who Tortured, Executed Two White Teens Makes ‘Black Lives Matter’ Speech at Sentencing
Did the ‘hands up don’t shoot, Black lives matter’ shtick
At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday for the torture and execution of two white teenage boys by two Black men one of the convicted killers made a ‘Black lives matter’ speech to the judge which he finished by doing the ‘hands up don’t shoot, Black lives matter’ shtick.
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At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday for the torture and execution of two white teenage boys by two Black men one of the convicted killers made a ‘Black lives matter’ speech to the judge which he finished by doing the ‘hands up don’t shoot, Black lives matter’ shtick.
Flight logs reveal trips Bill Clinton and Alan Dershowitz took on Jeffrey Epstein's private jet
Just released flight records show Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has been flying with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein on the financier's private jet dubbed the 'Lolita Express' since as early as 1997, despite public statements that they were only acquaintances.
The high-profile lawyer has been distancing himself from Epstein ever since a young woman named Virginia Roberts filed a lawsuit claiming she was recruited to work as a 'sex slave' for Epstein when she was just 15, naming both Dershowitz and Prince Andrew as two of her molesters.
The flight records, obtained by Gawker, also show former President Bill Clinton rode on Epstein's jet at least 11 times, and often with two of Epstein's female associates believed to have provided the dozens of underage girls to their boss and his well-connected friends.
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The high-profile lawyer has been distancing himself from Epstein ever since a young woman named Virginia Roberts filed a lawsuit claiming she was recruited to work as a 'sex slave' for Epstein when she was just 15, naming both Dershowitz and Prince Andrew as two of her molesters.
The flight records, obtained by Gawker, also show former President Bill Clinton rode on Epstein's jet at least 11 times, and often with two of Epstein's female associates believed to have provided the dozens of underage girls to their boss and his well-connected friends.
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Salvadorean nun gives birth in Italy
A Salvadorean nun who said she had no idea she was pregnant gave birth in Italy this week after she felt stomach cramps in her convent and was rushed to hospital, Italian media reported on Friday.
The 31-year-old mother and her baby boy, who weighs 3.5 kilogrammes (nine pounds), are doing well and other new mothers in Rieti hospital have begun collecting clothes and donations for her, the reports said.
"I did not know I was pregnant. I only felt a stomach pain," the nun was quoted as saying at the hospital, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
La Repubblica said she gave birth on Wednesday.
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The 31-year-old mother and her baby boy, who weighs 3.5 kilogrammes (nine pounds), are doing well and other new mothers in Rieti hospital have begun collecting clothes and donations for her, the reports said.
"I did not know I was pregnant. I only felt a stomach pain," the nun was quoted as saying at the hospital, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
La Repubblica said she gave birth on Wednesday.
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*TEXAS GOODBYE*
This is why America will remain strong.
* Chris Kyle was Derek's teammate through 10 years of training and battle.
They both suffer/suffered from PTSD to some extent and took great care of
each other because of it.*
*2006 in Ramadi was horrible for young men that never had any more
aggressive physical contact with another human than on a Texas football
field.*
*They lost many friends. Chris became the armed services number #1 sniper
of all time. Not something he was happy about, other than the fact that in
so doing, he saved a lot of American lives.*
*Three years ago, his wife Taya asked him to leave the SEAL teams as he had
a huge bounty on his head by Al Qaeda . He did and wrote the book "The
American Sniper ." 100% of the proceeds from the book went to two of the
SEAL families who had lost their sons in Iraq .*
*That was the kind of guy Chris was. He formed a company in Dallas to
train military, police and I think firemen as far as protecting themselves
in difficult situations. He also formed a foundation to work with military
people suffering from PTSD. Chris was a giver not a taker.*
*He, along with a friend and neighbor , Chad Littlefield , were murdered
trying to help a young man that had served six months in Iraq and claimed
to have PTSD.*
*Now I need to tell you about all of the blessings.*
Southwest Airlines flew in any SEAL and their family from any airport they
flew into
...free of charge.
The employees donated buddy passes and one lady worked for four days
without much of a break to see that it happened.
Volunteers were at both airports in Dallas to drive them to the hotel.
The Marriott Hotel reduced their rates to $45 a night and cleared the hotel
for only SEALs and family.
The Midlothian , TX Police Department paid the $45 a night for each room. I
would guess there were about 200 people staying at the hotel, 100 of them
were SEALs. Two large buses were chartered (an unknown donor paid the
bill) to transport people to the different events and they also had a few
rental cars (donated). The police and secret service were on duty 24 hours
during the stay at our hotel.
At the Kyle house, the Texas DPS parked a large motor home in front to
block the view from reporters. It remained there the entire five days for
the SEALs to congregate in and all to use the restroom so as not to have to
go in the house. Taya , their two small children and both sets of parents
were staying in the home.
Only a hand full of SEALs went into the home as they had different duties
and meetings were held sometimes on a hourly basis. It was a huge
coordination of many different events and security. Derek was assigned to
be a Pall Bearer, to escort Chris ' body when it was transferred from the
Midlothian Funeral Home to the Arlington Funeral Home, and to be with
Taya . A tough job.
VIN# (on your car)
VIN NUMBER - WARNING
Here is INFO worth the price of your car....
WHAT WILL the car thieves THINK OF NEXT?
The car thieves peer through the windshield of your car or vehicle, write down the VIN # from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a duplicate key based on the VIN #.
I didn't believe this e-mail, so I called Chrysler-Dodge and pretended I had lost my keys. They told me to just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut me one on the spot, and I could order the keyless device if I wanted.
The Car Dealer's Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN #, and collect payment from the thief who will return to your car.
He doesn't have to break in, do any damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is walk up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local chop shop with your vehicle.
You don't believe it?
It IS that EASY.
To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some dark tape (electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN Number Metal Label located on the dashboard.
By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you CAN cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief.
I urge you to forward this to your friends before some other car thief steals another car or truck.
I slipped a 3x5 card over my VIN NUMBER.
YouTube celeb gives Barack Obama green lipstick 'for your first wife'
GloZell Green, a popular YouTube fixture known for her extreme acts like eating a ladle full of cinnamon, offered the president three samples of her trademark green lipstick as gifts for his daughters – and for the woman she called Obama's 'first wife.'
'You know something I don't?' Obama cracked before Green corrected herself and referred to Michelle Obama as 'first lady.'
But the PR disaster that was the White House's 50-minute-long 'YouTube interview' was a national joke before it was half-over.
Another YouTube star, 19-year-old Bethany Mota, asked the leader of the free world, 'If you had any super power, what would it be?'
Obama's answer: the ability to speak to anyone in their native language. And flying.
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President Obama heads to Saudi Arabia to offer condolences
President Barack Obama will cut short his three-day trip to India and visit Saudi Arabia to pay respects after the death of King Abdullah, U.S. and Indian officials said Saturday.
The schedule change, announced shortly before Obama left for India, means the president will skip plans to see the Taj Mahal, and instead pay a call on an influential U.S. ally in the volatile Mideast.
The king, who died Friday, was aggressive in trying to check the spreading power of Saudi Arabia's chief rival, Iran. Obama visited the ailing monarch in his desert compound last March.
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The schedule change, announced shortly before Obama left for India, means the president will skip plans to see the Taj Mahal, and instead pay a call on an influential U.S. ally in the volatile Mideast.
The king, who died Friday, was aggressive in trying to check the spreading power of Saudi Arabia's chief rival, Iran. Obama visited the ailing monarch in his desert compound last March.
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Federal Judge Accuses DOJ Attorneys of Defrauding The Court, Threatening Witness in Case of ATF Whistleblower Jay Dobyns
Late last week reporter Tim Steller of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson published a piece about alleged serious misconduct and intimidation from DOJ attorneys during the trial and lawsuit of former ATF agent and whistleblower Jay Dobyns against the government.
One of the recently unsealed documents, a Dec. 1 opinion by Judge Allegra, finally explains why in October the judge voided his original decision, made in August, to award Dobyns $173,000. (He later reversed his decision to void the judgment, which still stands.) The reason: The judge believed that Justice Department attorneys had “committed fraud on the court.”
One area in which Allegra decided deception had occurred was in the treatment of Thomas Atteberry, the special agent in charge of ATF’s Phoenix office, and Carlos Canino, then the assistant special agent in charge of the agency’s Tucson office. In 2012, a Justice Department attorney, Valerie Bacon, asked both Atteberry and Canino not to reopen the investigation into the arson at Dobyns’ Tucson home because it could hurt the Justice Department’s defense in this case.
Atteberry and Canino were listed as witnesses in the case, but the judge didn’t hear about the DOJ effort to squelch the investigation until the trial, which he considered a concealment by the Justice Department. They went ahead and reopened the case, which remains unsolved, anyway.
More alarming was the other “fraud on the court” that Allegra cited: “An ATF agent who testified in this case may have been threatened by another witness during the trial.” Justice Department attorneys ordered the agent not to report the threat to the court or he would face repercussions, Allegra said.
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One of the recently unsealed documents, a Dec. 1 opinion by Judge Allegra, finally explains why in October the judge voided his original decision, made in August, to award Dobyns $173,000. (He later reversed his decision to void the judgment, which still stands.) The reason: The judge believed that Justice Department attorneys had “committed fraud on the court.”
One area in which Allegra decided deception had occurred was in the treatment of Thomas Atteberry, the special agent in charge of ATF’s Phoenix office, and Carlos Canino, then the assistant special agent in charge of the agency’s Tucson office. In 2012, a Justice Department attorney, Valerie Bacon, asked both Atteberry and Canino not to reopen the investigation into the arson at Dobyns’ Tucson home because it could hurt the Justice Department’s defense in this case.
Atteberry and Canino were listed as witnesses in the case, but the judge didn’t hear about the DOJ effort to squelch the investigation until the trial, which he considered a concealment by the Justice Department. They went ahead and reopened the case, which remains unsolved, anyway.
More alarming was the other “fraud on the court” that Allegra cited: “An ATF agent who testified in this case may have been threatened by another witness during the trial.” Justice Department attorneys ordered the agent not to report the threat to the court or he would face repercussions, Allegra said.
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Ex-TSA agent: We steal from travelers all the time
A TSA agent convicted of stealing more than $800,000 worth of goods from travelers said this type of theft is “commonplace” among airport security. Almost 400 TSA officers have been fired for stealing from passengers since 2003.
Pythias Brown, a former Transportation Security Administration officer at Newark Liberty International Airport, spent four years stealing everything he could from luggage and security checkpoints, including clothing, laptops, cameras, Nintendo Wiis, video games and cash.
Speaking publicly for the first time after being released after three years in prison, Brown told ABC News that he used the X-ray scanners to locate the most valuable items to snatch.
“I could tell whether it was cameras or laptops or portable cameras or whatever kind of electronic was in the bag,” he said.
Brown often worked alone, screening luggage behind the ticket counters. He was frequently told the overhead surveillance cameras, installed to prevent theft, were not working.
“It was so easy,” he said. “I walked right out of the checkpoint with a Nintendo Wii in my hand. Nobody said a word.”
With more electronics than any one individual could need, Brown began to sell the stolen items on eBay. At the time of his arrest, he was selling 80 cameras, video games and computers online. Brown said the theft was comparable to an addiction.
“It was like being on drugs,” he said. “I was like, ‘What am I doing?’ but the next day I was right back at it.”
Brown was finally caught after selling a camera he stole from the luggage of a CNN producer. When he sold the camera on eBay, he forgot to remove the news networks’ logo stickers.
“I got complacent,” he said.
More
Pythias Brown, a former Transportation Security Administration officer at Newark Liberty International Airport, spent four years stealing everything he could from luggage and security checkpoints, including clothing, laptops, cameras, Nintendo Wiis, video games and cash.
Speaking publicly for the first time after being released after three years in prison, Brown told ABC News that he used the X-ray scanners to locate the most valuable items to snatch.
“I could tell whether it was cameras or laptops or portable cameras or whatever kind of electronic was in the bag,” he said.
Brown often worked alone, screening luggage behind the ticket counters. He was frequently told the overhead surveillance cameras, installed to prevent theft, were not working.
“It was so easy,” he said. “I walked right out of the checkpoint with a Nintendo Wii in my hand. Nobody said a word.”
With more electronics than any one individual could need, Brown began to sell the stolen items on eBay. At the time of his arrest, he was selling 80 cameras, video games and computers online. Brown said the theft was comparable to an addiction.
“It was like being on drugs,” he said. “I was like, ‘What am I doing?’ but the next day I was right back at it.”
Brown was finally caught after selling a camera he stole from the luggage of a CNN producer. When he sold the camera on eBay, he forgot to remove the news networks’ logo stickers.
“I got complacent,” he said.
More
Governor Hogan Celebrates Victory With Thousands Of Supporters In Cambridge
Ladies & Gentlemen, if you haven't personally met Larry Hogan, you should if you get the chance. I can tell you first hand, for once Maryland has a proven BUSINESSMAN in the Governors Office who is a REAL person and NOT a politician.
When Hogan took the stage he discussed several exciting topics relating to the state as well as the Eastern Shore. His team came out of the gate by balancing the budget and protecting our Farmers here on the Eastern Shore.
His speech wasn't verbose and his final words were, I want to get off this stage and spend the rest of the evening shaking every single one of your hands and Thank You personally, in which he did.
I can't tell you the last time I was so excited about what the future now holds for the Eastern Shore and the desperate need of attention we'll now gain from the Governor's Office.
"Maryland Is Now Open For Business" Hogan said.
President Obama Wants More Efficient Outdoor Lighting
The White House wants to make outdoor lighting cheaper and more energy efficient. Outdoor lighting consumes enough energy to power 6 million homes in 2015. That adds up to $10 billion each year. The White House looks for ideas through its Presidential Challenge for Advanced Outdoor Lightning. It said technology can cut lighting bulls in half but using newer, more efficient technology. Some cities are already using LED light bulbs. That's saving them as much as 70 percent in annual funds.
Worcester County Sheriff's Office
The Sheriffs Office today released a press release on a year long investigation resulting in numerous arrests that targeted solicitation of minors. Unfortunately they are among our residents and our job is to protect our children. Sheriff Mason and staff will continue to go after these individuals and remove them for our streets. The below article is courtesy of the Daily Times along with photos. Please pay attention to what your children look at on the internet and do not let them share photos. We will be posting some helpful links for parents that can discourage file sharing and protect your children's data and information from being obtained. We live in a different world now and every step needs to be taken to protect our children. The Sheriff's Office would also like to thank our many partners in Law Enforcement who assisted in this operation.
Authorities in Worcester County announced Thursday that they've spent the last year catching would-be sexual predators by pretending to be vulnerable teenagers over the Internet.
The Worcester County Sheriff's Office said Operation Worcester Safety Net culminated in charging 18 alleged sexual predators, many of whom showed up in Worcester County for the sole purpose of engaging in sexual contact with minors. Other suspects were found to have computers filled with videos and images of child pornography, or were participating in peer-to-peer sharing and downloading of such material.
"What we found was a terrible presence online, for people who were willing to prey upon our children," said Lt. Mike McDermott. "Fortunately, they were preying on somebody that was not a child. They were trying to prey on a police officer posing as a child. The idea is to catch those that are willing to do that. But none of these guys, it was their first time, and I think that's terrifying for all of us."
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Authorities in Worcester County announced Thursday that they've spent the last year catching would-be sexual predators by pretending to be vulnerable teenagers over the Internet.
The Worcester County Sheriff's Office said Operation Worcester Safety Net culminated in charging 18 alleged sexual predators, many of whom showed up in Worcester County for the sole purpose of engaging in sexual contact with minors. Other suspects were found to have computers filled with videos and images of child pornography, or were participating in peer-to-peer sharing and downloading of such material.
"What we found was a terrible presence online, for people who were willing to prey upon our children," said Lt. Mike McDermott. "Fortunately, they were preying on somebody that was not a child. They were trying to prey on a police officer posing as a child. The idea is to catch those that are willing to do that. But none of these guys, it was their first time, and I think that's terrifying for all of us."
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Six Weeks Paid Leave Act
House Democrats hold a press conference today to reintroduce the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act. The bill would give federal employees six weeks of paid leave when they give birth or adopt a child. President Barack Obama called for the legislation in his State of the Union address last week. He already has issued an executive order to the same effect. Local sponsors of the bill include Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.).
Whatever Happened to Phonics?
One of the most important books in America’s intellectual history, Why Johnny Can't Read, by Rudolf Flesch, was published 60 years ago in 1955. This book sold 8 million copies, was the talk of the country, and explained why children need phonics to become successful readers.
There are many fascinating aspects to this story. Flesch fled from Austria just before the Germans invaded his country; at that time he was pursuing a law degree. In the United States, he went to Columbia University and earned a doctorate in English. Safe to say, he was exceptionally smart. In addition, he was obsessed with lucid language. He flourished, as Wikipedia notes, “as a writing teacher, plain-English consultant and author. He published many books on the subject of clear, effective communication: How to Test Readability (1951), How to Write Better (1951), The Art of Plain Talk (1946), The Art of Readable Writing (1949), The ABC of Style: A Guide to Plain English (1964), and Rudolf Flesch on Business Communications: How to Say What You Mean in Plain English (1972),” and others.
So we arrive at a sad, unexpected irony. This master communicator believed that he had settled the reading matter forever. Phonics was essential. Whole Word (also known by such names as Look-say, sight-words, Dolch words, Whole Language, etc.) was an obvious fraud and as well dangerous to children. Flesch assumed that any dunce would understand this. He was wrong.
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There are many fascinating aspects to this story. Flesch fled from Austria just before the Germans invaded his country; at that time he was pursuing a law degree. In the United States, he went to Columbia University and earned a doctorate in English. Safe to say, he was exceptionally smart. In addition, he was obsessed with lucid language. He flourished, as Wikipedia notes, “as a writing teacher, plain-English consultant and author. He published many books on the subject of clear, effective communication: How to Test Readability (1951), How to Write Better (1951), The Art of Plain Talk (1946), The Art of Readable Writing (1949), The ABC of Style: A Guide to Plain English (1964), and Rudolf Flesch on Business Communications: How to Say What You Mean in Plain English (1972),” and others.
So we arrive at a sad, unexpected irony. This master communicator believed that he had settled the reading matter forever. Phonics was essential. Whole Word (also known by such names as Look-say, sight-words, Dolch words, Whole Language, etc.) was an obvious fraud and as well dangerous to children. Flesch assumed that any dunce would understand this. He was wrong.
More
Trans Pacific Partnership: Obama ready to push secretive trade deal
The Trans Pacific Partnership is a trade agreement so significant and important, its details can’t be disclosed.
The TPP, sure to make an appearance during tonight’s State of the Union, is a 21st-century trade agreement involving 11 Asian countries along the Pacific Rim, and said to cover 40% of the world’s economy.
The TPP is a subject close to the heart – and the economic plans – of President Obama. In a November trip to Beijing, he urged other world leaders to finalize the agreement, calling it a “high priority” that would strengthen American leadership in the Asia-Pacific region and lead to growth, investment and job prospects for more workers.
The administration has argued that the deal will allow lower tariffs for American exports, in an environment of increasing competition, especially from China. Obama is also touting the deal as a boon for small businesses. When 98% of the US’s exporters are small businesses, new trade partnerships will help them create even more jobs, he proclaimed in last year’s State of the Union address. “Listen, China and Europe are not standing on the sidelines. Neither should we.”
Read more
Ex-CEO filmed kicking dog in elevator charged with cruelty
STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — The former CEO of an arena catering business who resigned in September after video surfaced of him kicking a puppy in an elevator has been charged with animal cruelty in Canada.
Desmond Hague, the former chief executive of Stamford-based Centerplate Inc., was charged Friday with two cruelty counts as a result of the July 2014 incident in a Vancouver apartment complex.
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Desmond Hague, the former chief executive of Stamford-based Centerplate Inc., was charged Friday with two cruelty counts as a result of the July 2014 incident in a Vancouver apartment complex.
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Texas welfare agency lets crack pipe vendor take food stamps
DALLAS – Anybody want to buy a crack pipe with food stamps?
I know a place in South Dallas we could try. It’s a little market off Bonnie View Road with a case full of glass pipes for various vices up front, and it’s been authorized by the state to accept payment by Lone Star card, which Texas uses to distribute funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
That money’s supposed to be used for food, which is why the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires retailers accepting SNAP funds to certify that at least half their sales are from certain food items, or failing that, that no more than 10 percent of their revenue comes from “alcoholic beverages, legalized games of chance, sexually oriented materials, coin-operated amusement machines, or amusement services.”
You might figure that a market with the words “beer” or “wine” or both right in the store name is unlikely to meet either standard, that it’s in the business of getting people faded, not fed.
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I know a place in South Dallas we could try. It’s a little market off Bonnie View Road with a case full of glass pipes for various vices up front, and it’s been authorized by the state to accept payment by Lone Star card, which Texas uses to distribute funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
That money’s supposed to be used for food, which is why the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires retailers accepting SNAP funds to certify that at least half their sales are from certain food items, or failing that, that no more than 10 percent of their revenue comes from “alcoholic beverages, legalized games of chance, sexually oriented materials, coin-operated amusement machines, or amusement services.”
You might figure that a market with the words “beer” or “wine” or both right in the store name is unlikely to meet either standard, that it’s in the business of getting people faded, not fed.
More
Possible measles case in a 12-month-old from Baltimore
There has not been a documented case of measles in Baltimore in the past decade.
Baltimore has high vaccination rates, with nearly 99 percent of public school children being vaccinated.
“We are working very closely with local hospitals, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as the Centers for Disease Control, to determine the specifics of the case, as well as to investigate potential contacts,” Health Commissioner Leana Wen, M.D., said. “This is a quickly-evolving situation. BCHD staff, including the Office of Acute Communicable Diseases, epidemiologists, immunization staff, and doctors are working around the clock to gather further information about this case so that we can best protect the public and serve Baltimore.”
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