DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, February 09, 2015
DHS Sets Up 'Snitch' Hotline For Illegals
The Homeland Security Department has set up hotlines for illegal immigrants who believe their rights under President Obama’s amnesty policy have been violated.
In a memo announcing the customer complaint line, U.S. Customs and Border Protection asked illegal immigrants to “please tell us about your experience” if they believe they were treated “contrary to the new DHS enforcement priorities.”
The department alerted “stakeholders” last week of three complaint hotlines: one for CBP, which oversees the Border Patrol; one for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which handles immigration laws in the nation’s interior; and one for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is poised to handle the millions of amnesty applications expected to be filed.
More here
In a memo announcing the customer complaint line, U.S. Customs and Border Protection asked illegal immigrants to “please tell us about your experience” if they believe they were treated “contrary to the new DHS enforcement priorities.”
The department alerted “stakeholders” last week of three complaint hotlines: one for CBP, which oversees the Border Patrol; one for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which handles immigration laws in the nation’s interior; and one for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is poised to handle the millions of amnesty applications expected to be filed.
More here
Foodie first lady says ‘cheese dust is not food’
In an interview in the March issue of Cooking Light magazine, Mrs. Obama says Sam Kass, the family’s former personal chef, had taken a stand against the boxed variety, which includes processed cheese powder among the ingredients.
“He said there’s nothing wrong with mac and cheese, but it’s got to be real food,” she said, crediting him with helping to eliminate processed food from their diet.
Kass gave her daughter Malia, who was about 8 years old at the time, a block of cheese and challenged her to turn the fresh cheese into powder.
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Generosity of Blue Heron Agility Association of Delaware Benefits K9 Unit
Dover, DE – Members of the Blue Heron Agility Association of Delaware (BHAAD) will be making a donation to the Delaware State Police K9 Unit to purchase a bulletproof vest.
The ceremony will take place Tuesday February 10, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Delaware State Police Training Academy located at 1441 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE. The training academy is located on the north side of the main headquarters building and parking is available behind the facility. Members of BHAAD and State Police K9 handlers will be on-hand to speak to the media.
The Delaware State Police is grateful for this generosity and looks forward to outfitting the new ballistic vest on a K9 team.
The ceremony will take place Tuesday February 10, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Delaware State Police Training Academy located at 1441 North DuPont Highway, Dover, DE. The training academy is located on the north side of the main headquarters building and parking is available behind the facility. Members of BHAAD and State Police K9 handlers will be on-hand to speak to the media.
The Delaware State Police is grateful for this generosity and looks forward to outfitting the new ballistic vest on a K9 team.
University of California Students Vote to Divest…From America
The resolution was one of two that passed Sunday; the other, authored by pro-Palestinian students, called for the university to divest from companies that do business with Israel.
The U.S. resolution also called for the UC system to withdraw investments from other countries including Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Russia, Turkey and Sri Lanka because they engage “in the violation of human rights” and “have violated the universal right ‘to life, liberty and security of person;’ ‘to education;’ to ‘privacy, family [and] home;’ ‘to own property, and … [not to] be arbitrarily deprived of property.”
In this clause, the students attending the state-sponsored university blasted the U.S. for violating the right “to education.”
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Six Questions..............
1) "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."
A. Karl Marx B. Adolph Hitler C. Joseph Stalin
D. Barack Obama E. None of the above
2) "It's time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few, by the few, and for the few...... And to replace it with shared responsibility, for shared prosperity."
A. Lenin B. Mussolini C. Idi Amin D. Barack Obama E. None of the above
3) "(We).....can't just let business as usual go on, and that means something has to be taken away from some people."
A. Nikita Khrushev B. Joseph Goebbels C. Boris Yeltsin D. Barack Obama E. None of the above
4) "We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to give up a little bit of their own ... in order to create this common ground."
A. Mao Tse Tung B. Hugo Chavez C. Kim Jong II
D. Barack Obama E. None of the above
5) "I certainly think the free-market has failed."
A. Karl Marx B. Lenin C. Molotov
D. Barack Obama E. None of the above
6) "I think it's time to send a clear message to what has become the most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being watched."
A. Pinochet B. Milosevic C. Saddam Hussein D. Barack Obama E. None of the above .
.........Scroll down for answers
And the answers are ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) E. None of the above.
Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/29/2004
(2) E. None of the above.
Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 5/29/2007
(3) E. None of the above.
Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(4) E. None of the above.
Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(5 ) E None of the above.
Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(6). E. None of the above.
Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 9/2/2005
**** Want to know something scary? She may be the next president if you don't forward this to everyone that you know.
Fire At Cropper Brother's Lumber In Willards
Several fire stations have been called to assist Willards on a fire at the Cropper Brother's lumber mill. Units arriving advising building fully involved
Station 7 from Pittsville
Station 8 from Willards
Station 79 from Gumboro are all on scene
Station 6 is being called to Standby at Station 7
Fire Marshall has been requested.
Michael Phelps to return to competition in April
Coach Bob Bowman told 11 News that Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, will be returning to competition in Mesa, Arizona, in April. The troubled superstar is said to be training again with Bowman with the goal of reaching the 2016 Olympics.
Phelps' return to competition will come after a six-month suspension handed to him by USA Swimming in October after he was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore in September.
Phelps, 29, pleaded guilty to the charge in December. He was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and is serving 18 months of supervised probation.
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The Teflon Don of Civil Rights
The Rev. Al Sharpton seems to have learned this lesson long ago: When you’re a controversial civil rights leader who’s made a career out of harassing the cops and embarrassing the government, never keep any assets in your own name. But that has never prevented authorities from vigorously inspecting the good reverend’s personal and organizational finances over the years, often coming up with troves of improprieties ranging from misappropriation to delinquency and possible fraud.
But even when the government seemed to have Mr. Sharpton and his organization squarely within its sights and hobbled by the costs of litigation, fines and arrears assessed for unpaid taxes, none of it seemed to stick.
He has repeatedly stuck his thumb in the eye of the best-laid plans for his demise and risen to a level of mainstream power and influence that belies what many feel is at best an unorthodox style and, at worst, a cynical exploitation of the suffering of the people he purports to represent. Certainly Mr. Sharpton’s role in the tawdry Tawana Brawley hoax, and his subsequent conviction for defamation for his role in tarnishing the careers and reputations of the falsely accused police officers, should been enough to bury him for good.
But the lessons he learned early on stood him in good stead. When the cameras are on, Mr. Sharpton seems to be literally everywhere. But when it comes time to pay the bill for that infamously earned publicity, he vanishes into a cloud of impalpable smoke. What assets does he own? Who pays his expenses? How does he manage to get around the country and set up shop at a moment’s notice each time there is a controversy involving the police and black people? Those are questions that government officials have tied themselves in knots trying to answer over the years, mostly to no avail.
More here
But even when the government seemed to have Mr. Sharpton and his organization squarely within its sights and hobbled by the costs of litigation, fines and arrears assessed for unpaid taxes, none of it seemed to stick.
He has repeatedly stuck his thumb in the eye of the best-laid plans for his demise and risen to a level of mainstream power and influence that belies what many feel is at best an unorthodox style and, at worst, a cynical exploitation of the suffering of the people he purports to represent. Certainly Mr. Sharpton’s role in the tawdry Tawana Brawley hoax, and his subsequent conviction for defamation for his role in tarnishing the careers and reputations of the falsely accused police officers, should been enough to bury him for good.
But the lessons he learned early on stood him in good stead. When the cameras are on, Mr. Sharpton seems to be literally everywhere. But when it comes time to pay the bill for that infamously earned publicity, he vanishes into a cloud of impalpable smoke. What assets does he own? Who pays his expenses? How does he manage to get around the country and set up shop at a moment’s notice each time there is a controversy involving the police and black people? Those are questions that government officials have tied themselves in knots trying to answer over the years, mostly to no avail.
More here
Tax Day Shocker: Obamacare ‘Clawback’ To Hit Some Subsidy Recipients With Huge Tax Bill
Four in ten low-income Obamacare participants will face sticker shock this April 15 when they discover they owe a great deal of money to the IRS because of a little-known “clawback” provision in the health-care law.
A family of four could owe the government as much as $11,200, according to a 2013 prediction by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
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Police: Attempted robbery victim fatally shoots toy gun-wielding suspect in Upper Darby
Police say a man fatally shot a pellet gun-wielding suspect during an attempted robbery in Upper Darby.
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ADVOCATES CALL FOR BILL TO REVOKE PARENTAL RIGHTS OF MEN ACCUSED OF CONCEIVING CHILD THROUGH RAPE
ANNAPOLIS — A state Senate committee heard testimony Thursday for and against a bill that would prevent accused rapists from claiming parental rights over children conceived during an alleged sexual assault.
Under the Rape Survivor Family Protection Act, sponsored by state Senator Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, a court could declare that a man is not the legal father of a child he conceived from an alleged rape.
Maryland law currently allows a man accused of fathering a child through rape to weigh in on custody and adoption decisions, including potentially preventing the mother from putting that child up for adoption, proponents of the bill said.
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Under the Rape Survivor Family Protection Act, sponsored by state Senator Jamie Raskin, D-Montgomery, a court could declare that a man is not the legal father of a child he conceived from an alleged rape.
Maryland law currently allows a man accused of fathering a child through rape to weigh in on custody and adoption decisions, including potentially preventing the mother from putting that child up for adoption, proponents of the bill said.
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AG nominee in $1 billion Obama cover-up
Loretta Lynch played role in scandal leading back to White House
NEW YORK – New revelations are emerging that could implicate Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s attorney general nominee, in the world’s largest banking scandal.
As WND reported, Lynch, as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, oversaw the investigation in 2012 of drug-related international money laundering allegations against London-based HSBC Holdings LLC.
As a result of HSBC agreeing to a settlement requiring the international bank holding company to pay the U.S. government more than $1.2 billion in fines for money laundering, Lynch’s office agreed in return not to press criminal charges against any bank employee of the U.S.-based HSBC subsidiary.
The federal government’s unwillingness to prosecute HSBC was exposed by a former HSBC vice president and relationship manager in New York, John Cruz, who called the bank a “criminal enterprise.” Cruz was ignored by law enforcement authorities until he brought to WND 1,000 pages of customer account records that document his claims.
HSBC also used its power to temporarily shut down WND.com as the news site was breaking a series of stories on the mega-bank’s money-laundering practices.
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NEW YORK – New revelations are emerging that could implicate Loretta Lynch, President Obama’s attorney general nominee, in the world’s largest banking scandal.
As WND reported, Lynch, as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, oversaw the investigation in 2012 of drug-related international money laundering allegations against London-based HSBC Holdings LLC.
As a result of HSBC agreeing to a settlement requiring the international bank holding company to pay the U.S. government more than $1.2 billion in fines for money laundering, Lynch’s office agreed in return not to press criminal charges against any bank employee of the U.S.-based HSBC subsidiary.
The federal government’s unwillingness to prosecute HSBC was exposed by a former HSBC vice president and relationship manager in New York, John Cruz, who called the bank a “criminal enterprise.” Cruz was ignored by law enforcement authorities until he brought to WND 1,000 pages of customer account records that document his claims.
HSBC also used its power to temporarily shut down WND.com as the news site was breaking a series of stories on the mega-bank’s money-laundering practices.
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Homeland Security sets up Obama amnesty complaint hotlines for illegals
In a memo announcing the customer complaint line, U.S. Customs and Border Protection asked illegal immigrants to “please tell us about your experience” if they believe they were treated “contrary to the new DHS enforcement priorities.”
The department alerted “stakeholders” last week of three complaint hotlines: one for CBP, which oversees the Border Patrol; one for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which handles immigration laws in the nation’s interior; and one for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is poised to handle the millions of amnesty applications expected to be filed.
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Obama Rejects Arctic Oil and Gas Drilling. Is Putin Preparing to Come and Take It?
The anger, outrage and frustration in Alaska are palpable after the president stripped the state of vast stores of its oil and gas wealth. His reckless offshore oil and gas restrictions reduced Alaska’s Arctic Ocean presence to one exploration site each in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas and left us with the lowest number of prospects in the history of the Outer Continental Shelf leasing program.
Alaska’s U.S. senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and at-large Rep. Don Young, all Republicans, vowed at a press conference to fight Obama’s offshore decision, which came only days after his Interior Department announced the shocking designation of nearly all of Alaska’s 19.6-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as untouchable wilderness lands. These two moves would lock up the nation’s richest continental oil prospect and lock up America’s share of the Arctic Ocean’s estimated 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas and 13 percent of its oil reserves.
The famously outspoken Rep. Young said, “It’s becoming undeniably clear that this administration does not view Alaska as a sovereign state, but rather an eco-theme park for the most extreme environmentalist allies of the president and his party.”
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Samsung: Don't discuss personal info in front of TV
Did you know someone might be listening on the other end of your TV?
Would you have guessed that many someones are indeed listening if you are using a voice-recognition SmartTV?
Convenience may come at the expense of privacy and security in the expanding world of interconnected devices and voice control recognition, cautions Samsung, which issues this warning on its SmartTVs: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition.”
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6 Muslims Arrested in U.S. After Trying to Carry Out Disturbing Plot
Six radical Muslims were just indicted for attempting to support the so-called “Islamic State” terrorist group. However, they weren’t in Iraq or Syria, where the organization usually operates. The extremists were in the heartland of America.
Three of the suspected terrorist sympathizers were from St. Louis, Missouri, while two others resided in Illinois. The sixth Muslim lived in New York.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, they are all charged with supplying money and military equipment to terrorist groups, including ISIS and Al Qaeda.
The radicals “used some of the money to buy supplies including U.S. military uniforms, combat boots, military surplus gear, tactical gear, range finders and rifle scopes,” stated the Post-Dispatch report.
“They, and unnamed others, then sent more than $10,000 in cash and supplies to third parties in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere,” continued the newspaper.
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Three of the suspected terrorist sympathizers were from St. Louis, Missouri, while two others resided in Illinois. The sixth Muslim lived in New York.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, they are all charged with supplying money and military equipment to terrorist groups, including ISIS and Al Qaeda.
The radicals “used some of the money to buy supplies including U.S. military uniforms, combat boots, military surplus gear, tactical gear, range finders and rifle scopes,” stated the Post-Dispatch report.
“They, and unnamed others, then sent more than $10,000 in cash and supplies to third parties in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere,” continued the newspaper.
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Grammys' congresswomen accused of hypocrisy for walking red carpet
But congresswomen Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Sheila Jackson Lee caused more of a storm than the majority of the celebrities with their own attendance at the star-studded bash.
Both Democrats, who are outspoken over wanting to close the wealth gap between rich and poor, sparked calls of 'hypocrisy' from disgruntled voters with their appearance alongside the Holywood elite.
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SFD Calls For Service 2-8-15
- Sunday February, 8 2015 @ 21:32 Nature: Structure FireAddress: 1107 E Church St Salisbury, MD 21801
- Sunday February, 8 2015 @ 21:29Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday February, 8 2015 @ 17:53Nature: Medical EmergencyCity:Salisbury
- Sunday February, 8 2015 @ 17:24 Nature: Structure FireAddress: 507 Robinson St Salisbury, MD 21801
- Sunday February, 8 2015 @ 15:27 Nature: Vehicle FireAddress: 128 Foxfield Cir Salisbury, MD 21801
3 “Islamic State” Terrorists Caught in Major US City
After all the president’s talk of how Islam is the “religion of peace,” six radical Muslims have been charged in St. Louis with terrorism, according to an indictment released Friday.
Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 40, his wife Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 35, and Armin Harcevic, 37, of St. Louis were working with Nihad Rosic, 26, of Utica, New York; Mediha Medy Salkicevic, 34, of Schiller Park, Ill.; and Jasminka Ramic, 42, of Rockford, Ill., to support Abdullah Ramo Pazara in his efforts to be a Muslim terrorist.
Pazara traveled from St. Louis to Zagreb, Croatia, in 2013, eventually making his way to Syria to fight with theIslamic State group.
The indictment states that the six were conspiring to support the Islamic State group member in Syria and Iraq by collecting money and goods Pazara needed in his mission.
Pazara and the other six are all from Bosnia, but three of the defendants have become naturalized American citizens.
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Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 40, his wife Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 35, and Armin Harcevic, 37, of St. Louis were working with Nihad Rosic, 26, of Utica, New York; Mediha Medy Salkicevic, 34, of Schiller Park, Ill.; and Jasminka Ramic, 42, of Rockford, Ill., to support Abdullah Ramo Pazara in his efforts to be a Muslim terrorist.
Pazara traveled from St. Louis to Zagreb, Croatia, in 2013, eventually making his way to Syria to fight with theIslamic State group.
The indictment states that the six were conspiring to support the Islamic State group member in Syria and Iraq by collecting money and goods Pazara needed in his mission.
Pazara and the other six are all from Bosnia, but three of the defendants have become naturalized American citizens.
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Internet Falls In Love With 'Warrior King'
King Abdullah II drew praise for his strong words and forceful military response to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s murder of Jordanian pilot Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh. The otherwise quiet monarch emerged suddenly as a terrifying foe to organized terror.
Following news that the Islamic State had murdered al-Kasasbeh, Abdullah, who was in America on business when he learned of the grisly execution, told U.S. lawmakers in a closed door meeting that he would pursue the group, which controls substantial portions of Jordan's neighbors Iraq and Syria, until Jordan’s military runs "out of fuel and bullets.”
"He said there is going to be retribution like ISIS hasn’t seen,” Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr., R-Calif., told reporters after the private meeting. “He mentioned ‘Unforgiven’ and he mentioned Clint Eastwood, and he actually quoted a part of the movie.”
Abdullah, himself a former general, wasn’t bluffing: Not long after his meeting with U.S. lawmakers, the king returned home and Jordan’s air force immediately launched airstrikes on Islamic State positions, reportedly killing several enemy combatants.
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Republicans Roll Out Right-to-Work Bills
Sen. Rand Paul and House Republicans have introduced legislation to strictly limit the ability of unions to force workers to have to pay them dues.
Both right-to-work bills would amend the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit contracts between labor unions and businesses that force all of a company's workers to join a union or at least pay it a fee as a condition of employment. The legislation is certain to meet fierce Democratic resistance.
Under current law, states can prohibit those contracts if they choose. Twenty-four states have passed right-to-work laws, including two, Indiana and Michigan, in the last three years. The Republicans' legislation would make that the national standard.
More here
Both right-to-work bills would amend the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit contracts between labor unions and businesses that force all of a company's workers to join a union or at least pay it a fee as a condition of employment. The legislation is certain to meet fierce Democratic resistance.
Under current law, states can prohibit those contracts if they choose. Twenty-four states have passed right-to-work laws, including two, Indiana and Michigan, in the last three years. The Republicans' legislation would make that the national standard.
More here
Insurance company hack could affect Md. Medicaid patients
BALTIMORE —Health insurance company Anthem said 80 million of its customers may have had their personal information stolen by hackers, and thousands of Marylanders could be affected.
Anthem said it was a sophisticated hack job that is already being called one of the largest data breaches of a company. Anthem is investigating with the help of the FBI.
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed Thursday night that about 272,000 Marylanders are enrolled in Medicaid through a provider that's affiliated with Anthem; however, state health officials said they don't know if anybody's sensitive information has been compromised.
Anthem said it believes the names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers of up to 80 million current and former members may have been accessed.
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Anthem said it was a sophisticated hack job that is already being called one of the largest data breaches of a company. Anthem is investigating with the help of the FBI.
The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed Thursday night that about 272,000 Marylanders are enrolled in Medicaid through a provider that's affiliated with Anthem; however, state health officials said they don't know if anybody's sensitive information has been compromised.
Anthem said it believes the names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers of up to 80 million current and former members may have been accessed.
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Portable Education Funding Would Help Impoverished Students
A new Center for American Progress report on portable federal funding for low-income students misses the mark on the issue of school choice. According to the report, if students living in poverty can choose to take their federal funding to a better school district, low-income districts might lose some money.
The point of portable funding isn’t for districts to get money, it’s to help students get a better education.
As the report says, “the challenges that low-income students face are significantly greater when the majority of their classmates are also low income.” But portable funding helps impoverished students move into better-performing schools without badly hurting those who remain.
“If anything, the CAP report is an argument to double-down on portability,” Lisa Snell, the director of education and child welfare at the Reason Foundation, told the Washington Examiner. “If they really want equity for kids, they shouldn’t be looking at the money following kids into districts, they should look at where the kids land.”
More here
The point of portable funding isn’t for districts to get money, it’s to help students get a better education.
As the report says, “the challenges that low-income students face are significantly greater when the majority of their classmates are also low income.” But portable funding helps impoverished students move into better-performing schools without badly hurting those who remain.
“If anything, the CAP report is an argument to double-down on portability,” Lisa Snell, the director of education and child welfare at the Reason Foundation, told the Washington Examiner. “If they really want equity for kids, they shouldn’t be looking at the money following kids into districts, they should look at where the kids land.”
More here
Congress Pushed to Recognize 'Darwin Day'
From primordial goo to you, the newest in “science.”
At least, that’s according to American Humanist Association chief Roy Speckhardt, who is praising a move in Congress to make Feb. 12 Darwin Day, in recognition of the man who claimed evolution is responsible for the balance that keeps earth habitable just the right number of miles from the sun, the miracle of life, the minds of Albert Einstein, J.S. Bach and Mark Twain, the magic of hummingbirds, and marvel of the skies and the seas, and, well, more.
“With climate change deniers endangering our environment and the anti-vaccination movement threatening our children’s health, there has never been a greater need for our politicians to stand up for science,” said Speckhardt, executive director of the association. “Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has made immeasurable contributions to science and humanity.”
The legislation is supported by American Humanist Association and the Secular Coalition for America, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to amplifying the voice of the “nontheistic” community and of which the American Humanist Association is a coalition member.
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At least, that’s according to American Humanist Association chief Roy Speckhardt, who is praising a move in Congress to make Feb. 12 Darwin Day, in recognition of the man who claimed evolution is responsible for the balance that keeps earth habitable just the right number of miles from the sun, the miracle of life, the minds of Albert Einstein, J.S. Bach and Mark Twain, the magic of hummingbirds, and marvel of the skies and the seas, and, well, more.
“With climate change deniers endangering our environment and the anti-vaccination movement threatening our children’s health, there has never been a greater need for our politicians to stand up for science,” said Speckhardt, executive director of the association. “Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution has made immeasurable contributions to science and humanity.”
The legislation is supported by American Humanist Association and the Secular Coalition for America, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to amplifying the voice of the “nontheistic” community and of which the American Humanist Association is a coalition member.
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Black History: Did You Know This?
The Republican Party was officially formed in July 1854 in Jackson, Michigan when a group of men who belonged to various splinter parties met and adopted the name Republican. The name appealed to those who recalled Jeffersonian "republicanism" and generally placed the national interest above sectional interest and above states' rights.
The party's founders totally opposed slavery. The platform adopted at the party's first national convention in 1856 rejected the Southern position that Congress had the right to recognize slavery in a territory. The Party maintained that Congress could abolish slavery in the territories and ought to do so.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln won the Presidency as a Republican candidate. After Lincoln's assassination, Vice President Andrew Johnson (a Democrat) and the Republican Congress were at loggerheads over who would control Reconstruction.
Congress wanted the federal government to insure black rights. The Republicans won the battle for control of Reconstruction and passed the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, seeking to guarantee blacks the right to due process of law and the vote.
Read more here
The party's founders totally opposed slavery. The platform adopted at the party's first national convention in 1856 rejected the Southern position that Congress had the right to recognize slavery in a territory. The Party maintained that Congress could abolish slavery in the territories and ought to do so.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln won the Presidency as a Republican candidate. After Lincoln's assassination, Vice President Andrew Johnson (a Democrat) and the Republican Congress were at loggerheads over who would control Reconstruction.
Congress wanted the federal government to insure black rights. The Republicans won the battle for control of Reconstruction and passed the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, seeking to guarantee blacks the right to due process of law and the vote.
Read more here
WARNING: Automatic Gas Tax Increases Ahead for MD
Under the current law that went into effect in 2013, every year Maryland will automatically increase its gas tax without any input from citizens or any measure of accountability from our representatives in Annapolis.
Since the act's implementation, Maryland's gas tax has increased from 23.5 cents a gallon to 30.3 cents, according to the state Comptroller's Office. Read More Here
As promised, Gov. Larry Hogan is supporting legislation to repeal this unfair and automatic tax increase.
But the governor can't do this on his own - he needs our help to let lawmakers in Annapolis know that the automatic gas tax increases are wrong for struggling Maryland families.
TAKE ACTION:
Residents in Brian Williams' hometown rubbish his mugging claims
An old story often repeated by Brian Williams about his bravery growing up in a quiet New Jersey suburb is being questioned by local residents in the light of his admission that he lied about taking enemy fire in Iraq.
Williams announced on Saturday that he is temporarily stepping down from the NBC Nightly News amid questions about his false memories of war coverage in 2003, calling it 'painfully apparent' that he has become a distracting news story.
Since apologizing over his exaggerated claims on Wednesday, questions have been raised about several previous claims by Williams including that he saw a body in the Hurricane Katrina floodwaters that hit New Orleans in 2005.
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Williams announced on Saturday that he is temporarily stepping down from the NBC Nightly News amid questions about his false memories of war coverage in 2003, calling it 'painfully apparent' that he has become a distracting news story.
Since apologizing over his exaggerated claims on Wednesday, questions have been raised about several previous claims by Williams including that he saw a body in the Hurricane Katrina floodwaters that hit New Orleans in 2005.
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Town donations: A nice gesture, but are they legal?
HURLOCK — A longstanding practice of donating money to area groups came into question at Hurlock’s town council meeting Monday, Jan. 26, after town attorney Robert Merriken said the law is not clear on the legality of such gifts. The town has $2,000 in its budget earmarked for community contributions.
“They’ve done it for years and years and years in Hurlock,” Mayor Joyce Spratt said.
The issue came up after two requests for donations from the town — one from the North Dorchester After Prom Committee and the other from Vaughn Evans, principal at North Dorchester Middle School, who is looking to start a Saturday basketball program. Councilman Earl Murphy made a motion to donate the funds at Jan. 5 meeting, but it never came to a vote because it did not get a second.
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“They’ve done it for years and years and years in Hurlock,” Mayor Joyce Spratt said.
The issue came up after two requests for donations from the town — one from the North Dorchester After Prom Committee and the other from Vaughn Evans, principal at North Dorchester Middle School, who is looking to start a Saturday basketball program. Councilman Earl Murphy made a motion to donate the funds at Jan. 5 meeting, but it never came to a vote because it did not get a second.
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Samantha Jones: Why I Defended 'Pledge of Allegiance'
That’s why my family and I decided to defend the Pledge in court. We believe in doing so we are not only standing for the Pledge but also protecting our freedoms as Americans, and our ability to celebrate those freedoms everywhere including in school. And the judge just agreed with us. He dismissed the American Humanist Association’s lawsuit because our legal system doesn’t force kids into silence just because some others take offense at timeless American values.
Keep reading..
Maryland Senate Delays Vote on Executive Nominations
ANNAPOLIS, Md. —The Maryland Senate delayed voting on four of Gov. Larry Hogan's cabinet appointments on Friday, as Democrats who control the chamber continue to express displeasure about the Republican governor's State of the State speech and his budget proposal.
The decision holds up confirmation votes for a week on the governor's first five cabinet positions to come before the Senate. Hogan's speech Wednesday has been heavily criticized by Democrats, who said it painted a dire and unfounded picture of Maryland's economy. The delay comes after the Senate panel that initially reviews nominations gave a favorable report to the full Senate on Monday.
"We heard the speech 48 hours later, and that kind of set the tone for us utilizing, in a more effective manner, the advise and consent powers that the founders of the state entrusted us with," Sen. Nathaniel McFadden, D-Baltimore, said.
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The decision holds up confirmation votes for a week on the governor's first five cabinet positions to come before the Senate. Hogan's speech Wednesday has been heavily criticized by Democrats, who said it painted a dire and unfounded picture of Maryland's economy. The delay comes after the Senate panel that initially reviews nominations gave a favorable report to the full Senate on Monday.
"We heard the speech 48 hours later, and that kind of set the tone for us utilizing, in a more effective manner, the advise and consent powers that the founders of the state entrusted us with," Sen. Nathaniel McFadden, D-Baltimore, said.
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Obama’s False Claims of Voting Rights Denied
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) prohibits any voting practice or procedure that discriminates on the basis of race, color or membership in a language minority group. The Voting Section of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is charged with enforcing the VRA and other federal statutes protecting the right to register and vote. The section’s web page lists all DOJ lawsuits filed. And there’s nary a one from all of 2014 that charges anyone, anywhere with keeping someone from voting.
Another part of the Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b), prohibits voter intimidation, harassment or coercion. The Voting Section hasn’t filed a lawsuit under this provision since 2009 when it filed a case against the New Black Panther Party for intimidating and harassing voters and poll watchers in Philadelphia. The Justice Department inexplicably dismissed that case after it had already won a default judgment.
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New Pro-life Campaign To Press Congress
Organizers of Life Envelope Day, previously called Red Envelope Day, plan to flood the congressional post office with millions of empty red envelopes representing aborted children on March 22, 60 days after the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that made it legal for women to have abortions in the U.S.
“Electronic petitions work but they are not as impressive as what we do with physical mail,” said Rich Lepoutre, one of the organizers behind the event.
The organizers have created a Web site called www.lifeenvelopeday.com for Americans to get the materials they need to push their message to Congress.
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TurboTax resumes filing state tax returns
BALTIMORE —TurboTax resumed filing state tax returns Friday night after temporarily stopping them because of reports of fraud.
A rise in suspicious tax filings in at least 18 states prompted the popular tax-preparation company to suspend processing online state tax returns on Thursday before resuming full operations at 6 p.m. Friday.
TurboTax's parent company, Intuit, said state tax returns already filed when the halt began will be transmitted as soon as possible.
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A rise in suspicious tax filings in at least 18 states prompted the popular tax-preparation company to suspend processing online state tax returns on Thursday before resuming full operations at 6 p.m. Friday.
TurboTax's parent company, Intuit, said state tax returns already filed when the halt began will be transmitted as soon as possible.
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BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court won't stop gay marriages in Alabama
US Supreme Court won't stop gay marriages in Alabama, denies state's request .
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Why Democrats Won't Boycott Netanyahu
The rumor that some Democrats might boycott Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress is nothing more than a cheap scare tactic.
How do we know?
For starters, not a single Democrat member of Congress has said that he or she will boycott it. At worst, over the weekend, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was non-committal. All the rumors of a Democratic boycott are the product of pundits and political activists who want the speech to be canceled.
Yes, a February 5 Times of Israel article claimed to see evidence of "growing pressure" on Netanyahu to cancel the speech in a remark by a Democratic congressman that "Israel should never be used as a political football."
But how does that remark constitute "pressure"? Republicans and Democrats alike agree that Israel should not be turned into a political football. Why should addressing Congress, which has both Republican and Democrat members, make it a political football? Did Netanyahu's address to Congress in 2011, when the Democrats controlled the Senate, make Israel a political football?
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How do we know?
For starters, not a single Democrat member of Congress has said that he or she will boycott it. At worst, over the weekend, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was non-committal. All the rumors of a Democratic boycott are the product of pundits and political activists who want the speech to be canceled.
Yes, a February 5 Times of Israel article claimed to see evidence of "growing pressure" on Netanyahu to cancel the speech in a remark by a Democratic congressman that "Israel should never be used as a political football."
But how does that remark constitute "pressure"? Republicans and Democrats alike agree that Israel should not be turned into a political football. Why should addressing Congress, which has both Republican and Democrat members, make it a political football? Did Netanyahu's address to Congress in 2011, when the Democrats controlled the Senate, make Israel a political football?
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Sowell: 'Diversity' in Action
Islamic terrorist attacks in Europe, and European governments' counter-attacks are more than just a passing news story.
Europe is currently in the process of paying the price for years of importing millions of people from a culture hostile to the fundamental values of Western culture. And this is by no means the last of the installments of that price, to be paid in blood and lives, for smug elites' Utopian self-indulgences in moral preening and gushing with the magic word "diversity."
Generations yet unborn will still be paying the price, whether in large or small installments, depending on how long it takes for the West to jettison Utopianism and come to grips with reality.
Meanwhile, in the United States, no one seems to be drawing any lessons about the dangers of importing millions of people from fundamentally different cultures across our open border. In America, "diversity" has still not yet lost its magical ability to stop thought in its tracks and banish facts into the outer darkness.
Perhaps here, as in Europe, that verbal magic can only be washed away in the blood of innocent victims, many of them yet unborn.
To cross our open border with Mexico, you don't have to be Mexican or even from Central America. You can be from Iran, Syria or other hotbeds of Middle Eastern terrorism.
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Europe is currently in the process of paying the price for years of importing millions of people from a culture hostile to the fundamental values of Western culture. And this is by no means the last of the installments of that price, to be paid in blood and lives, for smug elites' Utopian self-indulgences in moral preening and gushing with the magic word "diversity."
Generations yet unborn will still be paying the price, whether in large or small installments, depending on how long it takes for the West to jettison Utopianism and come to grips with reality.
Meanwhile, in the United States, no one seems to be drawing any lessons about the dangers of importing millions of people from fundamentally different cultures across our open border. In America, "diversity" has still not yet lost its magical ability to stop thought in its tracks and banish facts into the outer darkness.
Perhaps here, as in Europe, that verbal magic can only be washed away in the blood of innocent victims, many of them yet unborn.
To cross our open border with Mexico, you don't have to be Mexican or even from Central America. You can be from Iran, Syria or other hotbeds of Middle Eastern terrorism.
Read more here
Brian Williams claims he 'looked down the tube of an RPG' in Iraq
The latest footage to surface is a 2007 interview with Fairfield University Student Television in which Williams repeats his claim that a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at his helicopter.
The news anchor admitted on Wednesday that the story is totally false, but in the interview with a student journalist he even goes further and claims that he was close enough to stare down the barrel of the weapon.
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Be Prepared, Delmar School District Has A Four Day Weekend Coming Up
Friday- No School (PD day for teachers)
Monday- No School (President's Day)
On the Eastern Shore, re-enactors mark little-known battle of War of 1812
On a relatively mild Saturday — as on that frigid Feb. 7, 1815 — the Maryland men prevailed.
Two centuries ago, the British never had a chance in their icebound boat with limited ammunition. One wounded, none killed, fewer than 20 British taken prisoner — so ended the last battle of the War of 1812 to be fought in the Chesapeake Bay region.
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States With the Lowest (and Highest) Gas Taxes
As gas prices continue to fall, some Americans believe that the federal government should raise its gas tax, which has been unchanged at 18.3 cents per gallon since 1993. Yet, despite a clear need to bolster transportation and infrastructure funding, which often comes from taxes on gasoline, Congress appears to have little interest in raising the fuel tax.
With the federal government apparently disinterested in raising fuel taxes, some states have taken the lead in funding transportation. According to Michael Green, a spokesman for AAA, “Many states have taken it upon themselves to address the challenges associated with paying for roads, and other transportation projects.”
24/7 Wall St. reviewed effective gas tax rates in each state, as summarized by the American Petroleum Institute. We then compared the state’s tax rate against the average gas price in the state. The share of fuel prices that are paid in taxes and fees has risen as gasoline has gotten cheaper. In a few states, taxes make up 15% or more of the price per gallon, including accounting for more than 21% of the gas price in Pennsylvania. Still, taxes in eight states account for less than 10% of the retail price of gas.
Not every state with a low gas tax, relative to the national average price, has a major incentive to increase the amount consumers pay. For instance, Alaska derives much of its tax revenue from oil production, and has historically had less use for a gas tax. However, in some states, the argument for a higher gas tax is likely more compelling. For New Jersey, which has the second lowest fuel tax and is constrained by substantial debts and pension liabilities, a gas tax hike could help it improve its infrastructure.
In some instances, states may not have the ability to raise more revenues from gas taxes, however. New Yorkers already pay more than 45 cents per gallon in fuel taxes, and generally face one of the nation’s highest tax burdens. Thus, even at current low prices, it may be politically difficult for the state to raise fuel taxes.
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With the federal government apparently disinterested in raising fuel taxes, some states have taken the lead in funding transportation. According to Michael Green, a spokesman for AAA, “Many states have taken it upon themselves to address the challenges associated with paying for roads, and other transportation projects.”
24/7 Wall St. reviewed effective gas tax rates in each state, as summarized by the American Petroleum Institute. We then compared the state’s tax rate against the average gas price in the state. The share of fuel prices that are paid in taxes and fees has risen as gasoline has gotten cheaper. In a few states, taxes make up 15% or more of the price per gallon, including accounting for more than 21% of the gas price in Pennsylvania. Still, taxes in eight states account for less than 10% of the retail price of gas.
Not every state with a low gas tax, relative to the national average price, has a major incentive to increase the amount consumers pay. For instance, Alaska derives much of its tax revenue from oil production, and has historically had less use for a gas tax. However, in some states, the argument for a higher gas tax is likely more compelling. For New Jersey, which has the second lowest fuel tax and is constrained by substantial debts and pension liabilities, a gas tax hike could help it improve its infrastructure.
In some instances, states may not have the ability to raise more revenues from gas taxes, however. New Yorkers already pay more than 45 cents per gallon in fuel taxes, and generally face one of the nation’s highest tax burdens. Thus, even at current low prices, it may be politically difficult for the state to raise fuel taxes.
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How did discredited study create US anti-vaccine madness?
A discredited British study helped create today's anti-vaccine movement
Jodi Krawitt holds her son Rhett, 6, in their home in Corte Madera, California. Rhett is recovering from leukemia and his father is concerned his child could succumb to an outbreak of measles at his Northern California school. Krawitt is asking officials to bar entry to any student not vaccinated because of a family's personal beliefs.
Jodi Krawitt holds her son Rhett, 6, in their home in Corte Madera, California. Rhett is recovering from leukemia and his father is concerned his child could succumb to an outbreak of measles at his Northern California school. Krawitt is asking officials to bar entry to any student not vaccinated because of a family's personal beliefs.
The measles outbreak at Disneyland has reignited the debate over whether parents should be required to vaccinate their kids.
Here Are Just 3 Of The *Smaller* Lies SeaWorld Makes Its Employees Tell Its Guests
I remember vacationing at SeaWorld as a kid, but after hearing about all the ways SeaWorld lies to its staff and to its guests while knowingly putting both people and whales in danger every single day ... I'm never going back again, unless I've got a picket sign and a protest group with me.
Lie #1: Orcas live longer at SeaWorld.
Lie #1: Orcas live longer at SeaWorld.
Ancient Grave In Siberia Yields Earliest Example Of Twins
An ancient tragedy is shining new light on life in the Neolithic Era, as archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a woman who appears to have died with her twins during childbirth nearly 8,000 years ago.
It's the oldest example of death by dystocia, or obstructed labor, and the earliest known example of twins on the archaeological record, researchers wrote in an article describing the discovery, published in the Feb. issue of the journal Antiquity.
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It's the oldest example of death by dystocia, or obstructed labor, and the earliest known example of twins on the archaeological record, researchers wrote in an article describing the discovery, published in the Feb. issue of the journal Antiquity.
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NAACP to ADDRESS CLOSING the ACHIEVEMENT GAP!
WICOMICO COUNTY NAACP BRANCH 7028
Event date: February 26, 2015
Contact: Mary Ashanti, President
Email: wcnaacpbranch 7028@gmail.com
Phone: 410-543-4187
Event : Monthly Meeting
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: Chipman Cultural Center
325 Broad Street, Salisbury, MD
NAACP to ADDRESS CLOSING the ACHIEVEMENT GAP!
Representives from Wicomico County School System will discuss measures used to close
the achievement gap and how
much success they have made
since 2012. They will share what their goals and objectives have
been since 2012.
"President Ashanti says the NAACP sees the achievement gap as an opportunity gap. It is
a missed opportunity to learn and be successful. "
The public is encouraged to attend. For more details, contact Mary Ashanti at 410-543-4187 or via email at
wcnaacpbranch7028@gmail.com.
Event date: February 26, 2015
Contact: Mary Ashanti, President
Email: wcnaacpbranch 7028@gmail.com
Phone: 410-543-4187
Event : Monthly Meeting
Time: 7:00 PM
Place: Chipman Cultural Center
325 Broad Street, Salisbury, MD
NAACP to ADDRESS CLOSING the ACHIEVEMENT GAP!
Representives from Wicomico County School System will discuss measures used to close
the achievement gap and how
much success they have made
since 2012. They will share what their goals and objectives have
been since 2012.
"President Ashanti says the NAACP sees the achievement gap as an opportunity gap. It is
a missed opportunity to learn and be successful. "
The public is encouraged to attend. For more details, contact Mary Ashanti at 410-543-4187 or via email at
wcnaacpbranch7028@gmail.com.
Worcester County Tea Party Meeting
Event: Worcester County Tea Party Speaker Series 2015
Topic: Sheriff Mason and Members of the Criminal Enforcement Team will talk about the Heroin Epidemic on the Eastern Shore
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2015
Time: Meeting begins at 7PM, doors open at 6:30PM
Location: Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Rd., Ocean Pines, MD 21811
Admission: Free and Open to the Public.
For more information email WCTPPatriots@gmail.com, go to the web site www.worcestercountyteaparty.com, https://www.facebook.com/WorcesterCountyTeaParty or call 443-614-7214
Speaker: Sheriff Reggie Mason, Worcester County Sheriff's Department
Topic: Sheriff Mason and Members of the Criminal Enforcement Team will talk about the Heroin Epidemic on the Eastern Shore
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2015
Time: Meeting begins at 7PM, doors open at 6:30PM
Location: Worcester County Library - Ocean Pines Branch, 11107 Cathell Rd., Ocean Pines, MD 21811
Admission: Free and Open to the Public.
For more information email WCTPPatriots@gmail.com, go to the web site www.worcestercountyteaparty.com, https://www.facebook.com/WorcesterCountyTeaParty or call 443-614-7214