Tire blows out during a singalong. Wait for it.
(Warning: The video contains language that some may find offensive.)
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, May 23, 2015
White House Ban On Militarized Gear For Police May Mean Little
When riots erupted last fall on the streets of Ferguson, Mo., police in riot gear fanned out armed with assault rifles and armored vehicles made for the battlefield.
Analysts said at the time it was just another symptom of the continued militarization of local police forces.
This week, the White House announced a series of steps intended to address the kind of policing issues brought to light by the violence in Ferguson and later in Baltimore. One of those steps bans police from obtaining some military-style equipment — including tracked armored vehicles, weaponized aircraft and high-caliber weapons — from the U.S. government.
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Analysts said at the time it was just another symptom of the continued militarization of local police forces.
This week, the White House announced a series of steps intended to address the kind of policing issues brought to light by the violence in Ferguson and later in Baltimore. One of those steps bans police from obtaining some military-style equipment — including tracked armored vehicles, weaponized aircraft and high-caliber weapons — from the U.S. government.
More
The Clintons Made Wall Street Richer, and It Returned the Favor
The Clintons' wealth is derived from an army of corporations that benefited from the laws the couple passed.
Late at the end of last week, the Clinton campaign sent its long-awaited personal financial disclosures to select media outlets. From the perspective of the campaign, it was a clever move; by sending their disclosures to the media first before sending them to the Federal Election Commission, they essentially controlled the timing of the stories about their income for the past year and a half.
The disclosures detail the incomes of both Clintons going back to 2014. From what was offered to the press, we know that in less than a year and a half, the Clintons raked in over $30 million, the vast majority from speaking fees they charged to foreign and domestic corporations and other organizations willing to pay speech honorariums.
The bulk of the reporting on this matter has focused on the amount of money the Clintons earned. “The report underscores how much wealth the Clintons continued to amass as the Secretary of State prepared to launch her second bid for the presidency,” concluded USA Today. But the bigger story is why the Clintons are so rich. Their wealth is derived from an army of corporations that benefited from the very laws the Clintons passed, and now they are returning the favors. Although corporations from every sector of the economy developed this symbiotic relationship with the Clintons, none is more prominent than Wall Street.
Making Wall Street Richer
More
Late at the end of last week, the Clinton campaign sent its long-awaited personal financial disclosures to select media outlets. From the perspective of the campaign, it was a clever move; by sending their disclosures to the media first before sending them to the Federal Election Commission, they essentially controlled the timing of the stories about their income for the past year and a half.
The disclosures detail the incomes of both Clintons going back to 2014. From what was offered to the press, we know that in less than a year and a half, the Clintons raked in over $30 million, the vast majority from speaking fees they charged to foreign and domestic corporations and other organizations willing to pay speech honorariums.
The bulk of the reporting on this matter has focused on the amount of money the Clintons earned. “The report underscores how much wealth the Clintons continued to amass as the Secretary of State prepared to launch her second bid for the presidency,” concluded USA Today. But the bigger story is why the Clintons are so rich. Their wealth is derived from an army of corporations that benefited from the very laws the Clintons passed, and now they are returning the favors. Although corporations from every sector of the economy developed this symbiotic relationship with the Clintons, none is more prominent than Wall Street.
Making Wall Street Richer
More
New Truck Feature Makes the ‘Tension-Filled Ordeal’ of Backing Up With a Trailer So Much Easier
Thank you Ford for creating technology that allows drivers to more intuitively control how they back up with their hitched cargo.
“Backing up a trailer can be tricky,” Ford’s news release stated. “The truck’s front wheels have to be turned the opposite direction the customer wants the trailer to go. Turn too hard and the trailer can hit the vehicle, or jackknife. Whether working alone or with a spotter, backing up a trailer can be a tension-filled ordeal.”
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Why Some Kids Go to Prison for No Reason and Some Kids Go to College No Matter How Badly They Act
The heartbreaking, everyday tragedies witnessed by sociologist Alice Goffman in a poor Philadelphia neighborhood.
On the path that American children travel to adulthood, two public institutions oversee the journey. One institution, the one we hear a great deal about, is college. Many of you may remember the excitement you felt as you set off for college, maybe some of you are in college right now, and you feel this excitement this very this minute. College may have its shortcomings – it's really expensive, it leaves young people in debt -- but all in all, it’s a pretty good path. Young people graduate from college with pride, with great friends, with a good deal of knowledge about the world, maybe with a future spouse, and hopefully with a job, or the ability to get one.
I want to talk about the second major public institution that is overseeing the journey from childhood to adulthood in the United States, and that institution is prison. The young people on this journey are going to court dates instead of class, they are meeting with probation officers instead of with teachers, their junior year abroad is instead a trip to a state correctional facility, and they are graduating not with degrees in business and English but with criminal records.
This institution also costs a lot, about $44,000 a year for young people in New Jersey, even more than that in New York and California, but here tax-payers are footing the bill, and what young people are getting is not pride and great friends and skills but a cold prison cell and a permanent mark against them when they come home and apply for work. There are more young people experiencing this journey to adulthood than ever before in the US, because over the past 40 years our incarceration rate has grown by 700%. We’ve got a higher percentage of people and by a pretty big margin. What’s more, it’s poor young people who are coming of age in prison, too many drawn from African American and Latino communities, so that prison now stands firmly between the young people struggling to make it and the American dream.
More
On the path that American children travel to adulthood, two public institutions oversee the journey. One institution, the one we hear a great deal about, is college. Many of you may remember the excitement you felt as you set off for college, maybe some of you are in college right now, and you feel this excitement this very this minute. College may have its shortcomings – it's really expensive, it leaves young people in debt -- but all in all, it’s a pretty good path. Young people graduate from college with pride, with great friends, with a good deal of knowledge about the world, maybe with a future spouse, and hopefully with a job, or the ability to get one.
I want to talk about the second major public institution that is overseeing the journey from childhood to adulthood in the United States, and that institution is prison. The young people on this journey are going to court dates instead of class, they are meeting with probation officers instead of with teachers, their junior year abroad is instead a trip to a state correctional facility, and they are graduating not with degrees in business and English but with criminal records.
This institution also costs a lot, about $44,000 a year for young people in New Jersey, even more than that in New York and California, but here tax-payers are footing the bill, and what young people are getting is not pride and great friends and skills but a cold prison cell and a permanent mark against them when they come home and apply for work. There are more young people experiencing this journey to adulthood than ever before in the US, because over the past 40 years our incarceration rate has grown by 700%. We’ve got a higher percentage of people and by a pretty big margin. What’s more, it’s poor young people who are coming of age in prison, too many drawn from African American and Latino communities, so that prison now stands firmly between the young people struggling to make it and the American dream.
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New trial expected for Ingmar Guandique, convicted of killing Chandra Levy in 2001
On Friday, after more than a year of sporadic hearings and legal wrangling, government attorneys withdrew their opposition to a new trial for Ingmar Guandique. In a four-page motion, they told a judge they were preparing to re-try him.
Guandique's attorneys had previously asked a judge to grant him a new trial because they said a key witness in the case, Guandique's one-time cellmate, gave false or misleading testimony during his 2010 trial. Guandique's attorneys said prosecutors knew or should have known the testimony was problematic and investigated further.
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Lawmaker Urges Congress To Vote On Bill That Would Put A Woman On The $20 Note
You don’t have to look in your wallet to know that no paper U.S. currency features the face of an American woman, but one lawmaker wants that to change sometime soon: Rep. Luis Gutierrez urged Congress today to vote on a bill he introduced last month that would change the face of money as we know it, literally, by putting a woman on the $20 bill.
Rep. Gutierrez introduced the Put a Woman on the Twenty Act of 2015 (H.R. 910) on April 21, which seeks “To require the Secretary of the Treasury to convene a panel to solicit recommendations for and select a portrait of a woman to be used in a redesign of the $20 Federal Reserve note.”
Last week, an online campaign called Women on 20s spearheading the effort to get a woman on the $20 bill announced that voters had chosen Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman as the preferred candidate, though Rep. Gutierrez noted during a speech today on the House floor that his bill wouldn’t designate which female should have that honor, just get the Treasury to move forward with plans to replace President Andrew Jackson as the face of the $20 bill.
Using Harriet Tubman as an example of a candidate for the honor, Gutierrez called her an “ideal American” who was “an agitator” and a “subversive.”
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Rep. Gutierrez introduced the Put a Woman on the Twenty Act of 2015 (H.R. 910) on April 21, which seeks “To require the Secretary of the Treasury to convene a panel to solicit recommendations for and select a portrait of a woman to be used in a redesign of the $20 Federal Reserve note.”
Last week, an online campaign called Women on 20s spearheading the effort to get a woman on the $20 bill announced that voters had chosen Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman as the preferred candidate, though Rep. Gutierrez noted during a speech today on the House floor that his bill wouldn’t designate which female should have that honor, just get the Treasury to move forward with plans to replace President Andrew Jackson as the face of the $20 bill.
Using Harriet Tubman as an example of a candidate for the honor, Gutierrez called her an “ideal American” who was “an agitator” and a “subversive.”
More
Dr. Carson: 'People Who Always Blame Others Don't Accomplish Much'
Carson revealed that his mother was a huge influence on him, and the most important thing she taught him was to refuse to accept excuses.
"All of us have a lot of obstacles in our lives, a lot of problems," Carson said. "And if we can find an excuse, then we can just wallow in that, and we don't have to do anything about it. And generally, people who always blame somebody else for something are people who don't accomplish very much."
Are we cultivating a victim culture in America now? Megyn asked.
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Walker Promises Pre-emptive Strikes to Prevent Attacks on US
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is doubling down on his promises of pre-emptive strikes to prevent what he says are certain future attacks on American soil.
As he prepares for a likely 2016 presidential run, Walker told a multistate Republican gathering in Oklahoma on Thursday that he's convinced "radical Islamic terrorists" are planning to attack the U.S.
He promised he'd "take the fight to them before they take the fight to us."
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As he prepares for a likely 2016 presidential run, Walker told a multistate Republican gathering in Oklahoma on Thursday that he's convinced "radical Islamic terrorists" are planning to attack the U.S.
He promised he'd "take the fight to them before they take the fight to us."
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The $30 hot dog: New York street vendor caught ripping off tourists
But visitors beware. One vendor near the World Trade Center memorial site was recently caught overcharging naïve customers, allegedly charging as much as $30 for one hot dog.
NBC 4 was tipped off to Ahmed Mohammed’s shady practices, and asked the vendor how much he charges for a hot dog. After several seconds of nervous hesitation, he responds $3. But the crew soon caught him trying to sell one man named David a hot dog and pretzel for $15.
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McDonald’s “New Policy” Bans Customers From Buying Food For Homeles
A number of stories have recently come to light, showing that McDonalds allegedly has a new policy which is preventing customers from buying food for homeless people. In the UK this month alone there have been two separate incidents to make international headlines, where homeless people were denied service at McDonalds.
The first case involved a 27-year-old landscaper named Daniel Jackson who was almost denied service at a McDonalds on Oxford Road in Manchester because he was wearing dirty clothes and according to the staff he “looked homeless.” Jackson had to explain to the staff that he was actually just coming from a hard day’s work and was not homeless.
“I’d just clocked off work and I was absolutely ravenous. I’d not eaten since breakfast so I thought I’d go to McDonald’s for a quick meal. But when I got to the till the cashier went to get the manager from the back. He then said he wasn’t going to serve me because I looked homeless. I explained to him I had been at work all day but he said they had a zero tolerance policy on serving homeless people,” Jackson told Manchester Evening News.
“It took some serious persuasion to convince them I wasn’t homeless. I admit I was wearing scruffy clothes because I’d been working outside all day. That’s no reason to assume I live on the streets. I’m angry that I had to justify myself in front of a massive queue of strangers. Yet what I find most disgusting is thatpolicy like that even exists. It completely victimises homeless people. Surely if you have the money in your hand and you want to purchase a meal, you should be treated like any other customer,” he added.
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The first case involved a 27-year-old landscaper named Daniel Jackson who was almost denied service at a McDonalds on Oxford Road in Manchester because he was wearing dirty clothes and according to the staff he “looked homeless.” Jackson had to explain to the staff that he was actually just coming from a hard day’s work and was not homeless.
“I’d just clocked off work and I was absolutely ravenous. I’d not eaten since breakfast so I thought I’d go to McDonald’s for a quick meal. But when I got to the till the cashier went to get the manager from the back. He then said he wasn’t going to serve me because I looked homeless. I explained to him I had been at work all day but he said they had a zero tolerance policy on serving homeless people,” Jackson told Manchester Evening News.
“It took some serious persuasion to convince them I wasn’t homeless. I admit I was wearing scruffy clothes because I’d been working outside all day. That’s no reason to assume I live on the streets. I’m angry that I had to justify myself in front of a massive queue of strangers. Yet what I find most disgusting is thatpolicy like that even exists. It completely victimises homeless people. Surely if you have the money in your hand and you want to purchase a meal, you should be treated like any other customer,” he added.
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Private Label Vodka Sales Denied; Dead Freddies Allowed More Seating
BERLIN – The gift shop at Ocean City Brewing Company will not be adding its private label beach vodka to the inventory.
The Worcester County Board of License Commissioners (BLC) denied Ocean City Brewing Company’s request to sell its own brand of vodka in the establishment’s gift shop. BLC members told Josh Shores, owner of the brewery, that there were already plenty of retail locations selling liquor in the area.
“We’ve got one six blocks to the south and one 10 blocks to the north,” BLC Chairman William Esham said. “The public is being served well. Nobody’s going to die of thirst.”
Though Shores said he did not want to sell any vodka other than the variety his company was having produced, Thomas Coates, the BLC attorney, said the board couldn’t limit its approval to that one product.
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The Worcester County Board of License Commissioners (BLC) denied Ocean City Brewing Company’s request to sell its own brand of vodka in the establishment’s gift shop. BLC members told Josh Shores, owner of the brewery, that there were already plenty of retail locations selling liquor in the area.
“We’ve got one six blocks to the south and one 10 blocks to the north,” BLC Chairman William Esham said. “The public is being served well. Nobody’s going to die of thirst.”
Though Shores said he did not want to sell any vodka other than the variety his company was having produced, Thomas Coates, the BLC attorney, said the board couldn’t limit its approval to that one product.
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Police Killing of Unarmed Native American Continues To Receive Little Media Attention
The tragic case of Corey Kanosh, 35, has received very little media attention, in spite of the growing outrage over police shootings of unarmed, innocent citizens. In Corey’s case, we are not dealing with an African American man shot by white cops, but an unarmed Native American man who was suspected of crimes that he was later proven innocent of, who was given only seconds before police opened fire on him.
Corey was a member of the Paiute Tribe of Utah. In spite of the historical injustices committed by the State against Native Americans, his story has received virtually no national attention. Now, his friends and family have been pushing to move the legal process forward, but so far they have only raised a tiny amount of money.
The hold up on progressing has been due to lack of money to fund the oh so dreaded legal process,” they explain. “We need your help.Please help us on our way to get this case back up and ready. It’s time to take on the unwilling non-cooperative Millard County Sheriffs Department.”
Corey was shot by a Millard County sheriff’s deputy after he was wrongly suspected of car theft.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Lindsay Mitchell explained that a 911 call was made about the theft of a car from the Kanosh Paiute Indian Reservation. But Corey had nothing to do with that.
Watch the report in the video below…
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Corey was a member of the Paiute Tribe of Utah. In spite of the historical injustices committed by the State against Native Americans, his story has received virtually no national attention. Now, his friends and family have been pushing to move the legal process forward, but so far they have only raised a tiny amount of money.
The hold up on progressing has been due to lack of money to fund the oh so dreaded legal process,” they explain. “We need your help.Please help us on our way to get this case back up and ready. It’s time to take on the unwilling non-cooperative Millard County Sheriffs Department.”
Corey was shot by a Millard County sheriff’s deputy after he was wrongly suspected of car theft.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Lindsay Mitchell explained that a 911 call was made about the theft of a car from the Kanosh Paiute Indian Reservation. But Corey had nothing to do with that.
Watch the report in the video below…
More
Online Thugs Start Disgusting Anti-White Event Being Called “Fight A White” Day
Although the media simply refuse to cover the plethora of stories, there has been a growing trend of young black thugs targeting white people for assaults and robberies.
You’ll never see Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson speak out against it, and the odds of the contemptible Attorney General Eric Holder prosecuting any of these hate crimes are awfully slim.
Thus, with a resounding silence from the media, so-called civil rights leaders and the government, the thugs targeting whites have become emboldened and are seeking to increase the frequencies of their attacks.
In fact, anti-white racists have gone online and created an “event” known as “Fight a White” Day, which openly encourages people of color people to literally go up to and deliberately start a fight with a white person.
While this may be reminiscent of scenes from the movie “Fight Club,” this isn’t a mere movie, and it certainly isn’t a joke.
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You’ll never see Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson speak out against it, and the odds of the contemptible Attorney General Eric Holder prosecuting any of these hate crimes are awfully slim.
Thus, with a resounding silence from the media, so-called civil rights leaders and the government, the thugs targeting whites have become emboldened and are seeking to increase the frequencies of their attacks.
In fact, anti-white racists have gone online and created an “event” known as “Fight a White” Day, which openly encourages people of color people to literally go up to and deliberately start a fight with a white person.
While this may be reminiscent of scenes from the movie “Fight Club,” this isn’t a mere movie, and it certainly isn’t a joke.
More
Westboro Baptist plans protest at NC high school
Kill Devil Hills police confirmed an official for the Topeka, Kansas church sent a letter Tuesday to Chief Gary Britt. Shirley Phelps-Roper wrote to inform him of the group’s intentions and ask about any permits needed for the demonstration.
The half-hour protest is planned for Monday, June 1, as students arrive at First Flight High School in the morning.
In the letter, Phelps-Roper said the demonstration would be about “the judgement of God with respect to the dangers of promoting homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and the filthy manner of life & idol worshiping of this nation.”
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Sobo's Catering = Awesome Lunch
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30 Things to Do With Kids This Summer
If you’re looking for more ideas or a list of ideas to get you through June, I’ve also got 30 Things to Do with the Kids in June to get your summer bucket list started on the right foot!
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Soros Is Worried About Potential for World War III, Starting With China
Global conflict has increased in recent years, with much of the Mideast in flames and historic rivalries rising to the surface in parts of Europe and Asia too.
Hedge fund legend George Soros is concerned that it all could end in catastrophe — another world war. And China might prove to be the flashpoint, the chairman of Soros Fund Management said at the Bretton Woods Committee Annual Meeting at the World Bank, MarketWatch reports.
If the Asian titan fails in its attempt to shift the economy's focus to domestic demand from exports, Soros sees a "likelihood" that Chinese leaders will resort to foreign conflict to keep themselves in power and prevent the country from falling apart.
And if China chooses the wrong adversary, look out. "If there is conflict between China and a military ally of the United States, like Japan, then it is not an exaggeration to say that we are on the threshold of a third world war," Soros stated.
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Hedge fund legend George Soros is concerned that it all could end in catastrophe — another world war. And China might prove to be the flashpoint, the chairman of Soros Fund Management said at the Bretton Woods Committee Annual Meeting at the World Bank, MarketWatch reports.
If the Asian titan fails in its attempt to shift the economy's focus to domestic demand from exports, Soros sees a "likelihood" that Chinese leaders will resort to foreign conflict to keep themselves in power and prevent the country from falling apart.
And if China chooses the wrong adversary, look out. "If there is conflict between China and a military ally of the United States, like Japan, then it is not an exaggeration to say that we are on the threshold of a third world war," Soros stated.
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Mike Morell: 'Absolute' Risk of US-China Clash in South China Sea
If China continues its massive military buildup and claims of sovereignty over man-made islands in the South China Sea, war between the Asian super power and the United States is a possibility, former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell tells CNN.
"War is 'not in their interests, (and) it's not in our interests,'" Morell told CNN, "but absolutely, it's a risk."
"China is a rising power. We're a status quo power. We're the big dog on the block ... They want more influence," he said. "Are we going to move a little bit? Are they going to push? How is that dance going to work out?
"This is a significant issue for the next president of the United States."
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"War is 'not in their interests, (and) it's not in our interests,'" Morell told CNN, "but absolutely, it's a risk."
"China is a rising power. We're a status quo power. We're the big dog on the block ... They want more influence," he said. "Are we going to move a little bit? Are they going to push? How is that dance going to work out?
"This is a significant issue for the next president of the United States."
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Mental Illness in Jails
Paton Blough has served multiple jail terms as a result of mental illness.
He said his various offenses included brandishing a shotgun, reckless endangerment, destruction of civic property, spitting on a police officer, being a public nuisance and threatening a public official. Never was he charged with being mentally ill. That isn’t a crime, after all. But there was no doubt about why he had ended up in jail.
Blough, 38, has had bipolar disorder since his late teens. At times delusions convinced him of a worldwide conspiracy against him involving police officers, former President George W. Bush and Nazi ghosts.
“Can you imagine if we had two million people locked up for having a heart condition?” Blough, whose last arrest was six years ago, said in a telephone interview last week from his home in Greenville, South Carolina. “Well guess what? We have two million people locked up with a health condition called mental illness.”
In many places, police, judges and elected officials increasingly are pointing out that a high proportion of people in jail are mentally ill, and that in many cases they shouldn’t be there. In recent years, many cities and counties have tried to reduce those numbers by training police to deal with mental health crises, creating mobile mental health units to assist officers, and establishing mental health support centers as an alternative to jail, among other measures.
(Generally, local jails house inmates who are awaiting adjudication or who have short sentences, and they are run by local jurisdictions. State prisons, or penitentiaries, are where inmates serve sentences after conviction. They are the responsibility of the states.)
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He said his various offenses included brandishing a shotgun, reckless endangerment, destruction of civic property, spitting on a police officer, being a public nuisance and threatening a public official. Never was he charged with being mentally ill. That isn’t a crime, after all. But there was no doubt about why he had ended up in jail.
Blough, 38, has had bipolar disorder since his late teens. At times delusions convinced him of a worldwide conspiracy against him involving police officers, former President George W. Bush and Nazi ghosts.
“Can you imagine if we had two million people locked up for having a heart condition?” Blough, whose last arrest was six years ago, said in a telephone interview last week from his home in Greenville, South Carolina. “Well guess what? We have two million people locked up with a health condition called mental illness.”
In many places, police, judges and elected officials increasingly are pointing out that a high proportion of people in jail are mentally ill, and that in many cases they shouldn’t be there. In recent years, many cities and counties have tried to reduce those numbers by training police to deal with mental health crises, creating mobile mental health units to assist officers, and establishing mental health support centers as an alternative to jail, among other measures.
(Generally, local jails house inmates who are awaiting adjudication or who have short sentences, and they are run by local jurisdictions. State prisons, or penitentiaries, are where inmates serve sentences after conviction. They are the responsibility of the states.)
More
U.S. 'Prepared to Play a Leading Role' in Absorbing Muslim Refugees From Burma
(CNSNews) - The United States is "prepared to play a leading role" in resettling Muslim refugees from Burma and Bangladesh, known as Rohinga, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday.
"We've already resettled, I think, more than 1,000 Rohinga, and we said we're prepared to take a leading role in any (United Nations)-organized effort," said spokeswoman Marie Harf. "It has to be a multicountry effort. We obviously can't take this all on ourselves. But we are prepared to play a leading role in this effort."
Harf spoke one day after the United Nations refugee agency warned that time was running out for thousands of people stranded at sea and urged governments in Southeast Asia "to urgently rescue and disembark these vulnerable people."
"We estimate that nearly 4,000 people (Rohinga) from Myanmar and Bangladesh remain stranded at sea with dwindling supplies on board," the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said.
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"We've already resettled, I think, more than 1,000 Rohinga, and we said we're prepared to take a leading role in any (United Nations)-organized effort," said spokeswoman Marie Harf. "It has to be a multicountry effort. We obviously can't take this all on ourselves. But we are prepared to play a leading role in this effort."
Harf spoke one day after the United Nations refugee agency warned that time was running out for thousands of people stranded at sea and urged governments in Southeast Asia "to urgently rescue and disembark these vulnerable people."
"We estimate that nearly 4,000 people (Rohinga) from Myanmar and Bangladesh remain stranded at sea with dwindling supplies on board," the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said.
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Woman Who Ran Over Her Husband With an SUV for Not Voting Against Obama in 2012 Sentenced to Prison
PHOENIX (TheBlaze/AP) — A judge has sentenced an Arizona woman to 3 1/2 years in prison for running over her husband with an SUV because he didn’t vote against President Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election.
Thirty-one-year-old Holly Nicole Solomon of Mesa pleaded guilty to assault charges stemming from injuries her husband suffered days after Obama was re-elected. She was sentenced on Thursday.
Her husband told investigators Solomon believed her family would face hardship as a result of Obama’s re-election.
Authorities say Solomon was upset about Obama’s re-election and began arguing with her husband when she found out he didn’t vote. She did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, police said.
“He got out of the car and she was screaming at him. And he started walking away and she started driving in circles around him and she wouldn’t let him go so finally he took off to try to get away and she ran into him,” the 911 caller told KNXV-TV.
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Thirty-one-year-old Holly Nicole Solomon of Mesa pleaded guilty to assault charges stemming from injuries her husband suffered days after Obama was re-elected. She was sentenced on Thursday.
Her husband told investigators Solomon believed her family would face hardship as a result of Obama’s re-election.
Authorities say Solomon was upset about Obama’s re-election and began arguing with her husband when she found out he didn’t vote. She did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, police said.
“He got out of the car and she was screaming at him. And he started walking away and she started driving in circles around him and she wouldn’t let him go so finally he took off to try to get away and she ran into him,” the 911 caller told KNXV-TV.
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Wor. teacher salaries, in-depth
The contention that a Worcester County teacher, whose pay increase has been delayed for the past three years, could make more by relocating to a neighboring county and being assigned the appropriate pay grade is true. Sometimes.
The clearer answer is that the school systems in the lower shore counties do not employ a one-size-fits-all salary schedule, so the financial impact of a teacher’s move to another school district depends on a multitude of factors.
Base salaries for Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester counties are all published online, but that base is just the foundation on which additional credentials, certifications and longevity can be applied.
More
The clearer answer is that the school systems in the lower shore counties do not employ a one-size-fits-all salary schedule, so the financial impact of a teacher’s move to another school district depends on a multitude of factors.
Base salaries for Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset and Dorchester counties are all published online, but that base is just the foundation on which additional credentials, certifications and longevity can be applied.
More
New Truck Feature Makes the ‘Tension-Filled Ordeal’ of Backing Up With a Trailer So Much Easier
Thank you Ford for creating technology that allows drivers to more intuitively control how they back up with their hitched cargo.
“Backing up a trailer can be tricky,” Ford’s news release stated. “The truck’s front wheels have to be turned the opposite direction the customer wants the trailer to go. Turn too hard and the trailer can hit the vehicle, or jackknife. Whether working alone or with a spotter, backing up a trailer can be a tension-filled ordeal.”
More
Iran’s Idea of a ‘Snap’ Inspection: 24 Days’ Notice
(CNSNews) – Lifting a lid on the confidential negotiations for a final Iran nuclear agreement, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius disclosed Wednesday that Tehran wants to be given 24 days’ notice ahead of any inspection of its nuclear facilities.
“A lot of things can disappear” in 24 days, the Associated Press quoted him as saying of Iran’s reported insistence that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wait for that length of time between a report of a suspected violation and inspectors’ admission to a site.
Fabius was speaking on French foreign policy challenges at a Paris-based think tank, the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.
Non-proliferation experts argue that “snap” inspections – also known as “anywhere, anytime” inspections – will need to be a cornerstone of any effective agreement, given Iran’s history of nuclear-related violations and non-cooperation with the IAEA.
Fabius’ revelation drew some derisive responses on social media.
More here
“A lot of things can disappear” in 24 days, the Associated Press quoted him as saying of Iran’s reported insistence that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wait for that length of time between a report of a suspected violation and inspectors’ admission to a site.
Fabius was speaking on French foreign policy challenges at a Paris-based think tank, the Institute for International and Strategic Affairs.
Non-proliferation experts argue that “snap” inspections – also known as “anywhere, anytime” inspections – will need to be a cornerstone of any effective agreement, given Iran’s history of nuclear-related violations and non-cooperation with the IAEA.
Fabius’ revelation drew some derisive responses on social media.
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A Trip Down Memory Lane With The Clintons’ Sleazeball Extraordinaire
Which is more shocking — that Hillary Clinton used an unsecured, private e-mail system to get alleged “intelligence” about Libya’s political leaders and the Benghazi attack, or that her primary source was the one man the Obama team deemed too dishonest and unethical to work in the State Department? Hillary Clinton wanted Blumenthal to have an official role at Foggy Bottom, but the Obama team deemed Blumenthal unfit for any administration role, sending Rahm Emanuel to tell her that he was persona non grata in their eyes. In their minds, he crossed the line far too many times during the Clinton–Obama primary fight.
Back in May 2008, Occidental College professor Peter Dreier wrote that Blumenthal was regularly distributing e-mails attacking “Obama’s character, political views, electability, and real or manufactured associations.”
According to Mark Halperin and John Heilemann’s book Game Change, “Blumenthal was obsessed with the ‘whitey tape’ and so were the Clintons, who not only believed that it existed but felt that it might emerge in time to save Hillary. ‘They’ve got a tape, they’ve got a tape,’ she told her aides excitedly.” The “whitey tape” was a persistent rumor in 2008 that a videotape existed of either Barack or Michelle Obama making racially incendiary remarks, referring to whites as “whitey,” that would irreparably damage Obama’s presidential bid. (In June 2008, I found the nebulous rumor just happened to match a plotline in a 2006 thriller novel.)
Back in May 2008, Occidental College professor Peter Dreier wrote that Blumenthal was regularly distributing e-mails attacking “Obama’s character, political views, electability, and real or manufactured associations.”
According to Mark Halperin and John Heilemann’s book Game Change, “Blumenthal was obsessed with the ‘whitey tape’ and so were the Clintons, who not only believed that it existed but felt that it might emerge in time to save Hillary. ‘They’ve got a tape, they’ve got a tape,’ she told her aides excitedly.” The “whitey tape” was a persistent rumor in 2008 that a videotape existed of either Barack or Michelle Obama making racially incendiary remarks, referring to whites as “whitey,” that would irreparably damage Obama’s presidential bid. (In June 2008, I found the nebulous rumor just happened to match a plotline in a 2006 thriller novel.)
Blumenthal telling Hillary Clinton a far-fetched story, with no supporting evidence, that comports with her preferred beliefs, and her eagerly believing it . . . sounds a bit similar to his initial memo to Hillary that “a senior security officer told [President of Libya Mohammed Yussef] el Magariaf that the attacks on that day were inspired by what many devout Libyan [sic] viewed as a sacrilegious internet video on the prophet Mohammed originating in America.”
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3 Years After He 'Ended the War': Obama Declares Iraq a 'National Emergency' for U.S.
(CNSNews)- President Barack Obama sent a message to Congress yesterday giving notice that he was extending the "national emergency" the United States has experienced as a result of the problems in Iraq since 2003, when the U.S. first invaded that country and removed the regime of Saddam Hussein.
President Obama pulled the last U.S. troops out of Iraq at the end of 2011. Then--while running for reelection in 2012--he repeatedly stated at campaign rallies that he had "ended" the war in Iraq.
"We've ended the war in Iraq," Obama said at a June 25, 2012, rally in New Hampshire for example.
"I've kept the commitments that I've made," he said in Iowa on Oct. 24, 2012. "I told you we'd end the war in Iraq. We did."
"You know I say what I mean and I mean what I say," Obama said at a rally in Florida on Nov. 4, 2012. "I said I would end the war in Iraq. I ended it."
The message he sent to Congress on Tuesday said that he was extending a "national emergency" becauase the situation in Iraq continues "to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."
“Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date,” said Obama. “In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to the stabilization of Iraq that was declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, is to continue in effect beyond May 22, 2015.
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President Obama pulled the last U.S. troops out of Iraq at the end of 2011. Then--while running for reelection in 2012--he repeatedly stated at campaign rallies that he had "ended" the war in Iraq.
"We've ended the war in Iraq," Obama said at a June 25, 2012, rally in New Hampshire for example.
"I've kept the commitments that I've made," he said in Iowa on Oct. 24, 2012. "I told you we'd end the war in Iraq. We did."
"You know I say what I mean and I mean what I say," Obama said at a rally in Florida on Nov. 4, 2012. "I said I would end the war in Iraq. I ended it."
The message he sent to Congress on Tuesday said that he was extending a "national emergency" becauase the situation in Iraq continues "to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."
“Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date,” said Obama. “In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to the stabilization of Iraq that was declared in Executive Order 13303 of May 22, 2003, is to continue in effect beyond May 22, 2015.
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MARYLAND INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN TASK FORCE ARRESTS WASHINGTON CO. MAN ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES
(HAGERSTOWN, MD) Members of the Maryland State Police, Computer Crimes Section, Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) have arrested and charged a Washington County man on child pornography related charges.
The suspect is identified as John D. Vogelsang, 33, from Washington County, Maryland. He was arrested yesterday without incident. Vogelsang was charged with three counts of distributing child pornography and 23 counts possession of child pornography.
Beginning last month, State Police computer crimes investigators conducted an investigation using the Internet that led to contact with an individual distributing child pornography from an address in Hagerstown, Md. Further investigation led to the identification of the suspect.
Investigators obtained a search warrant that was served at Vogelsang’s residence on May 19, 2015, by a Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigator with assistance from the Maryland State Police, Criminal Enforcement Division Western Region, agents from Homeland Security Investigations, and officers from the Hagerstown Police Department. Service of the search warrant resulted in the recovery of a computer and other related digital media that Vogelsang had in his possession that contained images of child pornography.
On May 21, 2015, at 11:00 p.m., Vogelsang was arrested by troopers from the Hagerstown Barrack. He was transported to the Washington County Detention Center where he is being held on a $150,000 bond.
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is comprised of police agencies from around the state. Its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.
The suspect is identified as John D. Vogelsang, 33, from Washington County, Maryland. He was arrested yesterday without incident. Vogelsang was charged with three counts of distributing child pornography and 23 counts possession of child pornography.
Beginning last month, State Police computer crimes investigators conducted an investigation using the Internet that led to contact with an individual distributing child pornography from an address in Hagerstown, Md. Further investigation led to the identification of the suspect.
Investigators obtained a search warrant that was served at Vogelsang’s residence on May 19, 2015, by a Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigator with assistance from the Maryland State Police, Criminal Enforcement Division Western Region, agents from Homeland Security Investigations, and officers from the Hagerstown Police Department. Service of the search warrant resulted in the recovery of a computer and other related digital media that Vogelsang had in his possession that contained images of child pornography.
On May 21, 2015, at 11:00 p.m., Vogelsang was arrested by troopers from the Hagerstown Barrack. He was transported to the Washington County Detention Center where he is being held on a $150,000 bond.
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is comprised of police agencies from around the state. Its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.
Vanishing Ocean City With Bunk Mann
Vanishing Ocean City With Bunk MannA popular form of fishing that is affordable for the average fisherman is on a party...
Posted by The Dispatch on Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Chinese Scholar: World War III Will Probably Be Result Of Maritime Disputes
Previously undisputed territories, like outer space, the digital landscape and the oceans have become part of the international battlefield, Han writes in his op-ed, noting that “the number of countries involved is unprecedented.”
Han points to ongoing maritime disputes as sources of conflict that will eventually escalate into a world war. “Judging from the contention of the global sea space, the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific and Indian Ocean have seen the fiercest rivalry. It’s likely that there will be a third world war to fight for sea rights.”
China is currently embroiled in disputes involving sea rights, particularly in the South China Sea. China lays claim to maritime areas that Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia all also lay claim to. In the East China Sea, China insists that its maritime borders include a cluster of resource-rich islands called the Diaoyu in Chinese. Japan, on the other hand, says that the islands — which it refers to as Senkaku — lie in Japanese waters. With China’s increasing military presence and political rhetoric over these and other islands, some observers predict that maritime claims are something over which China is willing to go to war.
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Why The US Consumer Is About To be Crushed: The Obamacare Inflationary Deluge Arrives
For the past three years, the biggest argument supporters of Obamacare would trot out every single time when faced with opposition to the mandatory tax, would be that despite widespread predictions of soaring prices, US medical care service costs had remained low and even, on occasion, declined (we leave aside the lack of discussion about soaring deductibles which are recurring "one-time" charges incurred whenever anyone does need medical care, and whose weighted impact on overall medical outlays is dramatic).
A big reason for this delayed increase in prices is that many insurers were unable to gauge the full base-effect impact of Obamacare on their P&L: after all, effective implementation of Obamacare had been materially delayed thus preventing an apples to apples comparison of incurred fees versus revenues.
All that changed moments ago when core US inflation finally spiked the most since 2013 driven by a 0.7% monthly surge in medical care service costs: the highest since 2007!
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A big reason for this delayed increase in prices is that many insurers were unable to gauge the full base-effect impact of Obamacare on their P&L: after all, effective implementation of Obamacare had been materially delayed thus preventing an apples to apples comparison of incurred fees versus revenues.
All that changed moments ago when core US inflation finally spiked the most since 2013 driven by a 0.7% monthly surge in medical care service costs: the highest since 2007!
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Proposed Hybrid Residential District Banning Short-Term Rentals Moves To Public Hearing
At the end of last summer, Ocean City experienced a growing number of rental concerns and complaints. There were a couple of public hearings held before the commission to consider a potential amendment to the City Code regarding the R-1 Single Family Residential District and MH Mobile Home Residential District for the purpose of regulating short-term and long-term rentals to protect the character and compatibility of the districts as single-family neighborhoods.
The public hearings came on the heels of growing complaints over rental properties. According to the city, there are 3,845 parcels included in the R-1 and MH districts with 276 of those obtaining rental licenses. Between 2013 and now, there have been 67 complaints logged in those areas over 19 months. Only 13 properties received complaints, which is 4 percent of the total number of 276. The complaints received are primarily from residents of the Mallard Island subdivision.
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Motor Vehicle Collision- Impaired Driver
Date and Time: 5/23/2015 at approximately 02:15 AM
Location: OLD OCEAN CITY RD @ MD 610
Vehicles: Vehicle# 1 1992 Green GMC TRUCK MD TAG Z56729
Accused: Suspect/ Driver Vehicle #1: JESSICA PAIGE THERRES MD DL# T-620-403-676-893
Narrative:
On 5/23/2015 at approximately 02:15 AM, troopers were dispatched to the area of Old Ocean City Road at Md. 610.
Upon arrival, troopers learned that a Green 1992 GMC pickup Truck was traveling on Old Ocean road approaching Md. 610, when it failed to drive in a single lane and left the roadway and struck a ditch. The Green GMC truck was operated by Jessica Paige Therres of Berlin, Maryland.
Troopers identified the suspect/ driver of the Green GMC truck from her driver’s license photograph. During the investigation, troopers detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver’s breath and observed signs of impairment. After a battery of Standardized Field Sobriety tests, the driver was arrested.
At the barrack, Jessica Paige Therres refused to an alcohol concentration test. She was charged with DUI and related charges for the collision. There were no injuries to the driver.
Disposition: Taken in front of the Worcester County Commissioner.
Location: OLD OCEAN CITY RD @ MD 610
Vehicles: Vehicle# 1 1992 Green GMC TRUCK MD TAG Z56729
Accused: Suspect/ Driver Vehicle #1: JESSICA PAIGE THERRES MD DL# T-620-403-676-893
Narrative:
On 5/23/2015 at approximately 02:15 AM, troopers were dispatched to the area of Old Ocean City Road at Md. 610.
Upon arrival, troopers learned that a Green 1992 GMC pickup Truck was traveling on Old Ocean road approaching Md. 610, when it failed to drive in a single lane and left the roadway and struck a ditch. The Green GMC truck was operated by Jessica Paige Therres of Berlin, Maryland.
Troopers identified the suspect/ driver of the Green GMC truck from her driver’s license photograph. During the investigation, troopers detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver’s breath and observed signs of impairment. After a battery of Standardized Field Sobriety tests, the driver was arrested.
At the barrack, Jessica Paige Therres refused to an alcohol concentration test. She was charged with DUI and related charges for the collision. There were no injuries to the driver.
Disposition: Taken in front of the Worcester County Commissioner.
Senate blocks House NSA surveillance bill, 2-month extension
The Republican-led Senate blocked a House bill that would have ended the National Security Agency’s bulk of collection on domestic phone records. The Senate also failed to advance a two-month extension of NSA programs.
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Study: 'Natural Variations' In Climate, Not CO2, Caused Most Warming
Global temperature change observed over the last hundred years or so is well within the natural variability of the last 8,000 years, according to a new paperby a former Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change (IPCC) lead author.
Dr. Philip Lloyd, a South Africa-based physicist and climate researcher, examined ice core-based temperature data going back 8,000 years to gain perspective on the magnitude of global temperature changes over the 20th Century.
What Lloyd found was that the standard deviation of the temperature over the last 8,000 years was about 0.98 degrees Celsius– higher than the 0.85 degreesclimate scientists say the world has warmed over the last century.
“This suggests that while some portion of the temperature change observed in the 20th century was probably caused by greenhouse gases, there is a strong likelihood that the major portion was due to natural variations,” Lloyd wrote in his study.
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Dr. Philip Lloyd, a South Africa-based physicist and climate researcher, examined ice core-based temperature data going back 8,000 years to gain perspective on the magnitude of global temperature changes over the 20th Century.
What Lloyd found was that the standard deviation of the temperature over the last 8,000 years was about 0.98 degrees Celsius– higher than the 0.85 degreesclimate scientists say the world has warmed over the last century.
“This suggests that while some portion of the temperature change observed in the 20th century was probably caused by greenhouse gases, there is a strong likelihood that the major portion was due to natural variations,” Lloyd wrote in his study.
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US Missiles Bound for Iraq Could Fall Into ISIS' Hands
The U.S. is sending Iraq shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles to help thwart suicide vehicle bomb attacks, which the Islamic State (ISIS) used last weekend in capturing the city of Ramadi, according to reports.
The new weapons, numbering 1,000, were in the pipeline before Ramadi fell and are due to arrive in Iraq by mid-June, Bloomberg reports.
But the shipments take place amid concern about how ISIS forces are able to arm themselves — with U.S.-supplied weapons abandoned by or taken from the Iraqi military.
The fall of Ramadi, a key city 70 miles from the capital of Baghdad, "repeats a pattern in which defeated Iraq security forces have … left behind U.S.-supplied military equipment," which is then seized by ISIS and has to be destroyed by U.S. airstrikes, The Associated Press reports.
The Pentagon said Iraqi troops fleeing Ramadi abandoned artillery as well as dozens of military vehicles including tanks, armored personnel carriers and Humvees, the AP reports.
"This is how we get our weapons," says the narrator of an ISIS video posted online last weekend that shows Humvees sitting idle and boxes of unused American mortar shells and bullets at a captured Iraqi police station, The New Yorker reports.
"The Iraqi officials beg the Americans for weapons, and then they leave them here for us," the narrator gloats.
More here
The new weapons, numbering 1,000, were in the pipeline before Ramadi fell and are due to arrive in Iraq by mid-June, Bloomberg reports.
But the shipments take place amid concern about how ISIS forces are able to arm themselves — with U.S.-supplied weapons abandoned by or taken from the Iraqi military.
The fall of Ramadi, a key city 70 miles from the capital of Baghdad, "repeats a pattern in which defeated Iraq security forces have … left behind U.S.-supplied military equipment," which is then seized by ISIS and has to be destroyed by U.S. airstrikes, The Associated Press reports.
The Pentagon said Iraqi troops fleeing Ramadi abandoned artillery as well as dozens of military vehicles including tanks, armored personnel carriers and Humvees, the AP reports.
"This is how we get our weapons," says the narrator of an ISIS video posted online last weekend that shows Humvees sitting idle and boxes of unused American mortar shells and bullets at a captured Iraqi police station, The New Yorker reports.
"The Iraqi officials beg the Americans for weapons, and then they leave them here for us," the narrator gloats.
More here
Breast Cancer Charities Shut Down after Skimming $187 Million
After an extensive investigation into four different breast cancer charities, all of which were apparently run by the same family, the FTC has decided to file a civil complaint against The Breast Cancer Society, Children’s Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Support Services, and the Cancer Fund of America. The owners are accused of stealing $187 million from these funds between 2008 and 2012, and using the money on personal expenses.
The charities were not well-known, but managed to amass these funds through name recognition. Their names are remarkably similar to larger charities with better reputations. Among the purchases made by their owners, James Reynolds Jr, James Reynolds Sr, and his ex-wife Rose Perkins, include “luxury cruises, dating site memberships, and Victoria’s Secret lingerie,” and “cars, college tuition, gym memberships, jetski outings, and tickets to sports events and concerts.” The rest of the money was spent paying employees and other fundraising efforts.
These organizations were able to operate for years without oversight, due to a large influx of new charities that were founded since the year 2000. Apparently, the government hasn’t been able to keep tabs on all of them, although the independent watchdog group known as “Charity Watch” led by Founder Daniel Borochoff, has long since given them an “F” grade on his website. “This is a significant action, but it’s the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of other problems like this out there. . . . I hope they continue to go after some of these questionable operators.”
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The charities were not well-known, but managed to amass these funds through name recognition. Their names are remarkably similar to larger charities with better reputations. Among the purchases made by their owners, James Reynolds Jr, James Reynolds Sr, and his ex-wife Rose Perkins, include “luxury cruises, dating site memberships, and Victoria’s Secret lingerie,” and “cars, college tuition, gym memberships, jetski outings, and tickets to sports events and concerts.” The rest of the money was spent paying employees and other fundraising efforts.
These organizations were able to operate for years without oversight, due to a large influx of new charities that were founded since the year 2000. Apparently, the government hasn’t been able to keep tabs on all of them, although the independent watchdog group known as “Charity Watch” led by Founder Daniel Borochoff, has long since given them an “F” grade on his website. “This is a significant action, but it’s the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of other problems like this out there. . . . I hope they continue to go after some of these questionable operators.”
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How Republicans Can Capture The Millennial Vote
The Republican party has a problem when it comes to millennials. What’s the use in ignoring it?
In 2012, young voters overwhelmingly turned out for Democrats. But there was also another dynamic at work: During that election cycle, most millennials wanted to avoid being labeled as a Republican. To align oneself with the “R word” was, in their minds, to support a party that was out of touch with the young, cosmopolitan and intellectually curious population.
But that’s the past. What about the future?
Millennials could make up more than 36 percent of the voting pool in 2016. So while bringing this critical demographic to the right side of the ballot box won’t be easy, but it’s never been more important.
Where should the GOP start?
By intelligently rebranding its message. The key to success doesn’t lie in changing the message, but in packaging and selling it more effectively. Put simply, conservatives have to show millennials why conservatism can work for them.
Here’s how:
In 2012, young voters overwhelmingly turned out for Democrats. But there was also another dynamic at work: During that election cycle, most millennials wanted to avoid being labeled as a Republican. To align oneself with the “R word” was, in their minds, to support a party that was out of touch with the young, cosmopolitan and intellectually curious population.
But that’s the past. What about the future?
Millennials could make up more than 36 percent of the voting pool in 2016. So while bringing this critical demographic to the right side of the ballot box won’t be easy, but it’s never been more important.
Where should the GOP start?
By intelligently rebranding its message. The key to success doesn’t lie in changing the message, but in packaging and selling it more effectively. Put simply, conservatives have to show millennials why conservatism can work for them.
Here’s how:
USPS Plan to Replace Entire Truck Fleet at Once Under Fire
The United States Postal Service's plan to replace its entire fleet of more than 200,000 mail trucks at once doesn't make any sense, lawmakers said Thursday.
During a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, representatives from the government and the private sector testified and said the vehicles do need to be replaced. But a smarter, more cost-effective solution would be to do so over time, according to The Daily Caller.
The "Long Life Vehicles," or LLVs, currently in use have an operational lifespan of 24 years and are lasting an average of 23 years. The aging fleet is in dire need of replacing.
The USPS is seeking proposals from companies to build the next version of the LLVs, called "Next Generation Delivery Vehicles" (NGDVs), at a cost of between $25,000 and $35,000 each. The total cost would lie somewhere between $4.5 billion and $6.3 billion, reports The Daily Caller.
The problem, however, is there might not be enough money for the Postal Service to buy the vehicles. And even if the agency were to buy a new fleet, they would need replacing in another quarter century. With mail service becoming old-fashioned and outdated, some think the high cost of replacing the entire fleet would not be financially smart.
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During a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, representatives from the government and the private sector testified and said the vehicles do need to be replaced. But a smarter, more cost-effective solution would be to do so over time, according to The Daily Caller.
The "Long Life Vehicles," or LLVs, currently in use have an operational lifespan of 24 years and are lasting an average of 23 years. The aging fleet is in dire need of replacing.
The USPS is seeking proposals from companies to build the next version of the LLVs, called "Next Generation Delivery Vehicles" (NGDVs), at a cost of between $25,000 and $35,000 each. The total cost would lie somewhere between $4.5 billion and $6.3 billion, reports The Daily Caller.
The problem, however, is there might not be enough money for the Postal Service to buy the vehicles. And even if the agency were to buy a new fleet, they would need replacing in another quarter century. With mail service becoming old-fashioned and outdated, some think the high cost of replacing the entire fleet would not be financially smart.
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Kent Island Families Speak Out About Homeless Shelter
"Through these doors is a playground." Kent Island families speak out as funding of $2.7 million, 44-bed homeless...
Posted by Save Our Stevensville on Friday, May 22, 2015
States move to restrict items eligible for food stamp purchases
WASHINGTON – In the long-running campaign by Republican-led states to rein in food stamp abuses and curb the now-$74 billion program, lawmakers are trying a new approach: Restricting what foods can and can't be on a family's grocery list.
The move is controversial, with critics accusing GOP lawmakers of playing food police to further burden people already struggling.
But proponents say the idea is not to punish people -- but promote healthy lifestyles by curbing the junk food they're buying with the government's help.
“It’s not meant to shame anyone or be punitive," Wisconsin state Rep. Robert Brooks said.
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The move is controversial, with critics accusing GOP lawmakers of playing food police to further burden people already struggling.
But proponents say the idea is not to punish people -- but promote healthy lifestyles by curbing the junk food they're buying with the government's help.
“It’s not meant to shame anyone or be punitive," Wisconsin state Rep. Robert Brooks said.
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Teamsters Spend Big On Politics While Preparing To Cut Pensions
The Teamsters have begun informing retirees and current workers that their pension benefits may soon be cut, the final ironic twist to a lobbying campaign that saw the union spend its own members’ dollars to win the right to shrink their retirement pay.
The somber notifications began going out from the Teamsters Central States Health and Welfare Pension Fund this spring, a decision that could ultimately affect 410,000 current pension participants and a total of more than 10 million U.S. workers nationwide. Cuts could begin as early as next year.
The cuts were made possible after the lame-duck Congress late last year passed the Multi-employer Pension Reform Act (MPRA), enabling any multiemployer pension fund to cut benefits to workers and current retirees if the plan is underfunded by at least 20 percent.
The Teamsters pension fund has been struggling with severe shortages for years, even as the union continued to pour millions of dollars into political election efforts and Washington lobbying.
In 2014 alone, the union and its affiliates spent nearly $5.9 million on lobbying and political contributions, and one of its main legislative targets was passage of the pension reform law that finally gave it the right to start reducing benefits, according to the lobbying reports it filed with Congress.
More here
The somber notifications began going out from the Teamsters Central States Health and Welfare Pension Fund this spring, a decision that could ultimately affect 410,000 current pension participants and a total of more than 10 million U.S. workers nationwide. Cuts could begin as early as next year.
The cuts were made possible after the lame-duck Congress late last year passed the Multi-employer Pension Reform Act (MPRA), enabling any multiemployer pension fund to cut benefits to workers and current retirees if the plan is underfunded by at least 20 percent.
The Teamsters pension fund has been struggling with severe shortages for years, even as the union continued to pour millions of dollars into political election efforts and Washington lobbying.
In 2014 alone, the union and its affiliates spent nearly $5.9 million on lobbying and political contributions, and one of its main legislative targets was passage of the pension reform law that finally gave it the right to start reducing benefits, according to the lobbying reports it filed with Congress.
More here
HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 5-23-15
Brooms
How can something as innocuous as a broom generate any thoughts in anybody? Well, the broom is something that has been around a long time. Many generations ago, corn brooms were a staple in every house. This predated the vacuum cleaner by many years. The lowly broom needed no electricity, only the efforts of the sweeper. It probably evolved from a branch from a tree used to clean things from the floor in a house (or cave). Years ago, broom making was a profession that required a certain amount of skill. A good corn broom was an essential for every house wife. There are still broom makers today, but it is mainly a craft that is displayed at festivals and other venues that feature skills of old.
Like the one pictured above, my mother would only use a “Betty Broom”. She would walk the three blocks from our home at Truitt Street to the grocery store on the corner of Church and Naylor Streets because they were the only place that she could get her favored broom. She did this well into her seventies, even though I told her it was not safe for her to travel to that neighborhood. I have to admit that a “Betty Broom” is far superior to the new-fangled models that are made by other companies today. The plastic models just don’t do the job of a good corn broom.
The vacuum cleaner came about when electricity was introduced to the American house wife. They were for the more affluent because of the cost, but they never replaced the good, old corn broom. There are many jobs that require a broom. My grandmother swore by her Bissell sweeper. She never had a vacuum cleaner, and I can’t ever remember her floors less than “eat-off” clean. My own “Betty Broom” serves me in many ways, and I wouldn’t be without it. Through the years, it has worn down, so I thought I would get another. I went to the same grocery store, and they didn’t know what I was talking about. In fact, they didn’t have many groceries in the store. There was, however, a plethora of junk food, sodas and lottery tickets. Times change.
Years ago, brooms, or any other of the house wife’s brush needs, could be filled by the Fuller Brush man. He would go door-to-door selling a myriad of items that were used in the home. His job was arduous and time-consuming, but every house wife knew his products and knew just what she wanted. I imagine we all can recall the familiar maroon oval surrounding the familiar “Fuller” on some item or other around the house.
A broom was an essential tool for the lady of the house. She could sweep the floor with it, or sweep out the cat or dog. It was as much a part of her as her apron.
If anyone knows where I can get another “Betty Broom”, please let me know.
Seacrets To Build Distillery Next To Existing Nightclub
OCEAN CITY – Seacrets continues to sail through the hurdles of adding a distillery to its grand plan as the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the approval of a Conditional Use this week to allow the operation on 49th Street
On Tuesday evening, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing to consider granting a Conditional Use permit in the Local Commercial District that allows Seacrets to erect a new distillery on 49th Street just east of Morley Hall where an empty parking lot sits now.
Seacrets President Leighton Moore presented the design of the distillery on Tuesday. An existing three story apartment building, consisting of six condos, will be razed to make room for the distillery.
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On Tuesday evening, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing to consider granting a Conditional Use permit in the Local Commercial District that allows Seacrets to erect a new distillery on 49th Street just east of Morley Hall where an empty parking lot sits now.
Seacrets President Leighton Moore presented the design of the distillery on Tuesday. An existing three story apartment building, consisting of six condos, will be razed to make room for the distillery.
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Democrat Pushes Bill To Create Database Of Gun Owners Via ‘Background Checks’ Bill
Ugh, not this idiocy again (my bold below):
A House Democrat has introduced legislation that would require sellers to obtain a background check for all guns sold at gun shows.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday reintroduced the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, a bill long championed by former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.),.
The bill would subject anyone selling or transferring a gun to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and require that transfers be reported to the attorney general.
Maloney said a background check is required when a Federal Firearm Licensee wants to sell firearms at a gun show, but no such requirement exists for private sales.
Gun show operators would be required to register with the attorney general and provide information on upcoming shows, including the identity of all firearm vendors, and keep a record of all vendors’ identities.
The legislation would call on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to hire investigators to inspect gun shows and examine records kept by gun show operators and vendors.
“Background checks keep guns out of criminal hands, but for no good reason current law allows many guns to be sold without this basic step,” Maloney said in a news release. “It wouldn’t be hard for gun show hosts to set up a background check station for private sellers. Many states already have this requirement, and my legislation would nationalize it.”
I wonder how many anti-gun Democrats have ever been to a gun show.
While they vary in size and dealer makeup around the nation, the most constant thing about gun shows is that the supermajority of firearms (generally more than 90-percent) sold are through FFLs, who conduct on-the-spot NICS background checks with each and every sale. Of course, the number of high-profile mass killers we’ve seen pass background checks shows that they simply don’t deter future crime, but logic has never been a strong point with anti-gun Democrats.
Maloney claims her bill would specifically target the individual seller… but it does so in ways that she’d rather hide.
You’ll note that the “Let’s Build An Illegal Database Of Gun Owners Bill” (which is what Maloney’s legislation should really be called) would require that the transfer of private property from one individual to another be reported to one of the most politicized and abused offices in the executive branch, the Attorney General.
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A House Democrat has introduced legislation that would require sellers to obtain a background check for all guns sold at gun shows.
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday reintroduced the Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, a bill long championed by former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.),.
The bill would subject anyone selling or transferring a gun to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and require that transfers be reported to the attorney general.
Maloney said a background check is required when a Federal Firearm Licensee wants to sell firearms at a gun show, but no such requirement exists for private sales.
Gun show operators would be required to register with the attorney general and provide information on upcoming shows, including the identity of all firearm vendors, and keep a record of all vendors’ identities.
The legislation would call on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to hire investigators to inspect gun shows and examine records kept by gun show operators and vendors.
“Background checks keep guns out of criminal hands, but for no good reason current law allows many guns to be sold without this basic step,” Maloney said in a news release. “It wouldn’t be hard for gun show hosts to set up a background check station for private sellers. Many states already have this requirement, and my legislation would nationalize it.”
I wonder how many anti-gun Democrats have ever been to a gun show.
While they vary in size and dealer makeup around the nation, the most constant thing about gun shows is that the supermajority of firearms (generally more than 90-percent) sold are through FFLs, who conduct on-the-spot NICS background checks with each and every sale. Of course, the number of high-profile mass killers we’ve seen pass background checks shows that they simply don’t deter future crime, but logic has never been a strong point with anti-gun Democrats.
Maloney claims her bill would specifically target the individual seller… but it does so in ways that she’d rather hide.
You’ll note that the “Let’s Build An Illegal Database Of Gun Owners Bill” (which is what Maloney’s legislation should really be called) would require that the transfer of private property from one individual to another be reported to one of the most politicized and abused offices in the executive branch, the Attorney General.
More
Baltimore Ravens & National Volleyball League Partner to Host Beach Volleyball “Clinic With The Pros”
Beach Volleyball “Clinic With The Pros”
at 4th Annual Ravens Ocean City Beach Bash Presented By Miller Lite
Clinic to be held May 30 from 2-3 PM at Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel
OCEAN CITY, Md. – The National Volleyball League (NVL) and the Baltimore Ravens are partnering to host a beach volleyball “Clinic With The Pros” on Saturday, May 30 from 2 – 3 PM as part of the 4th Annual Ravens Ocean City Beach Bash, Presented by Miller Lite. Adult and junior fans have the opportunity to join NVL pros for an afternoon of skills practice, instruction, contests and more. Several Ravens players and cheerleaders will also be in attendance to observe the event, which will take place on the beach directly in front of the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel – 10100 Coastal Hwy, Ocean City, MD 21842. Full event details may be viewed here.
“The NVL is thrilled to be part of the Ravens’ Beach Bash and bring another unique element to the weekend events,” said NVL Founder and CEO, Albert Hannemann. “We held our inaugural tournament at the Preakness Stakes back in 2011 and received tremendous support from the Maryland community so we’re excited to be back to share the beach volleyball lifestyle with local sports fans.”
NVL will be in at the Ocean City Boardwalk from May 29-31 for the third pro stop of the 2015 season. The three-day beach volleyball tournament will feature a 16-team draw per gender with teams competing for a $75,000 prize purse. NVL RIZE, the league’s amateur series, has partnered with Delaware Volleyball Academy to host a tournament Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, with all age divisions playing finals matches on center court in between the NVL pro finals, and aired for free on the NVL Network to thousands of fans around the U.S. and internationally. VIP tickets for the Ocean City Championships may be purchasedhere.
Ocean City Championships Highlights:
Friday, May 29
NVL Pro Qualifier – 9 AM – 6 PM
Saturday, May 30
Main Draw Matches – 9 AM – Dusk
NVL RIZE Tournament – 9 AM – 5 PM – REGISTER HERE
NVL & Ravens Ocean City Beach Bash “Clinic with the Pros” – 2 PM – 3 PM
Sunday, May 31
Quarter & Semi-Finals – 9 AM
NVL RIZE Tournament – 9 AM
Women’s Championships – 2:30 PM
Men’s Championships – 4:00 PM
The official Ocean City Championships hashtag is #NVLOceanCity
The Ocean City Championships is one of eight professional events on the NVL calendar in 2015. Remaining tournaments include:
July 10-12: Milwaukee Championships – Milwaukee, Wisc.
July 16-18: Midwest Championships – The Beach Water Park – Mason, Ohio
August 6-8: Hermosa Beach Championships – Hermosa Beach Pier – Hermosa Beach, CA
August 28-30: Seattle Championships – Alki Beach – Seattle, Wash.
September 24-26: Players Championships – Club Med Sandpiper Bay/NVL Volleyball Academies – Port St. Lucie, Fla.
The NVL is currently sponsored by Australian Gold, Bud Light, Club Med, Gatorade, Menards, Mikasa Sports, The ONE Group, and Polaroid.
For more information about the NVL, please visit: www.thenvl.com, view the 2015 sizzle reel or follow onFacebook, Twitter and Instagram. NVL’s VB Soul magazine may be viewed here.
About National Volleyball League
Established in 2010, the NVL is a professional beach volleyball league built by players for all players, united in one mission: to create a sustainable future for pro beach volleyball in the U.S. Home to eight professional events in 2015, a grassroots series, and the NVL Club Med Beach Volleyball Academy, the NVL is the only national platform for current professionals and players of all levels to showcase their talents and pursue their aspirations in the sport. With sand volleyball now a sanctioned high school sport, the NCAA’s fastest-growing emerging sport in history with 50 schools sponsoring it as of January 2015 and a Division 1 approved championship, the NVL is building the infrastructure for young players to achieve their dreams.
Father to marry adoptive son, with the court’s blessing!
Well, at first I thought this was a whole new level of debauchery, but not so much. 20 years ago, it was common for gay couples to use adoption as a ruse for estate planning and insurance. These two men in Pennsylvania, took advantage of this sanctioned loophole. Now that gay marriage is legal in that state, they had to get a court to annul their adoptive proceedings so they were no longer seen as father and son in the eyes of the state, but just as two men who wanted to get married. That’s exactly what happened and now that the once helpful maneuver has been done away with, they will tie the knot this summer.
The Pandora’s box of same-sex marriage has just released a new pairing unimaginable a few short years ago.
Norman MacArthur and Bill Novak, father and son, though not biologically, will soon be husband and … whatever, reports the Patch of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
The pair, both in their 70s, have been together for 50 years and registered in New York City as domestic partners in 1994. But when they moved to Pennsylvania, they discovered their domestic partnership wasn’t recognized, and legalized same-sex marriage was nowhere on the horizon.
Needing to take care of estate-planning issues, the pair pursued a novel legal approach. Novak adopted MacArthur in 2000. The fact their parents were deceased removed any legal objection.
“It was the only legal method we could use in Pennsylvania to give underpinning to our relationship,” MacArthur said.
More
The Pandora’s box of same-sex marriage has just released a new pairing unimaginable a few short years ago.
Norman MacArthur and Bill Novak, father and son, though not biologically, will soon be husband and … whatever, reports the Patch of Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
The pair, both in their 70s, have been together for 50 years and registered in New York City as domestic partners in 1994. But when they moved to Pennsylvania, they discovered their domestic partnership wasn’t recognized, and legalized same-sex marriage was nowhere on the horizon.
Needing to take care of estate-planning issues, the pair pursued a novel legal approach. Novak adopted MacArthur in 2000. The fact their parents were deceased removed any legal objection.
“It was the only legal method we could use in Pennsylvania to give underpinning to our relationship,” MacArthur said.
More
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