Police supporters use large sheets to block presence of Westboro protesters

Hundreds of supporters came to the funeral of slain Omaha Police Officer Kerrie Orozco to shield mourners from a handful of protesters Tuesday.

Wearing blue, about a hundred people arrived early at 24th and Cuming Streets, where the protesters intended to meet.

About 9 a.m., the supporters moved south to Cass Street, where they were joined by hundreds more, including a large group from the Patriot Guard.

There they unfurled large white sheets with blue lines across them.

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ICYMI: Baltimore Sun – “Andy Harris plays central role in NIH funding bill”

“Harris, who is not a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has been working behind the scenes to draft the provisions on the NIH, including an innovation fund that would direct the $10 billion to the agency. Much of that money would be spent on young investigators in early-stage research and high-risk projects that can lead to breakthroughs.”

“Harris has long focused on concerns that not enough grant money is reaching young scientists.”

Andy Harris plays central role in NIH funding bill
By John Fritze

A bill that would direct billions in new funding to the National Institutes of Health in return for changes in the way the Bethesda-based agency awards research grants passed a key legislative hurdle in Congress on Thursday.

Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Baltimore County, one of the most conservative members of the House, is playing a central role in crafting the bipartisan measure.

The legislation, which the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved Thursday in a rare unanimous vote, would direct $10 billion in new funding to the NIH over five years.

Harris, a Johns Hopkins-trained anesthesiologist who was elected to Congress based in part on his opposition to President Barack Obama's health care law, has written several provisions to direct more money to young researchers, who often struggle to compete with established scientists for limited grant funding.

"It makes good sense to invest in curing diseases that are very expensive to our national budget," he said before the legislation was approved by the committee. "We want to fund breakthrough research. … We're looking for the breakout ideas."

The committee approved the legislation after a last-minute squabble over how to pay for its provisions. Members agreed to offset its cost in part by selling 8 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the government's emergency stockpile of crude.

"We're helping new scientists begin their careers in research," Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat who has been working on the bill for more than a year, said this week. "We're going to have the progress that will help us reach patients sooner."

Passage of the legislation, which could reach the House floor as soon as next month, would have significant implications for Maryland, where research institutions received $1.3 billion in NIH funding in 2014 — the fifth-largest share in the country. The Johns Hopkins University is the state's largest beneficiary of medical research money, and one of the largest in the country.

The NIH spends about $30 billion annually on medical research. That level has remained fairly steady in recent years, despite cuts elsewhere in federal spending. But Dr. Francis Collins, the agency's director, and others say the rapid rate of medical inflation has eroded the impact of that spending.

Despite broad bipartisan support, the legislation still faces major obstacles. The Senate committee that oversees health issues is working on a separate bill that will likely look different from the House version. And questions remain about whether the appropriations committees that control spending in Congress will agree to the plan.

"This is a piece of legislation that has a lot of good ideas and can truly have a positive impact," said Benjamin Corb, director of public affairs for the Rockville-based American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "That's not to say there aren't some concerns with some specific provisions and the community anxiously awaits Congress following through with its commitment to increase funding. "

The legislation, known as the 21st Century Cures Act, focuses primarily on ways to speed the approval of medicine at the Food and Drug Administration — by, for example, allowing the pharmaceutical industry to rely more on "real-world evidence" to determine the efficacy of drugs for new treatments.

Harris, who is not a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has been working behind the scenes to draft the provisions on the NIH, including an innovation fund that would direct the $10 billion to the agency. Much of that money would be spent on young investigators in early-stage research and high-risk projects that can lead to breakthroughs.

Harris has long focused on concerns that not enough grant money is reaching young scientists.

Studies suggest that scientists often develop their career-defining ideas in their mid- to late 30s. But the average age of first-time recipients of the most sought-after NIH funding is 42.

Harris is the only current member of Congress who has conducted NIH-funded research.

As a state lawmaker in Annapolis and now in Congress, Harris has been a fiscal hawk, sometimes rejecting budget compromises negotiated by his party's leaders.

In this case, Harris said he supports the new spending in part because lawmakers found a way to pay for it and also because it comes with changes that he said will make the NIH more accountable.

Harris included language in the bill that would require the agency to develop a five-year strategic plan and that spells out that directors of the individual institutes at the NIH are responsible for each grant under their review.

Kim Hoppe, a spokeswoman for Johns Hopkins Medicine, cautioned that the proposal could change significantly in coming months as it works its way through the political process. But in a statement issued before the most recent draft of the bill was released, Hoppe said officials at the institution were pleased policymakers recognized the need for additional biomedical research funding.

STATE POLICE RESPOND TO FATAL ACCIDENT IN SOMERSET COUNTY

DATE & TIME: 05/26/2015 1717 hours
LOCATION: Md Rt 413 Crisfield Hwy Near Charles Cannon Road
VEHICLE 1: 1997 4door Honda Civic
OPERATOR 1: William Alan Bashor 57 year of age male.

On 05/26/2015 at 1717 hours Troopers of the Princess Anne Barrack responded to MD Rt 413 Crisfield Hwy in the area of Charles Cannon Road reference to a single vehicle collision. Initial investigation revealed Mr William Alan Bashor was traveling South bound on Crisfield Hwy in his 1997 Honda Civic when his vehicle went off the right side of the road striking a utility pole with Mr Bashor being fully ejected from his vehicle. Mr Bashor was pronounced deceased by EMS shortly after arriving on scene. Mr Bashor was transported to McCready Hospital and later transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore for an Autopsy. MSP Advanced Collision Investigator was contacted and responded to the scene, with this collision still being under investigation.

Couple Celebrates Birth of 100th Grandchild

An Illinois couple recently welcomed their 100th grandchild!

Leo and Ruth Zanger of Quincy have been married for 59 years and have 12 children, 53 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. The birth of great-grandson Jaxton Leo on April 8 made the number of grandkids an even 100.

"The good Lord has just kept sending them," Leo told The Quincy Herald-Whig. "We could start our own town."

Most of the family lives in the Quincy area. When they get together, they rent a church hall. It takes 50 pounds of ham or ten turkeys to feed everyone.

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Nullification News: 12 Bills Pass, 2 More Signed into Law

‘When two lesbians marry why does one wear a dress, and the other pants?’

Q: I am a straight middle-aged woman with dearly loved lesbian and transgender relatives and several close gay male friends, but I don’t know how to ask this question without getting someone mad at me. Why is it, when a lesbian couple marries, one wears a dress and the other wears pants (usually a tuxedo-like suit)? Every lesbian marriage I have attended or seen coverage of bears this out. Is there some reason for this? After all, when a gay male couple marries, neither partner ever feels required to dress like a woman. — Kris G., Alexandria

A: Well-intentioned questions are fair questions, and yours definitely falls into that category — although I’m glad you’re asking me and not some of your lesbian friends. It’s also timely, because June is the height of wedding season — and this June will probably become a historic one for same-sex couples when the Supreme Court issues its ruling on marriage equality.
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The Corruption of Your State Legislators Via the American Legislative Exchange Council

Tiny Dogs Who Think They' re Big

Ill. teen mom graduates high school with honors

A teen mom has defied all odds by graduating at the top of her Chicago high school class.

Trameka Pope gave birth just three days before her freshman year of high school.

"Eighth grade I found out that I was pregnant,” said Pope.

Next month she will graduate from Phillips High as valedictorian.

"I'm a cheerleader, I'm in national honor society, I'm a member in behind the paws, I'm in one goal,” said Pope.

She keeps a rigorous schedule, in addition to working part-time and raising her child.

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What You Leave Behind Can Cause Injury To Others

These pictures were taken at Assateague Island on Saturday. While one is graphic we would like you to know that a young...

Posted by Fenwick Island, DE on Sunday, May 24, 2015

Violent crime surges as arrests drop in Baltimore post-riots

Crime is rising in Baltimore, and some law enforcement experts suspect an anti-cop climate stemming from the racially charged case of Freddie Gray is at least partly responsible.

Homicides in 2015 so far stand at 100, up from 71 for the same period last year, and on pace to be the Charm City’s deadliest year since 2007. Nonfatal shootings are up 70 percent this year, following a particularly violent week that saw 19 people shot on Tuesday and Wednesday alone.

“It’s extremely frustrating,” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Thursday. “It is disheartening, but I am still resolved to continue to reduce violent crime in our city.”

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Free-Range Maryland Family Cleared of Child Neglect Charge

Hallelujah! Danielle and Alexander Meitiv have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Dec. 20 incident when they let their kids walk home from the park in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Washington Post reports:

A Maryland couple investigated for neglect after they let their two young children walk home alone from local parks have been cleared in one of two such cases, according to the family’s attorneys and documents.

The new Child Protective Services finding, which follows an appeal, comes as the experiences of “free range” parents Danielle and Alexander Meitiv have drawn national attention, sparking debate about parenting choices and how far local officials should go to enforce laws designed to protect children.

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‘Revitalizing’ Detroit with 50,000 Syrian Refugees?

It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum. The Obama administration’s policies around the world have created power vacuums with severe and often deadly consequences. These vacuums are profoundly impacting the Middle East and the rampage of ISIS and other terror organizations.

Today my focus will be on the massive numbers of refugees fleeing the chaos and violence of the Middle East and what this is likely to mean for the United States from a number of perspectives.

Millions of people are quite literally running for their lives and are heading to countries around the world. Make no mistake, this is a humanitarian crisis that pulls at people’s heartstrings, and rightfully so. As the grandson of a woman who was slaughtered in Poland during World War II, I understand how important it is for countries around the world to try to save lives.

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Are They Listening?

PacSun Feels the Wrath of Customers, Veterans Over American Flag Shirt Displayed on Memorial Day Weekend

Retailer PacSun is feeling the wrath of customers and military veterans after a photo of a T-shirt on display in one of its stores on Memorial Day weekend went viral.

The shirt features an upside-down American flag, a symbol that U.S. Flag Code makes clear is only to be used “in instances of extreme danger to life or property.” The shirt was reportedly first spotted at the store’s location at Tanger Outlets in Foley, Alabama.

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Makes You Wonder...

The Powerful Photo of a U.S. Marine and His Bride Moments Before Their Wedding That’s Going Viral

Just minutes before they came together in holy matrimony on Saturday, a U.S. Marine and his bride-to-be joined hands and prayed for their marriage — and a photo that shows them joyfully invoking the Lord has quickly gone viral.

The picture was taken after U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Caleb Earwood asked family members to bring him together with Maggie, his fiancée.

The two joined one another near a staircase, as he wore his Marine uniform and she donned her wedding gown; they kept their eyes closed so as to not see one another before the ceremony.

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JUST IN: IRS says thieves stole tax info from 100,000

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thieves used an online service provided by the IRS to gain access to information from more than 100,000 taxpayers, the agency said Tuesday.

The information included tax returns and other tax information on file with the IRS.

The IRS said the thieves accessed a system called “Get Transcript.” In order to access the information, the thieves cleared a security screen that required knowledge about the taxpayer, including Social Security number, date of birth, tax filing status and street address.

“The IRS notes this issue does not involve its main computer system that handles tax filing submission; that system remains secure,” the agency said in a statement.

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Dorchester County Sheriff's Office Press Release 5-26-15

On Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Detectives from the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office responded to 4930 Kraft Road, Vienna, Md. for a possible sexual assault. Upon arrival it was learned that a 13 year old male had touched a 3 year old female in an inappropriate manner. The 13 year old was arrested and charged with Third Degree Sex Offense, Fourth Degree Sex Offense and Second Degree Assault. Juvenile services released him to his grandmother. The victim has been examined and treated and the investigation is continuing with the assistance of Social Services.

Morris: As Other Dems Emerge, Hillary Will Crash

What is holding Hillary up? With all the negatives piling up at her door, why is she still dominant among Democratic voters?

Do the erased emails, the mounting evidence that she lied about Benghazi, the mountains of cash that have poured into the Clintons’ pockets make no difference? Have our Democrat cousins lost their collective mind? Does nothing matter to them but having a woman as president? Is it enough to protect the social programs on which they subsist? Does character count for nothing? Is blatant lying and covering up OK? What do they need to see the truth about Hillary? Or do they already know the truth but it doesn’t matter?

A simple fact accounts for Hillary’s elevated ratings in the polls: There are no other candidates.

To Democrats, politics is not a spectator sport. Their party has become a coalition of the needy who survive through government entitlements. Politics is, for them, literally a life-and-death matter. With about one-third of Americans dependent on means-tested entitlements, it seems that nothing matters but that a Democrat wins, regardless of what her record has been.

So, as long as there is no other Democrat actively running for president, the wrongs Hillary does do not bring her down. But, the flip side is that when other Democrats emerge in the 2016 race, they will rise quickly and acquire broad support. The negatives on Hillary, accumulating for month, will suddenly count, and voters will take a real look at their alternatives.

More here

SPD Press Release 5-26-15 (Weekly Shoplifting Arrests)

ROUTE 50 Traffic Alert

Traffic in the Eastbound lanes is backed up to Hobbs Road from Walston Switch.  There was a minor accident and there is also road construction going at Walston Switch.  Avoid this area if possible.

Project Vigil: D-Day 2014, The saluting boy on Omaha beach

On June 6th, 2014, my 11 year old son wanted to say thank you to the soldiers who fought and died on Omaha beach on D-Day morning 70 years earlier. This is how he did it.

BREAKING NEWS: Appeals court rules against Obama on immigration action

A federal appeals court refuses to lift a temporary hold on President Obama's executive action that could shield millions of illegal immigrants from deportation. 

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Christian Witness To Muslims Surges After ISIS Executions

A worldwide Christian organization says that the horrific executions of Christians by members of ISIS in Libya in February have sparked a surge in conversations between Christians and Muslims about faith.

Tami Yeager, a volunteer coordinator with the Voice of the Martyrs, reports the “vivid video footage” “did not spark division amongst Egypt’s 10 million Christians and 73 million Muslims.”

Quite the contrary, she said, “the declarations of faith uttered by the men only moments before their death have created fertile soil for conversation between Muslims and Christians.”

Her report appeared on the VOM blog site this week as a followup to a trip to the Middle East. The Christians killed by ISIS in February were mostly Egyptians who had gone to Libya for various jobs.

The ISIS video shows black-clad executioners leading a line of Christians down onto a beach then executing them.

Yeager reported: “Militants released video footage of the martyrdom of Coptic Christian men in Libya. The footage of their martyrdom included a caption that read – ‘The people of the cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian church.’ The 21 men who knelt before their persecutors were identified as ‘people of the cross,’ and asked to deny their faith or die. Many of the men are seen uttering their final words on this earth – ‘Lord Jesus Christ.’”

She said the statement of faith exhibited by the men “sparked the Bible Society of Egypt’s biggest campaign ever.”

“A Bible tract was created and sent to print within 36 hours following their public executions. Titled ‘Two Rows by the Sea,’ it carries a message of hope, comfort, and forgiveness for both Christians and Muslims alike. The Bible tract has been widely received in Egypt with 1.6 million copies distributed.”

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Bluegrass, String Music Deeply Rooted In African-American Tradition

Strains of African-American music beat in the deep heart of bluegrass, from the African-derived tones of the five-string banjo to the blue notes that give the music its characteristic lonesome sound.

At least two African-Americans who play bluegrass and string music – Tennessee picker Carl Johnson and Carolina Chocolate Drops member Hubby Jenkins – will perform at this week’s World of Bluegrass festivities in Raleigh. And acoustic-music giant Bela Fleck and banjoist/wife Abigail Washburn will likely explore the banjo’s African roots during their duet appearance Friday.

Johnson, 59, a powerful five-string banjo player and singer, grew up in the Virginia mountains. In the segregated South of the 1950s, he came to bluegrass through a family affection for gospel music, a style in which black and white traditions often merge.

“I’ve been listening to it all my life,” Johnson said during a recent interview, referencing the bluegrass stars he heard near Roanoke, Va. “We were lucky because we had Don Reno and Red Smiley on TV in the morning and Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs in the evening.”

Jenkins, 28, a New York-based musician in his fourth year with the wildly popular, Grammy-winning Chocolate Drops, also tours the United States and Europe with his solo mixture of old-time string music, blues and ragtime.

“Definitely in the band, and as a personal mission, I want to bring this music forward,” Jenkins said. “We’re trying to spark more interest in the African-American community, not just as museum music, but as music for the people.”

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People return to US Capitol after evacuation

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Police briefly evacuated the U.S. Capitol and its visitors' center on Tuesday as alarms sounded in both buildings.

Kimberly Schneider, a spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police, said officers investigated the cause of an audible alarm and had told people to leave the Capitol and the connecting visitors' center. Lawmakers are in recess this week for the weeklong Memorial Day break.

"There are no signs of smoke or fire," Schneider said. Within an hour after alarms had sounded, employees return to the building. Tourists were not immediately readmitted.

Police also has closed First Street between Constitution and Independent Avenues, and part of East Capitol Street.

In a message to congressional offices, police said, "An evacuation has been ordered for U.S. Capitol Visitor Center due to an audible alarm. Remain calm and move in a safe manner to the exits."

Hundreds of tourists were forced out of the building onto the East Lawn between the Capitol and the Library of Congress.

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Man with pressure cooker in car apologizes, calls actions ‘stupid’

WASHINGTON — The man who owned the pressure cooker destroyed by police during the Memorial Day concert apologized for his actions and said he should have considered the contents of his vehicle before choosing a parking space along the National Mall Sunday evening.

Israel Shimeles, of Alexandria, tells NBC Washington that he understands why the propane tank and pressure cooker, which he uses for work and were left in his vehicle, caused concern and why the U.S. Capitol Police had to destroy the pressure cooker.

“I’m in the belly of the beast. Basically, I parked right in front of the Capitol,” Shimeles tells NBC Washington. “I just happened to be there. I should have thought about it a little bit more.”

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JUST IN: Police evacuate U.S. Capitol, Visitors' Center

Police have evacuated the U.S. Capitol and the visitors' center.

Capitol police provided no explanation for the move, simply saying it was an emergency. In a message to congressional offices, police said, "an evacuation has been ordered for U.S. Capitol Visitor Center due to an audible alarm. Remain calm and move in a safe manner to the exits."

Hundreds of tourists were forced out of the building onto the East Lawn between the Capitol and the Library of Congress.

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The 2016 Political Report: Walker Emerges As GOP Front-runner

OKLAHOMA CITY — The annual Southern Republican Leadership Conference provided a glimpse into the state of the Republican base and the presidential field.

The conference revealed a Republican base that is (1) broadly happy with the crowded and conservative field, (2) still smitten with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and (3) unimpressed and uninterested in Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Senate chaos over the Patriot Act kept the four senators who are running from making it, dampening the mood a bit.

The candidates running a second time — Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, and Mike Huckabee — do not excite the conservative base.

Also, it was evident from the speakers and the attendees that defense and national security have returned to the forefront of the Republican mind.


Straw Poll: The straw poll results mostly reflected Scott Walker's popularity, and the apprehension the Republican base has for Jeb Bush and Chris Christie, the perceived establishment moderates in the field.

1) Dr. Ben Carson won the straw poll handily, thanks to his having the biggest organized effort. His campaign bought a booth and bought 100 tickets, to allow supporters to attend for free. Many of these supporters came in from out of state. All told, Carson won about 240 votes.

2) The biggest winner may have been Wisconsin Gov. Walker, who finished a close second, with about 200 votes. He had no organized effort to win the straw poll, but he still won the most votes among Oklahomans in the crowd.

More here

You would never expect THIS to happen on a golf course!

Hopefully no one was golfing when the ground opened up underneath a golf course last week. It would have been terrifying to see the ground suddenly disappear underneath you.

NBC News reports,

Four sinkholes opened up at the Top of the Rock Golf Course in Ridgedale, Missouri, on Friday, reported the Springfield News-Leader. The largest was 60 feet by 80 feet wide, and 35 feet deep.

The biggest sinkhole started near the practice range at about 6:30 a.m., and kept growing, reported NBC affiliate KYTV. No injuries were reported. Inspectors were on the scene, trying to figure out the best way to fill the holes.

Let’s hope the club had good insurance. When man runs up against acts of God, man isn’t likely to come out ahead – and insurance companies are well aware of that.

Source

Canadian Jeweler Makes Rings For Gay Wedding, Still Gets Threatened

A Canadian jeweler displayed posters in his store advocating traditional marriage, which prompted one same-sex couple to ask for a refund of their custom-made engagement rings.

Nicole White and Pam Renouf were looking for engagement rings a few months ago and eventually landed at Today’s Jewellers in Mount Pearl where the couple said they were given excellent service and great price for their rings.

“They were great to work with. They seemed to have no issues. They knew the two of us were a same-sex couple,” Ms. White told Canada’s CBC news. “I referred some of my friends to them, just because I did get good customer service and they had good prices.”

A friend of the couple went in to the store to purchase a ring for his girlfriend and saw a poster that read “The sanctity of marriage is under attack. Let’s keep marriage between a man and a woman,” CBC reported May 16.

The friend took a photo of the poster and sent it to Ms. White, who said she had no idea about the poster until that point.

“It was really upsetting. Really sad, because we already had money down on [the rings], and they’re displaying how much they are against gays, and how they think marriage should be between a man and a woman,” Ms. White said, CBC reported.

The couple went to the store the next day to ask about the sign and demanded a refund.

“They just said that that’s their beliefs, and they think they can put up whatever they want. I just said it was very disrespectful, it’s very unprofessional and I wanted a refund,” Ms. White said, CBC reported.

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Leftists Still Pushing Debunked Gay Marriage Study Despite Researcher Lying About Facts and Funding

Over the last few months the left has been pushing a gay marriage study that claimed that political persuasion was changing people’s minds about gay marriage and smoothing its way to legality. But it turns out that not only did this guy lie about his “research,” he even lied about the funding he supposedly got to conduct the study.

The study was published in Science magazine last December. But this month it was thoroughly debunked. But now we find that the man who wrote the faux study even lied about his funding.

In fact, according to The New Yorker, LaCour received no funding at all for the study — which was published last December in Science magazine and discredited earlier this week — into whether views on same-sex marriage change due to interaction with gay individuals.

“He didn’t have any grants coming to him. He had a small one that he didn’t accept,” Donald Green, the co-author of the retracted study and a political science professor at Columbia University, told The New Yorker about the study that claimed respondents started to accept same-sex marriage after positive interactions with gay people.

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Secret Plan to Pay Media for Favorable Coverage of Radical UN Agenda 21 ‘Sustainable Development’ Policy

Super rich busybody Ted Turner, his UN-pushing organization, and several other groups have been quietly “training” members of the “media” to write favorable stories about the United Nations’ disastrous “Agenda 21″ policy, a plan meant to further the socialist goals of limiting economic growth and promoting “sustainable development.”

This is another perfect example of why you shouldn’t believe anything you read in the “news” media.

The United Nations Foundation created by billionaire Ted Turner, along with a branch of media giant Thomson Reuters, is starting to train a squadron of journalists and subsidize media content in 33 countries—including the U.S. and Britain–in a planned $6 million effort to popularize the bulky and sweeping U.N.-sponsored Sustainable Development Goals, prior to a global U.N. summit this September. where U.N. organizers hope they will be endorsed by world leaders.

The unprecedented media push is formally intended to start on May 25 but is already underway. It is intended to help breathe some new life into a sprawling U.N. effort–supported by, among others, the Obama administration–to create a global social and environmental agenda for the next 15 years.

It is taking place in parallel with an equally strong but unrelated media cheerleading push by supporters of strong climate change action to help set in stone a new global greenhouse gas emissions treaty at a Paris summit in December.

If the U.N. is for it, you should be against it.

Source

Coalition of States Calling For Convention to Limit Federal Power

Alabama became the fourth state on Thursday to pass the legislation calling for a convention of states to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government.

Alabama is the first state to pass such legislation this year and joins Georgia, Florida, and Alaska which passed the Convention of States resolution in 2014.

The Convention of States efforts hinges on Article V of the U.S. Constitution, which allows Congress to propose amendments and “on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, Congress shall call a convention for proposing amendments.”

Alabama’s resolution would impose fiscal restraints on the federal government and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.

In a statement on Thursday, Terry Richmond, Alabama legislative liaison said he was “overwhelmed by the support we received from both volunteers and legislators over the past few months. The dedication, vision, and prayers of every volunteer in the state, along with the hard work and commitment of our sponsors and their staff, is what made this victory possible. The people of Alabama should hold their heads high — they’ve implemented the Founders tool to fight federal overreach, and we’re one step closer to turning a Convention of States into a reality.”

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B.B. King Death to Be Investigated as Homicide

The death of blues guitar legend B.B. King this month will be investigated as a homicide, a Nevada coroner's office said Monday.

King died at age 89 on May 14 in Las Vegas, where he kept his residence amid constant touring ended only last year.

Two of King's daughters have reported concerns that his death may have been related to foul play, Las Vegas media reported.

"Our coroner takes jurisdctn over #BBKing body, performs autopsy. Results:6-8wks min. Homicide investgtn w/ @LVMPD," the Clark County, Nevada coroner's office announced on Twittter, referring to the Las Vegas police department.

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Drudge Rips GOP Leadership: ‘Night of the Republican Suicide’

Media giant Matt Drudge blasted Republican leadership on Twitter Friday night after the GOP-led Senate approved a new free trade bill.

“Twisted DC: Electing Republicans is guarantee of MORE powers for Obama… of course none of them read ‘secret’ bill!” Mr. Drudge tweeted.

The Drudge Report founder slammed House Speaker John Boehner who expressed support for the bill after the Pacific trade bill passed the Senate.

“Disrespect for voters is staggering. Boehner will not make public ‘most important’ trade deal in history? Hides behind ‘classified’ status..,” Mr. Drudge tweeted.

“BOEHNER: We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it…,” another tweet reads.

Calling it the “night of the Republican suicide,” Mr. Drudge said a GOP loss in 2016 could be “traced to tonight’s trade deception.”

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8 Killed, 27 Shot In Weekend Shootings In Baltimore

City police said of 27 people who were shot, at least eight of them were killed in a series of separate shooting in Baltimore since Friday afternoon.

In the most recent events, officers were called to the 1600 block of Hazel Street around 10:30 p.m. Sunday for a report of discharging of a firearm.

While investigating, police were notified of a walk-in shooting victim to an area hospital. The man at the hospital sustained a gunshot wound to his buttocks. The victim told police he was shot by two masked men.

No further details are available. Detectives are investigating and ask that anyone with information to call 410-396-2499.

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Pruden: Flying As Close To The Flame As Hillary Dares

Everything about the Clintons, both Hillary and Bubba, is a lie, including (to steal a memorable line from the author Mary McCarthy) the “a,” the “and,” and the “the.” Neither Bubba nor Hillary know how to tell the truth, but both of them are masters at spinning the lie.

The dump of some of Hillary’s official emails this week reveals just how she operated as the secretary of State, employing an old courtier to help her deceive and distort the facts about her role in hanging an American ambassador out to die in Benghazi.

Mrs. Clinton not only set up her own private communications network when she was the secretary of State, but established her own intelligence network, relying on Sidney Blumenthal, the old courtier and Clinton family field hand, a character assassin well known in Washington as “Sid Vicious.”

Mr. Vicious was a busy little bee. The New York Times reported this week that he was on the payroll of the Clinton Foundation, the front for the family’s various political and financial enterprises, while at the same time he was (1) on the payroll of several groups helping Hillary get ready to run for president, (2) being paid to “advise” several American businessmen trying to get in on making money in the chaos of the collapse of the Gadhafi regime in Libya, and (3) advising Hillary in her official position as secretary of State, and being paid, The New York Times reports, to do “research, ‘message guidance,’ and the planning of commemorative events.”

More from Wesley Pruden

Democrats’ Irresponsible Pension-Funding Bet In Maryland

From The Washington Post

Editorial Board - "The Democrats’ hypocrisy is thick, and their arguments are thin."__________________________________________________________________________________

The Washington PostEditorial BoardMay 25, 2015

“FOUR YEARS ago, lawmakers in Annapolis struck a deal to undergird Maryland’s perilously indebted pension fund. ...

“Last year lawmakers failed to honor the deal, slashing the state’s contribution in half. This year they did it again, whacking the catch-up payment to just $75 million for the fiscal year starting in July.

“Yet when Gov. Larry Hogan (R) put his foot down, insisting on a $150 million payment — still just half the amount approved in 2011 — Democrats in the legislature painted him as a bogeyman and refused to go along.

“The Democrats’ hypocrisy is thick, and their arguments are thin. They rest mainly on the supposition that the $45 billion pension fund is already well on its way to recovery and that everyone should just relax if cash is diverted from it to other needs. …

“Mr. Hogan went along with the Democrats’ priorities, up to a point. He allowed a 2 percent raise for state employees, and he released funds for pregnant women and other public health programs. He drew the line at $68 million earmarked by lawmakers to help public schools in high-cost parts of the state.

“The governor says he will refuse to spend that money in the coming fiscal year and then redirect most of it to the pension fund, along with surplus cash if it materializes. Democrats may try to block him from doing so; they insist they will stand on principle.

“What exactly is that principle? Their prerogative to burden a future generation of taxpayers with deferred debt in an amount the legislature’s own top analyst calls ‘eye-popping’? The right to take back a promise when pressed to do so by competing interests? If that’s principle, it’s frightening to imagine what political expediency looks like.”

The state of gay rights around the world

The wave of acceptance for same-sex couples that has washed through some Western countries has not reached all shores. Many countries still punish homosexual acts with prison time, torture and even death. Here's a look at countries with noteworthy laws.

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Democrats Call For 'Flood' of Muslims to U.S.

A group of 14 Democrat senators has written a letter to President Obama urging him to “dramatically increase” the number of Syrian refugees being resettled into American cities and towns.

They say the U.S. needs to take in at least 65,000 Syrians as permanent refugees over the next year-and-a-half.

“While the United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees, we must also dramatically increase the number of Syrian refugees that we accept for resettlement,” says the four-page letter to Obama, copied to Secretary of State John Kerry and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

More than 3.5 million Syrians are registered with the United Nations as refugees, and the U.N. wants to assign about 350,000 of them to so-called “third-party countries.”

The 14 senators, led by Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., cite the research of the Refugee Council USA to make their case for 65,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016. RCUSA is the main lobbying arm of the nine agencies that contract with the federal government to resettle refugees in cities and towns across America.

The more refugees brought into the country, the more government grants will be doled out to the nine resettlement agencies.

Of the 843 Syrians resettled in the U.S. since the start of the Syrian civil war, 92 percent have been Muslim and about 7 percent Christian. Syria’s overall population is 90 percent Muslim and close to 10 percent Christian.

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Memorial Day diss: 21-gun salute scrubbed because it violates local ordinance

Ordinance from 1983 forbids “any person to use, fire or discharge any gun or other firearm within the borough"

A Pennsylvania town has scrubbed a planned Memorial Day 21-gun salute honoring its Civil War heroes because of elders’ blind adherence to a local ordinance.

A 1983 Stroudsburg, Penn., ordinance forbids “any person to use, fire or discharge any gun or other firearm within the borough,” which includes discharging blanks, according to the Pocono Record, which reported:

Stroudsburg Borough Council member Boyd Weiss said the 21-gun salute is a practice that has taken place in the borough for most of his life.

Weiss said he understands why the ordinance is in place, but he thought an exception could be made because the salute was customary at similar events in the past.

“I couldn’t understand that,” Weiss said. “My entire life we’ve had gun salutes on Veterans Days or in celebration of veterans.”

Because the cemetery lies within the borough limits, the ordinance would bar a military funeral with full honors, Weiss said.

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China Says U.S. South China Sea Actions 'Irresponsible, Dangerous'

China said on Friday it was "strongly dissatisfied" after a U.S. spy plane flew over part of the South China Sea this week near where China is building artificial islands, and called on the United States to stop such action or risk causing an accident.

The U.S. flight on Wednesday was highlighted by the unusual Pentagon decision to invite a CNN team aboard the Poseidon surveillance plane. It said the Chinese navy issued eight warnings to the aircraft to move away from the contested territory.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Chinese military drove away the aircraft, in accordance with relevant regulations. He labeled the U.S. action a security threat to China's islands and reefs.

"Such action is likely to cause an accident, it is very irresponsible and dangerous and detrimental to regional peace and stability. We express our strong dissatisfaction, we urge the U.S. to strictly abide by international law and international rules and refrain from taking any risky and provocative actions," he told a news conference.

"China will continue to closely monitor the relevant area and take the necessary and appropriate measures to prevent harm to the safety of China’s islands and reefs as well as any sea and air accidents."

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Secret Pentagon Report Reveals US “Created” ISIS

Fallen Wicomico Co. Native Honored At Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens

TIMONIUM, Md. (WJZ)–Maryland honors our fallen soldiers today. A Wicomico County native was the only Marylander killed in service in the past 12 months.

Pat Warren has more on the ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

Those who cannot be here are remembered by those who can and who will continue to honor their service.

“Leaders and heroes like Sgt. Major Wardell Turner whose life mission was to rise above and who believed that you always leave a place better than you found it,” said Col. Tom Manion.

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ALABAMA SENATE APPROVES LOADED GUNS IN CARS BILL

Bill allows any lawful adult 18 or over in the state to have a loaded firearm in their personal vehicle, home or business without a handgun permit

A Senate proposal to allow those without a concealed carry permit to keep a loaded firearm in their vehicle is advancing to the Alabama House.

The measure, which passed in an easy 24-4 vote Thursday, will repeal the current prohibition on keeping a ready firearm for self-defense in personal vehicles in the Dixie State and, according to its author, is a long-time coming.

“All the states that touch the borders of Alabama do not require a pistol permit to carry in their vehicles,” said Sen. Gerald Allen, R, the bill’s sponsor in a statement. “A vehicle is extension of your home and you should have the right to defend yourself in your vehicle without having to buy a pistol permit.”

Allen’s legislation, SB 14, would allow any lawful adult 18 or over in the state to have a loaded firearm in their personal vehicle, home or business without a handgun permit. Under current state law, doing so without a license granted by a local sheriff in the state can constitute disorderly conduct, even if the possessor has committed no other crime.

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EMAIL: HILLARY DIDN’T KNOW DEAD AMBASSADOR’S NAME

The night a U.S. ambassador was killed in a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, Hillary Clinton sent a message three senior State Department officials.

The recepients were Jake Sullivan, Deputy Chief of Staff to then-Secretary of State Clinton, Cheryl Mills, an adviser to Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign and Counselor and Chief of Staff to the Secretary, and Victoria Jane Nuland, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.

“Cheryl told me the Libyans confirmed his death. Should we announce tonight or wait until morning?” Clinton says in the email, time stamped 11:38 p.m. on Sept. 11, 2012.

The email had as its subject line: “Chris Smith.” The murdered ambassador was Chris Stevens.

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Economist: Government Preparing to Seize 401(k) Pensions

Supreme Court ruling sets the stage for "economic totalitarianism"

Economist Martin Armstrong warns that a Supreme Court ruling last week has set the stage for the federal government to begin seizing private pension funds.

According to Armstrong, the outcome of Tibble v. Edison, which found that employers have a duty to protect their workers’ 401(k) plans from mutual funds that perform poorly, will grease the skids for the feds to seize private funds and prosecute companies who manage mutual funds badly.

“Between the court ruling and the Obama administration’s push for stronger fiduciary rules,” the developments send a, “strong message that government can much easier seize the pension fund management industry of course to “protect the consumer,” writes Armstrong, warning that the ruling, “sets the stage to JUSTIFY government seizure of private pension funds to protect pensioners,” when the economy gets “messy”.

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Unemployment Rate Dropped for Foreign-Born Workers in 2014

The unemployment rate for foreign-born workers in the U.S. fell to 5.6% in 2014 from 6.9% in 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday, reflecting the overall firming up of the labor market last year.

The unemployment rate for the native-born fell to 6.3% last year from 7.5% in 2013.

Since 2009, when the national unemployment rate peaked, joblessness among foreign-born workers has fallen by 4.1 percentage points. The drop was 2.9 percentage points for the native born.

The report is compiled annually from the Current Population Survey. Foreign-born workers are those living in the U.S. who were not U.S. citizens at birth and who were born outside the country to parents who were not themselves U.S. citizens, according to the BLS.

The number of foreign-born workers kept rising. Last year, there were 25.7 million in the U.S., up from 25.3 million in 2013. They accounted for 16.5% of the labor force in 2014, up from 16.3% the year before and 15.5% in 2009, the year the recovery began.

The foreign-born worker labor-force participation rate—the share aged 16 and older working or looking for work–was 66.0% in 2014, higher than the native-born rate of 62.3%. Foreign-born workers are more likely than native-born workers to be male and more likely to be between the ages of 25 to 54, ages when the participation rate is highest, according to the BLS.

About 48.3% of the foreign-born workers in 2014 were Hispanic and 24.1% of them were Asian last year, according to BLS. The composition of foreign workers has shifted since 2009, with Hispanics’ share decreasing and Asians’ rising.

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MSP Press Release 5-25-15 (Easton Barrack)

Avocados and milk

A wife asks her husband, "Could you please go shopping for me and buy one carton of milk and if they have avocados, get 6”.

A short time later the husband comes back with 6 cartons of milk. The wife asks him, "Why did you buy 6 cartons of milk?"

He replied, "They had avocados."

Note:
If you're a woman, I'm sure you're going back to read it again!
Men will get it the first time. My work is done here.

Strong Women in Business Networking Luncheon in Crisfield

Strong Women in Buisness Networking Luncheon in Cambridge

A Disaster In The Making

Benefits

You're An Idiot

Life In Salisbury Maryland

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