As city and state officials tally the toll from rioting and looting in Baltimore in April, Maryland Lottery officials are also accounting for losses.
Looters not only targeted pharmacies and corner stores, they also stole thousands of scratch-off tickets, said Carole Everett, spokeswoman for the Maryland Lottery.
The tickets are worth tens of thousands of dollars, she said, but culprits can't necessarily cash in winning tickets.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, June 06, 2015
Report: ISIS Leader Encourages Pedophilia
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Caliph Ibrahim of the Islamic State, reportedly tweeted that it is permissible for jihadists “to enjoy young boys in the absence of women,” another shocking insight into the warped beliefs of ISIS.
Al-Baghdadi’s Twitter account was suspended last year, but the screenshot of the tweet has re-emerged after being posted by a number of Arabic language websites in recent days.
According to Jihad Watch, the translation of the Arabic reads, “It is permissible for the mujahid [jihadi] to enjoy young boys in the absence of women.”
The message is justified with reference to Koran 52:24, which states, “There will circulate among them [servant] boys [especially] for them, as if they were pearls well-protected.”
Verses 76:19 also read, “There will circulate among them young boys made eternal. When you see them, you would think them [as beautiful as] scattered pearls.”
Unsurprisingly, Al-Baghdadi is a figure who attracts controversy on a regular basis. Last year he was ridiculed for being photographed wearing an expensive $5,000 dollar Omega wristwatch.
A manual released by the publishing house of the Islamic State last year also includes graphic instructions on how to beat and sexually molest female slaves, including underage girls.
“It is permissible to have intercourse with the female slave who hasn’t reached puberty if she is fit for intercourse,” the guide states.
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Al-Baghdadi’s Twitter account was suspended last year, but the screenshot of the tweet has re-emerged after being posted by a number of Arabic language websites in recent days.
According to Jihad Watch, the translation of the Arabic reads, “It is permissible for the mujahid [jihadi] to enjoy young boys in the absence of women.”
The message is justified with reference to Koran 52:24, which states, “There will circulate among them [servant] boys [especially] for them, as if they were pearls well-protected.”
Verses 76:19 also read, “There will circulate among them young boys made eternal. When you see them, you would think them [as beautiful as] scattered pearls.”
Unsurprisingly, Al-Baghdadi is a figure who attracts controversy on a regular basis. Last year he was ridiculed for being photographed wearing an expensive $5,000 dollar Omega wristwatch.
A manual released by the publishing house of the Islamic State last year also includes graphic instructions on how to beat and sexually molest female slaves, including underage girls.
“It is permissible to have intercourse with the female slave who hasn’t reached puberty if she is fit for intercourse,” the guide states.
More
IRS: Illegals Granted Amnesty Can File For Back Tax Refunds
Illegal immigrants granted amnesty under President Barack Obama's immigration reform will be able to claim back tax refunds from years in which they never filed taxes, the IRS said.
According to the Washington Times, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told Congress in a letter the roughly 5 million illegal immigrants who could be granted amnesty under Obama's plan will be eligible to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
"To clarify my earlier comments on EITC, not only can an individual amend a prior year return to claim EITC, but an individual who did not file a prior year return may file a return and claim EITC (subject to refund limitations under section 6511 of the Internal Revenue Code)," Koskinen said in written responses to a request from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Grassley released Koskinen's comments Wednesday.
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According to the Washington Times, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told Congress in a letter the roughly 5 million illegal immigrants who could be granted amnesty under Obama's plan will be eligible to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
"To clarify my earlier comments on EITC, not only can an individual amend a prior year return to claim EITC, but an individual who did not file a prior year return may file a return and claim EITC (subject to refund limitations under section 6511 of the Internal Revenue Code)," Koskinen said in written responses to a request from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Grassley released Koskinen's comments Wednesday.
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The Clinton Foundation as a money-laundering scheme
When you put together all the revelations about the Clinton Foundation and its affiliates that have cascaded our way (and continue to arrive), one explanation makes sense. It was a money-laundering scheme designed to obtain and camouflage foreign money paid to the Clintons to curry favor, including favorable treatment by Hillary Clinton’s State Department.
Sean David of The Federalist makes the case:
The scheme works like this: collect millions of dollars in foreign money, dump it into a foreign charity, pretend that the law prohibits you from ever disclosing the identities of those foreign donors to the foreign charity, then have the foreign charity bundle all the cash and send it to the Clinton Foundation. Then, when the time comes–whether it be a Clinton Foundation conference or a lavish Clinton Foundation trip overseas–make sure those individuals get some me-time with the Clintons.
As The Federalist detailed earlier this week, the Clinton Foundation spun off the bulk of its charitable medical activities back in 2010. By 2013, the main Clinton Foundation entity — the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation — housed only a handful of charitable initiatives, the largest of which existed solely to serve the Clintons, via their conference series and the Clinton presidential library, rather than truly charitable causes. In 2013, for example, the Clinton Foundation spent less than 10 percent of its budget on charitable grants.
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Sean David of The Federalist makes the case:
The scheme works like this: collect millions of dollars in foreign money, dump it into a foreign charity, pretend that the law prohibits you from ever disclosing the identities of those foreign donors to the foreign charity, then have the foreign charity bundle all the cash and send it to the Clinton Foundation. Then, when the time comes–whether it be a Clinton Foundation conference or a lavish Clinton Foundation trip overseas–make sure those individuals get some me-time with the Clintons.
As The Federalist detailed earlier this week, the Clinton Foundation spun off the bulk of its charitable medical activities back in 2010. By 2013, the main Clinton Foundation entity — the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation — housed only a handful of charitable initiatives, the largest of which existed solely to serve the Clintons, via their conference series and the Clinton presidential library, rather than truly charitable causes. In 2013, for example, the Clinton Foundation spent less than 10 percent of its budget on charitable grants.
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Chimps Have Mental Skills to Cook
The surprising findings, outlined in a study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, demonstrate that our closest evolutionary relatives have nearly all of the inherent skills necessary to accomplish basic cooking. This, in turn, suggests that the skills were present in the common ancestor of chimps and humans.
But don't expect a chimp-hosted cooking show anytime soon.
"There are some ethical issues with providing the chimpanzees access to actual fire -- given the danger," co-author Alexandra Rosati of Yale University's Department of Psychology told Discovery News. She explained that the cooking devices used in the study were chosen and presented with chimp safety in mind.
The study, co-authored by Felix Warneken of Harvard University's Department of Psychology, actually consisted of nine different experiments. In the first, chimps were presented with a raw or cooked sweet potato at room temperature, to see which type they preferred. The vast majority went for the cooked potato.
More here
Terrified Man Calls 911 Because His Cat Is 'Too Aggressive'
A Connecticut man called 911 early Wednesday morning during a four-hour stand-off with his eight-pound cat.
Mohammed Lokman told the operator that he and his wife were forced to sit outside in their car for hours because the angry cat was guarding the entrance of their Stamford home.
"The problem is my cat was getting too aggressive," Lokman said in the 911 call. "I was inside and she attacked me, and she scratched me in my leg and bite me. So me and my wife, we come outside and now we cannot go in the home like for three, four hours."
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Federal Officials Voiced Alarm Over Hillary’s Compliance With Records Laws
Over a five-year span, senior officials at the National Archives and Records Administrations (NARA) voiced growing alarm about Hillary Clinton’s record-keeping practices as secretary of state, according to internal documents shared with Fox News.
During Clinton’s final days in office, Paul Wester, the director of Modern Records Programs at NARA – essentially the agency’s chief records custodian – privately emailed five NARA colleagues to confide his fear that Clinton would take her official records with her when she left office, in violation of federal statutes.
Referring to a colleague whose full name is unknown, Wester wrote on December 11, 2012: “Tom heard (or thought he heard) from the Clinton Library Director that there are or may be plans afoot for taking her records from State to Little Rock." That was a reference to the possibility that Clinton might seek to house her records at the Clinton Presidential Center, which was largely funded by the Clinton Foundation.
"[W]e need to discuss what we know, and how we should delicately go about learning more about…the transition plans for Secretary Clinton’s departure from State," Wester added. He did not specify why the situation required “delicate” handling, but added that colleagues had “continued to invoke the specter of the Henry Kissinger experience vis-à-vis Hilary [sic] Clinton.”
More here
During Clinton’s final days in office, Paul Wester, the director of Modern Records Programs at NARA – essentially the agency’s chief records custodian – privately emailed five NARA colleagues to confide his fear that Clinton would take her official records with her when she left office, in violation of federal statutes.
Referring to a colleague whose full name is unknown, Wester wrote on December 11, 2012: “Tom heard (or thought he heard) from the Clinton Library Director that there are or may be plans afoot for taking her records from State to Little Rock." That was a reference to the possibility that Clinton might seek to house her records at the Clinton Presidential Center, which was largely funded by the Clinton Foundation.
"[W]e need to discuss what we know, and how we should delicately go about learning more about…the transition plans for Secretary Clinton’s departure from State," Wester added. He did not specify why the situation required “delicate” handling, but added that colleagues had “continued to invoke the specter of the Henry Kissinger experience vis-à-vis Hilary [sic] Clinton.”
More here
8 Foreign Cultural Norms That Americans Find Odd
Just because something seems weird to Americans, doesn't mean it's weird everywhere! Here are some cultural norms or other countries that Americans might have a hard time wrapping their heads around.
Squat Toilets
In China and most other Asian countries, they use a squat toilet as opposed to the porcelain throne that is popular in America. Though it may seem bizarre to hover over a hole while doing your business, many foreigners prefer this style because there is less chance of coming in contact with other people's germs.
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In China and most other Asian countries, they use a squat toilet as opposed to the porcelain throne that is popular in America. Though it may seem bizarre to hover over a hole while doing your business, many foreigners prefer this style because there is less chance of coming in contact with other people's germs.
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JUST IN: American Pharoah Wins The Triple Crown
FEC Attempts to Strong-Arm Anti-Hillary Group
The Federal Election Commission told the group, a super PAC that opposes Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, that it had to choose a different name in order to make clear that it is not affiliated with Clinton’s campaign.
Stop Hillary PAC said that the concern was laughable. It responded with a sternly worded and at times humorous letter declaring that the FEC’s interpretation of relevant regulations would “suppress citizens’ First Amendment rights to engage in robust political speech.”
Given the “hundreds of clowns who file to seek that office every 4 years,” and the thousands more who seek other federal offices, political groups cannot be expected to avoid any uses of their names, Stop Hillary said.
It further suggested that if citizens confuse the anti-Clinton super PAC with the presidential candidate’s campaign committee, the latter should be the one forced to change its name, having registered with the FEC after Stop Hillary PAC did so.
The exchange began with a Monday letter from the FEC.
On June 6, 1944......
On June 6, 1944, the Allies invaded the beaches of Western Europe in the largest amphibious attack in history. The...
Posted by Roger Williams on Saturday, June 6, 2015
Spanish-Speaking Clerks for Obamacare Made Double Compared to English Speakers
Employees working for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services made, on average, twice as much handling non-English Obamacare inquiries compared to clerks speaking English, according to documents obtained by ProEnglish.
The Freedom of Information Act request was secured by ProEnglish, a self-proclaimed advocate for the English language as “America’s common, unifying language” and adoption of English as “the official language at all levels of government.”
The documents obtained showed “English-speaking clerks only earned $12 per hour while translators are paid $22.75 per hour plus a monthly deferential of $643.”
Along with the pay disparity, documents highlighted nearly 12 percent of the awarded contract of $90 million went specifically to the “Spanish-language aspect of phone-enrollment assistance” as well as a separate contract of $1.4 million aimed at “securing the endorsement of a Spanish-speaking celebrity to promote Obamacare.”
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The Freedom of Information Act request was secured by ProEnglish, a self-proclaimed advocate for the English language as “America’s common, unifying language” and adoption of English as “the official language at all levels of government.”
The documents obtained showed “English-speaking clerks only earned $12 per hour while translators are paid $22.75 per hour plus a monthly deferential of $643.”
Along with the pay disparity, documents highlighted nearly 12 percent of the awarded contract of $90 million went specifically to the “Spanish-language aspect of phone-enrollment assistance” as well as a separate contract of $1.4 million aimed at “securing the endorsement of a Spanish-speaking celebrity to promote Obamacare.”
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Obama remembers Joe Biden’s son for living ‘life of meaning’
“He was a scion of an incredible family who brushed away the possibility of privilege for the harder, better reward of earning his own way,” Obama said in a deeply personal eulogy. The president described Beau Biden as a son, a father, a soldier and a politician who didn’t cut corners in his efforts to serve his country and others.
The former Delaware attorney general died a week ago of brain cancer at age 46.
Obama reflected on the “cruel twist of fate” that killed Beau Biden’s mother and infant sister in a car crash four decades ago and left 3-year-old Beau and younger brother Hunter hospitalized.
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Rush Limbaugh: GOP Shouldn't Accept Caitlyn Jenner
Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh says the GOP should not be so quick to give up the fight for what is "normal" by accepting transgenderism, even though its most famous advocate identifies as a Republican.
Bruce Jenner shocked viewers when he told ABC's Diane Sawyer in April he was a Republican in an interview announcing he was transitioning to a woman. Jenner now identifies as a woman and goes by the name Caitlyn.
Liberals are trying to "redefine normalcy," Limbaugh said on his show Tuesday, and conservatives and Republicans are "the new weirdos."
Transgender issues are part of a political objective to normalize "marginal behavior," he said.
"I mean, if less than 1 percent of the population is engaging in it, it’s marginalized behavior. It isn’t normal, no matter how you define it."
Society should not be celebrating and encouraging such behavior, Limbaugh said.
"These people have a very serious problem, and they need treatment," he said. "They need help, not encouragement."
More here
Bruce Jenner shocked viewers when he told ABC's Diane Sawyer in April he was a Republican in an interview announcing he was transitioning to a woman. Jenner now identifies as a woman and goes by the name Caitlyn.
Liberals are trying to "redefine normalcy," Limbaugh said on his show Tuesday, and conservatives and Republicans are "the new weirdos."
Transgender issues are part of a political objective to normalize "marginal behavior," he said.
"I mean, if less than 1 percent of the population is engaging in it, it’s marginalized behavior. It isn’t normal, no matter how you define it."
Society should not be celebrating and encouraging such behavior, Limbaugh said.
"These people have a very serious problem, and they need treatment," he said. "They need help, not encouragement."
More here
Scammed OC lifeguards trying to move on
Four Ocean City Beach Patrol members who were scammed out of $7,000 and their housing for the summer on Craigslist have begun to move on by finding a nice place to live on 36th Street and creating a Go Fund Me web page to raise money.
“We are so happy about the Go Fund Me page. Friends and family members have donated a lot and we love them so much for their support,” Ocean City lifeguard Youcef Belrachid said. “We are still far from the $7,000 goal so we encourage people to continue sharing our story, talking about it and make a donation, anything helps. Finally, we have received amazing messages from [donors] and these comments are the ones that make us want to go out there every day and do the job that we do.”
Belrachid said they feel blessed after seeing family members of Beach Patrol members, Ocean City residents and people who they have never met helping to cover their loss.
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“We are so happy about the Go Fund Me page. Friends and family members have donated a lot and we love them so much for their support,” Ocean City lifeguard Youcef Belrachid said. “We are still far from the $7,000 goal so we encourage people to continue sharing our story, talking about it and make a donation, anything helps. Finally, we have received amazing messages from [donors] and these comments are the ones that make us want to go out there every day and do the job that we do.”
Belrachid said they feel blessed after seeing family members of Beach Patrol members, Ocean City residents and people who they have never met helping to cover their loss.
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Poll: Majority of Americans Approve of Republicans’ Handling of Benghazi
A new CNN Opinion Research Corporation Poll revealed 51 percent of Americans approve of the way Republicans have handled the hearings on Benghazi.
The poll also showed a six-point slip from 2014 in the way Hillary Clinton handed the attacks during her time as Secretary of State.
The House Select Committee, headed by Chairman Trey Gowdy (R., S.C.), postponed Clinton’s hearing because of the State Department’s delayed response to a request for the release of emails that the former Secretary of State had turned over. The State Department is now on a timeline to release Clinton’s emails every 90 days.
Gowdy is still awaiting emails from people who worked with Clinton during her time at the State Department, including Cheryl Mills, Jake Sullivan, Susan Rice, Patrick Kennedy, and Huma Abedin, Clinton’s senior adviser.
The State Department released the first batch of emails from Clinton at the end of May.
“Chairman Gowdy has drawn bipartisan praise for leading a fair-minded, fact-based investigation into the administration’s handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi. The American people can see that his Committee’s goal is to get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” Speaker John Boehner told the Washington Free Beacon.
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The poll also showed a six-point slip from 2014 in the way Hillary Clinton handed the attacks during her time as Secretary of State.
The House Select Committee, headed by Chairman Trey Gowdy (R., S.C.), postponed Clinton’s hearing because of the State Department’s delayed response to a request for the release of emails that the former Secretary of State had turned over. The State Department is now on a timeline to release Clinton’s emails every 90 days.
Gowdy is still awaiting emails from people who worked with Clinton during her time at the State Department, including Cheryl Mills, Jake Sullivan, Susan Rice, Patrick Kennedy, and Huma Abedin, Clinton’s senior adviser.
The State Department released the first batch of emails from Clinton at the end of May.
“Chairman Gowdy has drawn bipartisan praise for leading a fair-minded, fact-based investigation into the administration’s handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi. The American people can see that his Committee’s goal is to get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” Speaker John Boehner told the Washington Free Beacon.
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MIKULSKI ANNOUNCES DHS DECISION TO MAKE AVAILABLE THOUSANDS OF UNUSED H-2B VISAS WHICH ARE VITAL TO MARYLAND'S ECONOMY
Mikulski called on Secretary Johnson to conduct an analysis of unused visas and make them available to businesses
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would make available between 3,000 and 6,000 unused H-2B non-immigrant visas which are integral to Maryland’s economy.
“My job is to make sure we protect our borders and protect American jobs, and also to look out for the Eastern Shore way of life,” Senator Mikulskisaid. “Every time there is a bureaucratic rule change or legal interpretation that harms their ability to operate, these businesses lose another piece of their livelihood. They need a functioning H-2B program. When the seafood industry told me the cap had been reached and they couldn’t get their workers, I started cutting through red tape. I wouldn’t take no for an answer. And I finally got DHS to do an audit where they found 3,000 to 6,000 unused visas which will now be made available. I will keep fighting to make sure Maryland businesses have a government on their side.”
Alexander: If Obama Ruled the Nation, It Would Look Like Baltimore
A few years ago, I wrote a column entitled, “If Obama Ruled a Nation, It Would Look Like Detroit,” focusing on the urban decay and corruption in cities that have been under Democrat control for generations, as well as the national implications of that decay.
The most recent FBI crime stats bear out the relationship between Democrat “leadership,” crime and poverty.
For example, the 10 most dangerous cities in America with populations above 200,000 are all managed, top to bottom, by Democrats. They are: Detroit, Oakland, Memphis, St. Louis, Cleveland, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Birmingham, Newark and Kansas City.
Notably, most of these cities are also subject to some of the most stringent gun control laws in the nation. And five of them — Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Newark — are among the most impoverished in America. (Not coincidentally, the other cities on that list are also managed, top to bottom, by Democrats. They are: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Miami, El Paso and Philadelphia.)
In fact, almost all of the top 50 most dangerous and impoverished cities have been under Democrat control for many years.
This week, Baltimore, the most recent site of urban upheaval, ostensibly to protest “police brutality,” is back in the news. In May there were 43 homicides in the city, the deadliest month in more than four decades.
And the rising crime rates — a reversal of almost two decades of decline in violent crimes — are plaguing other urban centers nationwide, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute who authored “Are Cops Racist?”, is on the mark with her analysis on the crime reversal, calling it the “Ferguson Effect.”
She writes in The Wall Street Journal this week, “The most plausible explanation of the current surge in lawlessness is the intense agitation against American police departments over the past nine months. Since last summer, the airwaves have been dominated by suggestions that the police are the biggest threat facing young black males today. A handful of highly publicized deaths of unarmed black men, often following a resisted arrest — including Eric Garner in Staten Island, N.Y., in July 2014, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in August 2014 and Freddie Gray in Baltimore last month — have led to riots, violent protests and attacks on the police. Murders of officers jumped 89% in 2014, to 51 from 27.”
Mac Donald continues, “Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder … embraced the conceit that law enforcement in black communities is infected by bias. The news media pump out a seemingly constant stream of stories about alleged police mistreatment of blacks, with the reports often buttressed by cellphone videos that rarely capture the behavior that caused an officer to use force. … Acquittals of police officers for the use of deadly force against black suspects are now automatically presented as a miscarriage of justice. Proposals aimed at producing more cop convictions abound.”
Continued here
The most recent FBI crime stats bear out the relationship between Democrat “leadership,” crime and poverty.
For example, the 10 most dangerous cities in America with populations above 200,000 are all managed, top to bottom, by Democrats. They are: Detroit, Oakland, Memphis, St. Louis, Cleveland, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Birmingham, Newark and Kansas City.
Notably, most of these cities are also subject to some of the most stringent gun control laws in the nation. And five of them — Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Milwaukee and Newark — are among the most impoverished in America. (Not coincidentally, the other cities on that list are also managed, top to bottom, by Democrats. They are: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Miami, El Paso and Philadelphia.)
In fact, almost all of the top 50 most dangerous and impoverished cities have been under Democrat control for many years.
This week, Baltimore, the most recent site of urban upheaval, ostensibly to protest “police brutality,” is back in the news. In May there were 43 homicides in the city, the deadliest month in more than four decades.
And the rising crime rates — a reversal of almost two decades of decline in violent crimes — are plaguing other urban centers nationwide, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute who authored “Are Cops Racist?”, is on the mark with her analysis on the crime reversal, calling it the “Ferguson Effect.”
She writes in The Wall Street Journal this week, “The most plausible explanation of the current surge in lawlessness is the intense agitation against American police departments over the past nine months. Since last summer, the airwaves have been dominated by suggestions that the police are the biggest threat facing young black males today. A handful of highly publicized deaths of unarmed black men, often following a resisted arrest — including Eric Garner in Staten Island, N.Y., in July 2014, Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in August 2014 and Freddie Gray in Baltimore last month — have led to riots, violent protests and attacks on the police. Murders of officers jumped 89% in 2014, to 51 from 27.”
Mac Donald continues, “Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder … embraced the conceit that law enforcement in black communities is infected by bias. The news media pump out a seemingly constant stream of stories about alleged police mistreatment of blacks, with the reports often buttressed by cellphone videos that rarely capture the behavior that caused an officer to use force. … Acquittals of police officers for the use of deadly force against black suspects are now automatically presented as a miscarriage of justice. Proposals aimed at producing more cop convictions abound.”
Continued here
Ocean City movie theater pursuing beer, wine license
Presumably as part of its $1.5 million redevelopment effort, which included new reclining seats with retractable armrests among other upgrades to the 143rd Street Fox Sun & Surf, Fox Theatres has applied for a Class B liquor license and hired Ocean City attorney Joe Moore to facilitate the effort.
“Class B is normally for a restaurant,” Moore said. “So we must put our proposal in line with the requirements of the board. We think we can make it work.”
The movie theater has applied for a seven-day, beer and wine license and was originally scheduled to appear at the June 17 meeting of the Board of License Commissioners, the governing board for liquor licenses in Worcester County. Moore has asked for, and received, a postponement until the July meeting.
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“Class B is normally for a restaurant,” Moore said. “So we must put our proposal in line with the requirements of the board. We think we can make it work.”
The movie theater has applied for a seven-day, beer and wine license and was originally scheduled to appear at the June 17 meeting of the Board of License Commissioners, the governing board for liquor licenses in Worcester County. Moore has asked for, and received, a postponement until the July meeting.
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Prager: Differences Between Left and Right: Part I
Most Americans hold either liberal or conservative positions on most matters. In many instances, however, they would be hard pressed to explain their position or the position they oppose.
But if you can’t explain both sides, how do you know you’re right?
At the very least, you need to understand both the liberal and conservative positions in order to effectively understand your own.
I grew up in a liberal world — New York, Jewish and Ivy League graduate school. I was an 8-year-old when President Dwight Eisenhower ran for re-election against the Democratic nominee, Adlai Stevenson. I knew nothing about politics and had little interest in the subject. But I well recall knowing — knowing, not merely believing — that Democrats were “for the little guy” and Republicans were “for the rich guys.”
I voted Democrat through Jimmy Carter’s election in 1976. He was the last Democrat for which I voted.
Obviously, I underwent an intellectual change. And it wasn’t easy. Becoming a Republican was emotionally and psychologically like converting to another religion.
In fact, when I first voted Republican I felt as if I had abandoned the Jewish people. To be a Jew meant being a Democrat. It was that simple. It was — and remains — that fundamental to many American Jews' identity.
Therefore, it took a lot of thought to undergo this conversion. I had to understand both liberalism and conservatism. Indeed, I have spent a lifetime in a quest to do so.
The fruit of that quest will appear in a series of columns explaining the differences between left and right.
I hope it will benefit conservatives in better understanding why they are conservative, and enable liberals to understand why someone who deeply cares about the “little guy” holds conservative — or what today are labeled as conservative — views.
Keep reading..
But if you can’t explain both sides, how do you know you’re right?
At the very least, you need to understand both the liberal and conservative positions in order to effectively understand your own.
I grew up in a liberal world — New York, Jewish and Ivy League graduate school. I was an 8-year-old when President Dwight Eisenhower ran for re-election against the Democratic nominee, Adlai Stevenson. I knew nothing about politics and had little interest in the subject. But I well recall knowing — knowing, not merely believing — that Democrats were “for the little guy” and Republicans were “for the rich guys.”
I voted Democrat through Jimmy Carter’s election in 1976. He was the last Democrat for which I voted.
Obviously, I underwent an intellectual change. And it wasn’t easy. Becoming a Republican was emotionally and psychologically like converting to another religion.
In fact, when I first voted Republican I felt as if I had abandoned the Jewish people. To be a Jew meant being a Democrat. It was that simple. It was — and remains — that fundamental to many American Jews' identity.
Therefore, it took a lot of thought to undergo this conversion. I had to understand both liberalism and conservatism. Indeed, I have spent a lifetime in a quest to do so.
The fruit of that quest will appear in a series of columns explaining the differences between left and right.
I hope it will benefit conservatives in better understanding why they are conservative, and enable liberals to understand why someone who deeply cares about the “little guy” holds conservative — or what today are labeled as conservative — views.
Keep reading..
Viewers Moved by Bloody and Bruised Man’s Viral Video Describing Huge Struggles to Better His Community
But on a viral video he posted to YouTube Wednesday — viewed nearly 800,000 times since — a bloodied, bruised and tearful Moon told viewers just how hard his struggles have been.
Pointing his cellphone camera toward him, Moon described how he’d just been attacked by three men and two women who’ve been breaking into the house.
“This is what they did to me,” he said, pointing to cuts and bruises on his face and arms and back.
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Shapiro: Left Exploits Mental Illness to Push PC Agenda
My grandfather was deeply mentally ill. He spent nearly a year in a psychiatric institution after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder; he heard the radio talking to him. He became suicidal. He spent years battling the condition, until he was prescribed lithium. For the next several decades, the medication brought his mental illness under control.
Nothing would have been crueler to my grandfather than had society told him that his delusions were correct — that the radio was, in fact, talking to him; that the curtains were indeed threatening him; that he was normal, and that it was the stereotypes of the world inducing his paranoia.
Yet that is the view of the anti-science left that this week declared former Olympic champion Bruce Jenner a woman. Vanity Fair led the way, featuring Jenner wearing a one-piece corset, Photoshopped and made up beyond nearly all recognition. The 22-page profile of Jenner insists that everyone call him Caitlyn, addresses him as “she,” and explains that despite the fact that Jenner has all male genitalia and all male genetics, he is in fact a woman — even though the writer explains his own confusion as to gender pronoun usage.
Jenner freely admits that he had doubts right after having his face surgically altered in a 10-hour procedure, but that a counselor from the Los Angeles Gender Center explained it was just the painkillers talking (it would be illegal in California for a counselor to explain to Jenner that he requires serious mental illness treatment beyond bodily mutilation). Jenner also admits that he is doing a reality television show about his sex change for the money: “I’m not doing it for money. … If I can make a dollar, I certainly am not stupid. [I have] house payments and all that kind of stuff.”
It’s cruel to allow a mentally ill person to exploit himself in public, but the political left is happy to do so in order to perpetuate the pseudo-scientific nonsense that a man can magically turn into a woman. Their agenda: If men and women are the same but for hormone therapy, implants and repeated surgical intervention, then all disparities between male and female can be attributed to societal biases. And those societally-created “gender constructs” can be corrected only by massive government intervention, including re-education of children. Bruce Jenner is merely a tool in this quest for redefinition of gender.
More here
Nothing would have been crueler to my grandfather than had society told him that his delusions were correct — that the radio was, in fact, talking to him; that the curtains were indeed threatening him; that he was normal, and that it was the stereotypes of the world inducing his paranoia.
Yet that is the view of the anti-science left that this week declared former Olympic champion Bruce Jenner a woman. Vanity Fair led the way, featuring Jenner wearing a one-piece corset, Photoshopped and made up beyond nearly all recognition. The 22-page profile of Jenner insists that everyone call him Caitlyn, addresses him as “she,” and explains that despite the fact that Jenner has all male genitalia and all male genetics, he is in fact a woman — even though the writer explains his own confusion as to gender pronoun usage.
Jenner freely admits that he had doubts right after having his face surgically altered in a 10-hour procedure, but that a counselor from the Los Angeles Gender Center explained it was just the painkillers talking (it would be illegal in California for a counselor to explain to Jenner that he requires serious mental illness treatment beyond bodily mutilation). Jenner also admits that he is doing a reality television show about his sex change for the money: “I’m not doing it for money. … If I can make a dollar, I certainly am not stupid. [I have] house payments and all that kind of stuff.”
It’s cruel to allow a mentally ill person to exploit himself in public, but the political left is happy to do so in order to perpetuate the pseudo-scientific nonsense that a man can magically turn into a woman. Their agenda: If men and women are the same but for hormone therapy, implants and repeated surgical intervention, then all disparities between male and female can be attributed to societal biases. And those societally-created “gender constructs” can be corrected only by massive government intervention, including re-education of children. Bruce Jenner is merely a tool in this quest for redefinition of gender.
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Socialist “Justice”
Even capitalists often make the mistake of talking about “social justice” as if it’s the opposite of free markets or a reason to rein in markets with more regulations or redistribution of wealth. But there’s nothing “just” about the leftist protesters’ claimed solution: more big government.
Oliver Stone, Sean Penn and Harry Belafonte praised Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez for his socialist revolution. Chavez then proceeded to destroy much of his country.
Even after his death, his portrait remains on walls everywhere and his policies live on. They haven’t produced social justice, unless your idea of “justice” is privileges for government officials and shortages of basics like food and toilet paper for ordinary people. Only socialism could take an oil-rich nation and turn it into one where people wait in line for hours for survival rations.
The left-wing Guardian newspaper quotes a Venezuelan farmer saying that Chavez’s policies left Venezuela with “no one to explain why a rich country has no food.”
Not many people in Venezuela give such explanations — the government censors its critics — but free-market economists can explain.
Goods don’t get matched to consumer needs by anyone’s burning desire for justice. The amazing coordination of the marketplace happens because sellers and buyers are free. Sellers can sell whatever they choose at prices they choose. Buyers decide whether to pay. That flexibility — and chance to make a profit — is what persuades people to create what customers want and risk their own money and safety to stock it in a store.
Without the free market setting prices and allocating resources, all the cries of “justice” in the world don’t help anyone. You can’t eat justice. You can’t use it as toilet paper.
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Paying the Price
Baltimore is now paying the price for irresponsible words and actions, not only by young thugs in the streets, but also by its mayor and the state prosecutor, both of whom threw the police to the wolves, in order to curry favor with local voters.
Now murders in Baltimore in May have been more than double what they were in May last year, and higher than in any May in the past 15 years. Meanwhile, the number of arrests is down by more than 50 percent.
Various other communities across the country are experiencing very similar explosions of crime and reductions of arrests, in the wake of anti-police mob rampages from coast to coast that the media sanitize as “protests.”
None of this should be surprising. In her carefully-researched 2010 book, “Are Cops Racist?” Heather Mac Donald pointed out that, after anti-police campaigns, cops tended to do less policing and criminals tended to commit more crimes.
If all this has been known for years, why do the same mistakes keep getting made?
Read more here
Now murders in Baltimore in May have been more than double what they were in May last year, and higher than in any May in the past 15 years. Meanwhile, the number of arrests is down by more than 50 percent.
Various other communities across the country are experiencing very similar explosions of crime and reductions of arrests, in the wake of anti-police mob rampages from coast to coast that the media sanitize as “protests.”
None of this should be surprising. In her carefully-researched 2010 book, “Are Cops Racist?” Heather Mac Donald pointed out that, after anti-police campaigns, cops tended to do less policing and criminals tended to commit more crimes.
If all this has been known for years, why do the same mistakes keep getting made?
Read more here
“It’s Heartbreaking”, School Board Members Get To Eat Michelle Obama Lunch
School district administrators in Denver recently got a taste of what students have been complaining about: a school lunch with a cold chicken patty on a rock-hard burnt bun, frozen strawberries and a “really hard” pear.
That was the meal served to school board member Rosemary Rodriguez at Kepner Middle School in Denver May 12, after Kepner student Stephanie Torres took her complaints about the food to the school board, Chalkbeat.org reports.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Padres health justice organizer Monica Acosta said of the lunch prepared under federal food guidelines championed by first lady Michelle Obama. “That’s the type of food Kepner students have been having all year long.”
The visit did affect some change: food workers now thaw the fruit, and no longer serve expired milk. So, there’s that at least.
Source
Immigration could distinguish Martin O'Malley in presidential race
The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce invited O'Malley to a question-and-answer forum on Wednesday. The group wants to see how O'Malley contrasts himself with his Democratic primary opponents, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
This marked O'Malley's first public engagement since announcing. He made his case for the Latino vote by framing it around issues such as the economy and national security. Many Hispanics, particularly those in his home state of Maryland, already consider O'Malley a champion of immigration causes.
"I think we need to speak to immigration reform as a national economic priority, as a national security priority," O'Malley said.
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Report: ISIS Fighter Who 'Enjoyed' Killing Christians Wants to Follow Jesus After Dream
"One of our YWAM workers in the Middle East was contacted by a friend earlier this year and they met up and he was introduced to an ISIS fighter who had killed many Christians already. I mean that's a horrible situation, and admittedly, he was probably on guard," Gina Fadely, director of Youth With A Mission Frontier Missions, Inc. (YWAM), said during a recent appearance on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network.
Fadely, who appeared on the VOM radio program along with Kevin Sutter, another YWAM leader, went on to share that this Islamic State jihadi confessed not only to killing Christians but "that he had actually enjoyed doing so."
"He told this YWAM leader that he had begun having dreams of this man in white who came to him and said, 'You are killing my people.' And he started to feel really sick and uneasy about what he was doing," Fadely continued. "The fighter said just before he killed one Christian, the man said, 'I know you will kill me, but I give to you my Bible.'
Read more here
Is This America? Stunning Photos From The Violent, Fiery Baltimore Riots
Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency, and activated the National Guard.
See the most stunning images from the riots.
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37 Straight Gallup Polls—Majority: Abortion Should Be Illegal
In 37 straight surveys conducted over the course of 21 years by the Gallup polling company, a majority of Americans have said that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances or in all but a few circumstances.
In the most recent survey, conducted May 6-10, a combined 55 percent of respondents said abortion should be illegal in all circumstances or in all but a few circumstances.
Specifically, 29 percent said abortion should be legal “under any circumstances,” 13 percent said it should be legal “under most circumstances,” 36 percent said it should be "legal only in a few circumstances,” and 19 percent said it should be illegal “in all circumstances.” Two percent said they had no opinion.
The 36 percent who said it should be legal in “only a few circumstances” and the 19 percent who said it should be illegal “in all circumstances” equaled 55 percent of all those surveyed.
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In the most recent survey, conducted May 6-10, a combined 55 percent of respondents said abortion should be illegal in all circumstances or in all but a few circumstances.
Specifically, 29 percent said abortion should be legal “under any circumstances,” 13 percent said it should be legal “under most circumstances,” 36 percent said it should be "legal only in a few circumstances,” and 19 percent said it should be illegal “in all circumstances.” Two percent said they had no opinion.
The 36 percent who said it should be legal in “only a few circumstances” and the 19 percent who said it should be illegal “in all circumstances” equaled 55 percent of all those surveyed.
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Next Week’s Seal Release Marks A Milestone For Aquarium Program
Lilly, a juvenile grey seal, was rescued on the Delaware coast on Easter in early April after suffering a broken jaw. The young seal was transported to the Animal Rescue Program at the National Aquarium in Baltimore where it began an extensive rehab program under the watchful of aquarium staffers.
After two months of rehabilitation, Lilly is now fully recovered and has been medically cleared for re-release. If all goes according to plan, Lilly will be re-released into the wild from the beach at Assateague State Park at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Like so many before her, Lilly will likely reluctantly head toward the ocean upon her release on Tuesday and swim away much to the delight of curiosity seekers and onlookers.
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Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 6-6-15
Upon police arrival numerous individuals ran from the parking lot into a unit. Several other individuals stayed in the parking lot. Arriving police units were able to determine the subjects in the parking lot were under the age of 21. Officers knocked on the door of the unit and were met by Ryan Jordon Gammon. Mr. Gammon appeared highly intoxicated, mumbled his words, and had trouble standing by the door. Officers observed several young adults and juveniles inside with several open containers of open alcoholic beverages throughout the entire unit. It was later determined that every subject inside the unit was under the age of 21 except Gammon who was 21 yrs old.
While inside the unit officers ran a wanted check on Mr. Gammon was wanted by Queen Anne County for Violation of Probation. Mr. Gammon was placed under arrest and continued to act in a disorderly manner while handcuffed and cursing out loud. Mr. Gammon pulled away from officer refusing to leave the unit and ended up kicking a Deputy twice.
Two Adults were charged with underage possession of alcohol. They were identified as 20 year old Courtney M. Gammon of Chestertown, Maryland, and 19 year old William Hackett Parker of Stevensville, Maryland. Four Juveniles were charged with underage possession of alcohol. All were given alcohol citations and later released. Ryan J. Gammon 21 yrs old of Chestertown was charged with the outstanding warrant and charged with assault 2nd degree against the Deputy, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, Fail to obey a lawful order, obstructing and hindering, and resisting arrest.
Mr. Gammon was held in the Worcester County Jail.
**********
On Saturday May 30, 2015 at approximately 2318 hours Worcester County Sheriff Office Deputies responded to an alleged assault that had taken place on Pennewell Road Snow Hill, Maryland. While en- route they were advised to be on the lookout for a vehicle leaving the residence being operated by an intoxicated subject. Deputies arrived in time to observe the vehicle turning onto Pennewell Road and stopped the vehicle.
Deputies identified the driver as Louis Thomas Reynolds 53 of Snow Hill Md. Deputies detected a strong odor of alcohol. An open container of alcohol was observed inside the vehicle. Mr. Reynolds did poorly on field sobriety tests.
Mr. Reynolds was placed under arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
It was determined that the assault was unfounded.
GOP-controlled House Backs State Medical Marijuana Laws
The GOP-controlled House voted Wednesday to prevent the federal government from blocking state laws that permit the use of medical marijuana.
But lawmakers narrowly declined to direct the Justice Department not to interfere with states like Colorado and Washington that permit the recreational use of marijuana.
The 242-186 vote on medical pot was a larger margin than a tally last year, when the House first approved it as part of a bill funding the Justice Department. Wednesday's vote was to renew the pro-pot language as part of a bill providing funding for the coming fiscal year.
Most Republicans opposed the idea and the Senate is in GOP hands this year, so the outcome could still be reversed. But Senate advocates of medical marijuana won a test vote in the GOP-controlled Appropriations Committee last month.
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But lawmakers narrowly declined to direct the Justice Department not to interfere with states like Colorado and Washington that permit the recreational use of marijuana.
The 242-186 vote on medical pot was a larger margin than a tally last year, when the House first approved it as part of a bill funding the Justice Department. Wednesday's vote was to renew the pro-pot language as part of a bill providing funding for the coming fiscal year.
Most Republicans opposed the idea and the Senate is in GOP hands this year, so the outcome could still be reversed. But Senate advocates of medical marijuana won a test vote in the GOP-controlled Appropriations Committee last month.
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County to save $800K in bond sale, refunding
The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to proceed with the sale of about $43 million in bonds to finance a number of capital projects and save an estimated $800,000 to $850,000 because of improved interest rates.
County Treasurer Phil Thompson said the projects included in a $12 million capital improvement bond issue are the Berlin rubble fill cap and closure project, which will close the operation, a new 800 MHz radio system for the Emergency Services department, financing for the construction of a new cell at the landfill and interconnections for the Mystic Harbour wastewater interconnections plus costs, fees and capitalized interest on the bonds.
The county is also pursuing $30 million in refunding bonds, which are essentially refinancing old debt at a lower interest rate. Included in that are the 2007 refunding bonds, covering the Worcester Career and Technology Center construction and other public works projects, and 2008 capital improvement bonds for the Pocomoke High addition and renovation plus a loan from Taylor Bank financing the Ocean Pines Fire Protection system loan as well as fees, interest and other associated costs.
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County Treasurer Phil Thompson said the projects included in a $12 million capital improvement bond issue are the Berlin rubble fill cap and closure project, which will close the operation, a new 800 MHz radio system for the Emergency Services department, financing for the construction of a new cell at the landfill and interconnections for the Mystic Harbour wastewater interconnections plus costs, fees and capitalized interest on the bonds.
The county is also pursuing $30 million in refunding bonds, which are essentially refinancing old debt at a lower interest rate. Included in that are the 2007 refunding bonds, covering the Worcester Career and Technology Center construction and other public works projects, and 2008 capital improvement bonds for the Pocomoke High addition and renovation plus a loan from Taylor Bank financing the Ocean Pines Fire Protection system loan as well as fees, interest and other associated costs.
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Multiculturalism Doesn't Work in Hungary, Says Orban
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The era of multiculturalism is over and Hungary should be spared its effects at all costs, the country's Prime Minister said on Wednesday.
In comments that appeared to toughen his already uncompromising stance on immigration, Viktor Orban was quoted as telling a Hungarian newspaper there should be no "mass-scale" mixing of different creeds.
"Multiculturalism means the coexistence of Islam, Asian religions and Christianity. We will do everything to spare Hungary from that," he said in an interview with daily Napi Gazdasag.
"We welcome non-Christian investors, artists, scientists, but we don't want to mix on a mass scale."
Orban, whose governing Fidesz party is losing ground in the polls to the far-right, anti-immigrant Jobbik party, has clashed with European counterparts over his isolationist views.
At the European Parliament in mid-May, he criticized as "bordering on insanity" EU proposals for migrant quotas drafted in response to thousands of deaths among asylum-seekers trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean in increasing numbers.
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In comments that appeared to toughen his already uncompromising stance on immigration, Viktor Orban was quoted as telling a Hungarian newspaper there should be no "mass-scale" mixing of different creeds.
"Multiculturalism means the coexistence of Islam, Asian religions and Christianity. We will do everything to spare Hungary from that," he said in an interview with daily Napi Gazdasag.
"We welcome non-Christian investors, artists, scientists, but we don't want to mix on a mass scale."
Orban, whose governing Fidesz party is losing ground in the polls to the far-right, anti-immigrant Jobbik party, has clashed with European counterparts over his isolationist views.
At the European Parliament in mid-May, he criticized as "bordering on insanity" EU proposals for migrant quotas drafted in response to thousands of deaths among asylum-seekers trying to reach Europe across the Mediterranean in increasing numbers.
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Petition To Revoke Jenner's Gold Medal Gains Thousands Of Supporters In Hours
A group has petitioned the International Olympics Committee to revoke Caitlyn Jenner’s gold medal from the 1976 Olympics for violating the committee’s gender rules.
The initiative, started by a woman named Jennifer Bradford, went viral Wednesday and gained hundreds of supporters within an hour.
The group claims Jenner violated the committee’s gender rules by competing with men since she, according to herself, identified as a woman at the time of the event.
“This creates somewhat of a problem as Ms. Jenner (as talented as she is) claims that she has always believed herself to be truly female,” the letter to the IOC reads,” and therefore, was in violation of committee rules regarding women competing in men’s sports and vice versa. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we must ask whether or not it is proper that Ms. Jenner should retain her olympic records in light of this.”
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The initiative, started by a woman named Jennifer Bradford, went viral Wednesday and gained hundreds of supporters within an hour.
The group claims Jenner violated the committee’s gender rules by competing with men since she, according to herself, identified as a woman at the time of the event.
“This creates somewhat of a problem as Ms. Jenner (as talented as she is) claims that she has always believed herself to be truly female,” the letter to the IOC reads,” and therefore, was in violation of committee rules regarding women competing in men’s sports and vice versa. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that we must ask whether or not it is proper that Ms. Jenner should retain her olympic records in light of this.”
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11 Million Workers Are Forced To Pay Union Dues: Congress Should Help Them
11 Million. That’s the number of American workers forced every day to make a choice: Pay union dues or be fired.
As unbelievable as that sounds, it’s true. In America, despite the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of association, a worker can be forced to financially support a union against his or her will.
That’s just plain wrong. And the American people overwhelmingly agree. Nearly 80 percent of Americans oppose forcing workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.
Fortunately, there is a solution.
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As unbelievable as that sounds, it’s true. In America, despite the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of association, a worker can be forced to financially support a union against his or her will.
That’s just plain wrong. And the American people overwhelmingly agree. Nearly 80 percent of Americans oppose forcing workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.
Fortunately, there is a solution.
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Additional Feds Brought In To Track Down Pharmacy Looters
Now WJZ has learned more federal muscle is coming in to help as the DEA releases pictures of the suspects they say are responsible.
DEA officials now say 28 pharmacies and two methadone clinics were looted during the riots. At least 10 more agents are on their way to Baltimore to hunt down the suspects.
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San Francisco’s Median Rent Hits a Ridiculous $4,225
The whole Bay Area shows a rental market on fire
We already knew the rent was too damn high, even before we published a report this February showing not only that the median for a one bedroom apartment in the city had jumped to $3,460, but that even formerly cheaper neighborhoods were now among the pricey. (To check out a map of the city’s crazy rents by ‘nabe, go here.)
Apparently though, they weren’t high enough. According to Zillow, the new median rent in San Francisco is $4,225 a month. Zillow’s data compose the “Zillow Rental Index” (ZRI). This index shows rents up 16% year-over-year (YOY) this April, and take into account all types of rentals in San Francisco proper, from single family homes to condos to in-laws.
The whole Bay Area, in fact, shows a rental market on fire. Increased rents in Oakland (up 21.6% YOY); Berkeley (up 30.9% YOY); Emeryville (up 29.5 YOY); San Jose (up 14% YOY) and even Daly City (up 201.1% YOY) make the San Francisco Metropolitan region the fastest growing rental market in the USA.
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We already knew the rent was too damn high, even before we published a report this February showing not only that the median for a one bedroom apartment in the city had jumped to $3,460, but that even formerly cheaper neighborhoods were now among the pricey. (To check out a map of the city’s crazy rents by ‘nabe, go here.)
Apparently though, they weren’t high enough. According to Zillow, the new median rent in San Francisco is $4,225 a month. Zillow’s data compose the “Zillow Rental Index” (ZRI). This index shows rents up 16% year-over-year (YOY) this April, and take into account all types of rentals in San Francisco proper, from single family homes to condos to in-laws.
The whole Bay Area, in fact, shows a rental market on fire. Increased rents in Oakland (up 21.6% YOY); Berkeley (up 30.9% YOY); Emeryville (up 29.5 YOY); San Jose (up 14% YOY) and even Daly City (up 201.1% YOY) make the San Francisco Metropolitan region the fastest growing rental market in the USA.
Read more
US POLITICIANS CALL FOR RELEASE OF SECRET 9/11 REPORT
White House urged to release 28-pages of classified information alleging Saudi officials helped finance attacks
Several members of the US Congress have joined calls for the release of classified pages from an intelligence report into the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US.
The politicians argue that the 28 pages of classified text refers to allegations that Saudi Arabia’s officials were involved in helping to finance the attacks.
Former Florida Senator Bob Graham, who co-chaired the 2002 House-Senate Joint Inquiry, the first official investigation into 9/11, joined current congressional members on Tuesday as they publicly called for the release of the classified material.
Graham told Al Jazeera that the US public would be “outraged” if they knew the truth.
“If the American people knew the full truth, I believe there would be an outrage that a country which alleges to be such an ally of ours has engaged in so many actions that have been so extremely negative towards the United States,” Graham said, referring to Saudi Arabia.
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Several members of the US Congress have joined calls for the release of classified pages from an intelligence report into the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US.
The politicians argue that the 28 pages of classified text refers to allegations that Saudi Arabia’s officials were involved in helping to finance the attacks.
Former Florida Senator Bob Graham, who co-chaired the 2002 House-Senate Joint Inquiry, the first official investigation into 9/11, joined current congressional members on Tuesday as they publicly called for the release of the classified material.
Graham told Al Jazeera that the US public would be “outraged” if they knew the truth.
“If the American people knew the full truth, I believe there would be an outrage that a country which alleges to be such an ally of ours has engaged in so many actions that have been so extremely negative towards the United States,” Graham said, referring to Saudi Arabia.
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HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 6-6-15
Styles
Throughout
the years many styles have been dictated by the fashion mavens who
changed fashions just to sell clothes. Colors have also figured in the
changing of the look for different years.The bowler hat of the 1890’s gave way to the straw hat followed by the fedora. Hats fell out of favor when the hair styles didn’t allow a hat to be worn comfortably. Recently the baseball cap has been prevalent for day-to-day wear for most men not in business attire.
A neat suit has always been in style, but they changed from single-breasted to double-breasted occasionally just for the sake of selling a new fashion. Single- breasted might have two or three buttons. For the man who wanted to stay in style, he practically had to get a new wardrobe every year.
There were far-out styles, such as zoot suits in the 1940’s, which the young people embraced to the dismay of the older generation. It was meant to irritate the older folks and advertise that you were different. It worked.
In my generation there were styles that evoked the same response that zoot suits did a generation before. These were usually done with conventional clothing. The long, slicked back hair with the duck tail in the back and a pompadour in the front was introduced by Elvis Presley and was the bain of every parent. This was usually accompanied by tight-legged pants and engineer boots. It really brought about a division in the teen-agers of the day. Most boys had crew cuts and frowned on the antics of the “drapes”, which was the name bestowed on the boys that didn’t follow the mainstream way of thinking and dressing. Another thing was the turned-up collar. This was a sure sign of an anti-establishment attitude. The only thing that spilled over from the fringe to the mainstream was the pink shirt worn with black pants. My mother always thought that pink clashed with my red hair and would never get me one. She also refused to buy me a pair of Levi’s, or dungarees as she called them.
In the 1950’s, it was almost a uniform to wear button-down shirts, khaki pants, white athletic socks and penny loafers. We were lucky in Salisburyto have a Gant shirt factory with an outlet store. We all had Gant shirts and loved the fact that they were about half of what they cost in regular stores. The Gant store was where Season’s Best antique mall is now.
The styles have been fairly standard for the last thirty years, and, if it fits, you can wear it and feel in style. The problem is that most of my clothes seem to get smaller with age.
Hillary to Call for Expanded Early Voting in All States
Hillary Clinton will call Thursday for a national standard of at least 20 days of early in-person voting and for states to include nights and weekends in their extended voting hours, her campaign said Wednesday.
Clinton will also call on Congress to act quickly to reverse a 2013 Supreme Court ruling allowing nine southern states to change their voting laws without federal approval, and for the adoption of recommendations put forward last year by President Barack Obama’s bipartisan commission on election administration.
Her comments will come in a speech at Texas Southern University in Houston honoring the late Barbara Jordan, a Democratic U.S. representative and civil rights activist.
Clinton and other Democrats argue that Republicans are trying to make it harder for minorities to vote, since they’re more likely to cast ballots for Democrats.
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Clinton will also call on Congress to act quickly to reverse a 2013 Supreme Court ruling allowing nine southern states to change their voting laws without federal approval, and for the adoption of recommendations put forward last year by President Barack Obama’s bipartisan commission on election administration.
Her comments will come in a speech at Texas Southern University in Houston honoring the late Barbara Jordan, a Democratic U.S. representative and civil rights activist.
Clinton and other Democrats argue that Republicans are trying to make it harder for minorities to vote, since they’re more likely to cast ballots for Democrats.
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Excursion Train Report To Detail Expenses To Improve Railroad Track
On June 16, representatives from Stone Consulting are expected to meet with the Worcester County Commissioners to share information on the costs and infrastructure changes that would be associated with setting up a tourist train on the local rail line.
“They’re going to quantify that,” said Bill Badger, economic development director for Worcester County.
Local officials have been investigating the possibility of bringing an excursion train to the area since early 2014. The Worcester County Commissioners hired Stone Consulting to explore the concept and in November, the company issued a report detailing the interest in and marketability of the concept. While there was interest in a special event excursion train, the consultant said the condition of the track being used by the Maryland and Delaware Railroad Co. freight trains would need to be addressed.
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What's Jim Perdue's responsibility when poisoning you and your family? By Ray Wallace
LLC = "Limited Liability Company"
14 companies now go by the name of Perdue Agribusiness LLC.
To avoid properly disposing of industrial waste from its planned soybean-to-oil factory, chicken seller Perdue has applied to the Pa. Dept. of Environmental Protection for permission to release large amounts of toxic hexane gas into already illegally over-polluted Pa. air.
Under most circumstances, owners of a limited liability company or "LLC" are not personally liable for the debts and liabilities of the LLC:
See the PBS Frontline program, “The Trouble with Chicken (2015)” here:
See the still-valid 2012 video about Perdue's years-old attempts to avoid properly disposing of toxic waste hexane gas in Pa.:
Teacher suspended for jamming students' cellphones
LAND O' LAKES, Fla. -- A Florida science teacher has been suspended for running a signal jammer to prevent his students from using their cellphones in class.
School board members in Pasco County approved Dean Liptak's five-day, unpaid suspension on Tuesday. Liptak didn't contest the decision.
Officials say Liptak activated the jammer in his Fivay High School classroom from March 31 through April 2.
He later told a school district investigator that he never intended to cause problems. He said he thought the jammers were allowed as long as they were not intended for malicious purposes.
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School board members in Pasco County approved Dean Liptak's five-day, unpaid suspension on Tuesday. Liptak didn't contest the decision.
Officials say Liptak activated the jammer in his Fivay High School classroom from March 31 through April 2.
He later told a school district investigator that he never intended to cause problems. He said he thought the jammers were allowed as long as they were not intended for malicious purposes.
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GDP: Contraction
IS ANOTHER RECESSION ON THE HORIZON?
Is up down? Or is down up? Who knows anymore …
Last week we wrote of the “double seasonal adjustment” to the U.S. economy’s first quarter gross domestic product data – which was expected to turn 0.2 percent “growth” into 1.8 percent growth. Well now we’ve got the “second” official estimate of first quarter growth (.pdf here) – in which 0.2 percent “up” has suddenly become a 0.7 percent down.
As in a contraction …
So much for all those “rainbows and unicorns” predictions, right?
Meanwhile second quarter growth estimates (as of June 1) are currently hovering at 0.8 percent … unchanged from the previous week’s depressing outlook.
What gives? It’s easy: The economy is stuck because consumers have no money to spend. And they have no money to spend because their’s rampant joblessness and zero income growth.
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Is up down? Or is down up? Who knows anymore …
Last week we wrote of the “double seasonal adjustment” to the U.S. economy’s first quarter gross domestic product data – which was expected to turn 0.2 percent “growth” into 1.8 percent growth. Well now we’ve got the “second” official estimate of first quarter growth (.pdf here) – in which 0.2 percent “up” has suddenly become a 0.7 percent down.
As in a contraction …
So much for all those “rainbows and unicorns” predictions, right?
Meanwhile second quarter growth estimates (as of June 1) are currently hovering at 0.8 percent … unchanged from the previous week’s depressing outlook.
What gives? It’s easy: The economy is stuck because consumers have no money to spend. And they have no money to spend because their’s rampant joblessness and zero income growth.
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THE 65 MOST PERFECTLY TIMED MILITARY PHOTOS YOU’LL EVER SEE
A note on photographer credit: All these photos were uploaded to imgur without proper photo credit. We’re trying our best to track down the original photographer foreach image but it’s a daunting task. If you have any information on photographer credit, please email tips@rsvlts.com so these photos can get the recognition they deserve. Thanks, RSVLTS!
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Rockets fired from Gaza into southern Israel
There were no casualties, police said.
No militant groups in Gaza issued any claims of responsibility.
A week ago Gaza militants launched their deepest strike at Israel since a 50-day war of last summer, striking near the port city of Ashdod.
Israeli warplanes launched strikes in response at four targets and then the tensions subsided.
Israel blamed Islamic Jihad militants for that attack and media reports said Hamas Islamists who dominate in Gaza had arrested militants behind that strike.
The latest rocket strike follows a Gaza shootout on Tuesday in which Hamas security forces killed an activist of a rival Islamist militant group.
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Waco “Twin Peaks” Shooting Updates
14 Police Officers Fired “thousands of rounds” on 200 Bikers Killing 9, Wounding 18 – Two Thirds Of Those Arrested Had No Prior Criminal History…
IRONY – The death toll from the “Twin Peaks” shootout was greater than the total number of homicides Waco police investigated in all of 2014 – And all of the “Twin Peaks” dead were shot by police.
Previously Waco Police Spokesman W. Patrick Swanton stated 22 members of law enforcement were present prior to the outbreak of the shooting. Including 10 members of the Waco SWAT unit, 2 sergeants, 1 rookie, the Asst. Police Chief and 4 state troopers.
Newly released information today includes the Waco Police stating 14 Waco PD officers were involved in firing shots which killed 9 bike club members and wounded 18 more.
The 14 officers involved in the gun battle are all now on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings, Swanton said. (link)
In addition Sgt Swanton previously stated that all of the 170 arrested bikers were known “criminal gang members”. However, a review by the Associated Press of court records finds at least 115 of the 170 had no police records:
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IRONY – The death toll from the “Twin Peaks” shootout was greater than the total number of homicides Waco police investigated in all of 2014 – And all of the “Twin Peaks” dead were shot by police.
Previously Waco Police Spokesman W. Patrick Swanton stated 22 members of law enforcement were present prior to the outbreak of the shooting. Including 10 members of the Waco SWAT unit, 2 sergeants, 1 rookie, the Asst. Police Chief and 4 state troopers.
Newly released information today includes the Waco Police stating 14 Waco PD officers were involved in firing shots which killed 9 bike club members and wounded 18 more.
The 14 officers involved in the gun battle are all now on administrative leave, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings, Swanton said. (link)
In addition Sgt Swanton previously stated that all of the 170 arrested bikers were known “criminal gang members”. However, a review by the Associated Press of court records finds at least 115 of the 170 had no police records:
More
Showcase of Christian Authors Banquet Scheduled for June 27
Salisbury, MD – The Showcase of Christian Authors Banquet will bring six writers to the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on Saturday, June 27. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the event begins at 6 p.m. Attendees can enjoy a buffet dinner, meet six Christian authors, hear a seven minute book summary and win great door prizes.
Authors include:
Lakishia S. Banister, Overcome the Obstacle
Charlotte Cole, Heartbeats of Cancer
Camesha Handy, Queen or Concubine
Linda Windsor, Brides of Alba & The Fires of Gleannmara Trilogies
Sandi Tyson, Encouraging Words
Jarvis E. Bailey, 3 Minutes with God
Lakishia S. Banister, Overcome the Obstacle
Charlotte Cole, Heartbeats of Cancer
Camesha Handy, Queen or Concubine
Linda Windsor, Brides of Alba & The Fires of Gleannmara Trilogies
Sandi Tyson, Encouraging Words
Jarvis E. Bailey, 3 Minutes with God
Tickets are $50 per person and can be ordered online at www.davidsabatino.com or by calling 757-709-9392.
Governor Larry Hogan’s Office Hosts Maryland Business Recovery Workshop
ANNAPOLIS, MD - In an effort to provide assistance to business owners who were affected by the civil unrest in Baltimore last month, Governor Larry Hogan’s Office will host a free Maryland Business Recovery Workshop. The workshop will be held on Friday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Murphy Fine Arts Center at Morgan State University located at 2201 Argonne Drive, Baltimore, MD 21251.
“We encourage all business owners affected by last month’s events to attend this informative workshop,” said Keiffer Mitchell, special advisor to Governor Hogan. “This is a perfect opportunity to connect businesses with available resources to help in their recovery efforts.”
Attendees will learn valuable information from financial service providers including nonprofits, banks, and private organizations offering assistance with damaged physical property, loss of inventory and revenue, and economic adjustment. Information from state resources, including the Small Business Administration and Baltimore Development Corporation, which can help access available financial resources, will also be available.
Program presenters include the following:
Roger A. Campos, Governor’s Business Ombudsman
Alana Chavez, Small Business Administration, Federal Disaster Loans (up to $2 million loans)
Cheivelle Hill, Department of Housing & Community Development ($35K loans/grants, up to $500K)
Joy Hatchette, Maryland Insurance Commission (uninsured)
Les Hall, Department of Business & Economic Development (loans)
Jeff Trice, Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation (lost wages/unemployment)
Darryl Massey, Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Control Agency (lost or stolen lottery tickets)
Kerry DeVilbiss, Baltimore Development Corporation ($35K loans/grants)
“Governor Hogan is committed to helping Baltimore businesses recover and rebuild as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Governor Hogan’s business ombudsman, Roger Campos, who will also serve as moderator for the workshop. “This workshop will provide one-stop resources for business owners seeking the next steps in the recovery process.”
Following the presentations, attendees will have an opportunity to meet one-on-one to apply, seek more information, or receive an appointment to follow up on loan/grant applications.
“We encourage all business owners affected by last month’s events to attend this informative workshop,” said Keiffer Mitchell, special advisor to Governor Hogan. “This is a perfect opportunity to connect businesses with available resources to help in their recovery efforts.”
Attendees will learn valuable information from financial service providers including nonprofits, banks, and private organizations offering assistance with damaged physical property, loss of inventory and revenue, and economic adjustment. Information from state resources, including the Small Business Administration and Baltimore Development Corporation, which can help access available financial resources, will also be available.
Program presenters include the following:
Roger A. Campos, Governor’s Business Ombudsman
Alana Chavez, Small Business Administration, Federal Disaster Loans (up to $2 million loans)
Cheivelle Hill, Department of Housing & Community Development ($35K loans/grants, up to $500K)
Joy Hatchette, Maryland Insurance Commission (uninsured)
Les Hall, Department of Business & Economic Development (loans)
Jeff Trice, Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation (lost wages/unemployment)
Darryl Massey, Maryland State Lottery & Gaming Control Agency (lost or stolen lottery tickets)
Kerry DeVilbiss, Baltimore Development Corporation ($35K loans/grants)
“Governor Hogan is committed to helping Baltimore businesses recover and rebuild as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Governor Hogan’s business ombudsman, Roger Campos, who will also serve as moderator for the workshop. “This workshop will provide one-stop resources for business owners seeking the next steps in the recovery process.”
Following the presentations, attendees will have an opportunity to meet one-on-one to apply, seek more information, or receive an appointment to follow up on loan/grant applications.