DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, June 11, 2015
UPDATE: More School Districts Report Chaos From ‘White Privilege’ Theory
SAN FRANCISCO – Last week we were stunned to learn that chaos has been the norm in the St. Paul, Minnesota school district, due to a student disciplinary policy that replaces suspensions with time-outs, counseling and other less punitive measures.
We also learned that the controversial policy was influenced by the Pacific Educational Group (PEG), a radical San Francisco-based consulting firm that claims black students lag behind academically, and tend to have more disciplinary problems, because American K-12 education is designed to benefit white students – aka “white privilege.”
Now it’s becoming obvious that several other large school districts around the nation are in the same situation as St. Paul.
They’ve all instituted radical disciplinary policies to reduce the number of black student suspensions, they’ve all experienced serious behavioral problems as a result, and they’re all included on a recent list of PEG client school districts.
That begs a simple, disturbing question – is PEG making a lot of money by promoting policies in public schools that lead to chaos and danger for students and staff?
In St. Paul, the media directly connected PEG to the radical new disciplinary policies that have teachers, parents and union officials complaining about a lack of safety in hallways and classrooms.
PEG’s connection to similarly passive disciplinary policies in the Madison, Wisconsin; Denver; Philadelphia; Los Angeles, Oakland and Portland school districts is not quite as obvious.
No news reports have surfaced claiming the organization played a direct role in encouraging school officials to adopt or implement policies that allow violent and unruly behavior to go unchecked.
But all six of those districts were included on a PEG client list that was published on the organization’s website last October. A more recent list was pulled off the PEG website last week, following revelations about the severe disciplinary problems in St. Paul.
Meanwhile, we know that Glenn Singleton, founder and CEO of PEG, tends to excuse violent behavior committed by black students.
“White educators are prone to wondering why black and brown boys are prone to fighting in school,” Singleton was quoted as saying by the American Thinker.
Keep reading..
We also learned that the controversial policy was influenced by the Pacific Educational Group (PEG), a radical San Francisco-based consulting firm that claims black students lag behind academically, and tend to have more disciplinary problems, because American K-12 education is designed to benefit white students – aka “white privilege.”
Now it’s becoming obvious that several other large school districts around the nation are in the same situation as St. Paul.
They’ve all instituted radical disciplinary policies to reduce the number of black student suspensions, they’ve all experienced serious behavioral problems as a result, and they’re all included on a recent list of PEG client school districts.
That begs a simple, disturbing question – is PEG making a lot of money by promoting policies in public schools that lead to chaos and danger for students and staff?
In St. Paul, the media directly connected PEG to the radical new disciplinary policies that have teachers, parents and union officials complaining about a lack of safety in hallways and classrooms.
PEG’s connection to similarly passive disciplinary policies in the Madison, Wisconsin; Denver; Philadelphia; Los Angeles, Oakland and Portland school districts is not quite as obvious.
No news reports have surfaced claiming the organization played a direct role in encouraging school officials to adopt or implement policies that allow violent and unruly behavior to go unchecked.
But all six of those districts were included on a PEG client list that was published on the organization’s website last October. A more recent list was pulled off the PEG website last week, following revelations about the severe disciplinary problems in St. Paul.
Meanwhile, we know that Glenn Singleton, founder and CEO of PEG, tends to excuse violent behavior committed by black students.
“White educators are prone to wondering why black and brown boys are prone to fighting in school,” Singleton was quoted as saying by the American Thinker.
Keep reading..
BREAKING: Texans On HIGH ALERT As Nation Of Islam & New Black Panthers Arrive To Start RIOTS…
Well, it looks like Texas has some angry black people coming to start a riot! I am speaking of that wonderful group of animals otherwise known as the New Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam! LMAO little girls, TEXAS is one place you DON’T want to mess with!
Go back to Ferguson. To Baltimore. Or better yet, GO TO HELL!
These idiots are in McKinney, Texas to start up ‘protests’ over the ruckus at a pool party where blacks crashed the party and ruined it by turning it into a drug and alcohol fest as well as getting out of control with the neighbors.
Look, anyone that thinks those kids were behaving themselves in a respectful manner needs their heads examined. Witnesses have said the blacks were extremely aggressive. I believe it.
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Incompetent? Mosby Filed Gag Order Motion IN THE WRONG COURT
Baltimore city state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby’s motion for a gag order in the Freddie Gray case was denied Monday because the prosecutor filed paperwork in the wrong court.
Mosby’s May 14 motion, filed in Baltimore’s circuit court, was intended to block witnesses, attorneys and police from speaking publicly about the Gray case. Six officers have been indicted on a total of 28 felony charges related to Gray’s April 12 arrest. The 25-year-old Gray died April 19. His death was ruled a homicide.
Judge Charles Peters slapped down Mosby’s motion, citing jurisdictional issues, The Baltimore Sun reported. The cases for the six officers were still on the district court’s docket when the motion was filed. The cases were only moved to the circuit court on May 21, after a grand jury indicted the officers.
It is unclear whether Mosby’s office will file a new request in circuit court.
“We’re not going to litigate this case in the media and discuss our trial strategy,” Rochelle Ritchie, a spokeswoman for Mosby’s office, told The Sun when asked whether a new motion is forthcoming.
The Daily Caller sought comment from Ritchie on what led the office to file the motion in the wrong court in the first place. She again declined to “litigate the case in the media” or discuss trial strategy.
The faulty filing is not the state’s attorney’s office’s first procedural misstep.
More here
Mosby’s May 14 motion, filed in Baltimore’s circuit court, was intended to block witnesses, attorneys and police from speaking publicly about the Gray case. Six officers have been indicted on a total of 28 felony charges related to Gray’s April 12 arrest. The 25-year-old Gray died April 19. His death was ruled a homicide.
Judge Charles Peters slapped down Mosby’s motion, citing jurisdictional issues, The Baltimore Sun reported. The cases for the six officers were still on the district court’s docket when the motion was filed. The cases were only moved to the circuit court on May 21, after a grand jury indicted the officers.
It is unclear whether Mosby’s office will file a new request in circuit court.
“We’re not going to litigate this case in the media and discuss our trial strategy,” Rochelle Ritchie, a spokeswoman for Mosby’s office, told The Sun when asked whether a new motion is forthcoming.
The Daily Caller sought comment from Ritchie on what led the office to file the motion in the wrong court in the first place. She again declined to “litigate the case in the media” or discuss trial strategy.
The faulty filing is not the state’s attorney’s office’s first procedural misstep.
More here
At least Some People Have A Sense Of Humor!
At least some people have a sense of humor! When you posted a picture of the firemen they had a hissy fit!
Here's something you don't see every day. Give us your best caption for this photo and you could win a free...
Posted by OceanCity.com on Tuesday, June 2, 2015
DUSTY RHODES DEAD AT AGE 69
WHAT HAPPENED TO FORMER WWE WRESTLING LEGEND VIRGIL RUNNELS, KNOWN AS 'THE AMERICAN DREAM'?
Legendary wrestler Dusty Rhodes has died at age 69. So what happened to the WWE star known as “The American Dream”?
His pal Triple H confirmed the sad news on Twitter. “Saddened to hear the passing of Dusty Rhodes. Legend, teacher, mentor, friend...Love you Dream.” Paul Levesque wrote.
The WWE also paid tribute to Dusty Rhodes after his death: "WWE is deeply saddened that Virgil Runnels, aka 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes, passed away today at age 69." the organization tweeted.
TMZ reports that Dusty Rhodes died after suffering a fall in his home. He was rushed to the hospital but passed away following complications.
Watch one of Dusty Rhodes' early wrestling matches below:
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Legendary wrestler Dusty Rhodes has died at age 69. So what happened to the WWE star known as “The American Dream”?
His pal Triple H confirmed the sad news on Twitter. “Saddened to hear the passing of Dusty Rhodes. Legend, teacher, mentor, friend...Love you Dream.” Paul Levesque wrote.
The WWE also paid tribute to Dusty Rhodes after his death: "WWE is deeply saddened that Virgil Runnels, aka 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes, passed away today at age 69." the organization tweeted.
TMZ reports that Dusty Rhodes died after suffering a fall in his home. He was rushed to the hospital but passed away following complications.
Watch one of Dusty Rhodes' early wrestling matches below:
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12-Year-Old Activist: Liberals Don't Really Care About Blacks
"We are constantly looking at the way the left uses their propaganda to seem like they really do care about black lives or they're the party for African-Americans," Pearson, founder of Young Georgians in Government told Miranda Khan on "Newsmax Now" .
"Looking at past events and the way that the recent events in America have come about, you really have to question that," he explained.
"If you look at Baltimore, New York and many of these cities where these protests have occurred, these are progressive strongholds and if this conflict is [hitting] these progressive strongholds, how in the world can we talk about them being for black people?" Pearson asked.
The young conservative activist recently released a new YouTube video titled "Some Black Lives Don't Matter," in which he argued that liberals only care when blacks are killed by whites not by other blacks because it doesn't help their agenda.
"If you're a black man gunned down by another black man, no one will care. MSNBC won't care, Al Sharpton won't care, Jesse Jackson won't care," he said in the YouTube video.
Read more..
Cardin Decries Party-Line Vote to Overturn Clean Water Rule
“Today’s committee vote to overturn the Clean Water Rule was a dangerous, shortsighted and partisan step away from good governance, public health and commonsense environmental protection,” said Senator Cardin. “The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers received more than 1 million comments on the proposed rule in the 100-plus day comment period. They held more than 400 field hearings and meetings across the country with stakeholders. While some in Congress have been working to derail the rule, the changes reflected in the final rule demonstrate how the process is supposed to work. Every American should have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the water coming out of the tap is clean and safe because natural source waters are adequately protected under the Clean Water Act. Protecting clean water didn’t used to be a partisan issue. Few responsibilities of Congress are more fundamental.
“Many in Congress and the regulated community asked EPA to issue a rule defining ‘Waters of the U.S.,’ in accordance with the Supreme Court decision in the Rapanos case. Now that the EPA and Army Corps have complied with the court’s order and the confines of the Clean Water Act and issued the final Clean Water Rule, many of those same elected officials and stakeholders that asked for the rule paradoxically are now supporting the bill to overturn it. This is a bill that would scrap entirely the scientifically supported Clean Water Rule, while sending EPA back to the drawing board with arbitrary, politically motivated and unscientific instructions on how to craft a new ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule that is not in keeping with the goals of the Clean Water Act. Unfortunately, the committee rejected my amendment to incorporate the actual goals of the Clean Water Act, as they are listed in the statute, into this bill.
“There are fundamental misunderstandings about how federal agencies should interact with the states. I’ve heard complaints about there being too many regulations contained within the Clean Water Rule. At the end of the day, in passing the Clean Water Act, Congress passed a law to protect clean water. Objections by individual members because they do not agree with the collective wisdom of previous Congresses and the intent of the Clean Water Act have no place in this debate. Our job is to provide legislative oversight, not to transform this body into an agency that implements the Clean Water Rule. Gutting the Clean Water Rule effectively leaves us with a patchwork of state laws that leave downstream states, like Maryland, at the mercy of upstream polluters.”
The Black Dilemma
“The Baltimore Sun” is definitely not known as a Conservative newspaper, s this very well written assessment of the situation in USA comes as something of a surprise..
Some great thoughts about other races that have come to the USA and successfully integrated into our society.
This will obviously be called racist,and will upset the liberals, but they should really think about the message and but think about the message and this interesting point of view.
You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
Some great thoughts about other races that have come to the USA and successfully integrated into our society.
This will obviously be called racist,and will upset the liberals, but they should really think about the message and but think about the message and this interesting point of view.
"For almost 150 years the United States has been conducting an interesting experiment. The subjects of the experiment: black people and working-class whites.
The hypothesis to be tested: Can a people taken from the jungles of Africa and forced into slavery be fully integrated as citizens in a majority white population?
The whites were descendants of Europeans who had created a majestic civilization. The former slaves had been tribal peoples with no written language and virtually no intellectual achievements. Acting on a policy that was not fair to either group, the government released newly freed black people into a white society that saw them as inferiors. America has struggled with racial discord ever since.
Decade after decade the problems persisted but the experimenters never gave up. They insisted that if they could find the right formula the experiment would work, and concocted program after program to get the result they wanted. They created the Freedmans Bureau, passed civil rights laws, tried to build the Great Society, declared War on Poverty, ordered race preferences, built housing projects, and tried midnight basketball.
Their new laws intruded into peoples lives in ways that would have been otherwise unthinkable. They called in National Guard troops to enforce school integration. They outlawed freedom of association. Over the protests of parents, they put white children on buses and sent them to black schools and vice-versa. They tried with money, special programs, relaxed standards, and endless hand wringing to close the achievement gap. To keep white backlash in check they began punishing public and even private statements on race. They hung up Orwellian public banners that commanded whites to Celebrate Diversity! and Say No to Racism. Nothing was off limits if it might salvage the experiment.
Some thought that what W.E.B. DuBois called the Talented Tenth would lead the way for black people. A group of elite, educated blacks would knock down doors of opportunity and show the world what blacks were capable of.
There is a Talented Tenth. They are the black Americans who have become entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors and scientists. But ten percent is not enough. For the experiment to work, the ten percent has to be followed by a critical mass of people who can hold middle-class jobs and promote social stability. That is what is missing.
Through the years, too many black people continue to show an inability to function and prosper in a culture unsuited to them. Detroit is bankrupt, the south side of Chicago is a war zone, and the vast majority of black cities all over America are beset by degeneracy and violence. And blacks never take responsibility for their failures. Instead, they lash out in anger and resentment.
Across the generations and across the country, as we have seen in Detroit, Watts, Newark, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, and now Ferguson, rioting and looting are just one racial incident away. The white elite would tell us that this doesn't mean the experiment has failed. We just have to try harder. We need more money, more time, more understanding, more programs, and more opportunities.
But nothing changes no matter how much money is spent, no matter how many laws are passed, no matter how many black geniuses are portrayed on TV, and no matter who is president. Some argue its a problem of culture, as if culture creates peoples behavior instead of the other way around. Others blame white privilege.
But since 1965, when the elites opened Americas doors to the Third World, immigrants from Asia and India people who are not white, not rich, and not connected have quietly succeeded. While the children of these people are winning spelling bees and getting top scores on the SAT, black youths are committing half the country's violent crime, which includes viciously punching random white people on the street for the thrill of it that has nothing to do with poverty.
The experiment has failed. Not because of white culture, or white privilege, or white racism. The fundamental problem is that American black culture has evolved into an un-fixable and crime ridden mess. *They do not want to change their culture or society, and expect others to tolerate their violence and amoral behavior. They have become socially incompatible with other races by their own design, not because of the racism of others - but by their own hatred of non-blacks.*
Our leaders don't seem to understand just how tired their white subjects are with this experiment. *They don't understand that white people aren't out to get black people; they are just exhausted with them. They are exhausted by the social pathologies, the violence, the endless complaints, and the blind racial solidarity, the bottomless pit of grievances, the excuses, and the reflexive animosity.*
The elites explain everything with racism, and refuse to believe that white frustration could soon reach the boiling point."---
"You can't legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government can't give to anybody anything that the government doesn't first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they don't have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation.
You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
Ian Duncan
The Baltimore Sun, May 30, 2015
Los Angeles moves a step closer to $15 minimum wage
CBS Los Angeles reported the City Council voted 12-1 in favor of the increase Wednesday and forwarded it to Mayor Eric Garcetti. His office says he plans to sign it Saturday.
The wage hike received lopsided majority votes from the council last week and in May despite complaints from the business community.
"We are already seeing the fruits of our labor as our own state and other cities nationwide begin exploring policies to increase their local minimum wage," L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson said.
In L.A., 800,000 people live below the poverty line and 500,000 workers earn the city's current minimum wage of $9 per hour.
More
Salisbury Awarded Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community Status by the League of American Bicyclists
Salisbury – Mayor James Ireton, Jr. is pleased to announce that the League of American Bicyclists has recognized Salisbury with a bronze Bicycle Friendly Community (BFCSM) award. Salisbury joins 350 other visionary communities across the country in receiving this distinction.
With the announcement of 42 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities, Salisbury joins a leading group of communities, in all 50 states, that are transforming our neighborhoods.
“We applaud this new round of communities for investing in a more sustainable future for the country and a healthier future for their residents and beyond,” said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. “The growing number of leaders taking up bicycling as a way of solving many complex community problems is encouraging. We look forward to continuing to work with these communities as we move closer to our mission of creating a bicycle-friendly America for everyone.”
The BFC program is revolutionizing the way communities evaluate their quality of life, sustainability and transportation networks, while allowing them to benchmark their progress toward improving their bicycle-friendliness. With this round, there are now 350 BFCs in all 50 states. The bronze BFC award recognizes Salisbury’s commitment to improving conditions for bicycling through investment in bicycling promotion, education programs, infrastructure and pro-bicycling policies.
“We are honored to have been awarded bronze BFC status, and we are proud of the work our community—particularly Matt Drew and BikeSBY—has put in to get us to this point,” said Mayor Ireton. “This is a perfect example of a well-organized group of citizens making their voices heard in City Hall.”
“I am so proud to see that the efforts of City leadership, staff, and BikeSBY have resulted in this coveted award,” said City Council President, Jake Day. “Our investments in a more bike-able Salisbury will help us in our pursuit of a more prosperous Salisbury.”
The BFC program provides a roadmap to building a Bicycle Friendly Community and the application itself has become a rigorous and an educational tool in itself. Since its inception, more than 800 distinct communities have applied and the five levels of the award – diamond, platinum, gold, silver and bronze – provide a clear incentive for communities to continuously improve.
A recognition ceremony will be held Thursday, June 11th at 5:30 p.m. on the steps of the Government Office Building, followed by a celebratory community bike ride through the city park. Cyclists, citizens, and members of the media are encouraged to attend.
MAINE CITY RECRUITING SOMALIS AS COPS
Minnesota’s U.S. attorney, Andrew Luger, publicly declared in April that the state has a “terror recruitment problem,” as hundreds of young Somalis have been investigated for ties to terrorist organizations overseas.
But in Lewiston, there is a recruitment of a different sort going on.
Lewiston’s police chief, Michael Bussiere, made news this week when he told Reuters he was focused on recruiting Somalis to work as cops in his department.
It’s part of his “diversity” program to make the local police force look more like the community it serves, he said.
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Why Too Much Light in the Bedroom Is Bad for Your Heart
I remember a few years ago while I was at the Mayo Clinic as a fellow in training, we had the opportunity to learn from a distinguished world leader in cardiology. He came from one of the largest heart institutes in the world, where, he said, nobody wanted to be the first to leave the building. In fact, when he would leave late at night, most of his colleagues’ office lights were on and they were working. He and a few others had developed strategies to slip out of the building undetected by their late-working peers.
Medicine is not the only occupation which continues to increase the workday demands. Extended work hours take a toll on many of us mentality, socially, and physically.
Jobs that are really 9-to-5 are nearly impossible to find. Evenings and nights have become fertile times to increase work productivity and volume. Smart phones make us available 24 hours a day by email, text, or call. The night time that was once used to recharge our bodies and minds has been consumed by the ever-increasing demands of our “daytime” occupations.
Our bodies respond to a circadian rhythm – in other words, an internal clock. This clock is set by our exposure to light and darkness. Essentially all living organisms have their own internal clock. In humans, this master clock is located in the brain in a region called the hypothalamus.
What does do it to our minds and bodies – especially to our hearts – to extend our days with too much light and deprive ourselves of sleep?
More
Medicine is not the only occupation which continues to increase the workday demands. Extended work hours take a toll on many of us mentality, socially, and physically.
Jobs that are really 9-to-5 are nearly impossible to find. Evenings and nights have become fertile times to increase work productivity and volume. Smart phones make us available 24 hours a day by email, text, or call. The night time that was once used to recharge our bodies and minds has been consumed by the ever-increasing demands of our “daytime” occupations.
Our bodies respond to a circadian rhythm – in other words, an internal clock. This clock is set by our exposure to light and darkness. Essentially all living organisms have their own internal clock. In humans, this master clock is located in the brain in a region called the hypothalamus.
What does do it to our minds and bodies – especially to our hearts – to extend our days with too much light and deprive ourselves of sleep?
More
10 U.S. Hospitals With a Price Markup of 1,000 Percent
Try not to get too sick on your next vacation to Florida.
The Sunshine State is home to 20 of the hospitals with the highest price markups in the nation, according to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs this week.
The authors — Gerard Anderson, a professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of its Center for Hospital Finance and Management; and Ge Bai, an assistant professor of accounting at Washington and Lee University — studied the 50 U.S. hospitals with the highest charge-to-cost ratios in 2012.
The authors looked at each hospital’s lists of procedure codes and corresponding prices and compared them with the costs that Medicare allows for such procedures.
Using these Medicare-allowed amounts as a stand-in for costs, the authors found that these hospitals charged an average of 10 times more for a given service than the fixed cost that Medicare would have paid the health care provider who performed the service if the patient had Medicare insurance.
Medicare is a federally subsidized health insurance program generally reserved for senior citizens.
The markups at the hospitals in the study compare with a national average markup of 3.4 times Medicare-allowable costs.
The study explains:
While most public and private health insurers do not use hospital charges to set their payment rates, uninsured patients are commonly asked to pay the full charges, and out-of-network patients and casualty and workers’ compensation insurers are often expected to pay a large portion of the full charges.
More
The Sunshine State is home to 20 of the hospitals with the highest price markups in the nation, according to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs this week.
The authors — Gerard Anderson, a professor in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of its Center for Hospital Finance and Management; and Ge Bai, an assistant professor of accounting at Washington and Lee University — studied the 50 U.S. hospitals with the highest charge-to-cost ratios in 2012.
The authors looked at each hospital’s lists of procedure codes and corresponding prices and compared them with the costs that Medicare allows for such procedures.
Using these Medicare-allowed amounts as a stand-in for costs, the authors found that these hospitals charged an average of 10 times more for a given service than the fixed cost that Medicare would have paid the health care provider who performed the service if the patient had Medicare insurance.
Medicare is a federally subsidized health insurance program generally reserved for senior citizens.
The markups at the hospitals in the study compare with a national average markup of 3.4 times Medicare-allowable costs.
The study explains:
While most public and private health insurers do not use hospital charges to set their payment rates, uninsured patients are commonly asked to pay the full charges, and out-of-network patients and casualty and workers’ compensation insurers are often expected to pay a large portion of the full charges.
More
JUST IN: UNION: HACKERS HAVE PERSONNEL DATA ON EVERY FEDERAL EMPLOYEE
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Hackers stole personnel data and Social Security numbers for every federal employee, a government worker union said Thursday, charging that the cyberattack on U.S. employee data is far worse than the Obama administration has acknowledged.
Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, said on the Senate floor that the December hack into Office of Personnel Management data was carried out by "the Chinese." Reid is one of eight lawmakers who is briefed on the most secret intelligence information. U.S. officials have declined to publicly blame China, which has denied involvement.
J. David Cox, president of the American Federal of Government Employees, said in a letter to OPM director Katherine Archuleta that based on OPM's internal briefings, the hackers stole military records and veterans' status information, address, birth date, job and pay history, health insurance, life insurance, and pension information; age, gender, race data.
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Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, said on the Senate floor that the December hack into Office of Personnel Management data was carried out by "the Chinese." Reid is one of eight lawmakers who is briefed on the most secret intelligence information. U.S. officials have declined to publicly blame China, which has denied involvement.
J. David Cox, president of the American Federal of Government Employees, said in a letter to OPM director Katherine Archuleta that based on OPM's internal briefings, the hackers stole military records and veterans' status information, address, birth date, job and pay history, health insurance, life insurance, and pension information; age, gender, race data.
More
Murder charge dropped against woman who induced abortion
ALBANY, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia prosecutor dropped a murder charge Wednesday but is pursuing a drug possession count against a 23-year-old woman accused of ending her pregnancy without a prescription, using pills she bought online.
Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards dismissed a malice murder charge against 23-year-old Kenlissia Jones, who spent about three days in jail after seeking help at a hospital.
But he said Jones still faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing a dangerous drug, which Georgia law defines as any drug requiring a prescription.
The dismissal of the murder charge police had used to arrest Jones was praised by Lynn Paltrow, an attorney and executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women in New York.
But she said the case still illustrates a creeping trend of prosecuting women who exercise their right to abortions.
"She was arrested and held without bond in a health crisis," Paltrow said. "You do not want to have a pregnant woman fear arrest as a result of the outcome of her pregnancy or for seeking health care."
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Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards dismissed a malice murder charge against 23-year-old Kenlissia Jones, who spent about three days in jail after seeking help at a hospital.
But he said Jones still faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing a dangerous drug, which Georgia law defines as any drug requiring a prescription.
The dismissal of the murder charge police had used to arrest Jones was praised by Lynn Paltrow, an attorney and executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women in New York.
But she said the case still illustrates a creeping trend of prosecuting women who exercise their right to abortions.
"She was arrested and held without bond in a health crisis," Paltrow said. "You do not want to have a pregnant woman fear arrest as a result of the outcome of her pregnancy or for seeking health care."
More
Baltimore police officers turn to media to tell their side
BALTIMORE —As the homicide rate continues to rise in Baltimore City, some are questioning efforts by police officers, and some of those officers are turning to local and national media to tell their side of the story.
It is a blue protest over arrests made in the death of Freddie Gray, and it's sanctioned by the union. Officers are on the job, but by their own admission, they're reactive, not proactive.
The mayor publicly backed the police commissioner and the Police Department on Wednesday. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said officers are sworn to serve and protect, and she takes exception to the perception they're not doing that.
"I think we have to be careful when we say things or to suggest things that these officers are ignoring that oath," Rawlings-Blake said.
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It is a blue protest over arrests made in the death of Freddie Gray, and it's sanctioned by the union. Officers are on the job, but by their own admission, they're reactive, not proactive.
The mayor publicly backed the police commissioner and the Police Department on Wednesday. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said officers are sworn to serve and protect, and she takes exception to the perception they're not doing that.
"I think we have to be careful when we say things or to suggest things that these officers are ignoring that oath," Rawlings-Blake said.
More
Sick, Uninsured and Charged 10 Times the Cost of Hospital Care
A pack of for-profit hospitals are taking too many liberties with their for-profit names. A new study by Health Affairs found 50 hospitals in the U.S. have markups over 10 times the actual cost of care. The data was found using 2012 Medicare cost reports.
At the top of the list is North Okaloosa Medical Center, located about an hour outside of Pensacola, Fla. The hospital was found to charge uninsured patients 12.6 times the actual cost of patient care. A typical hospital charges 3.4 times the cost of patient care.
The largest numbers of the hospitals on the list – 20 – are in Florida. Of the 50, 49 are for-profit and 46 are owned by for-profit hospital systems. One for-profit hospital system, Community Health Systems, owns and operates 25 of the hospitals on the list. Hospital Corporation of America operates 14 others.
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At the top of the list is North Okaloosa Medical Center, located about an hour outside of Pensacola, Fla. The hospital was found to charge uninsured patients 12.6 times the actual cost of patient care. A typical hospital charges 3.4 times the cost of patient care.
The largest numbers of the hospitals on the list – 20 – are in Florida. Of the 50, 49 are for-profit and 46 are owned by for-profit hospital systems. One for-profit hospital system, Community Health Systems, owns and operates 25 of the hospitals on the list. Hospital Corporation of America operates 14 others.
More
WCSO: Summer Safety Tips
Don't forget to register your email address to receive free alerts if sex offenders move into your neighborhood.
Go here to register: http://www.icrimewatch.net/register.php?AgencyID=55336
Hurlock weighs legality of leaving seat vacant
HURLOCK — There’s an empty seat at the Hurlock Town Council where Parker Durham used to sit. That’s not his fault — he’s not allowed to fill it anymore since he has moved out of town. He resigned at the April 13 meeting. At the town’s May 26 meeting, Mayor Joyce Spratt reported that the consensus of the council was to leave the seat empty until the upcoming election in November.
She later pointed to how close the upcoming election is, asking why they would waste time by bringing in someone beforehand who knows nothing about the job. She said the town would have to advertise it, then go through the interview process, which would take more time.
Councilman Charles Cephas echoed that, saying that he and the other councilmen feel that because of the proximity of the pending election it would not be efficient or practical to appoint someone.
The charter of Hurlock reads that “in the event of a vacancy on the Council for any reason, the Council, by unanimous vote, shall appoint some person, qualified in accordance with Section 302, to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term.”
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She later pointed to how close the upcoming election is, asking why they would waste time by bringing in someone beforehand who knows nothing about the job. She said the town would have to advertise it, then go through the interview process, which would take more time.
Councilman Charles Cephas echoed that, saying that he and the other councilmen feel that because of the proximity of the pending election it would not be efficient or practical to appoint someone.
The charter of Hurlock reads that “in the event of a vacancy on the Council for any reason, the Council, by unanimous vote, shall appoint some person, qualified in accordance with Section 302, to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term.”
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Veteran Pilot Shares Flying Passion With Staff Writer
Veteran Pilot Shares Flying Passion With Staff Writer; Klatt Among Weekend Air Show PerformersCharlene SharpeStaff...
Posted by The Dispatch on Thursday, June 11, 2015
Obama could boost wages for millions through overtime eligibility
ABC News has confirmed that a Labor Department proposal to increase the federal threshold under which employers are required to pay overtime to salaried employees is under review by the Office of Management and Budget. It could be unveiled in the coming days. Such a step would not require any congressional approval.
Some economists and labor advocates say the move would be one of the boldest government actions to boost workers' wages in years.
“It may even be bigger than increasing the minimum wage,” Bill Samuels, legislative director for the AFL-CIO, told ABC News. “Of course, the minimum wage is something the administration can’t do by itself ... but this is one of the things they can do without Congress.”
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Report: Amtrak Engineer in Fatal Derailment Wasn't on Cell Phone
The Amtrak engineer at the controls of the speeding passenger train that derailed in Philadelphia last month wasn’t using his mobile phone prior to the fatal accident, investigators have determined.
After matching the engineer’s phone records to his work schedule, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded engineer Brian Bostian didn’t violate Amtrak policy prohibiting distractions from personal electronics, according to a statement released Wednesday. He also didn’t access the train’s Wi-Fi system while operating the locomotive, the NTSB said.
The report means investigators still have no definitive answer to why Bostian’s train reached a speed of 106 miles (171 kilometers) per hour, more than twice the speed limit, shortly before hitting a curve and jumping the tracks on May 12. The emergency brakes were applied seconds before the train derailed.
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After matching the engineer’s phone records to his work schedule, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded engineer Brian Bostian didn’t violate Amtrak policy prohibiting distractions from personal electronics, according to a statement released Wednesday. He also didn’t access the train’s Wi-Fi system while operating the locomotive, the NTSB said.
The report means investigators still have no definitive answer to why Bostian’s train reached a speed of 106 miles (171 kilometers) per hour, more than twice the speed limit, shortly before hitting a curve and jumping the tracks on May 12. The emergency brakes were applied seconds before the train derailed.
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Hillary’s plans to stuff the ballot box
They include felons and non-citizens
Hillary Clinton has laid out her game plan for winning back the White House for herself and her husband next year. Let’s hope Republicans were paying attention.
She apparently decided it won’t be enough to rely on the 66 million people who voted twice for Barack Obama, many of whom are disillusioned by the failure of “hope and change.” Obama promised an end to wars in the Middle East, a more prosperous economy for the average American and more harmonious race relations, but all three problems have only gotten worse.
Since Hillary won’t have the youthful exuberance that propelled Obama to his unlikely double victory, she plans to build a whole new electorate out of people who didn’t vote for Obama. That’s the gist of her speech in Houston last week, which her friends at MSNBC called a “far-reaching vision for expanding access to the ballot box.”
Who are the new voters to whom Hillary wants to give “access to the ballot box”? They include felons and non-citizens, along with anyone who can’t prove identity, citizenship, or residence within the voting precinct.
Read more
Hillary Clinton has laid out her game plan for winning back the White House for herself and her husband next year. Let’s hope Republicans were paying attention.
She apparently decided it won’t be enough to rely on the 66 million people who voted twice for Barack Obama, many of whom are disillusioned by the failure of “hope and change.” Obama promised an end to wars in the Middle East, a more prosperous economy for the average American and more harmonious race relations, but all three problems have only gotten worse.
Since Hillary won’t have the youthful exuberance that propelled Obama to his unlikely double victory, she plans to build a whole new electorate out of people who didn’t vote for Obama. That’s the gist of her speech in Houston last week, which her friends at MSNBC called a “far-reaching vision for expanding access to the ballot box.”
Who are the new voters to whom Hillary wants to give “access to the ballot box”? They include felons and non-citizens, along with anyone who can’t prove identity, citizenship, or residence within the voting precinct.
Read more
CLEARING YOUR BROWSER HISTORY CAN BE DEEMED ‘OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE’ IN THE U.S.
Boston Marathon bomber's acquaintance could face 20 years in prison for deleting files
Next week, a 24-year-old man who knew Boston Marathon bombers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev is scheduled to appear in U.S. Federal Court for sentencing on obstruction of justice charges related to the 2013 attacks.
Khairullozhon Matanov, a former taxi driver, did not participate in or have any prior knowledge of the bombings, according to U.S. authorities.
What could land him 20 more years in prison — where he has been since his arrest — are the charges that he deleted video files from his computer and cleared his browser history in the days following the attacks.
A Grand Jury indictment issued on May 29, 2014, states that Matanov “deleted a large amount of information from his Google Chrome Internet cache” following the bombing, including “references to the video of the suspected bombers [later identified as the Tsarnaevs],” “two of the photographs of the bombers released at approximately the same time,” and “a photograph of Officer Sean Collier, who had been allegedly killed by Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev.”
Read more
Next week, a 24-year-old man who knew Boston Marathon bombers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev is scheduled to appear in U.S. Federal Court for sentencing on obstruction of justice charges related to the 2013 attacks.
Khairullozhon Matanov, a former taxi driver, did not participate in or have any prior knowledge of the bombings, according to U.S. authorities.
What could land him 20 more years in prison — where he has been since his arrest — are the charges that he deleted video files from his computer and cleared his browser history in the days following the attacks.
A Grand Jury indictment issued on May 29, 2014, states that Matanov “deleted a large amount of information from his Google Chrome Internet cache” following the bombing, including “references to the video of the suspected bombers [later identified as the Tsarnaevs],” “two of the photographs of the bombers released at approximately the same time,” and “a photograph of Officer Sean Collier, who had been allegedly killed by Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev.”
Read more
14 Alleged Black Guerilla Family Members Charged In Racketeering Scheme
Alex DeMetrick has more on the case against the BGF.
The FBI is offering up a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of Daquan “Day-Day” Burman. The 20-year-old is 5’10” tall and weighs about 175 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at410-265-8080.'
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Ahlert: The TPP Will Destroy America's National Sovereignty
Last week, during a radio interview, I was asked to describe the mood of the nation in one word. That’s a tall order, but the host of the show inadvertently provided me with the answer: powerless. And nothing contributes to that sense of powerlessness more than a Washington, DC-based ruling class seemingly determined to undermine our national sovereignty. That’s why members of both parties are foisting the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal on a beleaguered public.
I’d like to give you the details of the TPP, but a contemptuous Obama administration has decided to keep such information top secret. So secret that, even if you’re a member of Congress and want information, you have two choices: You can attend a classified briefing that requires you to leave your staff members and cell phone at the door, or you can amble down to the basement of Capitol Visitor Center for a read. Again, one’s cellphone must be surrendered. And only one section at a time is provided, with someone watching over you as you read. If you take any notes they must be surrendered prior to leaving. After you leave, you are forbidden to discuss any aspects of the bill in public.
On the other hand, here’s a list of 605 “cleared” corporate insiders who have been granted access for some period of the nearly 10 years negotiations on this pact have been taking place. Insiders who represent pharmaceutical companies, Hollywood studios, Wall Street, car and oil companies, and other corporate interests.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, currently holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, explains what some of those interests are — even as he reveals that only five of the 29 TPP chapters are about foreign trade. “The others are about regulating the internet, and what information internet service providers have to collect, they have to hand it over to companies under certain circumstances, the regulation of labor conditions, regulating the way you can favor local industry, regulating the hospital, health care system, privatization of hospitals, so essentially every aspect of a modern economy, even banking services are in the TPP,” he explains. And then, the capper. “So that is erecting and embedding new ultramodern neoliberal structure over U.S. law and the laws of other countries. And putting it in treaty form.”
In other words, the largest economic treaty in history, one including the 12 member states of Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New Zealand, Brunei and the United States — and representing more than 40 per cent of the world´s total GDP — sounds far more like a pact for global governance than global trade.
Read more here
I’d like to give you the details of the TPP, but a contemptuous Obama administration has decided to keep such information top secret. So secret that, even if you’re a member of Congress and want information, you have two choices: You can attend a classified briefing that requires you to leave your staff members and cell phone at the door, or you can amble down to the basement of Capitol Visitor Center for a read. Again, one’s cellphone must be surrendered. And only one section at a time is provided, with someone watching over you as you read. If you take any notes they must be surrendered prior to leaving. After you leave, you are forbidden to discuss any aspects of the bill in public.
On the other hand, here’s a list of 605 “cleared” corporate insiders who have been granted access for some period of the nearly 10 years negotiations on this pact have been taking place. Insiders who represent pharmaceutical companies, Hollywood studios, Wall Street, car and oil companies, and other corporate interests.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, currently holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, explains what some of those interests are — even as he reveals that only five of the 29 TPP chapters are about foreign trade. “The others are about regulating the internet, and what information internet service providers have to collect, they have to hand it over to companies under certain circumstances, the regulation of labor conditions, regulating the way you can favor local industry, regulating the hospital, health care system, privatization of hospitals, so essentially every aspect of a modern economy, even banking services are in the TPP,” he explains. And then, the capper. “So that is erecting and embedding new ultramodern neoliberal structure over U.S. law and the laws of other countries. And putting it in treaty form.”
In other words, the largest economic treaty in history, one including the 12 member states of Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Malaysia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Vietnam, New Zealand, Brunei and the United States — and representing more than 40 per cent of the world´s total GDP — sounds far more like a pact for global governance than global trade.
Read more here
Hillary Embraces Union that Spurned Her in ‘08
Endorses SEIU fast food agitation
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has signed onto the Service Employees International Union-backed fast food worker movement, as she tacks further to the left in the Democratic primaries.
Clinton called into a SEIU-sponsored fast food workers forum on Sunday to express her support for raising the starting wage at establishments such as McDonald’s to $15 per hour. The SEIU has bussed in demonstrators across the country to participate in strikes outside of McDonald’s locations. Clinton pledged to carry their banner.
“Thank you for marching. … We need you out there,” she said, according to Politico. “I want to be your champion. I want to fight with you every day.”
Clinton’s embrace of the $15 wage—more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25—could have major consequences for the economy.
Fred Wszolek of the Workforce Fairness Institute said that the $15 starting wage follows the Democrats’ record of passing legislation injurious to small businesses and the economy.
“Americans shouldn’t accept lectures on economic inequality from politicians who jet around the world on private planes collecting quarter million dollar checks for giving speeches,” he said. “Democrats wouldn’t listen when business owners warned that the Obamacare mandate would kill the 40 hour workweek, but it surely has. And now they won’t listen when we warn that a $15 an hour minimum wage will kill entry-level jobs, but it surely will.”
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Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has signed onto the Service Employees International Union-backed fast food worker movement, as she tacks further to the left in the Democratic primaries.
Clinton called into a SEIU-sponsored fast food workers forum on Sunday to express her support for raising the starting wage at establishments such as McDonald’s to $15 per hour. The SEIU has bussed in demonstrators across the country to participate in strikes outside of McDonald’s locations. Clinton pledged to carry their banner.
“Thank you for marching. … We need you out there,” she said, according to Politico. “I want to be your champion. I want to fight with you every day.”
Clinton’s embrace of the $15 wage—more than double the federal minimum wage of $7.25—could have major consequences for the economy.
Fred Wszolek of the Workforce Fairness Institute said that the $15 starting wage follows the Democrats’ record of passing legislation injurious to small businesses and the economy.
“Americans shouldn’t accept lectures on economic inequality from politicians who jet around the world on private planes collecting quarter million dollar checks for giving speeches,” he said. “Democrats wouldn’t listen when business owners warned that the Obamacare mandate would kill the 40 hour workweek, but it surely has. And now they won’t listen when we warn that a $15 an hour minimum wage will kill entry-level jobs, but it surely will.”
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After rioting, Baltimore police, staff to receive $1.7M in workers comp payments
As a result, the city expects to pay out $1.7 million, according to Bob Cenname, Baltimore’s deputy budget director.
The costs are among an estimated $20 million the rioting is expected to cost taxpayers. Officials are temporarily covering the costs with money from the city’s rainy day fund while seeking reimbursement for up to 75 percent from Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford Participates in Planting of New Community Garden and Celebrates Renovation
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford today was joined by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Captain Steve Hohman of the Southwest District of the Baltimore City Police Department, and Baltimore City residents to participate in the planting of a new community garden at BIGGYS Community Center. BIGGYS, which stands for "Because Intensive Giving Gets You Started," is located at 3100 Presstman Street in West Baltimore.
"This is a perfect example of how the state and city can work together in rebuilding our communities," said Lt. Governor Rutherford. "Governor Hogan and I commend the participants in today’s event and hope this spirit of giving and volunteerism continues in the weeks and months to come."
The Home Depot and Bell Nursery served as corporate partners for the rebuild and restoration of BIGGYS. The Home Depot donated more than $50,000 in materials for a new roof, kitchen, and flooring and provided more than 80 volunteers. Bell Nursery donated the flowers and vegetables for the community garden. In total, The Home Depot and Bell Nursery donated more than $150,000 in materials and manpower for BIGGYS restoration.
Additionally, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives (GOCI), which advises Governor Hogan and Lt. Governor Rutherford on policies and initiatives to enhance and improve community relations, has worked with community and recreation centers across Baltimore such as BIGGYS to help young children, teenagers, and senior citizens have a place in their community for after-school and summer activities.
"I applaud The Home Depot and Bell Nursery for serving as the lead corporate partners for the restoration of BIGGYS Community Center," said Steven J. McAdams, Executive Director of Governor Hogan’s Office of Community Initiatives. "My hope is more corporations will step up and help other community centers across Baltimore and the state of Maryland."
Following the community rebuild at BIGGYS, The Home Depot, Bell Nursery, and volunteers will begin a rebuild and restoration project at Martin Luther King Recreation Center. To learn more about the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives, please visit goci.maryland.gov.
Hillary's Officials Cut Criticisms Out Of State Dept. Reports
State Department Inspector General officials edited out passages of a high-profile report in 2013 that could have embarrassed Hillary Clinton just days before she quit President Obama's Cabinet.
The officials excised details of a cover up of misconduct by Clinton's security team.
The edits raise concerns that investigators were subjected to "undue influence" from agency officials.
The Washington Examiner obtained earlier drafts of the report which differ markedly from the final version. References to specific cases in which high-level State officials intervened and descriptions of the extent and frequency of those interventions appear in several early drafts but were later eliminated.
The unexplained gaps in the final version, and the removal of passages that would have damaged the State Department, call into question the independence of Harold Geisel, who was State's temporary inspector general throughout Clinton's four years at the head of the department.
The drafts were provided to the Examiner by Richard Higbie, a senior criminal investigator at the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, after he said he disclosed the documents to several members of Congress and multiple congressional committees under federal whistleblower protections.
Higbie is presently suing the State Department for retaliation.
More here
The officials excised details of a cover up of misconduct by Clinton's security team.
The edits raise concerns that investigators were subjected to "undue influence" from agency officials.
The Washington Examiner obtained earlier drafts of the report which differ markedly from the final version. References to specific cases in which high-level State officials intervened and descriptions of the extent and frequency of those interventions appear in several early drafts but were later eliminated.
The unexplained gaps in the final version, and the removal of passages that would have damaged the State Department, call into question the independence of Harold Geisel, who was State's temporary inspector general throughout Clinton's four years at the head of the department.
The drafts were provided to the Examiner by Richard Higbie, a senior criminal investigator at the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, after he said he disclosed the documents to several members of Congress and multiple congressional committees under federal whistleblower protections.
Higbie is presently suing the State Department for retaliation.
More here
NYTimes Hit Piece Ignores Scott Walker's Success
Fresh off its widely-mocked exclusive on the traffic citations given Marco and Jeannette Rubio – fewer than one per year, combined – the New York Times has an in-depth look at Scott Walker and the wealthy conservatives who backed him throughout his rise to national prominence.
It’s a classic of the genre.
The article is more sophisticated than the awkward and error-filled attempted hit on Walker by Gail Collins from the Times editorial page, who blamed Walker for layoffs that took place before he had been elected. And it avoids the kind of over-the-top claims that require corrections. But the piece nonetheless makes clear that its authors believe Walker’s views are far out of the mainstream and that he owes his success to wealthy conservatives eager to exploit a simpleton as the vessel for their ideological goals.
Indeed, they say this directly and without much qualification. Consider: “But the reasons for Mr. Walker’s success are more complex. In the Wisconsin legislature and as Milwaukee County executive, he always liked going to extremes and basking in his own brand of boldness. What he needed, as he climbed the political ladder, was the money and endorsements that [Bradley Foundation president Michael Grebe] and his conservative allies brought.”
The reporters are so convinced of the notion that Walker “always liked going to extremes” that they didn’t feel the need to source it. And they accept uncritically a specious claim from a local union leader that Walker was a cipher until big-money conservatives swept in behind him. They quote Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, who claims: “Scott Walker didn’t have the stature, influence or money to become governor on his own or to end collective bargaining on his own. All that flowed from Mike Grebe, the Bradley Foundation and a network of influential conservatives, including the Kochs.”
It’s an assertion that conveniently fits the Times’ skeptical narrative on Walker. But it’s also wrong.
More here
It’s a classic of the genre.
The article is more sophisticated than the awkward and error-filled attempted hit on Walker by Gail Collins from the Times editorial page, who blamed Walker for layoffs that took place before he had been elected. And it avoids the kind of over-the-top claims that require corrections. But the piece nonetheless makes clear that its authors believe Walker’s views are far out of the mainstream and that he owes his success to wealthy conservatives eager to exploit a simpleton as the vessel for their ideological goals.
Indeed, they say this directly and without much qualification. Consider: “But the reasons for Mr. Walker’s success are more complex. In the Wisconsin legislature and as Milwaukee County executive, he always liked going to extremes and basking in his own brand of boldness. What he needed, as he climbed the political ladder, was the money and endorsements that [Bradley Foundation president Michael Grebe] and his conservative allies brought.”
The reporters are so convinced of the notion that Walker “always liked going to extremes” that they didn’t feel the need to source it. And they accept uncritically a specious claim from a local union leader that Walker was a cipher until big-money conservatives swept in behind him. They quote Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, who claims: “Scott Walker didn’t have the stature, influence or money to become governor on his own or to end collective bargaining on his own. All that flowed from Mike Grebe, the Bradley Foundation and a network of influential conservatives, including the Kochs.”
It’s an assertion that conveniently fits the Times’ skeptical narrative on Walker. But it’s also wrong.
More here
EXCESSIVE HEAT IN THE AREA
The Wicomico County Health Department urges everyone to practice these stay cool safety tips:
Seek air-conditioned environments such as malls, libraries and public places. Stay indoors.
Schedule outdoor activities before 10:00 am and after 6:00 pm.
Take a cool bath or shower.
Minimize direct exposure to the sun, if you must be outdoors, seek shade.
Stay hydrated – regularly drink water or other nonalcoholic fluids.
Eat light, cool, easy-to-digest foods such as fruit or salads.
Limit using the stove or oven to keep the house cooler.
Check on others; co-workers, the elderly, and those living alone.
Wear loose fitting, light-colored clothes.
Bring pets indoors. If they must remain outside make sure they have shade and plenty of clean, fresh water.
"At this time, we do not anticipate opening cooling centers in Wicomico County. For up to date information and stay cool tips, visit our website at www.wicomicohealth.org.” says Lori Brewster, Health Officer.
Delaware police probe blocked D.C. bike lane video
WASHINGTON (AP) — Delaware State Police are investigating after a video posted online showed a trooper with an SUV parked in a Washington bike lane, telling a cyclist to move on.
Spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said in a statement Wednesday that the agency is aware of the video of a division member and an internal investigation will determine if there was any policy violation.
Gov. Jack Markell, an avid cyclist, attended an event in northwest Washington on Tuesday and police say a trooper was with him.
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The Cool DIY ‘Laser Shotgun’ So Powerful You Just Have to See It to Believe It
Drake Anthony, aka the D-I-Y Laser Guy, has been tearing apart and building lasers since he was 12 years old. He has also been posting videos demonstrating these homemade lasers on his popular Styropyro YouTube channel.
On Sunday, Anthony uploaded a new video showing off the power of a 40 watt “laser shotgun” he built at home. Something he said he was even afraid to build but did because he could and it wasn’t illegal.
He mounted an apparatus that includes eight 5W laser beams (totaling to 40W) in a parallel fashion behind a magnifying glass.
In the short video, Anthony demonstrates the power of his new creation on a series of balloons, some black powder, a piece of wood and more, easily igniting a host of items — typically in less than a second.
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On Sunday, Anthony uploaded a new video showing off the power of a 40 watt “laser shotgun” he built at home. Something he said he was even afraid to build but did because he could and it wasn’t illegal.
He mounted an apparatus that includes eight 5W laser beams (totaling to 40W) in a parallel fashion behind a magnifying glass.
In the short video, Anthony demonstrates the power of his new creation on a series of balloons, some black powder, a piece of wood and more, easily igniting a host of items — typically in less than a second.
More
The Warren Buffet Economy——Why Its Days Are Numbered (Part 1)
During the 27 years after Alan Greenspan became Fed chairman in August 1987, the balance sheet of the Fed exploded from $200 billion to $4.5 trillion. Call it 23X.
Let’s see what else happened over that 27 year span. Well, according to Forbes, Warren Buffet’s net worth was $2.1 billion back in 1987 and it is now $73 billion. Call that 35X.
During those same years, the value of non-financial corporate equities rose from $2.6 trillion to $36.6 trillion. That’s on the hefty side, too—- about 14X.
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During those same years, the value of non-financial corporate equities rose from $2.6 trillion to $36.6 trillion. That’s on the hefty side, too—- about 14X.
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The secret to happiness? Scientists reveal the four simple steps
What would it take for you to be truly happy?
Forget money, health and success. According to one group of scientists, what you really need is a four-step, 10-week program that changes your mindset.
Created by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the program uses a series of exercises that they say helps train people's minds into choosing happiness.
Dr Amit Sood, who led the research, says 40 to 50 per cent of your happiness depends on the choices you make and where you place your focus each day.
'You can choose to live focusing on what is right and beautiful in your life,' said Dr Sood who is the author of a new book, 'The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness: A Four-Step Plan for Resilient Living.
'Happiness is a habit,' he added. 'Some of us are born with it; others have to choose it.'
Previous research has shown that our minds are hard-wired to focus on negative experiences.
For our ancestors, this helped keep them stay alive, providing an evolutionary advantage in the face of danger.
More
Forget money, health and success. According to one group of scientists, what you really need is a four-step, 10-week program that changes your mindset.
Created by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the program uses a series of exercises that they say helps train people's minds into choosing happiness.
Dr Amit Sood, who led the research, says 40 to 50 per cent of your happiness depends on the choices you make and where you place your focus each day.
'You can choose to live focusing on what is right and beautiful in your life,' said Dr Sood who is the author of a new book, 'The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness: A Four-Step Plan for Resilient Living.
'Happiness is a habit,' he added. 'Some of us are born with it; others have to choose it.'
Previous research has shown that our minds are hard-wired to focus on negative experiences.
For our ancestors, this helped keep them stay alive, providing an evolutionary advantage in the face of danger.
More
Administrative Changes for a Number of Wicomico Schools on July 1
Administrative changes so far for Wicomico Schools include (effective July 1):
- Beaver Run Elementary: Kimberly Waters (formerly dean of students at East Salisbury Elementary) becomes Beaver Run’s assistant principal. She replaces Alexan Dargan, who will be assistant principal of Charles H. Chipman Elementary.
- Charles H. Chipman Elementary: Alexan Dargan (assistant principal at Beaver Run Elementary) becomes Chipman’s assistant principal. She replaces Jennifer Rice, who will be assistant principal at Willards Elementary.
- Delmar Elementary: Mike Bievenour (assistant principal at Salisbury Middle) becomes a Delmar assistant principal. He replaces Dr. Mark Bowen, who will be an assistant principal at Salisbury Middle.
- West Salisbury Elementary: Shelly Hall (assistant principal at Westside Intermediate) becomes West Salisbury’s assistant principal. She replaces Tara O’Barsky, who will be an assistant principal at Parkside High with responsibility for Career and Technology Education (CTE), and other duties.
- Westside Intermediate: Glenda Sinclair (an assistant principal of Wicomico Middle) becomes WIS assistant principal. She replaces Shelly Hall, who will be assistant principal at West Salisbury Elementary.
- Willards Elementary: Jennifer Rice (assistant principal at Charles H. Chipman Elementary) became Willards assistant principal. She replaces Katrena Bailey, who is retiring.
- Bennett Middle: Lisa King (literacy coach at Wicomico Middle) becomes a BMS assistant principal. She replaces Ike Humphrey, who is retiring.
- Wicomico Middle: Bob Purnell (dean of students at Parkside High) becomes a Wicomico Middle assistant principal. He replaces Glenda Sinclair, who will become assistant principal at Westside Intermediate.
- Parkside High: Tara O’Barsky (assistant principal at West Salisbury Elementary) becomes an assistant principal at Parkside High, with responsibility for Career and Technology Education (CTE), as well as other duties. She replaces Dave Churchman, who is retiring.
The Board and Superintendent have also named Dr. Bonnie Ennis as Supervisor of School Improvement, Accountability and Strategic Planning, effective July 1. She takes over from Linda Stark, who is retiring.
Westside Community Center Builds Aquaculture Center through Community Foundation Grant
Salisbury, MD – The Westside Community Center (WSCC) was recently awarded a Community Needs Grant from the Community Foundation. The grant, totaling $4200, is allowing the WSCC to move forward in developing an aquaculture center and laboratory. The new venture provides an opportunity for visiting groups to learn and contribute to the environment in a positive way by sharing information about the Chesapeake Bay, its inhabitants and life-cycle.
Housed at Cedar Hill Marina, the Westside Aquaculture Center is expected to open later this summer. As it is located directly on the Nanticoke River, it will focus on growing native species of the Chesapeake Bay including oyster, blue crab, rockfish, turtles and striped bass. The center will offer a wide range of program curriculums, with a focus on raising awareness of critical environmental issues, providing education on the complex ecology of the bay and giving participants a hands on role in bay restoration and conservation.
The Westside Aquaculture Center is the latest enhancement to the WSCC’s Adventure Education & Experiential Learning Program. Built to accommodate groups, the program also offers lessons in hunting & gathering, survival skills, farming, team building and Eastern Shore heritage. The program is self-sustaining, with participants paying $7 per person. For more information on the Westside Community Center and its Adventure Education & Experiential Learning Program, please visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or call Calvin Krauss at 410.873.2933.
Housed at Cedar Hill Marina, the Westside Aquaculture Center is expected to open later this summer. As it is located directly on the Nanticoke River, it will focus on growing native species of the Chesapeake Bay including oyster, blue crab, rockfish, turtles and striped bass. The center will offer a wide range of program curriculums, with a focus on raising awareness of critical environmental issues, providing education on the complex ecology of the bay and giving participants a hands on role in bay restoration and conservation.
The Westside Aquaculture Center is the latest enhancement to the WSCC’s Adventure Education & Experiential Learning Program. Built to accommodate groups, the program also offers lessons in hunting & gathering, survival skills, farming, team building and Eastern Shore heritage. The program is self-sustaining, with participants paying $7 per person. For more information on the Westside Community Center and its Adventure Education & Experiential Learning Program, please visit www.WicomicoRecandParks.org or call Calvin Krauss at 410.873.2933.
CLINTON FOUNDATION GOT MILLIONS FROM FIERCELY ANTI-GAY AFRICAN CHURCH
On the same evening Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was at a LGBT fundraiser in Washington D.C., Fox Business Network’s “After the Bell” aired a report on the Clinton Health Initiative receiving millions of dollars from the Cameroon Baptist Convention’s health board, part of a Baptist church that compares homosexuality with incest, human trafficking and bestiality calling it “devilish” behavior .
The Wall Street Journal’s Dan Henninger, Reason Magazine Editor-in-Chief Matt Welch, and New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin reported on the donations as revealed by the newest list of donors from the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which lists the organization as giving an amount ranging between $1 million and $10 million since 2010.
Mrs. Clinton’s campaign announcement video prominently featured a same-sex couple preparing to get married.
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The Wall Street Journal’s Dan Henninger, Reason Magazine Editor-in-Chief Matt Welch, and New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin reported on the donations as revealed by the newest list of donors from the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which lists the organization as giving an amount ranging between $1 million and $10 million since 2010.
Mrs. Clinton’s campaign announcement video prominently featured a same-sex couple preparing to get married.
Much More
LEAKING FUKUSHIMA CONTAINERS COULD LEAD TO HYDROGEN EXPLOSIONS
Nuclear plant continues to leak radioactive material
Containers holding contaminated water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant are at risk of hydrogen explosions, with 10 percent of them found to be leaking. As many as 333 containers may be defective, according to TEPCO.
The first leak was discovered by the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), on April 2. The discovery prompted an inspection of other containers at the site.
Twenty-six of the 278 containers examined by May 20 had some sort of leak or were bleeding from their lids. There are a total of 1,307 containers at the plant.
According to TEPCO, the leaks and bleeding were likely caused by hydrogen and other types of gases that resulted from the water’s exposure to high levels of radiation. Those gases appear to have accumulated in sediment at the bottom of the containers, expanding the volume of the liquid.
More
Containers holding contaminated water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant are at risk of hydrogen explosions, with 10 percent of them found to be leaking. As many as 333 containers may be defective, according to TEPCO.
The first leak was discovered by the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), on April 2. The discovery prompted an inspection of other containers at the site.
Twenty-six of the 278 containers examined by May 20 had some sort of leak or were bleeding from their lids. There are a total of 1,307 containers at the plant.
According to TEPCO, the leaks and bleeding were likely caused by hydrogen and other types of gases that resulted from the water’s exposure to high levels of radiation. Those gases appear to have accumulated in sediment at the bottom of the containers, expanding the volume of the liquid.
More