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Friday, August 07, 2015
Obama Call for Restoration of Voting Rights Act
WASHINGTON — President Obama marked the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act on Thursday by calling on Congress to update the law and urging people to register to vote.
"There are people of goodwill on both sides of the aisle who are willing to do it, but it keeps slipping as a priority," Obama said. "This has to be a priority. If this isn't working, nothing's working."
The Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the act two years ago, ruling that jurisdictions with a history of discrimination are no longer required to have voting changes preapproved by the Justice Department.
Obama pointed to battles at the state and local level, where voting rights groups challenge voter identification laws. Wednesday, a federal appeals court ruled that a Texas law is discriminatory and violates the act.
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"There are people of goodwill on both sides of the aisle who are willing to do it, but it keeps slipping as a priority," Obama said. "This has to be a priority. If this isn't working, nothing's working."
The Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the act two years ago, ruling that jurisdictions with a history of discrimination are no longer required to have voting changes preapproved by the Justice Department.
Obama pointed to battles at the state and local level, where voting rights groups challenge voter identification laws. Wednesday, a federal appeals court ruled that a Texas law is discriminatory and violates the act.
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Timeouts for Toddlers? New Parenting Study Has Surprising Results
Some parents choose to love their toddlers through their tantrums.
“Parents can really use it as a teachable moment to show their kids how to problem-solve and to teach them how to express themselves,” Yahoo parenting senior writer Elise Sole told ABC News.
And others choose to ignore the fit and enforce a timeout.
“When a child is really being defiant, they’re hitting, they’re overwhelmed with emotion; that child is best suited for a timeout,” child and teen development specialist Robyn Silverman said.
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For Some Republicans, A Trump Victory Looks Increasingly Possible
CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Four years ago, only one Republican candidate was consistently hitting the same kind of polling heights among the presidential field that real estate mogul Donald Trump is reaching now. His name was Mitt Romney.
The fact that Romney went on to capture his party’s nomination should be, at the very least, one basic reason why Trump’s recent surge can’t be dismissed as the aberration that so many pundits and party strategists claim it is.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that Trump, who will command center stage at the first Republican presidential debate on Thursday, is going to wind up the party’s nominee a year from now. There are significant obstacles in his path: his history of supporting liberal causes, his sclerotic campaign organization and his limited appeal - so far - to a narrow swath of Republican voters.
Still, some Republicans, especially those outside of Washington, are urging the party to take Trump’s bid seriously, arguing that it’s not out of the question that he could shock the world and win the primary.
Craig Robinson, the former chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, sees echoes of the current president in Trump's run, saying Trump is another product of the media environment.
"Obama was a brand. Donald Trump is a brand. At the end of the day it was really cool to be an Obama supporter and really uncool to be a McCain or Romney supporter," said Robinson, who is neutral in the Republican primary.
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The fact that Romney went on to capture his party’s nomination should be, at the very least, one basic reason why Trump’s recent surge can’t be dismissed as the aberration that so many pundits and party strategists claim it is.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that Trump, who will command center stage at the first Republican presidential debate on Thursday, is going to wind up the party’s nominee a year from now. There are significant obstacles in his path: his history of supporting liberal causes, his sclerotic campaign organization and his limited appeal - so far - to a narrow swath of Republican voters.
Still, some Republicans, especially those outside of Washington, are urging the party to take Trump’s bid seriously, arguing that it’s not out of the question that he could shock the world and win the primary.
Craig Robinson, the former chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, sees echoes of the current president in Trump's run, saying Trump is another product of the media environment.
"Obama was a brand. Donald Trump is a brand. At the end of the day it was really cool to be an Obama supporter and really uncool to be a McCain or Romney supporter," said Robinson, who is neutral in the Republican primary.
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Baltimore Mayor Suspends Referral To Psych Firm Under Investigation
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has announced that the Baltimore City will immediately suspend referring any additional employees, police officers or their family members to Psychology Consultants Associated P.A., pending the outcome of ongoing investigations from the city’s law department.
Psychology Consultants Associated is being investigated by the state police for cutting corners in its mental health screenings of officers.
The Maryland State Police took action against Psychology Consultants Associated in June after an investigation showed the firm's president, psychologist Kenneth Sachs, and his employees and contractors were completing evaluations of officers' mental stability in 15 minutes instead of the 45 minutes required by the state contract, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
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Psychology Consultants Associated is being investigated by the state police for cutting corners in its mental health screenings of officers.
The Maryland State Police took action against Psychology Consultants Associated in June after an investigation showed the firm's president, psychologist Kenneth Sachs, and his employees and contractors were completing evaluations of officers' mental stability in 15 minutes instead of the 45 minutes required by the state contract, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
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Three Arrested by OCPD After Drivers Fled from Two Unrelated Traffic Stops
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| Yusuf K. Agduman |
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| Onur Bolaca |
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| Derrick L. Freeman |
OCEAN CITY, MD – (August 6, 2015): In the early morning hours of August 6, 2015, Ocean City police arrested three individuals after two unrelated incidents where the driver of a vehicle fled from officers attempting to conduct a traffic stop.
At approximately 2:20 a.m. officers observed a vehicle traveling southbound on Philadelphia Avenue drift from lane to lane at a high rate of speed in the area of 28th Street. When officers initiated a traffic stop at 23rd Street, the vehicle accelerated rapidly reaching speeds upwards of 50 mph in a 35 mph zone. The vehicle quickly turned west on 15th Street then south on St. Louis Avenue, nearly striking a pedestrian legally attempting to cross in the crosswalk. The vehicle finally came to a stop just south of 15th Street and St. Louis Avenue.
During the investigation, police located marijuana that had been thrown out of the vehicle during the pursuit. The driver, Yusuf K. Agduman, 21, and passenger, Onur Bolaca, 23, were later arrested. Both suspects are of Ocean City. Agduman was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing and hindering a police officer, in addition to multiple traffic violations. Bolaca was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing and hindering a police officer and littering.
Later on in the morning, at approximately 3:10 a.m. officers on bicycle patrol observed a vehicle traveling north at a high rate of speed on the boardwalk near 1st Street. The vehicle turned around and traveled south on the boardwalk then turned west onto N. Division Street. The vehicle stopped at the intersection of N. Division Street and Baltimore Avenue and police approached the driver. The driver stopped the vehicle for a short time then sped north on Baltimore Avenue. Nearby officers were able to locate the vehicle in the area of 8th Street and initiated a traffic stop. frThe driver, later identified as Derrick L. Freeman, 26, of Newport News, VA, failed to complete a series of field sobriety tests and was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Freeman was also issued numerous traffic citations.
Each of the three suspects were seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner. Agduman and Bolaca was released on personal recognizance. Freeman was released after posting $2,500 bond.
Parole Violator And Suspect In Shooting Sought In Wicomico Co.
DELONTE A. BRYANT
(SALISBURY, MD) – Police are requesting the public’s help as they search for a fugitive wanted in connection with a recent shooting in Wicomico County, as well as on a parole retake warrant for a violation of the conditions of his parole from state prison.
The fugitive is identified as Delonte A. Bryant, 21, whose known addresses include the 600-block of East Church Street and the 700-block of Wadena Ave, Salisbury, Md. He is charged on an arrest warrant with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm, possession of a handgun, possession of a handgun in a vehicle, illegal possession of ammunition, reckless endangerment, and three counts of malicious destruction of property. He is also wanted on a parole retake warrant from the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
The arrest warrant stems from a shooting incident that occurred on July 4, 2015, near the East Road Apartments complex in the 1000-block of East Road, Salisbury, Md. In addition to firing shots in the direction of the apartments, Bryant is charged with deliberately damaging three vehicles in that area. Each vehicle reportedly sustained more than $1,000 damage. No one was hit by the shots fired. The case remains under investigation by the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation.
Anyone with information about the current location of Delonte Bryant, is urged to contact police immediately. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
Calls may be made to Master Trooper Snyder of the Maryland State Apprehension Team at 443-366-4296, or Crime Solvers of the Lower Eastern Shore at 410-548-1776. Callers may remain anonymous and may receive a reward up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of Bryant.
BREAKING NEWS: James Holmes to be sentenced to life in prison without parole
Jurors in Colorado massacre case rejec t death penalty and decide gunman James Holmes should be sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing 12 and injuring 70 during 2012 attack at theater.
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3D-PRINTED DRUGS WILL BRING HOPE AND HAZARDS TO AMERICAN HOMES
Coming as early as 2016
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved a drug created by a 3D printer, in what is believed to be a first for the agency. The drug, Spritam, is made by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals and treats seizures. The medication is expected to reach the market in the first quarter of 2016.
NPR reports:
“‘The drug is called Spritam and is designed to treat seizures in people suffering from epilepsy. It’s a new version of a seizure medication that’s been on the market for years.
The new tablets are manufactured using 3-D printing, which creates objects by very precisely spewing out one layer of a substance on top of another. 3-D printing is being used to make all sorts of things these days.
The FDA had previously approved medical devices made with 3-D printing. The company that makes Spritam says the 3-D-printed version of the drug allows it to dissolve more quickly, which makes it easier to swallow.’”
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved a drug created by a 3D printer, in what is believed to be a first for the agency. The drug, Spritam, is made by Aprecia Pharmaceuticals and treats seizures. The medication is expected to reach the market in the first quarter of 2016.
NPR reports:
“‘The drug is called Spritam and is designed to treat seizures in people suffering from epilepsy. It’s a new version of a seizure medication that’s been on the market for years.
The new tablets are manufactured using 3-D printing, which creates objects by very precisely spewing out one layer of a substance on top of another. 3-D printing is being used to make all sorts of things these days.
The FDA had previously approved medical devices made with 3-D printing. The company that makes Spritam says the 3-D-printed version of the drug allows it to dissolve more quickly, which makes it easier to swallow.’”
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OBAMA ALTERS U.S. OATH OF ALLEGIANCE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ISLAMIC LAW
On July 21, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced some “modifications” to the Oath of Allegiance which immigrants must take before becoming naturalized.
The original oath required incoming citizens to declare that they will “bear arms on behalf of the United States” and “perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States” when required by the law.
Now the USCIS says that “A candidate [to U.S. citizenship] may be eligible to exclude these two clauses based on religious training and belief or a conscientious objection.”
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AN ‘UNARMED’ WHITE TEEN WAS SHOT DEAD BY POLICE. HIS FAMILY ASKS: WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?
No protests or riots following death of while teen
Zachary Hammond was on a first date when he was fatally shot by a police officer in his car during a drug bust in South Carolina, his family says.
At the time the 19-year-old was shot and killed, his date, Tori Morton, was eating an ice cream cone, according to the family’s attorney, Eric Bland.
Morton, 23, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana — all 10 grams of it — which, according to police, was the reason undercover agents set up the drug buy.
The official police report never mentioned the two gunshots that killed Hammond on July 26 in a Hardees parking lot. Seneca police say a second report — which has not been released to the public — details the officer’s account of the shooting.
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Zachary Hammond was on a first date when he was fatally shot by a police officer in his car during a drug bust in South Carolina, his family says.
At the time the 19-year-old was shot and killed, his date, Tori Morton, was eating an ice cream cone, according to the family’s attorney, Eric Bland.
Morton, 23, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana — all 10 grams of it — which, according to police, was the reason undercover agents set up the drug buy.
The official police report never mentioned the two gunshots that killed Hammond on July 26 in a Hardees parking lot. Seneca police say a second report — which has not been released to the public — details the officer’s account of the shooting.
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Senate bill would nearly double the gas tax
Carper's bill would increase the gas tax by 4 cents per year for the next four years, resulting in a 16-cents-per-gallon increase by 2020. The legislation would offer tax credits to offset the impact of the gas tax hikes on drivers, according to Carper's office.
The Delaware senator said the failure of Congress to pass a long-term transportation bill this summer showed it is time to raise the gas tax, which has not been increased since 1993.
“Rather than lurching from crisis to crisis, increasing country’s debt, and borrowing more money from foreign governments to pay for our transportation system, I say it’s time to do what’s right," Carper said in a statement, referring to the three-month transportation funding patch that was approved by Congress before lawmakers left for recess last month.
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Tennessee Lesbians Faked Hate Crime And Destroyed Own Home
A lesbian couple faked a hate crime that left their home a pile of charred rubble at their Venore, Tenn., property in 2010, local reports said.
An insurance company caught on to the ruse months after the blaze and accused Carol Ann and Laura Stutte of perpetuating a hoax and blaming the fire on their neighbor, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
A federal jury ruled in favor of the insurance company’s belief that the couple spray-painted an anti-gay slur on their own garage to spin the fire as a hate crime based on their sexual orientation.
The homeowners intended to bank on an insurance claim of more than $276,000, American National and Casulty Company alleged in court documents obtained by the News Sentinel.
The target of their stunt was Janice Millsaps, a neighbor whom the Stuttes accused in news reports and a lawsuit of threatening to kill them and burn their house down.
“Do you know what is better than one dead queer? Two dead queers,” is what the Stuttes accused Millsap of saying one month before the Sept. 4 blaze that destroyed their home.
The word "queers" was scrawled across their garage during the fire.
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An insurance company caught on to the ruse months after the blaze and accused Carol Ann and Laura Stutte of perpetuating a hoax and blaming the fire on their neighbor, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.
A federal jury ruled in favor of the insurance company’s belief that the couple spray-painted an anti-gay slur on their own garage to spin the fire as a hate crime based on their sexual orientation.
The homeowners intended to bank on an insurance claim of more than $276,000, American National and Casulty Company alleged in court documents obtained by the News Sentinel.
The target of their stunt was Janice Millsaps, a neighbor whom the Stuttes accused in news reports and a lawsuit of threatening to kill them and burn their house down.
“Do you know what is better than one dead queer? Two dead queers,” is what the Stuttes accused Millsap of saying one month before the Sept. 4 blaze that destroyed their home.
The word "queers" was scrawled across their garage during the fire.
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In Maryland, 1 out of every 5 home sales is distressed
Only Michigan and Florida have a higher share of distressed sales.
Distressed sales are defined as properties either owned by the lender through foreclosure or short sales by owners facing foreclosure.
Nationally, CoreLogic says distressed sales fell to 9.9 percent in May, down 2.8 percent from a year ago. The share of bank-owned property sales was 6.4 percent, the lowest since October 2007.
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BREAKING NEWS: VERDICT REACHED IN CASE OF MOVIE MASSACRE KILLER
A jury has reached a verdict in the life or death case of James Holmes for his role in the Colorado movie theater shooting that killed 12 and injured 70. The judge will read the verdict at 7 p.m. ET.
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Here Comes The Next Crisis "Nobody Saw Coming"
When borrowing become prohibitive (or impossible) and raising taxes no longer generates more revenues, state and local governments will have to cut expenditures.
Strangely enough, every easily foreseeable financial crisis is presented in the mainstream media as one that "nobody saw coming." No doubt the crisis visible in these three charts will also fall into the "nobody saw it coming" category.
Take a look at this chart of state and local government debt. As we noted yesterday, nominal GDP rose about 77% since 2000. So state and local debt rose at double the rate of GDP. That is the definition of an unsustainable trend.
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Strangely enough, every easily foreseeable financial crisis is presented in the mainstream media as one that "nobody saw coming." No doubt the crisis visible in these three charts will also fall into the "nobody saw it coming" category.
Take a look at this chart of state and local government debt. As we noted yesterday, nominal GDP rose about 77% since 2000. So state and local debt rose at double the rate of GDP. That is the definition of an unsustainable trend.
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County to hire solar consultant
“I go back to my days at the (U.S. Merchant Marine) academy,” County Attorney Sonny Bloxom said. “When I learned celestial navigation, they didn’t hand me a sextant and a textbook, I had professors and teachers to help guide me.”
For the past month, Worcester County officials have been entertaining the idea of installing a solar power production facility somewhere in the county to provide two megawatts of the approximately 8 megawatts of power county facilities use annually.
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IRS SCAM CALLS AGAIN TODAY FRIDAY 8/7
Joe - Again received today IRS phone scam call this is 2nd time for us. Last time got this call notified the real IRS they said to tell everyone that the IRS does not call and threaten to sue people by phone--it is a scam the phone number they used is 1-206-923-9536 always the person cannot speak good English!!! BE ON ALERT TO ALL.
Police/Courts 8/7/15
Antonio Hayward, 28, of Bishopville, Md. was arrested on July 30 after he collided into an unmarked patrol vehicle.
Police reported his license was suspended and revoked through the state of Maryland.
In addition, he allegedly admitted to using LSD before he drove the vehicle and after a search multiple blue packages of suspected heroin were found in his car.
Hayward was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and eight traffic violations.
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SFD: Hazmat Spill In Salisbury
At 1254 hours the Salisbury Fire Department Hazmat Team mitigated a Hazmat Spill of about 50 total gallons of recycled...
Posted by Salisbury Fire Department on Friday, August 7, 2015
The fur is flying in pet-people clashes in the skies
Colleen Kaczka is done with pets on planes and their "crybaby" owners. And with good reason.
On a recent JetBlue flight from Newark to Orlando, an "emotional support" dog belonging to a first-class passenger defecated midflight. The stench filled the entire cabin and was almost unbearable to Kaczka and her son, who suffers from asthma.
"Airlines are enabling a bunch of selfish people who have no concern for the people around them," says Kaczka, a teacher from South Plainfield, N.J.
Perhaps. Confrontations between pets and passengers are at their worst now, during the dog days of summer. More pets are flying than ever, yet only half the respondents in a recent survey say animals belong in the passenger cabin of a commercial jet.
Therapy dogs soothe stressed-out travelers in San Francisco
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On a recent JetBlue flight from Newark to Orlando, an "emotional support" dog belonging to a first-class passenger defecated midflight. The stench filled the entire cabin and was almost unbearable to Kaczka and her son, who suffers from asthma.
"Airlines are enabling a bunch of selfish people who have no concern for the people around them," says Kaczka, a teacher from South Plainfield, N.J.
Perhaps. Confrontations between pets and passengers are at their worst now, during the dog days of summer. More pets are flying than ever, yet only half the respondents in a recent survey say animals belong in the passenger cabin of a commercial jet.
Therapy dogs soothe stressed-out travelers in San Francisco
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FactChecking the GOP Debate, Late Edition
Summary
The first prime-time Republican presidential debate featured the top 10 candidates, according to polling, and they twisted some facts.
The first prime-time Republican presidential debate featured the top 10 candidates, according to polling, and they twisted some facts.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said that “over 40 percent of small and mid-size banks … have been wiped out” since the Dodd-Frank law was passed. Actually, the total number of commercial banks has gone down only 16 percent, continuing a longtime trend.
Businessman Donald Trump said his net worth is $10 billion, but outside estimates put the figure much lower.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush twice claimed that he cut taxes in the state by $19 billion. But that includes cuts in Florida estate taxes mandated by federal law that Bush had nothing to do with.
Motorists Nearly Hits Walker During Chase
OCEAN CITY — A Turkish national living in West Ocean City was arrested on multiple traffic and drug charges early Thursday morning after a high-speed chase in the downtown area that nearly resulted in a collision with a pedestrian.
Around 2:20 a.m. on Thursday, an Ocean City police officer on patrol in the area of 28th Street observed a Ford Focus heading south on Philadelphia Avenue drifting from lane to lane. The officer followed the vehicle south as it continued to swerve in and out of lanes and speeding. The officer initially tracked the vehicle driving 48 mph in a 35-mph zone.
The officer initiated a traffic stop by activating the patrol vehicle’s lights and siren, but the Ford Focus continued south, accelerating to 56 mph at one point. When the car reached the area of 15thStreet, its path was blocked by traffic in each lane ahead with brake lights. The Ford Focus abruptly turned west on 15th Street, ran through a stop sign at St. Louis Avenue and nearly struck a pedestrian, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck in the crosswalk.
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Around 2:20 a.m. on Thursday, an Ocean City police officer on patrol in the area of 28th Street observed a Ford Focus heading south on Philadelphia Avenue drifting from lane to lane. The officer followed the vehicle south as it continued to swerve in and out of lanes and speeding. The officer initially tracked the vehicle driving 48 mph in a 35-mph zone.
The officer initiated a traffic stop by activating the patrol vehicle’s lights and siren, but the Ford Focus continued south, accelerating to 56 mph at one point. When the car reached the area of 15thStreet, its path was blocked by traffic in each lane ahead with brake lights. The Ford Focus abruptly turned west on 15th Street, ran through a stop sign at St. Louis Avenue and nearly struck a pedestrian, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck in the crosswalk.
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How Planned Parenthood spends its federal funding
The long-running calls for the federal government to cease all funding directed toward Planned Parenthood have once again come to the fore. This time, a congressional vote and debate took shape after an anti-abortion group secretly recorded a series of videos with the organization's medical officers and staff speaking dispassionately — some would say dismissively — about the work of extracting fetal tissue from aborted fetuses and and transferring it to research facilities.
[Undercover video shows Planned Parenthood official discussing fetal organs used for research]
And even though the defund Planned Parenthood fight on the Senate floor didn't move the needle — in terms of actual impacts on funding — it did bring to the fore some important facts about how much federal money goes to the group, and what it's used for.
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[Undercover video shows Planned Parenthood official discussing fetal organs used for research]
And even though the defund Planned Parenthood fight on the Senate floor didn't move the needle — in terms of actual impacts on funding — it did bring to the fore some important facts about how much federal money goes to the group, and what it's used for.
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Ron Paul: Champion of God's Peace
Ronald Reagan used to be called the Teflon president, on the grounds that no matter what gaffe or scandal engulfed him, it never stuck: he didn’t suffer in the polls. If Reagan was the Teflon president, the military is America’s Teflon institution. Even people who oppose whatever the current war happens to be can be counted on to “support the troops” and to live by the comforting delusion that whatever aberrations may be evident today, the system itself is basically sound.
To add insult to injury, whenever the US government gears up for yet another military intervention, it’s people who pretend to favor “limited government,” and who pride themselves on not falling for government propaganda, who can be counted on to stand up and salute.
I had the rare honor of serving as Ron Paul’s congressional chief of staff, and observed him in many proud moments in those days, and in his presidential campaigns. But Ron’s new book Swords into Plowshares: A Life in Wartime and a Future of Peace and Prosperity, a plainspoken and relentless case against war that ranks alongside Smedley Butler’s classic War Is a Racket, is possibly the proudest Ron Paul moment of all.
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To add insult to injury, whenever the US government gears up for yet another military intervention, it’s people who pretend to favor “limited government,” and who pride themselves on not falling for government propaganda, who can be counted on to stand up and salute.
I had the rare honor of serving as Ron Paul’s congressional chief of staff, and observed him in many proud moments in those days, and in his presidential campaigns. But Ron’s new book Swords into Plowshares: A Life in Wartime and a Future of Peace and Prosperity, a plainspoken and relentless case against war that ranks alongside Smedley Butler’s classic War Is a Racket, is possibly the proudest Ron Paul moment of all.
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Police Let Judge Off With No Arrest After He Admitted to Leaving 2-yo Son in Car Until He Died
Hot Springs, AR — On Friday, the Hot Springs Fire Department responded to an emergency call about a 2-year-old boy who was left in a car. Tragically, when they arrived on the scene, there was nothing they could do to save him.
The 2-year-old boy’s name was Thomas Naramore, the son of Garland County circuit judge Wade Naramore. Thomas was pronounced dead on the scene.
According to the Hot Springs Police, earlier that day Naramore had picked his son up from daycare and driven him home. Instead of getting him out of the car, however, Naramore admitted to forgetting about Thomas, for four hours.
“[The father] had driven home, left the baby in the car, forgot the baby was in the car for about four hours and I guess when he realized he went out to the car,” Donny Lodan explained to KARK. “I think we’re all … in shock that you just — everybody always says this — but you never really expected to happen … two doors down.”
According to reports, Naramore was never arrested, and the police are conducting an investigation. The lack of arrest comes in spite of the fact that Naramore admitted to leaving his son in the car for four hours; a confession to a minimum of negligent homicide.
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The 2-year-old boy’s name was Thomas Naramore, the son of Garland County circuit judge Wade Naramore. Thomas was pronounced dead on the scene.
According to the Hot Springs Police, earlier that day Naramore had picked his son up from daycare and driven him home. Instead of getting him out of the car, however, Naramore admitted to forgetting about Thomas, for four hours.
“[The father] had driven home, left the baby in the car, forgot the baby was in the car for about four hours and I guess when he realized he went out to the car,” Donny Lodan explained to KARK. “I think we’re all … in shock that you just — everybody always says this — but you never really expected to happen … two doors down.”
According to reports, Naramore was never arrested, and the police are conducting an investigation. The lack of arrest comes in spite of the fact that Naramore admitted to leaving his son in the car for four hours; a confession to a minimum of negligent homicide.
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Ohio Reps Wants Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients
A proposal from two GOP members of the Ohio House of Representatives would require welfare applicants to be screened and tested for drugs.
Tim Schaffer and Ron Maag want a two-year pilot program in three counties to test the idea, which would invalidate welfare payments to recipients if they test positive for drugs. The applicant would have to complete a short substance abuse screening test; if there was evidence of drug abuse, a drug test would be administered. But the children and dependents of the recipient would still receive benefits because a third party could accept the cash payment.
Maag told Cincinnati.com, “We’re not trying to hurt them in any way. We’re trying to get the person addicted to drugs some help.”
The bill would cost $100,000 annually, $6,250 for every 5,000 screening tests and roughly $30 per drug test. The bill would be funded by applicants who failed the drug test. The bill will be brought before the House on Wednesday.
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Tim Schaffer and Ron Maag want a two-year pilot program in three counties to test the idea, which would invalidate welfare payments to recipients if they test positive for drugs. The applicant would have to complete a short substance abuse screening test; if there was evidence of drug abuse, a drug test would be administered. But the children and dependents of the recipient would still receive benefits because a third party could accept the cash payment.
Maag told Cincinnati.com, “We’re not trying to hurt them in any way. We’re trying to get the person addicted to drugs some help.”
The bill would cost $100,000 annually, $6,250 for every 5,000 screening tests and roughly $30 per drug test. The bill would be funded by applicants who failed the drug test. The bill will be brought before the House on Wednesday.
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Freshman GOP Rep. diagnosed with whooping cough
WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo has been diagnosed with whooping cough, a rare and contagious disease that is officially known as pertussis.
The freshman Republican has been ill for several weeks with the disease, which still sickens thousands each year. He was diagnosed on Monday.
Curbelo, 35, was vaccinated as a child, his office says, but did not received recommended booster shots as an adult. He was probably contagious in early- to mid-July but no longer is so.
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The freshman Republican has been ill for several weeks with the disease, which still sickens thousands each year. He was diagnosed on Monday.
Curbelo, 35, was vaccinated as a child, his office says, but did not received recommended booster shots as an adult. He was probably contagious in early- to mid-July but no longer is so.
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When the Next Crisis Hits, the Monetary Gates Will Close on Accounts
Going forward it will be more and more difficult to get your money out of the financial system.
The reason for this concerns the actual structure of the financial system. As we've outlined previously, that structure is as follows:
1) The total currency (actual cash in the form of bills and coins) in the US financial system is a little over $1.36 trillion.
2) When you include digital money sitting in short-term accounts and long-term accounts then you’re talking about roughly $10 trillion in “money” in the financial system.
3) In contrast, the money in the US stock market (equity shares in publicly traded companies) is over $20 trillion in size.
4) The US bond market (money that has been lent to corporations, municipal Governments, State Governments, and the Federal Government) is almost twice this at $38 trillion.
5) Total Credit Market Instruments (mortgages, collateralized debt obligations, junk bonds, commercial paper and other digitally-based “money” that is based on debt) is even larger $58.7 trillion.
6) Unregulated over the counter derivatives traded between the big banks and corporations is north of $220 trillion.
Former Merck Rep: Mandatory Vaccination Is For Profit, Not Public Health
‘Brandy Vaughan is a former sales rep for Merck & Co. – a vaccine maker – and she details how vaccine companies are using vaccines as a vehicle for massive profit and not public health.
Brandy researched the safety of vaccines and found that not only do vaccines contain known toxins that can cause neurological damage, but that vaccine makers do not create the same safety studies for vaccines as they do for other drugs.
This lack of true safety research of vaccines combined with the known adverse reactions to vaccination has helped Brandy to decide to never vaccinate her own child.
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Brandy researched the safety of vaccines and found that not only do vaccines contain known toxins that can cause neurological damage, but that vaccine makers do not create the same safety studies for vaccines as they do for other drugs.
This lack of true safety research of vaccines combined with the known adverse reactions to vaccination has helped Brandy to decide to never vaccinate her own child.
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Westside Intermediate Named A Character School Of Year
SALISBURY — Westside Intermediate School in Hebron has been named a Maryland Character Education School of the Year for 2014-2015, and it will be celebrated at the annual awards luncheon at the Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University on Oct. 8 in Baltimore.
The Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University (MCCE@SU) is dedicated to making an ethical difference in the lives of individuals and the entire community through education. The center encourages teachers and administrators, in public and private schools to teach, model and reinforce moral values and ethical behavior. In partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and character.org, MCCE@SU will honor 70 schools from throughout Maryland.
The awards program recognizes schools or districts that demonstrate an outstanding character education initiative yielding positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance. Schools are selected by their county superintendent and/or their character education coordinator.
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The Maryland Center for Character Education at Stevenson University (MCCE@SU) is dedicated to making an ethical difference in the lives of individuals and the entire community through education. The center encourages teachers and administrators, in public and private schools to teach, model and reinforce moral values and ethical behavior. In partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and character.org, MCCE@SU will honor 70 schools from throughout Maryland.
The awards program recognizes schools or districts that demonstrate an outstanding character education initiative yielding positive results in student behavior, school climate and academic performance. Schools are selected by their county superintendent and/or their character education coordinator.
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"I Pay $271 A Month To Schools And I Don't Have Kids": Illinois Bureaucracy Sucks Homeowners Dry
Ever since the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a pension reform bid in May, prompting Moody’s to downgrade the city of Chicago to junk, the state’s financial woes have becoming something of a symbol for the various fiscal crises that plague state and local governments across the country.
The state High Court’s decision was reinforced late last month when a Cook County judge ruled that a plan to change Chicago’s pensions was unconstitutional.
As we’ve discussed at length, these rulings set a de facto precedent for lawmakers across the country and will make it exceedingly difficult for cities and states to address a pension shortfall which totals anywhere between $1.5 trillion and $2.4 trillion depending on who you ask.
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The state High Court’s decision was reinforced late last month when a Cook County judge ruled that a plan to change Chicago’s pensions was unconstitutional.
As we’ve discussed at length, these rulings set a de facto precedent for lawmakers across the country and will make it exceedingly difficult for cities and states to address a pension shortfall which totals anywhere between $1.5 trillion and $2.4 trillion depending on who you ask.
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9 CEOs paid 800 times more than their workers
Companies had lots of reasons to resist a just-approved new rule forcing them to disclose the pay gap between workers and the CEO: 216 to be exact.
The average CEO of Standard & Poor's 500companies were paid 216 times more than the median employees at their companies, according to a USA TODAY analysis of worker pay data from Glassdoor.com and CEO pay data from S&P Capital IQ. CEO pay was based on the most recent total reported compensation of current CEOs and Glassdoor pay is based on worker-reported data to the popular job search site.
The gap is much larger in several cases. Nine CEOs including David Zaslav of media company Discovery Communications (DISCA), Chipotle (CMG) co-CEOs Steven Ells and Montgomery Moran and Larry Merlo of CVS Health (CVS), were paid 800 times or more than the average worker at these companies.
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The average CEO of Standard & Poor's 500companies were paid 216 times more than the median employees at their companies, according to a USA TODAY analysis of worker pay data from Glassdoor.com and CEO pay data from S&P Capital IQ. CEO pay was based on the most recent total reported compensation of current CEOs and Glassdoor pay is based on worker-reported data to the popular job search site.
The gap is much larger in several cases. Nine CEOs including David Zaslav of media company Discovery Communications (DISCA), Chipotle (CMG) co-CEOs Steven Ells and Montgomery Moran and Larry Merlo of CVS Health (CVS), were paid 800 times or more than the average worker at these companies.
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Bill Cosby ordered to be deposed in Los Angeles sexual abuse lawsuit
Aug 5 U.S. comedian Bill Cosby has been ordered to give a sworn deposition in a lawsuit alleging he sexually abused a 15-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 1974.
The order, entered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday and made public on Wednesday, states that Cosby will submit to questions under oath from the lawyer of his accuser, Judy Huth, on Oct. 9, and that she will answer questions from his attorneys on Oct. 15.
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The order, entered by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday and made public on Wednesday, states that Cosby will submit to questions under oath from the lawyer of his accuser, Judy Huth, on Oct. 9, and that she will answer questions from his attorneys on Oct. 15.
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Asia backs Iran deal, Kerry says A-Bomb anniversary relevant
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and five of their large neighbors endorsed the nuclear deal negotiated between Iran and six world powers, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday's 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing highlighted the importance of the accord in preventing the spread of atomic weapons.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the ASEAN countries along with Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea welcomed the deal with Iran struck last month as an "important resolution" that could resolve one of the world's most pressing concerns if it is adhered to. The statement was issued on the final day of a Southeast Asian regional security forum in Malaysia.
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In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the ASEAN countries along with Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea welcomed the deal with Iran struck last month as an "important resolution" that could resolve one of the world's most pressing concerns if it is adhered to. The statement was issued on the final day of a Southeast Asian regional security forum in Malaysia.
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GOP Panic? RNC Chair Says Trump Is "Breath Of Fresh Air"
“People are gravitating to that,” he said. “I’ve had great conversations with Donald Trump. I think he wants to be the Republican nominee.”
“He knows that if Hillary Clinton is going to be beat or Joe Biden is going to be beat, it’s going to be by a Republican,” Priebus added.
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Salisbury OKs Plans For New Habitat Project
SALISBURY – The City Council covered a list of agenda items during last week’s meeting, including reviewing a Habitat for Humanity project on Church Street, the establishment of a Community Development Project fund, a code change to have new development along the river added to the Riverwalk as part of construction and an increase in fines for various building codes.
Wicomico Habitat Eyes Build On Church Street
A resolution came before the City Council to approve a project to construct or rehabilitate a minimum of four homes in the greater church street neighborhood to be sold to low or very low income families over the next two years.
According to the resolution, the non-profit organization of Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County, Inc., has proposed to undertake the project, and has applied to the Department of Housing and Community Development of the State of Maryland for approval of the project and an allocation of tax credits for business entities and individuals that contribute to the Project, under the Department’s Community Investment Tax Credit Program.
The council voted 3-0 to approve the resolution with Council President Jake Day and Councilman Jack Heath absent.
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Wicomico Habitat Eyes Build On Church Street
A resolution came before the City Council to approve a project to construct or rehabilitate a minimum of four homes in the greater church street neighborhood to be sold to low or very low income families over the next two years.
According to the resolution, the non-profit organization of Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County, Inc., has proposed to undertake the project, and has applied to the Department of Housing and Community Development of the State of Maryland for approval of the project and an allocation of tax credits for business entities and individuals that contribute to the Project, under the Department’s Community Investment Tax Credit Program.
The council voted 3-0 to approve the resolution with Council President Jake Day and Councilman Jack Heath absent.
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Global Derivatives: $1.5 Quadrillion Time Bomb
When investing becomes gambling, bad endings follow. The next credit crunch could make 2008-09 look mild by comparison. Bank of International Settlements(BIS) data show around $700 trillion in global derivatives.
Along with credit default swaps and other exotic instruments, the total notional derivatives value is about $1.5 quadrillion – about 20% more than in 2008, beyond what anyone can conceive, let alone control if unexpected turmoil strikes.
The late Bob Chapman predicted it. So does Paul Craig Roberts. It could “destroy Western civilization,” he believes. Financial deregulation turned Wall Street into a casino with no rules except unrestrained making money. Catastrophic failure awaits. It’s just a matter of time.
Ellen Brown calls the “derivatives casino…a last-ditch attempt to prop up a private pyramid scheme” – slowly crumbling under its own weight.
For years, Warren Buffett called derivatives “financial time bombs” – for economies and ordinary people.
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Along with credit default swaps and other exotic instruments, the total notional derivatives value is about $1.5 quadrillion – about 20% more than in 2008, beyond what anyone can conceive, let alone control if unexpected turmoil strikes.
The late Bob Chapman predicted it. So does Paul Craig Roberts. It could “destroy Western civilization,” he believes. Financial deregulation turned Wall Street into a casino with no rules except unrestrained making money. Catastrophic failure awaits. It’s just a matter of time.
Ellen Brown calls the “derivatives casino…a last-ditch attempt to prop up a private pyramid scheme” – slowly crumbling under its own weight.
For years, Warren Buffett called derivatives “financial time bombs” – for economies and ordinary people.
More
Pennsylvania attorney general charged in grand jury leak
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- Pennsylvania's attorney general was charged Thursday with leaking secret grand jury information to strike back at her critics, then lying about it under oath, in a case that could spell the downfall of the state's highest-ranking female politician.
Kathleen Kane leaked the material to a political operative to pass it on to the media "in hopes of embarrassing and harming former state prosecutors she believed, without evidence, made her look bad," Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said.
Kane, the first woman elected attorney general in Pennsylvania, was charged with perjury, obstruction, conspiracy and other offenses. The 49-year-old Democrat is expected to surrender within days.
"No one is above the law, not even the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Pennsylvania," Ferman said. She called it "a sad day for the citizens of Pennsylvania and a sad day for all of us in law enforcement."
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Kathleen Kane leaked the material to a political operative to pass it on to the media "in hopes of embarrassing and harming former state prosecutors she believed, without evidence, made her look bad," Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said.
Kane, the first woman elected attorney general in Pennsylvania, was charged with perjury, obstruction, conspiracy and other offenses. The 49-year-old Democrat is expected to surrender within days.
"No one is above the law, not even the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Pennsylvania," Ferman said. She called it "a sad day for the citizens of Pennsylvania and a sad day for all of us in law enforcement."
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Motion filed to confiscate Hillary’s thumb drive
'To delay would aid defendants in furtherance of what has alleged to be an ongoing criminal enterprise'
A lawyer who has filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act case against Bill and Hillary Clinton and their family foundation, alleging it is more or less a criminal enterprise to benefit the Clintons, has renewed his request for a federal court to take control of a thumb drive reportedly held by the Clintons’ lawyer.
That thumb drive and its contents all of a sudden have been in the news, with reports on Wednesday that the FBI has kicked off an investigation into the type of security Hillary Clinton used to safeguard the private email system she set up in her New York home while serving as U.S. secretary of state.
The move came after two inspectors general in the government noted there was classified information in the emails that had been run through the extra-governmental computer system.
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A lawyer who has filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act case against Bill and Hillary Clinton and their family foundation, alleging it is more or less a criminal enterprise to benefit the Clintons, has renewed his request for a federal court to take control of a thumb drive reportedly held by the Clintons’ lawyer.
That thumb drive and its contents all of a sudden have been in the news, with reports on Wednesday that the FBI has kicked off an investigation into the type of security Hillary Clinton used to safeguard the private email system she set up in her New York home while serving as U.S. secretary of state.
The move came after two inspectors general in the government noted there was classified information in the emails that had been run through the extra-governmental computer system.
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Hogan to launch plan to redraw Maryland’s convoluted congressional districts
Hogan (R) pledged during his 2014 gubernatorial campaign to end the practice of creating meandering voting districts that is known as gerrymandering. On Thursday, he said he was creating an 11-member panel that would conduct statewide hearings and recommend a new process for determining the boundaries of the state’s eight congressional seats.
The end goal is for Hogan to draft a constitutional amendment that would give control of the redistricting process to an independent body, rather than politicians. The proposed amendment would have to be approved by both houses of the General Assembly, which are controlled by strong Democratic majorities. If it passed the legislature, the amendment would then be placed on the ballot for voter approval.
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What Do We Really Know About Trump’s Plan for America?
The Horse Sense Blog compares the nonsense in today’s news with good ol’ fashioned horse sense.
Here’s the Nonsense: Donald Trump is too outspoken, flamboyant, irreverent, and has hair that I hate for me to consider him a serious candidate for president. We need to force him out of the race immediately.
Here’s the Horse Sense: Trump may be all of those things, but speaking your mind has historically been something Americans take pride in. We need to know more about his plans for America before we make a decision about him. And as for his hair, if you judge people based on their hair, weight, skin color, the way they dress, or anything else that says nothing about their character or ability, then you need to look in a mirror to see the real fool.
The media, politicians from both parties, political pundits, and many talk show hosts are leading the charge to attack and/or discount Donald Trump’s run for the White House. Criticisms of the most superficial things control the conversation. Leftist groups have mounted campaigns to have those who do business with him quit doing so. Yet with all the criticism and threats, Trump not only doesn’t back down, the stronger he stands the more his poll numbers rise . And through it all there seems to be no constructive arguments against Trump.
We’re seeing no attacks on his plans for America. No denial of the truths he’s speaking, just attacks twisting his words through a politically correct filter. But Americans who aren’t involved in the day-to-day world of politics and reporting on it, or who aren’t members of the politically correct class, are hearing from Trump the words that they themselves think. He is willing to say what they thinkand not back down when confronted. He’s rapidly becoming a modern day icon with John Wayne strength that Americans look up to.
Americans are tired of always losing.
Since World War II we’ve never fought a war to win. We see our soldiers come home to tell us about the “rules of engagement” they must follow and that don’t give them a fighting chance, let alone allow them to fight to win.
Our jobs have been lost to foreign countries.
Our economy is faltering.
Our children are getting education on a level lower than anytime in American history. Most of our college graduates today would have a hard time passing high school exams from the middle of the 20th century. Our educational institutions have become nothing more than indoctrination camps to teach our children how bad America is and how it must be changed.
Fundraiser at Headquarters Live!
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Looky here Delmarva Letter of Intent to sue Mountaire!
Food & Water Watch Finds Severe Permit Violations at Mountaire Farms, Inc.
Washington, D.C. – Today Food & Water Watch, represented by both the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Law Center (“MAELC”) and the Widener University Delaware Law School Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, sent Mountaire Farms, Inc. a notification that the organization is prepared to file suit if the company continues to violate the Clean Water Act at its poultry processing facility in Selbyville, Delaware.
In May of this year, the MAELC conducted a compliance sweep of 50 pollutant discharge permits in the state of Delaware. These permits are issued under the Clean Water Act and allow facilities to discharge pollutants into waterways. The Center found eight of the 50 permits had exceeded allowable levels of discharges under the permits. However, one facility in particular, stood out as the worst offender – Mountaire Farms.
Mountaire Farms is permitted to discharge pollutants into the Sandy Branch of the St. Martin River. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permitting program, the Delaware Department Natural Resources and Environmental Control issues permits to facilities that discharge pollutants into waters of the state. These permits set limits on how much pollution can be discharged from a particular facility. If a facility discharges in excess of its permit limits, it is in violation of its permit and subject to both state and federal enforcement.
Washington, D.C. – Today Food & Water Watch, represented by both the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Law Center (“MAELC”) and the Widener University Delaware Law School Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, sent Mountaire Farms, Inc. a notification that the organization is prepared to file suit if the company continues to violate the Clean Water Act at its poultry processing facility in Selbyville, Delaware.
In May of this year, the MAELC conducted a compliance sweep of 50 pollutant discharge permits in the state of Delaware. These permits are issued under the Clean Water Act and allow facilities to discharge pollutants into waterways. The Center found eight of the 50 permits had exceeded allowable levels of discharges under the permits. However, one facility in particular, stood out as the worst offender – Mountaire Farms.
Mountaire Farms is permitted to discharge pollutants into the Sandy Branch of the St. Martin River. Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permitting program, the Delaware Department Natural Resources and Environmental Control issues permits to facilities that discharge pollutants into waters of the state. These permits set limits on how much pollution can be discharged from a particular facility. If a facility discharges in excess of its permit limits, it is in violation of its permit and subject to both state and federal enforcement.
Quote Of The Day
"Freedom is not empowerment. Empowerment is what the Serbs have in Bosnia. Anybody can grab a gun and be empowered. It's not entitlement. An entitlement is what people on welfare get, and how free are they? It's not an endlessly expanding list of rights -- the "right" to education, the "right" to health care, the "right" to food and housing. That's not freedom, that's dependency. Those aren't rights, those are rations of slavery -- hay and a barn for human cattle. There's only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences."
-- P. J. O'Rourke, 1995
-- P. J. O'Rourke, 1995
Sen. Cornyn, With NRA Blessing, Proposes Gun Background Checks
Backed by the National Rifle Association, the Senate's No. 2 Republican leader is introducing legislation that would reward states for sending more information about residents with serious mental problems to the federal background check system for firearms purchasers.
The bill promoted Wednesday by Sen. John Cornyn, who has an A-plus rating from the NRA for his gun rights record, is far more modest than a Senate measure expanding background check requirements that the organization and Republicans helped defeat two years ago. Cornyn's proposal also is narrower than a measure a top Senate Democrat announced this week.
Still, the legislation represents a rare effort by a leading Republican to curb some firearms purchases. The NRA, a leading force for decades against gun restrictions, has backed some bills before limiting the ability of mentally troubled people to buy firearms.
Recent shootings have drawn attention to weaknesses in the background check system. The gunman in last month's killings in a Louisiana movie theater had mental problems that went unreported to the federal database.
"Gaps in existing law or inadequate resources prevent our communities from taking proactive steps to prevent them from becoming violent," Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a written statement.
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The bill promoted Wednesday by Sen. John Cornyn, who has an A-plus rating from the NRA for his gun rights record, is far more modest than a Senate measure expanding background check requirements that the organization and Republicans helped defeat two years ago. Cornyn's proposal also is narrower than a measure a top Senate Democrat announced this week.
Still, the legislation represents a rare effort by a leading Republican to curb some firearms purchases. The NRA, a leading force for decades against gun restrictions, has backed some bills before limiting the ability of mentally troubled people to buy firearms.
Recent shootings have drawn attention to weaknesses in the background check system. The gunman in last month's killings in a Louisiana movie theater had mental problems that went unreported to the federal database.
"Gaps in existing law or inadequate resources prevent our communities from taking proactive steps to prevent them from becoming violent," Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a written statement.
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