DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Man gives up added sugar and alcohol for one month and loses weight
We have all heard about the negative effects sugar has on our body and why we should be cutting it out entirely from our diet.
To see if eliminating the sweet stuff really makes a difference, Dutch man Sacha Harland attempted to live for a month without consuming sugar or alcohol.
The experiment has been documented in a six-minute Lifehacker video that takes the viewer through his emotional journey and resulting gratifying results: weight loss of ten pounds and decreased blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
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To see if eliminating the sweet stuff really makes a difference, Dutch man Sacha Harland attempted to live for a month without consuming sugar or alcohol.
The experiment has been documented in a six-minute Lifehacker video that takes the viewer through his emotional journey and resulting gratifying results: weight loss of ten pounds and decreased blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol.
More
Here's the most disproportionately high-paying job in every state
The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Statistics program provides detailed information on employment and wages for hundreds of detailed occupational categories at the national, state, and metropolitan level. Using this data, we found the most disproportionately well-paying job in each state — the occupation in each state with the biggest percent difference between the state average salary and the national average salary.
Here's the map above:
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$10,000 Grant Awarded to Meals on Wheels
The funds were awarded from the Foundation’s Mini Grants Program.
The grant will help address recent funding reductions to MAC’s Meals on Wheels program.
MAC’s home-delivered meal program provides nutritious meals to home-bound elderly who are confined to bed, lack transportation or are too frail to cook for themselves. While delivering meals, the driver serves as a link to other community services and resources. The regular visits also provide reassurance and help alleviate some of the anxieties of elderly persons who live alone.
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Help Us Locate Two Dogs: UPDATE
While I was awaiting her pictures and info, I happened to be on Facebook, (something I rarely ever do) and I can across the person who had the dogs.
When I clicked on their name it didn't give me the opportunity to send them a message so I hit the back button, NOT GOOD!
Now I can't find the ad/article. So I need your help. Perhaps you people know how to find the information and a way to contact the person kind enough to take the two dogs in.
The owner is in the Deers Head neighborhood looking for the dogs and her number is, 410-430-3693. Thank for the help!
American Among Scientists Who Won Nobel For Work On DNA Repair
Sweden’s Tomas Lindahl, American Paul Modrich and U.S.-Turkish scientist Aziz Sancar won the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for “mechanistic studies of DNA repair.”
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said their work “has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions.” Their findings have been used for the development of new cancer treatments, among other things, the academy said.
Lindahl, 77, is an emeritus group leader at Francis Crick Institute and Emeritus director of Cancer Research UK at Clare Hall Laboratory in Britain.
Modrich, born in 1946, is an investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and professor at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
Sancar, 69, is a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
More here
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said their work “has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions.” Their findings have been used for the development of new cancer treatments, among other things, the academy said.
Lindahl, 77, is an emeritus group leader at Francis Crick Institute and Emeritus director of Cancer Research UK at Clare Hall Laboratory in Britain.
Modrich, born in 1946, is an investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and professor at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
Sancar, 69, is a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
More here
Better Business Bureau warns of credit card chip scams
The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about scam emails that might appear to be a way to get your new card but are really a way to rip you off.
The Better Business Bureau in Maryland hasn't received a lot of reports about chip card scams yet, but they are happening across the country.
The scams involve people trying to get account information from consumers unsure how credit cards with new embedded chip technology operates. The new cards are meant to protect against identity theft.
"The machine will make a code so if someone tries to swipe your card or use your card number they can't replicate the code," Jody Thomas of the BBB of Greater Maryland said. "It can only be used one time."
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Star Parker: GOP Key to Victory-- Black Christians
An ongoing point of contention in the Republican Party has been the extent to which clear identification with traditional Judeo-Christian values is a good idea.
My sense is that when we add to the equation the growing impact of non-white voters standing strongly for these traditional values – which would put Republicans in stark contrast to Democrats – it would be a win-win for Republicans.
My organization, CURE, just convened a meeting in Washington, D.C., of 25 black pastors from around the country, each with an average congregation size of about 1,000, to discuss ideas and policy. These are black Americans, but they are also Christians, and it is their Christianity that defines their lives.
Too many conservatives very mistakenly believe that black votes cannot be moved from the liberal party.
Listening to these black pastors and to many black Christians who approach me in my travels around the country, I hear growing concern about the indifference and disengagement of the Obama administration from the values they hold most dear.
The latest example is the silence of this administration on the genocide occurring in the Middle East toward Christians.
More here
My sense is that when we add to the equation the growing impact of non-white voters standing strongly for these traditional values – which would put Republicans in stark contrast to Democrats – it would be a win-win for Republicans.
My organization, CURE, just convened a meeting in Washington, D.C., of 25 black pastors from around the country, each with an average congregation size of about 1,000, to discuss ideas and policy. These are black Americans, but they are also Christians, and it is their Christianity that defines their lives.
Too many conservatives very mistakenly believe that black votes cannot be moved from the liberal party.
Listening to these black pastors and to many black Christians who approach me in my travels around the country, I hear growing concern about the indifference and disengagement of the Obama administration from the values they hold most dear.
The latest example is the silence of this administration on the genocide occurring in the Middle East toward Christians.
More here
Apple Scrapple Festival Starts Tomorrow
The Apple Scrapple Festival is right around the corner on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th. Join us for a fantastic open-air street festival.
Organizational meetings are normally scheduled for the last Tuesday of each month at 7pm and are held at the Bridgeville Library. Volunteers are always welcome.
http://www.applescrapple.com/
Wicomico Co. Homicide Suspect Indicted In August Murder
(SALISBURY, MD) – A Wicomico County grand jury has handed down an indictment charging a suspect in connection with the August murder of a Salisbury man.
The accused is identified as Delonte A. Bryant, 22, of Salisbury, Md. The indictment charges him with first degree murder, second degree murder, first degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, felon in possession of a regulated firearm, and wearing/carrying a firearm. Bryant is currently incarcerated in the state prison system. A detainer has been filed and the indictment will be served after arrangements have been made with the Division of Correction.
Bryant is charged in connection with the murder of Dommeir D. Deshields, 21, of the 700-block of Church Street, Salisbury, Md. Deshields was walking on a Salisbury street when an individual approached and shot him.
Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on August 3, 2015, officers from the Salisbury Police Department responded to 911 calls reporting shots fired in the area near the intersection of Anne and Baker streets in Salisbury, Md. Responding officers found the victim lying in the street and determined he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was requested to respond and take the lead on this investigation. Additional assistance was provided by State Police Criminal Enforcement Division investigators, as well as detectives, officers and deputies from the Salisbury Police Department and Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office. State Police crime scene technicians processed the shooting scene.
The Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office convened a grand jury. Evidence developed during the investigation was presented to the grand jury. The grand jury deliberated and handed down the indictment on October 5, 2015.
The accused is identified as Delonte A. Bryant, 22, of Salisbury, Md. The indictment charges him with first degree murder, second degree murder, first degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, felon in possession of a regulated firearm, and wearing/carrying a firearm. Bryant is currently incarcerated in the state prison system. A detainer has been filed and the indictment will be served after arrangements have been made with the Division of Correction.
Bryant is charged in connection with the murder of Dommeir D. Deshields, 21, of the 700-block of Church Street, Salisbury, Md. Deshields was walking on a Salisbury street when an individual approached and shot him.
Shortly before 11:30 a.m. on August 3, 2015, officers from the Salisbury Police Department responded to 911 calls reporting shots fired in the area near the intersection of Anne and Baker streets in Salisbury, Md. Responding officers found the victim lying in the street and determined he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was requested to respond and take the lead on this investigation. Additional assistance was provided by State Police Criminal Enforcement Division investigators, as well as detectives, officers and deputies from the Salisbury Police Department and Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office. State Police crime scene technicians processed the shooting scene.
The Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office convened a grand jury. Evidence developed during the investigation was presented to the grand jury. The grand jury deliberated and handed down the indictment on October 5, 2015.
Just One More Reason Farmers Are Awesome!
Carl Bates was unable to harvest his crop due to an aggressive form of terminal cancer that has left him bedridden and...
Posted by Fox 59 WXIN Indianapolis on Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Portland State course aims to ‘make whiteness strange’
According to Portland State University Professor’s Rachel Sanders’ “White Privilege” course, “whiteness” must be dismantled if racial justice will ever be achieved.
The course description states that “whiteness is the lynchpin of structures of racial meaning and racial inequality in the United States” and claims that “to preserve whiteness is to preserve racial injustice.”
Students taking the course will “endeavor to make whiteness strange.” In order to make whiteness strange, the description says students must “interrogate whiteness as an unstable legal, political, social, and cultural construction.”
The course readings and concepts are drawn, in part, from the field of “critical race theory.” According toHarvard University, critical race theory “combine[s] progressive political struggles for racial justice with critiques of the conventional legal and scholarly norms which are themselves viewed as part of the illegitimate hierarchies that need to be changed.”
Read more
The course description states that “whiteness is the lynchpin of structures of racial meaning and racial inequality in the United States” and claims that “to preserve whiteness is to preserve racial injustice.”
Students taking the course will “endeavor to make whiteness strange.” In order to make whiteness strange, the description says students must “interrogate whiteness as an unstable legal, political, social, and cultural construction.”
The course readings and concepts are drawn, in part, from the field of “critical race theory.” According toHarvard University, critical race theory “combine[s] progressive political struggles for racial justice with critiques of the conventional legal and scholarly norms which are themselves viewed as part of the illegitimate hierarchies that need to be changed.”
Read more
World Trade Center artifact delivered to Carroll County
"This makes me feel deeply patriotic and devoted to my country," said Raver, of Finksburg. "It's personal for me because my husband volunteered to help with the recovery effort on 9/11."
Raver said her husband Don Raver is a volunteer firefighter for the Reese Volunteer Fire Company. Raver was among the group who helped transfer the artifact from JFK Airport in New York to Westminster.
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Reporter Confronts City Commissioner About Scandal — the Politician’s Reaction Had Him in Jail by the End of the Day
Newsome was being asked by WTVY-TV reporter Ken Curtis about a number of voter fraud convictions that possibly helped get him re-elected in 2013. Pressure had been building in recent weeks for Newsome to resign because of the controversy.
“Do you have any plans to resign,” Curtis asked Newsome, as the 82-year-old Democrat put his hand out to push the reporter back. Newsome dismissed at least two previous questions from Curtis, saying “excuse me” as he kept walking.
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Ocean City Man Arrested for Second-Degree Rape
On July 27, 2015, Ocean City police received a complaint of a sexual assault that occurred at an apartment in the area of Dorchester Street and Baltimore Avenue. Through investigation, detectives determined that the victim and a friend returned to the friend’s apartment in the early morning hours of July 27. Shortly after, the suspect, identified as Steven M. Grinder, 33, of Ocean City, MD, sexually assaulted the victim in his apartment.
A warrant was issued for Grinder by the Maryland District Court on October 7. He was arrested later that evening at his residence. Grinder has been charged with second degree rape and second degree assault. He was seen by a Maryland District Court commissioner and transferred to the Worcester County Jail without bond.
Treatment or Jail: Patrick Kennedy Wages Fierce Anti-Pot Crusade
As a hard-partying teenager, Patrick Kennedy met President Reagan at a fundraiser for the JFK Library, a meeting captured in a photograph that the former Rhode Island congressman now hangs in his home office. He used to think of it as a funny episode, a collision of Camelot’s cocaine kid and America’s foremost opponent of illegal drug use. But Kennedy took his last hit of anything in 2009, and he’s since honed an anti-drug message that sounds a bit like Reagan with a Boston brogue.
Kennedy believes there is "an epidemic in this country of epic dimensions when it comes to alcohol and drugs.” He'd like to treat it all, but he’s convinced that the single biggest threat to America’s mental health is free-market marijuana. So even as Democrats favor the legalization of pot—by a 34-point margin, according to the latest WSJ/NBC News poll—the scion of America’s most famous Democratic family has broken ranks, criticized the White House, and aligned with the likes of Newt Gingrich to warn voters against trying to tax and regulate today’s psychoactive chlorophyll.
“I don’t think the American public has any clue about this stuff,” says Kennedy, after welcoming guests with a choice of Gatorade or bottled water.
The “stuff” in question is modern marijuana, of course, which gets pumped into snack foods and candies, and carries more THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that gets you high) than the ditch weed used by the hippie generation. Kennedy calls legalization “a public health nightmare” because he believes it will warm more people to a dangerous drug, and lead inevitably to “Big Marijuana,” a blood-sucking vice industry dependent on converting kids and selling to heavy users—same as the tobacco and alcohol industries.
“The science tells the story,” he says, breaking into an attack on the idea that marijuana is safer than alcohol. He ticks through studies showing that smoked marijuana is “associated with” or “linked to” IQ loss, psychosis, and self-reported dissatisfaction with life. “It takes you to the same place as cocaine or heroin,” he often adds. “It just takes longer.”
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Kennedy believes there is "an epidemic in this country of epic dimensions when it comes to alcohol and drugs.” He'd like to treat it all, but he’s convinced that the single biggest threat to America’s mental health is free-market marijuana. So even as Democrats favor the legalization of pot—by a 34-point margin, according to the latest WSJ/NBC News poll—the scion of America’s most famous Democratic family has broken ranks, criticized the White House, and aligned with the likes of Newt Gingrich to warn voters against trying to tax and regulate today’s psychoactive chlorophyll.
“I don’t think the American public has any clue about this stuff,” says Kennedy, after welcoming guests with a choice of Gatorade or bottled water.
The “stuff” in question is modern marijuana, of course, which gets pumped into snack foods and candies, and carries more THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that gets you high) than the ditch weed used by the hippie generation. Kennedy calls legalization “a public health nightmare” because he believes it will warm more people to a dangerous drug, and lead inevitably to “Big Marijuana,” a blood-sucking vice industry dependent on converting kids and selling to heavy users—same as the tobacco and alcohol industries.
“The science tells the story,” he says, breaking into an attack on the idea that marijuana is safer than alcohol. He ticks through studies showing that smoked marijuana is “associated with” or “linked to” IQ loss, psychosis, and self-reported dissatisfaction with life. “It takes you to the same place as cocaine or heroin,” he often adds. “It just takes longer.”
More
Governor Larry Hogan Lifts Spirits at the Ronald McDonald House
Governor and Staff Participate in Pep Rally for Pediatric
Patients and Families
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today visited the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore for a pep rally prior to the start of his sixth and final round of chemotherapy on Friday. The governor and members of his executive staff served dinner to patients and their families while guests visited and took pictures with Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders and the Orioles Bird.
“I’m thrilled to be here at the Ronald McDonald House today with so many inspiring kids and their families,” Governor Hogan said. “Throughout my treatment I’ve had the privilege to meet many brave cancer patients, but it’s the stories of these young kids fighting such tough battles that have really touched my heart. I know I get more out of meeting them and hearing their stories than they get out of meeting me.”
Since he was diagnosed with stage III non-Hodgkin lymphoma in June, Governor Hogan has participated in numerous cancer outreach events. Last month, the governor signed two statewide proclamations declaring September Blood Cancer Awareness Month and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Maryland. The governor’s office also partnered with the American Red Cross, Delete Blood Cancer, and There Goes My Hero to host a blood drive and bone marrow registry at the State House.
In addition, the governor has attended Baltimore Orioles, Washington Redskins, and Baltimore Ravens games with childhood cancer patients from the Ronald McDonald House, the Cool Kids Campaign, and the University of Maryland Medical Center to raise awareness for pediatric and blood cancer.
In June, Governor Hogan started HoganStrong to raise awareness and resources for cancer-fighting organizations.
Click 'READ MORE' below to see the video
OCPD Asking For Public's Assistance With Armed Robbery
Ocean City Police Major Crimes Unit detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in an investigation involving an...
Posted by Ocean City Police Department on Thursday, October 8, 2015
Dick Morris: Jeb Bush Can't Win
Candidates with famous names have a built-in advantage at the outset of any race, but their name often turns into a liability as the contest unfolds.
We are seeing this with the latest Pew poll showing Jeb garnering a tiny 4 percent. Hillary, despite her “brand,” sees her own numbers dwindling in the face of Bernie Sanders populist onslaught.
At the start, a famous name comes with a built-in reputation, donor base, and public recognition.
But, as the candidacy matures, voters recognize the ways in which the current candidate falls short of his namesake.
Jeb is criticized for not having his brother George's energy (Trump says Jeb has "low energy"), wit, or even his speech-making ability.
Hillary gets knocked for not being the natural politician that Bill is and for lacking his political instincts.
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We are seeing this with the latest Pew poll showing Jeb garnering a tiny 4 percent. Hillary, despite her “brand,” sees her own numbers dwindling in the face of Bernie Sanders populist onslaught.
At the start, a famous name comes with a built-in reputation, donor base, and public recognition.
But, as the candidacy matures, voters recognize the ways in which the current candidate falls short of his namesake.
Jeb is criticized for not having his brother George's energy (Trump says Jeb has "low energy"), wit, or even his speech-making ability.
Hillary gets knocked for not being the natural politician that Bill is and for lacking his political instincts.
More
Phot-Obama’d: Pic Of Michelle Fixing Barack’s Tie Gets Gut-Busting, Photoshop Makeover
Make. This. Funny.
Luckily for us, the Internet obliged.
See the pictures by clicking HERE
One True Measure Of Stagnation: Not In The Labor Force
This is a stark depiction of underlying stagnation: paid work is not being created as population expands.
Heroic efforts are being made to cloak the stagnation of the U.S. economy. One of these is to shift the unemployed work force from the negative-sounding jobless category to the benign-soundingNot in the Labor Force (NILF) category.
But re-labeling stagnation does not magically transform a stagnant economy. To get a sense of long-term stagnation, let's look at the data going back 38 years, to 1977.
NOT IN LABOR FORCE (NILF) 1976 to 2015
I've selected data from three representative eras:
- The 20-year period from 1977 to 1997, as this encompasses a variety of macro-economic conditions: five years of stagflation and two back-to-back recessions (1977 - 1982), strong growth from 1983 to 1990, a mild recession in 1991, and growth from 1993 to 1997.
- The period of broad-based expansion from 1982 to 2000
- The period 2000 to 2015, an era characterized by bubbles, post-bubble crises and low-growth "recovery"
In all cases, I list the Not in Labor Force (NILF) data and the population of the U.S.
1977-01-01: 61.491 million NILF population 220 million
1997-01-01 67.968 million NILF population 272 million
Population rose 52 million 23.6%
NILF rose 6.477 million 10.5%
How and Why Banks Will Seize Deposits During the Next Crisis
As we noted last week, one of the biggest problems for the Central Banks is actual physical cash.
The financial system is predominantly comprised of digital money. Actual physical Dollars bills and coins only amount to $1.36 trillion. This is only a little over 10% of the $10 trillion sitting in bank accounts. And it’s a tiny fraction of the $20 trillion in stocks, $38 trillion in bonds and $58 trillion in credit instruments floating around the system.
Suffice to say, if a significant percentage of people ever actually moved their money into physical cash, it could very quickly become a systemic problem.
Indeed, this is precisely what caused the 2008 meltdown, when nearly 24% of the assets in Money Market funds were liquidated in the course of four weeks. The ensuing liquidity crush nearly imploded the system.
Because of this, Central Banks and the regulators have declared a War on Cash in an effort to stop people trying to get their money out of the system.
One policy they are considering is to put a carry tax on physical cash meaning that your Dollar bills would gradually depreciate once they were taken out of the bank. Another idea is to do away with actual physical cash completely.
Perhaps the most concerning is the fact that should a “systemically important” financial entity go bust, any deposits above $250,000 located therein could be converted to equity… at which point if the company’s shares, your wealth evaporates.
WaPo: 'How Hillary Kept Her Wealthy Friends Close' While at State Department
With all the attention (rightfully) being paid to Hillary Clinton's recklessand improper email scheme -- and the federal investigation thereof -- many Americans may have forgotten about a separate controversy that would likely plague her in a general election: The cash, cronyism and influence peddling at the Clinton Foundation, which has been described by a charity watchdog as a "slush fund." The foundation appears to be a fundraising juggernaut whose actual charitable activity is…less than robust. From suspect uranium deals, to lucrative contributions from entities with business before Hillary Clinton's State Department, to questionable speaking engagements and practices, to eye-popping accounting 'irregularities,' the Foundation will be an oppo-research gift that keeps giving. The Washington Post is out with a piece this week detailing how Clinton's emails (released under duress and court order) spotlight how major Clinton donors and political allies were afforded enviable access to Mrs. Clinton as she ran point on America's foreign policy. And the story begins with -- ta da! -- George Soros:
The note to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton from liberal financier George Soros demanded “urgent attention from the highest levels of the U.S. government.” Clinton swiftly alerted a top aide to what she described as a “very forceful message which is good — and needed.” The e-mail exchange, in which Soros warned of growing unrest in Albania, illustrates how Clinton interacted with major donors to her family’s causes during her tenure at the State Department, staying in touch with her political network before her 2016 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. And they show how these donors, some of them with interests before the U.S. government, gained high-level access to press policy concerns inside the Clinton-led State Department. Soros, a top contributor to the Clinton Foundation, was one of several major donors whose messages were disclosed by the State Department last week as part of the ongoing release of the former secretary’s e-mails. Other exchanges included references toentertainment mogul Haim Saban, who has said he would pay “whatever it takes” to propel Clinton to the White House in 2016, as well as other major Clinton Foundation donors such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates, fashion industry executive Susie Tompkins Buell and Ukrainian steel magnate Viktor Pinchuk. The e-mails that mention donors — numbering a few dozen out of the thousands of pages of messages released so far — do not show that financial supporters were able to alter policy decisions.
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The note to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton from liberal financier George Soros demanded “urgent attention from the highest levels of the U.S. government.” Clinton swiftly alerted a top aide to what she described as a “very forceful message which is good — and needed.” The e-mail exchange, in which Soros warned of growing unrest in Albania, illustrates how Clinton interacted with major donors to her family’s causes during her tenure at the State Department, staying in touch with her political network before her 2016 run for the Democratic presidential nomination. And they show how these donors, some of them with interests before the U.S. government, gained high-level access to press policy concerns inside the Clinton-led State Department. Soros, a top contributor to the Clinton Foundation, was one of several major donors whose messages were disclosed by the State Department last week as part of the ongoing release of the former secretary’s e-mails. Other exchanges included references toentertainment mogul Haim Saban, who has said he would pay “whatever it takes” to propel Clinton to the White House in 2016, as well as other major Clinton Foundation donors such as Microsoft’s Bill Gates, fashion industry executive Susie Tompkins Buell and Ukrainian steel magnate Viktor Pinchuk. The e-mails that mention donors — numbering a few dozen out of the thousands of pages of messages released so far — do not show that financial supporters were able to alter policy decisions.
More
Redistricting reform conversation comes to Shore
Gov. Larry Hogan in August signed an executive order that created the bipartisan commission, which aims to gather citizen and elected official input and consider creating an independent, nonpartisan commission to draw district lines in an effort to quash gerrymandering — the act of drawing political district lines in such a way to favor one party.
U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, Maryland’s lone Republican in Congress who represents the entire Eastern Shore and parts of Harford, Carroll and Baltimore counties, said he’s been an early proponent of redistricting reform, even when the reform doesn’t favor his re-election prospects.
Harris, who is also a former state legislator, said that when Maryland’s congressional districts were redrawn in 2012, it packed Republicans into an area of one district, his Congressional District 1.
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Obama's U.N. Plan: Globalize Cops Against 'Violent Extremists'
Conservative Christians 'becoming the targets'
President Obama’s new “Strong Cities Network,” announced with little fanfare last week at the United Nations, appears to be another effort to strip authority from local police departments and to demonize conservative Christians, say advocates of civil and religious liberties.
The stated goal of the program is to connect local police departments with their peers around the world in an effort to combat “violent extremism,” according to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who announced the program to the U.N. on Sept. 30.
Lynch, with New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio by her side, told world leaders that the time has come for a more globalized and comprehensive effort to combat violent extremism.
De Blasio called it a global coalition of cities seeking to combat extremism and terrorism in all of its “many forms,” and he assured the ACLU that the program would not lead to the profiling of Muslims.
Pastor Shahram Hadian of the Everette, Washington-based Truth in Love Project, said it’s no coincidence that the project was launched at the United Nations.
“So who are they going to target when they talk about violent extremism?” asked Hadian, a former Muslim who grew up in Iran and now travels nationwide teaching churches and law enforcement about the dangers of Shariah law. “Well, if you look at their track record, it always seems to be that your violent extremists are your Christians, your veterans and your Second Amendment advocates.”
National media blackout...
President Obama’s new “Strong Cities Network,” announced with little fanfare last week at the United Nations, appears to be another effort to strip authority from local police departments and to demonize conservative Christians, say advocates of civil and religious liberties.
The stated goal of the program is to connect local police departments with their peers around the world in an effort to combat “violent extremism,” according to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who announced the program to the U.N. on Sept. 30.
Lynch, with New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio by her side, told world leaders that the time has come for a more globalized and comprehensive effort to combat violent extremism.
De Blasio called it a global coalition of cities seeking to combat extremism and terrorism in all of its “many forms,” and he assured the ACLU that the program would not lead to the profiling of Muslims.
Pastor Shahram Hadian of the Everette, Washington-based Truth in Love Project, said it’s no coincidence that the project was launched at the United Nations.
“So who are they going to target when they talk about violent extremism?” asked Hadian, a former Muslim who grew up in Iran and now travels nationwide teaching churches and law enforcement about the dangers of Shariah law. “Well, if you look at their track record, it always seems to be that your violent extremists are your Christians, your veterans and your Second Amendment advocates.”
National media blackout...
American Federation of Teachers union spends $37M on politics
The 2015 American Federation of Teachers annual report shows a left-wing political machine humming on all cylinders — with teachers buying the gas.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, the union reported $37.6 million in political activity and lobbying expenditures, a $12.7 million increase from the previous year.
Even more political spending was tucked away elsewhere in AFT’s annual U.S. Department of Labor filing, reported as “Contributions, Gifts and Grants,” “General Overhead” or “Representational Activities.”
AFT paid union president Randi Weingarten, one of the nation’s most prominent “progressive” activists, a total of $497,118. The union reported only 2 percent of her time as political activity.
Other expenditures suggest AFT’s decision to endorse Weingarten’s friend Hillary Clinton for president — a move that angered many AFT members — had been made long before it was announced in July.
AFT donated $250,000 to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation in February, $125,000 to Clinton Global Initiative in April and another $125,000 to Clinton Global Initiative in May. In December, AFT paid Clinton-allied opposition research group American Bridge 21st Century $100,000.
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For the fiscal year ending June 30, the union reported $37.6 million in political activity and lobbying expenditures, a $12.7 million increase from the previous year.
Even more political spending was tucked away elsewhere in AFT’s annual U.S. Department of Labor filing, reported as “Contributions, Gifts and Grants,” “General Overhead” or “Representational Activities.”
AFT paid union president Randi Weingarten, one of the nation’s most prominent “progressive” activists, a total of $497,118. The union reported only 2 percent of her time as political activity.
Other expenditures suggest AFT’s decision to endorse Weingarten’s friend Hillary Clinton for president — a move that angered many AFT members — had been made long before it was announced in July.
AFT donated $250,000 to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation in February, $125,000 to Clinton Global Initiative in April and another $125,000 to Clinton Global Initiative in May. In December, AFT paid Clinton-allied opposition research group American Bridge 21st Century $100,000.
More
Big Pharma Bites Its Own Shareholders
America is addicted to drugs, the legal kind. We’re bankrupting ourselves to finance our habits and our drug companies are gladly helping.
Drug prices entered the headlines suddenly last month when one small company hiked the price on an old but still very effective drug by over 5,000%. They decided to charge what the market would bear. As good capitalists, we can’t blame them, can we?
Yes, we can. There is no “market” for prescription drugs. It would be a market if buyers and sellers could interact directly and make voluntary choices. That is not how drug pricing works.
The first problem is the Food & Drug Administration. Its Byzantine drug approval process supposedly protects the public from dangerous drugs. Maybe it does, but it also protects the public from perfectly safe drugs whose makers can’t afford to cross every “t” and dot every “i.”
The buy side is not a free market, either. The biggest drug purchaser in the United States is Medicare Part D, and federal law forbids it from negotiating lower prices. Medicare pays whatever the drug companies demand. So quite naturally, they demand a lot.
Read more here
Drug prices entered the headlines suddenly last month when one small company hiked the price on an old but still very effective drug by over 5,000%. They decided to charge what the market would bear. As good capitalists, we can’t blame them, can we?
Yes, we can. There is no “market” for prescription drugs. It would be a market if buyers and sellers could interact directly and make voluntary choices. That is not how drug pricing works.
The first problem is the Food & Drug Administration. Its Byzantine drug approval process supposedly protects the public from dangerous drugs. Maybe it does, but it also protects the public from perfectly safe drugs whose makers can’t afford to cross every “t” and dot every “i.”
The buy side is not a free market, either. The biggest drug purchaser in the United States is Medicare Part D, and federal law forbids it from negotiating lower prices. Medicare pays whatever the drug companies demand. So quite naturally, they demand a lot.
Read more here
How Student Loan Debt Is Turning Us into Serfs
The Medieval era is well-known for being littered with feudal societies, ruled by royalty and served by serfs who kept the system running with back-breaking labor. Contrary to popular opinion though, the serfs weren’t exactly what we would call ‘slaves.’ They definitely had more rights and opportunities than many of their ancestors from the Roman Empire, and they weren’t owned by other people.
Instead, they were merely ‘tied down.’ They often didn’t have the freedom to move about, not because there were walls and watch towers keeping them penned up, but because they were beholden to the land. They had to pay part of their income if they wanted to stay on that land, and if they wanted any kind of protection.
And because their world was far more dangerous than ours, they desperately needed the protection of the lords and their soldiers, which meant that they couldn’t risk leaving their land for better opportunities. In most feudal societies, it wasn’t politics that kept the people down, it was their financial situation.
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Instead, they were merely ‘tied down.’ They often didn’t have the freedom to move about, not because there were walls and watch towers keeping them penned up, but because they were beholden to the land. They had to pay part of their income if they wanted to stay on that land, and if they wanted any kind of protection.
And because their world was far more dangerous than ours, they desperately needed the protection of the lords and their soldiers, which meant that they couldn’t risk leaving their land for better opportunities. In most feudal societies, it wasn’t politics that kept the people down, it was their financial situation.
More
*** 2015 Punkin Chunkin Cancelled ***
From our humble beginnings in Sussex County in 1986, we are proud to have grown our organization into a national phenomenon. Through our fans' and sponsors' support, we've donated over a million dollars to a variety of local, regional and national charities as well as funded dozens of scholarships. We're committed to the continuation of our sport and of our charitable work, and we are actively seeking alternatives as we move forward.
Customers who purchased tickets to attend the event will see the 100% refund on their credit cards within 7-14 business days. Any questions can be directed to 800-441-7223.
As Chunkers, we're hoping that everyone can see pumpkins fly this year. For a complete list of licensed events, please visitwww.punkinchunkin.com
BREAKING NEWS: Hero of French train attack is stabbed
Spencer Stone, one of three Americans who helped thwart an attack last August on a train in France, is listed in stable condition after being stabbed in Sacramento, Calif.
County Caps New Showell School Project Cost At $37M; School System Estimates Came In $54M
The Worcester County Commissioners approved the school system’s request to move forward with a design for the new school but only after setting the price tag for the overall project at $37 million. School system estimates had set the cost of the project at $54 million.
“Was it a surprise? Sure,” said Bob Rothermel, president of the school board. “But we keep moving forward.”
Rothermel said education officials were still analyzing what the commissioners’ decision would mean for the project, which can now move into the design phase. Construction of the new school is currently expected to begin in 2019.
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WSJ: Wealthy Connecticut's Pension Problem Is a 'Ticking Time Bomb'
Connecticut has roughly half of what it needs to pay future retirement benefits for its workers, with one lawmaker calling the situation a “ticking time bomb,” The Wall Street Journal reports.
Ironically, that means the Constitution State, which is home to hedge funds and some of the country’s wealthiest towns, is battling financial distress rivaling that of Kentucky or Illinois, the Journal reported.
Some investors concerned about the size of Connecticut’s pension hole are backing away from bonds issued by the state or demanding bigger rewards to hold them.
“Connecticut’s surprising pension predicament shows how even the wealthiest parts of the U.S. are struggling to keep pace with ballooning retirement obligations that now amount to $1 trillion nationally,” the Journal reported.
“Connecticut’s unfunded pension liabilities more than doubled over the past decade to $26 billion as the state’s retirement system reeled from inadequate state contributions, a subpar investment record and longer lifespans for its retirees,” the Journal reported.
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Ironically, that means the Constitution State, which is home to hedge funds and some of the country’s wealthiest towns, is battling financial distress rivaling that of Kentucky or Illinois, the Journal reported.
Some investors concerned about the size of Connecticut’s pension hole are backing away from bonds issued by the state or demanding bigger rewards to hold them.
“Connecticut’s surprising pension predicament shows how even the wealthiest parts of the U.S. are struggling to keep pace with ballooning retirement obligations that now amount to $1 trillion nationally,” the Journal reported.
“Connecticut’s unfunded pension liabilities more than doubled over the past decade to $26 billion as the state’s retirement system reeled from inadequate state contributions, a subpar investment record and longer lifespans for its retirees,” the Journal reported.
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. ANYONE CAN BE A VICTIM! Victims come from all ages, sex, race, culture or...
Posted by Worcester County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Top Clinton Aide Passed Classified Intel to Clinton Foundation
Hillary Clinton's top State Department aide sent internal agency correspondence to Clinton Foundation officials, raising new questions about how her inner circle handled sensitive information.
The internal emails, which were obtained by Citizens United through the Freedom of Information Act, have since been classified. They were passed to the Clinton Foundation by Cheryl Mills, Clinton's former chief of staff.
In one instance, Mills forwarded to Amitabh Desai, the Clinton Foundation's director of foreign policy, an email from the assistant secretary of state for African affairs that is now classified.
The redacted message bears the subject "Developments in the Eastern Congo" and apparently discussed the activities of Rwanda in the war-torn country.
More here
The internal emails, which were obtained by Citizens United through the Freedom of Information Act, have since been classified. They were passed to the Clinton Foundation by Cheryl Mills, Clinton's former chief of staff.
In one instance, Mills forwarded to Amitabh Desai, the Clinton Foundation's director of foreign policy, an email from the assistant secretary of state for African affairs that is now classified.
The redacted message bears the subject "Developments in the Eastern Congo" and apparently discussed the activities of Rwanda in the war-torn country.
More here
Workers quietly remove Ten Commandments from Oklahoma Capitol
A contractor the state hired began removing the monument shortly after 10:30 p.m. The works comes after the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision in June that the display violates a state constitutional prohibition on the use of public property to support "any sect, church, denomination or system of religion."
The state is paying the contractor about $4,700 to remove the monument and take it to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs' offices a few blocks away, Office of Management and Enterprise Services spokesman John Estus said.
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CNN Report Shows White Hands for Oregon Shooter's Mom
CNN has denied claims by conservative websites that a photo of Chris Harper-Mercer, the man who shot and killed nine people at Umpqua Community College in Oregon last week, was altered to make him appear white. But a report on his mother, who is black, used footage of white hands to illustrate her making web postings on Tuesday.
Laurel Harper is a nurse and gun enthusiast who has an account on Yahoo! Answers under the name "Tweety Bird." She has answered questions on various topics over the years, mostly on medical issues, but a few on guns.
She also discussed having a son who knew about guns and who had Asperger syndrome like herself. CNN mentioned that the shooter had Asperger, but noted that the condition is not associated with violence.
During the report discussing Harper's posts to the website, two different times close-ups of women's hands are shown typing at a computer keyboard. Both times, the footage used appear to be the hands of white women.
No photo is shown of Harper, though video of the shooter's father, Ian Mercer, is shown talking to the media. Mercer is white.
The website Conservative Treehouse posted two photos of the shooter, one with his skin appearing more white and his features altered. They said CNN broadcasted the altered version, but CNN's Brian Stelter denied that in a tweet.
More here
Laurel Harper is a nurse and gun enthusiast who has an account on Yahoo! Answers under the name "Tweety Bird." She has answered questions on various topics over the years, mostly on medical issues, but a few on guns.
She also discussed having a son who knew about guns and who had Asperger syndrome like herself. CNN mentioned that the shooter had Asperger, but noted that the condition is not associated with violence.
During the report discussing Harper's posts to the website, two different times close-ups of women's hands are shown typing at a computer keyboard. Both times, the footage used appear to be the hands of white women.
No photo is shown of Harper, though video of the shooter's father, Ian Mercer, is shown talking to the media. Mercer is white.
The website Conservative Treehouse posted two photos of the shooter, one with his skin appearing more white and his features altered. They said CNN broadcasted the altered version, but CNN's Brian Stelter denied that in a tweet.
More here
Baltimore's image suffers after recent violent streak
Crimes are giving Baltimore City a bad name. It's also keeping people from the suburbs from coming into the city and tourists and event organizers from choosing Charm City as their desired destination, but some leaders are hoping to change that perception.
With the murders on track to pass 300 by the end of the year, it has those looking from the outside in questioning how often they actually need to go into the city.
"I believe everyone is more cautious when they go into the city now, which is unfortunate, because we used to go down to dinner in the city weekly and now we don't," said Mary Sanders, a Carroll County resident.
Sanders is not alone. Those who do say they're a little more on edge when they make that trip down Interstate 83.
Take Lenwood Hall, for example. He lives in Baltimore County, but his 16-year-old daughter goes to school in the city.
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With the murders on track to pass 300 by the end of the year, it has those looking from the outside in questioning how often they actually need to go into the city.
"I believe everyone is more cautious when they go into the city now, which is unfortunate, because we used to go down to dinner in the city weekly and now we don't," said Mary Sanders, a Carroll County resident.
Sanders is not alone. Those who do say they're a little more on edge when they make that trip down Interstate 83.
Take Lenwood Hall, for example. He lives in Baltimore County, but his 16-year-old daughter goes to school in the city.
More
Why Is The Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act So Important?
I remember the silence well. In the early 1990s I attended a congressional hearing where former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter and Betty Ford shared their personal experiences with mental illness and addiction. Besides a few gasps, you could have heard a pin drop. It was a different time in Washington politics, which handled substance use and treatment policy behind closed doors. Usually only members with a loved one with a substance use disorder or those who had a large treatment facility in their state or district were vocal about the issue.
Today, more than 20 years later that attitude is beginning to shift, but there is still more work to do.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, an average of 120 people per day are dying from drug overdoses. From affluent communities in New York City to rural neighborhoods in Kentucky, these deaths are touching every state in America. No congressional district is unscathed, especially by the twin epidemics of prescription drug and heroin use. Today Republicans and Democrats alike are facing an illness that is not only robbing our communities of their residents, but imploding city, county, state and federal budgets; crowding our jails and prisons; filling our emergency rooms; and draining Medicaid and Medicare budgets.
But none of this compares to the human suffering associated with the loss of a loved one.
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Today, more than 20 years later that attitude is beginning to shift, but there is still more work to do.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, an average of 120 people per day are dying from drug overdoses. From affluent communities in New York City to rural neighborhoods in Kentucky, these deaths are touching every state in America. No congressional district is unscathed, especially by the twin epidemics of prescription drug and heroin use. Today Republicans and Democrats alike are facing an illness that is not only robbing our communities of their residents, but imploding city, county, state and federal budgets; crowding our jails and prisons; filling our emergency rooms; and draining Medicaid and Medicare budgets.
But none of this compares to the human suffering associated with the loss of a loved one.
More
Baltimore City To Pay Woman $95K After ‘Rough Ride’ In Police Van
Derek Valcourt reports for WJZ.
“It was really bumpy,” she said. “They were driving very fast and aggressively. They took really wide, fast turns, and I was just sliding around in there.”
That van ride happened in 2012, and it got a lot of scrutiny in light of the Freddie Gray case.
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Miller Reportedly Turns Down $100B Takeover Offer From Anheuser-Busch
With the deadline of Oct. 14 looming for Anheuser-Busch InBev to make a firm offer to acquire fellow beer biggie SABMiller, a new report says that the company’s early informal suggestion of “Hey, what do you guys think of $100 billion?” was turned away for being too low.
FedEx & UPS Sticking With High Fuel Surcharges Even As Gas Prices Drop
Even as prices for both diesel gasoline and jet fuel have dropped, the country’s two largest parcel shippers have remained steadfast in maintaining surcharges that will make it more expensive for businesses to fulfill online orders this holiday season.
Man Recruited Homeless To Help Him Steal As Much As $800K From Home Depot
There’s shoplifting, and then there’s organizing a network of people help you pull off illegal activities: law enforcement in Detroit said a man who recruited homeless people and others on the streets to steal from Home Depot made as much as $800,000 over a few years, by returning those shoplifted items for store credit.
Court Overturns Conviction Of Landlord Who Threatened To Post Sex Tape On Facebook
If you go on Facebook and threaten to post a sex tape featuring a public official, is that a threat or is it free speech protected by the First Amendment? The highest court in Georgia has overturned the six-year prison sentence of a man who said he’d share raunchy footage of a court clerk, mostly because said sex tape didn’t exist.
Flashdance the Musical brings Electrifying Dance to the WY&CC on Nov. 17
Salisbury, MD – The pop culture phenomenon of Flashdance will be live on stage at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury, Md. on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. With electrifying dance at its core, Flashdance – The Musical tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a club dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. When romance with her steel mill boss threatens to complicate her ambitions, Alex learns the meaning of love and its power to fuel the pursuit of her dream.
Flashdance – The Musical features a score that includes the biggest hit songs from the movie, including the Academy Award-winning title song "Flashdance - What a Feeling," "Maniac," "Gloria," "Manhunt," and "I Love Rock & Roll." The Atlanta Journal Constitution hailed it “an astonishing musical spectacle,” while Michigan Live dubbed FLASHDANCE “A super-sexy blockbuster!”
For tickets and additional show information please visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.
Flashdance – The Musical features a score that includes the biggest hit songs from the movie, including the Academy Award-winning title song "Flashdance - What a Feeling," "Maniac," "Gloria," "Manhunt," and "I Love Rock & Roll." The Atlanta Journal Constitution hailed it “an astonishing musical spectacle,” while Michigan Live dubbed FLASHDANCE “A super-sexy blockbuster!”
For tickets and additional show information please visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.
