DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Vizio Smart TVs Are Watching You Back Even Harder Than Most
Most smart TVs watch you back, to some extent. There’s money — a lot of money — to be had in user data, and advertising makes the world go ’round. Even accepting that, though, there are limits on what one generally should and should not have to expect when it comes to privacy-invading televisions, and new reports indicate that one manufacturer has gone well past that line.
Our colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports explained earlier this year how Samsung, Vizio, and LG all work with third-party companies to capture user data and better target advertising. But Vizio goes farther than the competition, ProPublica has found, and not in a good way.
For starters, Vizio models ship with tracking turned on by default, where other brands let you opt-in, ProPublica reports. And not only that, but Vizio’s data connects to far more third-party sources than the other brands do.
More
Our colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports explained earlier this year how Samsung, Vizio, and LG all work with third-party companies to capture user data and better target advertising. But Vizio goes farther than the competition, ProPublica has found, and not in a good way.
For starters, Vizio models ship with tracking turned on by default, where other brands let you opt-in, ProPublica reports. And not only that, but Vizio’s data connects to far more third-party sources than the other brands do.
More
Target accused of trivializing mental illness with 'OCD' sweater
The red, green and white sweater reads 'OCD Obsessive Christmas Disorder' an is available at Target for $22.40.
On social media some have criticized the garment for trivializing the mental disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Kate Gannon tweeted a photo of the sweater and said, "OCD is a serious mental illness that shouldn't be mocked."
More
My Broker's Advice
Just thought I'd pass along some advice my broker gave me this morning ...
I called him this morning and asked him what I should be investing in as I feel interest rates are not going to be rising as they did during the late 70's early 80's. So I told him I thought we ought to be looking to get out of bonds and finding a safe haven in which to invest. I asked him, "Should we move to precious metals, foreign currency or what?"
He responded, "If the Democrats are in office much longer, canned goods, water and ammunition are probably your best bet."
I called him this morning and asked him what I should be investing in as I feel interest rates are not going to be rising as they did during the late 70's early 80's. So I told him I thought we ought to be looking to get out of bonds and finding a safe haven in which to invest. I asked him, "Should we move to precious metals, foreign currency or what?"
He responded, "If the Democrats are in office much longer, canned goods, water and ammunition are probably your best bet."
Scores Of IT Workers Laid Off, Forced To Train Foreign Replacements
Cengage Learning, a multinational education content producer, told 75 of its tech workers in October they would be out of their jobs in January, reported Computer World. In the meantime they’re training their foreign replacements, and if Cengage finds out they’re talking to the media they’ll lose their severance pay.
“I was so furious,” one of the laid off workers told Computer World.
Those laid off are now being shadowed and recorded for training purposes by their replacements working for the contractor, Cognizant, which appear to be foreigners on work visas. Cognizant is a top user of the H-1B visa, according to government data cited by Computer World, although the laid off workers did not know whether their replacements were on H-1B visas.
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Maryland’s Chicken Pollution Highlights Global Issue
To the list of jobs you didn’t know existed, add this one: manure broker.
That’s one of the hats Ray Ellis wears. A poultry and grain farmer in Millsboro, Delaware, Ellis discovered years ago that there’s money to be made from what chickens leave behind.
According to him, the old folks here say the local soil didn’t used to grow much.
“But man," he said, "when they put the poultry manure on there, they just said it would wake the land up. That’s what the old guys always said. It would wake the land up.”
That’s a good thing, because there’s a whole lot of excess chicken manure on the Delmarva Peninsula — so named because the U.S. states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia share the 5,500-square-mile tongue of land, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Chesapeake Bay on the west.
Delmarva poultry is a $3 billion industry. Farmers raised almost 570 million chickens last year, in giant barns that hold tens of thousands of birds at a time.
Cleaning out those barns is a dirty, smelly job. When Ellis got a small tractor that made the job easier, neighbors started asking him to do theirs. And his business grew from there.
Pretty soon, he had more manure than he needed for his farm.
“So, then we started selling manure to other farmers who didn’t have enough,” he explained. Now, he connects manure from about 600 chicken barns across Delmarva with farmers who want it.
Poultry pollution
But chicken manure has a downside (besides the smell). When it washes off fields and into the Chesapeake Bay, the same nutrients that make crops grow also make algae grow. A bumper crop of corn is good; on the other hand, a bumper crop of algae is mostly bad. Too much of the water weed blocks out light and oxygen to key aquatic plants and animals, triggering dead zones that kill fish, oysters and other life.
New rules aim to keep that manure out of the water. But Ellis says those rules will make it harder to find a place for the chicken waste. And if farmers can’t get rid of the manure, he says, that could throw a monkey wrench in Delmarva’s poultry industry, and the region’s entire economy.
The problem of nutrient pollution from agriculture is global. It’s a leading reason why the number of dead zones worldwide has grown exponentially since the 1960s. A 2008 study counted more than 400, covering a total of more than 9,000 square miles.
And as large-scale animal agriculture expands worldwide, experts say the problem may expand in kind.
Around the world, the demand for meat, milk and eggs is exploding. Growing numbers of people are rising out of poverty and can afford to eat them. That’s driving a global transformation from small, backyard herds and flocks to industrial-scale operations. These large, efficient facilities are bringing affordable animal products to more and more people. But handling the waste they produce without polluting the environment is proving to be a major challenge.
More
That’s one of the hats Ray Ellis wears. A poultry and grain farmer in Millsboro, Delaware, Ellis discovered years ago that there’s money to be made from what chickens leave behind.
According to him, the old folks here say the local soil didn’t used to grow much.
“But man," he said, "when they put the poultry manure on there, they just said it would wake the land up. That’s what the old guys always said. It would wake the land up.”
That’s a good thing, because there’s a whole lot of excess chicken manure on the Delmarva Peninsula — so named because the U.S. states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia share the 5,500-square-mile tongue of land, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Chesapeake Bay on the west.
Delmarva poultry is a $3 billion industry. Farmers raised almost 570 million chickens last year, in giant barns that hold tens of thousands of birds at a time.
Cleaning out those barns is a dirty, smelly job. When Ellis got a small tractor that made the job easier, neighbors started asking him to do theirs. And his business grew from there.
Pretty soon, he had more manure than he needed for his farm.
“So, then we started selling manure to other farmers who didn’t have enough,” he explained. Now, he connects manure from about 600 chicken barns across Delmarva with farmers who want it.
Poultry pollution
But chicken manure has a downside (besides the smell). When it washes off fields and into the Chesapeake Bay, the same nutrients that make crops grow also make algae grow. A bumper crop of corn is good; on the other hand, a bumper crop of algae is mostly bad. Too much of the water weed blocks out light and oxygen to key aquatic plants and animals, triggering dead zones that kill fish, oysters and other life.
New rules aim to keep that manure out of the water. But Ellis says those rules will make it harder to find a place for the chicken waste. And if farmers can’t get rid of the manure, he says, that could throw a monkey wrench in Delmarva’s poultry industry, and the region’s entire economy.
The problem of nutrient pollution from agriculture is global. It’s a leading reason why the number of dead zones worldwide has grown exponentially since the 1960s. A 2008 study counted more than 400, covering a total of more than 9,000 square miles.
And as large-scale animal agriculture expands worldwide, experts say the problem may expand in kind.
Around the world, the demand for meat, milk and eggs is exploding. Growing numbers of people are rising out of poverty and can afford to eat them. That’s driving a global transformation from small, backyard herds and flocks to industrial-scale operations. These large, efficient facilities are bringing affordable animal products to more and more people. But handling the waste they produce without polluting the environment is proving to be a major challenge.
More
McDonald's fires worker who threw water on homeless man
The owner of the McDonald's on Grand River near Schaefer on the city's west side confirmed in a statement today that the employee was terminated.
"I am very disturbed by the inappropriate behavior of this employee," said McDonald's franchisee Wise Finley. "This type of behavior is not tolerated in my organization. I expect my employees to treat everyone with dignity and respect, and this was unacceptable. This individual no longer works for my organization."
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Walking 'is better than vitamins to beat cancer'
Cancer patients are taking vitamin pills that offer no benefit when they could significantly improve their chance of survival by exercising and losing weight, an expert revealed yesterday.
Professor Robert Thomas warned the supplements could actually make them more susceptible to cancer.
The specialist, from Cambridge University Hospitals, said taking brisk walks and becoming slimmer could reduce the side-effects of treatment and increase the likelihood of beating the disease.
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Professor Robert Thomas warned the supplements could actually make them more susceptible to cancer.
The specialist, from Cambridge University Hospitals, said taking brisk walks and becoming slimmer could reduce the side-effects of treatment and increase the likelihood of beating the disease.
More
Let's Break Down Tonight's WBOC Broadcast
From the very beginning tonight they started off with a piece referencing heroin in Delmar. However, that was the only local story they did the entire time.
They next did a homeless veteran story from Virginia. They did a story about a Delaware Library and bed bugs in their books. Then came a story about Hogan in Annapolis. Then they went into the weather and we were subjected to listening to a promo on Outdoors Delmarva and what you can and can't shoot in Delaware. They then discussed the groping/twerking story at a convenience store in Washington, D.C.. Then came a crash in PG County, Hyattsville and then football. Finally they did another Virginia Beach story about an elderly couple reuniting after 70 years.
While it was a painful half hour out of my life, I just had to see how screwed up they are. There was no Veterans Day story in Wicomico County or Worcester. I truly believe there was plenty enough local stories from today but as you can see they couldn't care less about this area.
Why their advertisers can't see this station failing like there's no tomorrow and that viewers have grown exhausted waiting for more local news is beyond me. The ONLY reason they are doing town hall meetings is because Salisbury News has blown their doors off and they can no longer compete.
Hey WBOC, you just try coming back saying what I stated above isn't true, I don't care. I showed piece by piece, (in order) and your station has become completely worthless. Yeah, like a town hall meeting is going to help when you fools just can't understand the word LOCAL.
WBOC will now start falling apart just like the Daily Times did in the past.
White House vows to take deportation amnesty fight to Supreme Court — and win
Republicans hailed the ruling as a necessary check on Mr. Obama’s efforts to expand his powers, saying judges have once again stepped in to restrain a White House run amok, and said they hoped it would restrain the president from taking more executive actions.
But the White House was defiant, insisting it will prevail at the high court. Meanwhile, Democratic presidential hopefuls said they’ll take the issue to Hispanic voters, who they said will make Republicans pay for supporting the lawsuit. Hispanic advocates said Democrats will find a very receptive audience within their ranks.
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Media Scrutiny of Ben Carson Is Why People Hate Politics
Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Democratic presidential candidate Sen.
said the aggressive media scrutiny of Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson is the “reason so many people are turned off to the political process.”
When asked if the scrutiny of Carson it is fair game Sanders said, “No. Look, I listened to the interview with Dr. Carson and it’s interesting. But you know what, Chuck? The American people want to know why the middle-class of this country is disappearing. Why we have 47 million people living in poverty. Why we have massive income and wealth inequality. When you look at Dr. Carson, to the best of my knowledge, this man does not believe that climate change is caused by human activity, he wants to abolish medicare and give huge tax breaks to the rich. I think it might be a better — idea I know it’s a crazy idea — but maybe we focus on the issues impacting the American people and what candidates are saying rather than just spending so much time exploring their lives 30 or 40 years ago. I think the reason so many people are turned off to the political process has to do with the fact we’re not talking about real issues impacting real people.”
Technical Difficulties With Blogger
Hopefully Blogger will have the problem fixed soon but you may see a delay on some articles tonight and tomorrow morning. I should say however, I am amazed at just how efficient Blogger has been over the past 11 years. Thanks for understanding and we are doing our best to keep things flowing as normal as possible.
Maryland Man Convicted in Scheme to Obtain More Than $7 Million of Fraudulent Tax Refunds
Caused 13 False Tax Returns to be Filed in Just Four Months Claiming $7,470,065 in Refunds
A federal jury convicted Charles W. Parker Jr., 49, of College Park, Maryland, today of one count of conspiring to defraud the United States and six counts of filing false income tax returns.
The conviction was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein of the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge Thomas Jankowski of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to evidence presented during the trial, from March to June 2009, Parker recruited clients for co-conspirator Penny Jones, a tax return preparer in Idaho, who prepared tax returns falsely reporting the amount of taxes withheld and purportedly paid to the IRS. Parker collected financial information from clients and provided it to Jones for the preparation of the false tax returns. Parker paid Jones to prepare false tax returns for Parker and others. Parker mailed the false tax returns to the IRS for the years 2005 to 2008, claiming large tax refunds to which the clients were not entitled.
White House Praises Protestors After Forcing University of Missouri President To Step Down
The Obama administration is praising protesters who successfully forced University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe to announce his resignation.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest praised the group of protesters for rallying together and demanding change, pointing out that Obama’s first presidential campaign was embodied by the same spirit.
“I think this also illustrates something that the president talked a lot about in the context of – in his campaign, that a few people speaking up and speaking out can have a profound impact on the communities where we live and work,” he said during the daily press briefing today.
The group of students accused Wolfe of enabling “a culture of racism” on campus and ignoring student concerns about recent events. Wolfe resigned after members of the college football team joined the protests, saying they wouldn’t suit up for the next game.
“That’s the kind of dialogue and work and unity that the Mizzou community is going to need to make progress on this issue,” Earnest said, in reaction to the decision calling it “a testament to the courage of the people on campus.”
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White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest praised the group of protesters for rallying together and demanding change, pointing out that Obama’s first presidential campaign was embodied by the same spirit.
“I think this also illustrates something that the president talked a lot about in the context of – in his campaign, that a few people speaking up and speaking out can have a profound impact on the communities where we live and work,” he said during the daily press briefing today.
The group of students accused Wolfe of enabling “a culture of racism” on campus and ignoring student concerns about recent events. Wolfe resigned after members of the college football team joined the protests, saying they wouldn’t suit up for the next game.
“That’s the kind of dialogue and work and unity that the Mizzou community is going to need to make progress on this issue,” Earnest said, in reaction to the decision calling it “a testament to the courage of the people on campus.”
More
Berlin Construction Worker Flown To Shock Trauma
After Veteran’s Death, Service Dog Tries to Comfort His Master by Jumping in the Casket
So I just had to share this story about a service dog named Honor who was trained to serve a veteran, Wade Baker, who was experiencing PTSD. The Associated Press has the story:
Part of the Labrador retriever’s training was to sense when the demons of war had invaded Wade Baker’s dreams. “I was having a nightmare, a flashback,” Baker, a Gulf War veteran, once told an interviewer. “And I woke up with Honor standing on my chest, licking my face.” He tried to push his service dog away, but Honor persisted. “He was stopping the nightmare for me,” Baker said. And so, this summer when he saw his master lying in the flag-draped casket, Honor pushed through the clutch of weeping family members, reared up, placed his paws on the edge and tried to climb in. Unable to comfort Baker, the lanky black dog in the camouflage-patterned vest curled up underneath. For Baker, the long nightmare was finally over. But Honor was still on duty.More
Groups petition high court over EPA power
The American Farm Bureau Federation, with the National Association of Homebuilders, last week filed a petition in the Supreme Court, after two lower courts ruled against the groups’ argument that the Clean Water Act allows the EPA to “micromanage local land use and development decisions,” according to a release from the AFBF.
“It’s about whether EPA has the power to override local decisions on what land can be farmed, where homes can be built, and where schools, hospitals, roads and communities can be developed,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman.
The Clean Water Act established the Clean Water Blueprint and total maximum daily loads, or the amount of pollution a body of water deemed impaired can handle and still meet water quality standards. The EPA then established nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment limits and gave Chesapeake Bay watershed states until 2025 to meet the goals it put forth, with each state outlining a plan of its own to meet the goals.
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Pocketbook Pain: The Rapidly Rising Cost Of Living Is Absolutely Killing The Middle Class In America
The cost of just about everything that average families shell out money for on a regular basis is rising much faster than wages are
One of the primary reasons for this is the rapidly rising cost of living in the United States. The cost of just about everything that average families shell out money for on a regular basis – food, rent, health insurance, etc. – is rising much faster than wages are. In a previous article I noted that the federal poverty level for a family of five is $28,410, but 51 percent of all American workers are making less than $30,000 a year at this point. We have seen an explosion in the number of people in this country that are considered to be “the working poor” and it gets worse with each passing year.
One of the most frustrating things for me personally is the rising cost of health insurance. Barack Obama promised that his program would result in a decline in health insurance premiums by as much as $2,500 per family, but in reality average family premiums have increased by a total of $4,865since 2008.
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One of the primary reasons for this is the rapidly rising cost of living in the United States. The cost of just about everything that average families shell out money for on a regular basis – food, rent, health insurance, etc. – is rising much faster than wages are. In a previous article I noted that the federal poverty level for a family of five is $28,410, but 51 percent of all American workers are making less than $30,000 a year at this point. We have seen an explosion in the number of people in this country that are considered to be “the working poor” and it gets worse with each passing year.
One of the most frustrating things for me personally is the rising cost of health insurance. Barack Obama promised that his program would result in a decline in health insurance premiums by as much as $2,500 per family, but in reality average family premiums have increased by a total of $4,865since 2008.
More
Historic home on Maryland's Tilghman Island set for auction
The historic property sits on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay island. The .77-acre property includes seven bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms, a pool house with an indoor/outdoor swimming pool and a 150-foot pier. The 4,880-square-foot home was originally built in 1750, with a majority of the additions completed in the 1990s and modern renovations completed in 2009.
The house and land at 21642 Chicken Point Road is being sold onsite at 11 a.m. by DeCaro Luxury Auctions, which has an office in Easton.
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Governor Larry Hogan Recognizes Veterans Day at Mission BBQ
"Grieving" Mother Of Murdered 9-Year-Old Spends Online Donations On New Car
Having very recently pointed out the growing epidemic of "online begging," seeing a mother use an online donation platform to raise funds to "lay her son to rest" seems like a laudible and donation-worthy cause. However,as ABC7 reports, the 'grieving' mother of murdered Chicago 9-year-old Tysham Leeused the funds to purchase a 2015 Chrysler 200 and after facing a torrent of abuse attempted to defend her seemingly callous act -"Y'all don't know nothing about me."
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With Berlin Council’s Approval, Developer Hopes To Begin Major Apartment Complex By Next Summer
Ocean’s East, the apartment complex planned by developer Blair Rinnier for Seahawk Road, is now moving ahead with the Berlin Town Council’s approval of a text amendment that will allow the buildings to exceed the town’s 12-unit size limit.
“I hope to proceed through the design submittal and approval process over the next six months and break ground in the summer of 2016,” Rinnier said, “with the first apartments opening in the summer of 2017.”
Rinnier has long been talking about building apartments on Seahawk Road. Earlier this year, he received site plan approval for the first 150-unit phase of the potentially 700-unit project. That approval, however, was contingent on the town’s passage of a text amendment that would permit the apartment buildings to house more than 12 units, as his plan showed 24- and 36-unit buildings. The text amendment, created by Rinnier’s attorney Mark Cropper with input from Town of Berlin attorney Dave Gaskill, says that when “public necessity, convenience, general welfare and good zoning practice” will be better served by buildings with more than 12 units, the planning commission “may allow a multi-family building to consist of up to, but not to exceed, 36 units as determined on a case by case basis.”
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The Re-Enserfment Of Western Peoples
The re-enserfment of Western peoples is taking place on several levels.
One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
These two developments deprive people of economic prospects.
A third development deprives them of political rights. The Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships eliminate political sovereignty and turn governance over to global corporations.
These so called “trade partnerships” have nothing to do with trade. These agreements negotiated in secrecy grant immunity to corporations from the laws of the countries in which they do business. This is achieved by declaring any interference by existing and prospective laws and regulations on corporate profits as restraints on trade for which corporations can sue and fine “sovereign” governments. For example, the ban in France and other counries on GMO products would be negated by the Trans-Atlantic Partnership. Democracy is simply replaced by corporate rule.
I have been meaning to write about this at length. However, others, such as Chris Hedges, are doing a good job of explaining the power grab that eliminates representative government.
More
One about which I have been writing for more than a decade comes from the offshoring of jobs. Americans, for example, have a shrinking participation in the production of the goods and services that are marketed to them.
On another level we are experiencing the financialization of the Western economy about which Michael Hudson is the leading expert (Killing The Host). Financialization is the process of removing any public presence in the economy and converting the economic surplus into interest payments to the financial sector.
These two developments deprive people of economic prospects.
A third development deprives them of political rights. The Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic Partnerships eliminate political sovereignty and turn governance over to global corporations.
These so called “trade partnerships” have nothing to do with trade. These agreements negotiated in secrecy grant immunity to corporations from the laws of the countries in which they do business. This is achieved by declaring any interference by existing and prospective laws and regulations on corporate profits as restraints on trade for which corporations can sue and fine “sovereign” governments. For example, the ban in France and other counries on GMO products would be negated by the Trans-Atlantic Partnership. Democracy is simply replaced by corporate rule.
I have been meaning to write about this at length. However, others, such as Chris Hedges, are doing a good job of explaining the power grab that eliminates representative government.
More
Veterans Ceremony In Worcester County Today
The Worcester County Veterans Memorial at Ocean Pines Foundation hosted a Veterans Day ceremony this morning at the...
Posted by The Dispatch on Wednesday, November 11, 2015
The free market debate over the Renewable Fuel Standard
At the end of this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will finalize a decision regarding one of the most controversial mandates on Capitol Hill — the Renewable Fuel Standard.
Judging by a congressional hearing on Tuesday morning, whatever EPA decides will further fire up debate between those who think the RFS is a giveaway to corn-producing states and others who say it’s a valuable tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on oil.
“What we need to drive ‘competition in the marketplace’ is access to the marketplace that we are not going to get unless we have either the RFS or we break up the oil companies, which I don’t think is very politically popular,” said Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Biofuels Business Council, which wants to keep the standard in place.
“I just can’t believe what I just heard in this hearing room,” said one of the harshest critics of the RFS, Charlie Drevna, distinguished senior fellow at the Institute for Energy Research. “Mr. Coleman keeps on talking about this grand conspiracy [of] big oil trying to stop penetration into the market. The reality of the situation is … [oil producers regardless of size] do not control anything to do with the market.”
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Judging by a congressional hearing on Tuesday morning, whatever EPA decides will further fire up debate between those who think the RFS is a giveaway to corn-producing states and others who say it’s a valuable tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on oil.
“What we need to drive ‘competition in the marketplace’ is access to the marketplace that we are not going to get unless we have either the RFS or we break up the oil companies, which I don’t think is very politically popular,” said Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Biofuels Business Council, which wants to keep the standard in place.
“I just can’t believe what I just heard in this hearing room,” said one of the harshest critics of the RFS, Charlie Drevna, distinguished senior fellow at the Institute for Energy Research. “Mr. Coleman keeps on talking about this grand conspiracy [of] big oil trying to stop penetration into the market. The reality of the situation is … [oil producers regardless of size] do not control anything to do with the market.”
More
Ben Carson Mocks The Media With Fake Headlines.
These fake headlines were posted on the Facebook page of Dr. Ben Carson.
German Town: Migrants Riot in Church, Steal From Stores, Defecate on Gardens
Residents in the German town of Ellwangen are reporting that thousands of migrants who recently arrived are defecating on people’s gardens, staging riots in church and stealing from local stores, while police in the area struggle to cope with the disorder.
Ellwangen, which has a population of around 23,500 and a strong Catholic community, was recently inundated with 4,500 asylum seekers who are staying in the old army barracks on the edge of town.
The original plan was to house just 500 immigrants, but this quickly ballooned to ten times that figure, at which point “serious mass brawls and conflicts” began, prompting the police to be called out routinely. The state government is set to fork out €5.1 million euros of taxpayer money to renovate and expand the barracks.
A friend of a local reports that store owners are struggling to do any business since people are afraid to go into town because of the migrants.
More here
Ellwangen, which has a population of around 23,500 and a strong Catholic community, was recently inundated with 4,500 asylum seekers who are staying in the old army barracks on the edge of town.
The original plan was to house just 500 immigrants, but this quickly ballooned to ten times that figure, at which point “serious mass brawls and conflicts” began, prompting the police to be called out routinely. The state government is set to fork out €5.1 million euros of taxpayer money to renovate and expand the barracks.
A friend of a local reports that store owners are struggling to do any business since people are afraid to go into town because of the migrants.
More here
Pennsylvania joins states looking to tax and regulate daily fantasy sports
Pennsylvania wants to profit on the popularity of daily fantasy sports as lawmakers may vote on a bill to regulate and tax the fast-growing industry.
A state representative from western Pennsylvania plans to introduce legislation that would require daily fantasy sports vendors — such as DraftKings and FanDuel — to partner with existing casinos already licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Daily fantasy sports leagues operate outside the boundaries of state regulation, partly because they are new, but also because a 2006 federal law exempted fantasy sports from the rest of the gambling world.
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A state representative from western Pennsylvania plans to introduce legislation that would require daily fantasy sports vendors — such as DraftKings and FanDuel — to partner with existing casinos already licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.
Daily fantasy sports leagues operate outside the boundaries of state regulation, partly because they are new, but also because a 2006 federal law exempted fantasy sports from the rest of the gambling world.
More
Does the Bell Toll for the Fed?
Last week Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen hinted that the Federal Reserve Board will increase interest rates at the board's December meeting. The positive jobs report that was released following Yellen's remarks caused many observers to say that the Federal Reserve's first interest rate increase in almost a decade is practically inevitable.
However, there are several reasons to doubt that the Fed will increase rates anytime in the near future. One reason is that the official unemployment rate understates unemployment by ignoring the over 94 million Americans who have either withdrawn from the labor force or settled for part-time work. Presumably the Federal Reserve Board has access to the real unemployment numbers and is thus aware that the economy is actually far from full employment.
The decline in the stock market following Friday's jobs report was attributed to many investors' fears over the impact of the predicted interest rate increase. Wall Street's jitters about the effects of a rate increase is another reason to doubt that the Fed will soon increase rates. After all, according to former Federal Reserve official Andrew Huszar, protecting Wall Street was the main goal of "quantitative easing," so why would the Fed now risk a Christmastime downturn in the stock markets?
Donald Trump made headlines last week by accusing Janet Yellen of keeping interest rates low because she does not want to risk another economic downturn in President Obama's last year in office. I have many disagreements with Mr. Trump, but I do agree with him that the Federal Reserve's polices may be influenced by partisan politics.
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However, there are several reasons to doubt that the Fed will increase rates anytime in the near future. One reason is that the official unemployment rate understates unemployment by ignoring the over 94 million Americans who have either withdrawn from the labor force or settled for part-time work. Presumably the Federal Reserve Board has access to the real unemployment numbers and is thus aware that the economy is actually far from full employment.
The decline in the stock market following Friday's jobs report was attributed to many investors' fears over the impact of the predicted interest rate increase. Wall Street's jitters about the effects of a rate increase is another reason to doubt that the Fed will soon increase rates. After all, according to former Federal Reserve official Andrew Huszar, protecting Wall Street was the main goal of "quantitative easing," so why would the Fed now risk a Christmastime downturn in the stock markets?
Donald Trump made headlines last week by accusing Janet Yellen of keeping interest rates low because she does not want to risk another economic downturn in President Obama's last year in office. I have many disagreements with Mr. Trump, but I do agree with him that the Federal Reserve's polices may be influenced by partisan politics.
More
Whitewashing Hillary — step one in shutting down the FBI’s probe
Well, whaddya know? Maybe those Hillary Clinton emails didn’t include top-secret information after all.
At least, that’s the conclusion reportedly drawn by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s office — overruling the finding of Intelligence Community Inspector General Charles McCullough that two Clinton emails (from a sample of just 40) contained highly classified info.
Hmm. Clapper answers to the president — who issued clear marching orders months ago, announcing that Clinton’s server scam was “not a situation in which America’s national security was endangered.”
Oddly, news of Clapper’s finding got leaked to Politico soon after the Washington Free Beacon reported Clinton did indeed, right after taking over at State, acknowledge her responsibility to properly guard classified info — and that “negligent handling” of it could bring criminal penalties.
Until the Beacon broke that news, even the State Department was unclear on whether Clinton ever signed the Sensitive Compartmented Information Nondisclosure Agreement. By so doing, she promised not to put classified info at risk — by, say, storing it on a home-brewed email server.
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At least, that’s the conclusion reportedly drawn by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s office — overruling the finding of Intelligence Community Inspector General Charles McCullough that two Clinton emails (from a sample of just 40) contained highly classified info.
Hmm. Clapper answers to the president — who issued clear marching orders months ago, announcing that Clinton’s server scam was “not a situation in which America’s national security was endangered.”
Oddly, news of Clapper’s finding got leaked to Politico soon after the Washington Free Beacon reported Clinton did indeed, right after taking over at State, acknowledge her responsibility to properly guard classified info — and that “negligent handling” of it could bring criminal penalties.
Until the Beacon broke that news, even the State Department was unclear on whether Clinton ever signed the Sensitive Compartmented Information Nondisclosure Agreement. By so doing, she promised not to put classified info at risk — by, say, storing it on a home-brewed email server.
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Maryland's nascent medical marijuana industry already booming
Maryland's nascent medical marijuana industry is already booming.
More than 350 applicants for licenses to grow, process or dispense medical marijuana were filed with the state's Medical Cannabis Commission by Friday evening's deadline as entrepreneurs try to get in at the ground floor of the newest pot market. The applications cover every county in the state.
"It's very busy, and we're very excited," said Dr. Paul Davies, the commission's chairman. "There's an awful lot of excitement buzzing around."
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More than 350 applicants for licenses to grow, process or dispense medical marijuana were filed with the state's Medical Cannabis Commission by Friday evening's deadline as entrepreneurs try to get in at the ground floor of the newest pot market. The applications cover every county in the state.
"It's very busy, and we're very excited," said Dr. Paul Davies, the commission's chairman. "There's an awful lot of excitement buzzing around."
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Paul Craig Roberts Rages At "Another Phony Jobs Number"
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Friday that the US economy created 271,000 jobs in October, a number substantially in excess of the expected 175,000 to 190,000 jobs. The unexpected job gain has dropped the unemployment rate to 5 percent. These two numbers will be the focus of the financial media presstitutes.
What is wrong with these numbers? Just about everything.
First of all, 145,000 of the jobs, or 54%, are jobs arbitrarily added to the number by the birth-death model. The birth-death model provides an estimate of the net amount of unreported jobs lost to business closings and the unreported jobs created by new business openings. The model is based on a normally functioning economy unlike the one of the past seven years and thus overestimates the number of jobs from new business and underestimates the losses from closures. If we eliminate the birth-death model’s contribution, new jobs were 126,000.
Next, consider who got the 271,000 reported jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all of the new jobs plus some—378,000—went to those 55 years of age and older. However, males in the prime working age, 25 to 54 years of age, lost 119,000 jobs. What seems to have happened is that full time jobs were replaced with part time jobs for retirees. Multiple job holders increased by 109,000 in October, an indication that people who lost full time jobs had to take two or more part time jobs in order to make ends meet.
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What is wrong with these numbers? Just about everything.
First of all, 145,000 of the jobs, or 54%, are jobs arbitrarily added to the number by the birth-death model. The birth-death model provides an estimate of the net amount of unreported jobs lost to business closings and the unreported jobs created by new business openings. The model is based on a normally functioning economy unlike the one of the past seven years and thus overestimates the number of jobs from new business and underestimates the losses from closures. If we eliminate the birth-death model’s contribution, new jobs were 126,000.
Next, consider who got the 271,000 reported jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all of the new jobs plus some—378,000—went to those 55 years of age and older. However, males in the prime working age, 25 to 54 years of age, lost 119,000 jobs. What seems to have happened is that full time jobs were replaced with part time jobs for retirees. Multiple job holders increased by 109,000 in October, an indication that people who lost full time jobs had to take two or more part time jobs in order to make ends meet.
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The U.S. education bubble is now upon us
SAN FRANCISCO (Project Syndicate) — One of the fundamental purposes of government is to advance important public goods. But, if not handled carefully, the pursuit of significant social goals can have unfortunate economic and financial consequences, sometimes even leading to systemic disruptions that undermine more than just the goals themselves.
This happened a decade ago in the United States, with the effort to expand home ownership. It has been playing out more recently in China, following an initiative to broaden stock-market participation. And it could happen again in the U.S., this time as the result of an attempt to improve access to funding for higher education.
In the first case, the U.S. government eagerly supported efforts to make mortgages more affordable and accessible, including the creation of all sorts of “exotic” lending vehicles. The approach worked, but a little too well. The surge in debt-enabled demand drove up real-estate prices, while banks’ greater willingness to lend led many people to purchase homes they couldn’t afford. The collapse of the subsequent bubble — a major contributor to the 2008 global financial crisis — nearly tipped the world economy into a multi-year depression.
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This happened a decade ago in the United States, with the effort to expand home ownership. It has been playing out more recently in China, following an initiative to broaden stock-market participation. And it could happen again in the U.S., this time as the result of an attempt to improve access to funding for higher education.
In the first case, the U.S. government eagerly supported efforts to make mortgages more affordable and accessible, including the creation of all sorts of “exotic” lending vehicles. The approach worked, but a little too well. The surge in debt-enabled demand drove up real-estate prices, while banks’ greater willingness to lend led many people to purchase homes they couldn’t afford. The collapse of the subsequent bubble — a major contributor to the 2008 global financial crisis — nearly tipped the world economy into a multi-year depression.
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Rand Paul: Neocon Hillary Will Start More Wars than Any Other POTUS Candidate
Obviously selling out to the Republicans did little Rand little good. How much time is he is getting in the debates? How much press coverage compared to other candidates? Have you even heard much about him in months?
Part of the reason Rand is being shunned (even after selling out) is because he is going around advertising the fact that he isn’t as pro more war as some of the other candidates. He even had the audacity to come out this year and say, if it were up to him, he would’ve never invaded Iraq in 2003!(Gasp!!) Bankers and the military-industrial complex running things have no love for that, and the establishment definitely won’t be giving him extra podium or air time for it.
No, whoever the next candidate is, they’re supposed to continue ramping things up in the Middle East and inflaming tensions between Russia and China amidst burgeoning economic issues while still pretending unemployment is low and the economy is wonderful — got to keep on schedule with the main empire agenda.
Paul recently came out to say that not only is Hillary a neoconservative(which, most of us here realized a long, long time ago but the casual, say, MSNBC viewer might be quite startled to hear, indeed), but that she will start more wars than any other presidential candidate in the 2016 race — even Jeb Bush.
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Part of the reason Rand is being shunned (even after selling out) is because he is going around advertising the fact that he isn’t as pro more war as some of the other candidates. He even had the audacity to come out this year and say, if it were up to him, he would’ve never invaded Iraq in 2003!(Gasp!!) Bankers and the military-industrial complex running things have no love for that, and the establishment definitely won’t be giving him extra podium or air time for it.
No, whoever the next candidate is, they’re supposed to continue ramping things up in the Middle East and inflaming tensions between Russia and China amidst burgeoning economic issues while still pretending unemployment is low and the economy is wonderful — got to keep on schedule with the main empire agenda.
Paul recently came out to say that not only is Hillary a neoconservative(which, most of us here realized a long, long time ago but the casual, say, MSNBC viewer might be quite startled to hear, indeed), but that she will start more wars than any other presidential candidate in the 2016 race — even Jeb Bush.
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Over and over again, the military has conducted dangerous biowarfare experiments on Americans
On September 20, 1950, a US Navy ship just off the coast of San Francisco used a giant hose to spray a cloud of microbes into the air and into the city's famous fog. The military was testing how a biological weapon attack would affect the 800,000 residents of the city.
The people of San Francisco had no idea.
The Navy continued the tests for seven days, potentially causing at least one death. It was one of the first large-scale biological weapon trials that would be conducted under a "germ warfare testing program" that went on for 20 years, from 1949 to 1969. The goal "was to deter [the use of biological weapons] against the United States and its allies and to retaliate if deterrence failed," the government explained later. "Fundamental to the development of a deterrent strategy was the need for a thorough study and analysis of our vulnerability to overt and covert attack."
Of the 239 known tests in that program, San Francisco was notable for two reasons, according to Dr. Leonard Cole, who documented the episode in his book "Clouds of Secrecy: The Army's Germ Warfare Tests Over Populated Areas."
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The people of San Francisco had no idea.
The Navy continued the tests for seven days, potentially causing at least one death. It was one of the first large-scale biological weapon trials that would be conducted under a "germ warfare testing program" that went on for 20 years, from 1949 to 1969. The goal "was to deter [the use of biological weapons] against the United States and its allies and to retaliate if deterrence failed," the government explained later. "Fundamental to the development of a deterrent strategy was the need for a thorough study and analysis of our vulnerability to overt and covert attack."
Of the 239 known tests in that program, San Francisco was notable for two reasons, according to Dr. Leonard Cole, who documented the episode in his book "Clouds of Secrecy: The Army's Germ Warfare Tests Over Populated Areas."
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WBOC Blew It AGAIN: UPDATE
Posted: Nov 11, 2014 10:18 AM EST Updated: Nov 05, 2015 10:03 AM EST
Golden Corral restaurants will celebrate military appreciation on Monday, Nov. 17, when members of the military can grab a free dinner on from 5-9 p.m.
WBOC blew it again. Golden Corral is having the "thank you Veterans" free meal TODAY, not Monday. And Monday is the 16th this year, not the 17th. WBOC might have updated their page on Nov 05, 2015, but they didn't bother updating it for Golden Corral. They served the Vet Meal on Nov 17th LAST YEAR. This year, it's actually ON Veterans Day.
The correct data is on: http://www.goldencorral.com/military/
Beware of WBOC, they're out to cost our Veterans a great free meal!!!
Signed,
A Vet.
UPDATE: Now there's only ONE Deals for Veterans posted and all others have been removed. Way to go WBOC. You have an entire Staff of people and this is how you respect Veterans! Bunch of Liberal A-Holes.
Prince George’s jury awards $450K in wrongful arrest lawsuit
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — A Prince George’s County jury has awarded a $450,000 verdict to a man for violations of his rights that occurred when he was arrested as a 15-year-old and charged with a robbery he did not commit.
The Daily Record of Baltimore reports (http://bit.ly/1Np6Fcy ) that Bernell Ambris was arrested in April 2009 for an armed robbery of a pizza delivery worker. Attorney Cary Hansel says Ambris was being treated for a sickle cell anemia crisis in the hospital at the time of the incident.
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The Daily Record of Baltimore reports (http://bit.ly/1Np6Fcy ) that Bernell Ambris was arrested in April 2009 for an armed robbery of a pizza delivery worker. Attorney Cary Hansel says Ambris was being treated for a sickle cell anemia crisis in the hospital at the time of the incident.
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University of Maryland expels record number of students for sexual assault
A record number of University of Maryland students were expelled for sexual assaults in a one-year period beginning in July 2014, according to Office of Civil Rights & Sexual Misconduct data.
Before the 2014-15 academic year, the Office of Student Conduct fully investigated one or two sexual misconduct reports a year, and few investigations — if any — led to expulsions, said Andrea Goodwin, the student conduct director.
But between July 2014 and June 30, the university expelled three students for sexual assault, according to the office’s first annual report published today. The university also suspended two students for violating the university’s sexual misconduct policy.
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Walmart Hires More Than 4,500 U.S. Veterans in Maryland, DC and Virginia
Walmart Hires More Than 4,500 U.S. Veterans in Maryland, DC and Virginia Since Launch of its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment
Company has hired more than 107,000 veterans nationwide since commitment began in May of 2013
BALTIMORE, (November 11, 2015) – Walmart announced today that it has hired more than 4,500 veterans across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia since the launch of its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May of 2013, which guarantees a job offer to any eligible U.S. veteran honorably discharged from active duty since that time.
Walmart has hired veterans into every aspect of its numerous facilities throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia, from Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets to distribution centers and Sam’s Club locations. The flexibility and scheduling opportunities the retailer offers makes it possible for transitioning service members to make their own path, whether that is pursuing educational goals, finding a meaningful new career path or finding a place to land after leaving the armed service, while deciding what’s next.
“We’ve experienced a tremendous response in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia to Walmart’s support of veterans,” said retired Brigadier General Gary Profit, Walmart’s senior director of military programs. “We believe veterans represent the largest, diverse, talent-rich pool in the world and are an essential segment of the next generation at Walmart.”
“Walmart provides a great opportunity for veterans to transition from military to civilian life,” said Randy Gassaway, an Army veteran and department manager at Walmart’s Cockeysville store. “It’s sometimes hard for veterans to find employment after they have served, and Walmart has provided me and others veterans like me the chance to achieve success after our time serving our country is completed. Walmart is structured just like the military in that employees can go as far as their hard work will take them. I’ve known hourly associates who have become store managers.”
Company has hired more than 107,000 veterans nationwide since commitment began in May of 2013
BALTIMORE, (November 11, 2015) – Walmart announced today that it has hired more than 4,500 veterans across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia since the launch of its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May of 2013, which guarantees a job offer to any eligible U.S. veteran honorably discharged from active duty since that time.
Walmart has hired veterans into every aspect of its numerous facilities throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia, from Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets to distribution centers and Sam’s Club locations. The flexibility and scheduling opportunities the retailer offers makes it possible for transitioning service members to make their own path, whether that is pursuing educational goals, finding a meaningful new career path or finding a place to land after leaving the armed service, while deciding what’s next.
“We’ve experienced a tremendous response in Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia to Walmart’s support of veterans,” said retired Brigadier General Gary Profit, Walmart’s senior director of military programs. “We believe veterans represent the largest, diverse, talent-rich pool in the world and are an essential segment of the next generation at Walmart.”
“Walmart provides a great opportunity for veterans to transition from military to civilian life,” said Randy Gassaway, an Army veteran and department manager at Walmart’s Cockeysville store. “It’s sometimes hard for veterans to find employment after they have served, and Walmart has provided me and others veterans like me the chance to achieve success after our time serving our country is completed. Walmart is structured just like the military in that employees can go as far as their hard work will take them. I’ve known hourly associates who have become store managers.”
Report Alleging Widespread Military Gay-rape Retracted
The American Psychological Association has taken the extraordinary step of retracting an in-house journal article that asserted the rate of rape and other sexual trauma among military men was as much as 15 times higher than the Pentagon’s own survey.
In a press released posted Sunday night, the APA said outside scholars had examined the study, “Preliminary Data Suggest Rates of Male Sexual Trauma May be Higher than Previously Reported,” and determined the method for randomly selecting and surveying male combat veterans was flawed.
“Although the article went through our standard peer-review process, other scholars have since examined the data and raised valid concerns regarding the design and statistical analysis, which compromise the findings,” said Gary R. VandenBos, APA’s publisher, in announcing the retraction.
The APA sent out a press release on Nov. 2 touting the military male findings among 12 other articles on military sexual trauma in the journal Psychological Services.
“Rates of military sexual trauma among men who served in the military may be as much as 15 times higher than has been previously reported, largely because of barriers associated with stigma, beliefs in myths about male rape, and feelings of helplessness,” the APA said Nov. 2.
More here
In a press released posted Sunday night, the APA said outside scholars had examined the study, “Preliminary Data Suggest Rates of Male Sexual Trauma May be Higher than Previously Reported,” and determined the method for randomly selecting and surveying male combat veterans was flawed.
“Although the article went through our standard peer-review process, other scholars have since examined the data and raised valid concerns regarding the design and statistical analysis, which compromise the findings,” said Gary R. VandenBos, APA’s publisher, in announcing the retraction.
The APA sent out a press release on Nov. 2 touting the military male findings among 12 other articles on military sexual trauma in the journal Psychological Services.
“Rates of military sexual trauma among men who served in the military may be as much as 15 times higher than has been previously reported, largely because of barriers associated with stigma, beliefs in myths about male rape, and feelings of helplessness,” the APA said Nov. 2.
More here
No, Politico, Common Core Hasn’t “Won the War”
In a recent article, Politico’s Kimberly Hefling asserted that “Common Core has won.” She claims that Common Core enjoys widespread support, and interviews select groups of parents and teachers in an attempt to prove that teachers and students have “given up” on the battle against this legislative behemoth.
But this article overlooks some crucial numbers. It ignores the fact that the movement against Common Core is one of the fastest-growing grassroots efforts in the United States, with almost a quarter million students opting out in the state of California alone, and another quarter million students expected to stage protests in New York. Similar outrage is shared nationwide, as state after state discovers the damage that these standards have caused.
While Ms. Hefling may have interviewed some pockets of support to back her thesis, her research has somehow missed the millions of Common Core opponents. She must not have talked to the same students that Stephen Colbert mentioned in his hilarious ambush on the absurdity of the standards—or the tens of thousands of parents around the country like this one, whose frustration with the standards finally turned into cynicism.
The article barely even mentions the “droves” of parents who are opting their frustrated kids out of the tests. It doesn’t address the fact that homeschooling is expected to skyrocket with the new surge of students fleeing the public schools. And while some families are contemplating moving out of their home state just to get away from the Common Core, Politico fails to mention the impact that Common Core is having on the average, middle-class family.
More here
But this article overlooks some crucial numbers. It ignores the fact that the movement against Common Core is one of the fastest-growing grassroots efforts in the United States, with almost a quarter million students opting out in the state of California alone, and another quarter million students expected to stage protests in New York. Similar outrage is shared nationwide, as state after state discovers the damage that these standards have caused.
While Ms. Hefling may have interviewed some pockets of support to back her thesis, her research has somehow missed the millions of Common Core opponents. She must not have talked to the same students that Stephen Colbert mentioned in his hilarious ambush on the absurdity of the standards—or the tens of thousands of parents around the country like this one, whose frustration with the standards finally turned into cynicism.
The article barely even mentions the “droves” of parents who are opting their frustrated kids out of the tests. It doesn’t address the fact that homeschooling is expected to skyrocket with the new surge of students fleeing the public schools. And while some families are contemplating moving out of their home state just to get away from the Common Core, Politico fails to mention the impact that Common Core is having on the average, middle-class family.
More here
What Happens If Hyperlinks Get Copyright Protection In Europe?
Another storm appears to be brewing in Europe that will impact the ability of many U.S. businesses to freely operate there. According to a leaked draft European Commission Communication, “the Commission will examine whether action is needed on the definition of the rights of ‘communication to the public’ and of ‘making available’,”–direct references to EU case law governing hyperlinks. According to European Parliament member Julia Reda, this means that “ the European Commission is preparing a frontal attack on the hyperlink , the basic building block of the Internet as we know it.”
What is being discussed, essentially, is ancillary copyright. Ancillary copyright includes the right of copyright owners to charge a fee for hyper-linking to and excerpting from their works. From a practical standpoint, this law would affect any news aggregator linking to and excerpting works from European content sources, not just EU-based aggregators.
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What is being discussed, essentially, is ancillary copyright. Ancillary copyright includes the right of copyright owners to charge a fee for hyper-linking to and excerpting from their works. From a practical standpoint, this law would affect any news aggregator linking to and excerpting works from European content sources, not just EU-based aggregators.
More here
Missouri Resignation Shows Liberal Colleges Reaping What They Sow
The resignation of University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe on Monday amid campus protests are the result of colleges teaching students that America is bad, and schools now are "reaping what they sow," says conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.
Wolfe announced he was stepping down amid a hunger strike by a student and a vow by 30 black members of the football team to sit out practice and next Saturday's game against Brigham Young University.
"He just resigned for committing the crime of being a white male," Limbaugh said, calling it as "a social justice warrior's story."
The protests were sparked by a spate of racist incidents beginning in early October.
"It was just a couple of short years ago the University of Missouri got a gold star, and the University of Missouri was the leading, most sensitive university in America because that's where Michael Sam went to school," Limbaugh said, referring to the first openly gay player to enter the NFL draft.
At that time the school "was heralded as a citadel of tolerance," Limbaugh said. "What happened?"
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Wolfe announced he was stepping down amid a hunger strike by a student and a vow by 30 black members of the football team to sit out practice and next Saturday's game against Brigham Young University.
"He just resigned for committing the crime of being a white male," Limbaugh said, calling it as "a social justice warrior's story."
The protests were sparked by a spate of racist incidents beginning in early October.
"It was just a couple of short years ago the University of Missouri got a gold star, and the University of Missouri was the leading, most sensitive university in America because that's where Michael Sam went to school," Limbaugh said, referring to the first openly gay player to enter the NFL draft.
At that time the school "was heralded as a citadel of tolerance," Limbaugh said. "What happened?"
More here
Illegal Guns A Deadly Epidemic On Baltimore City Streets
Mary Bubala traces one gun’s deadly trail, asking what can be done to get these dangerous weapons off our streets.
Just after midnight, a bad guy with an illegal gun opened fire, killing a man in Northeast Baltimore. The first shooting rang out in the 2600 block of East Monument Street. While detectives were on the scene gathering evidence, there was another shooting 45 minutes later and just blocks away. The same suspect reportedly shot and killed another man. When they got to the crime scene on North Rose Street, it was the same gun.
“One gun, two families whose lives have been destroyed at at least changed in a matter of minutes,” said Donny Moses, Baltimore City Police Department.
The illegal gun is just one of thousands taken off city streets since then. But how did that gun — a Rossi .38 caliber revolver — end up here?
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Sen. Grassley: GOP Not Dumb Enough to Impeach Obama, Make Him Martyr
President Barack Obama shows a lack of respect for the Constitution in the numerous executive orders he has issued, but Republicans won't impeach him, Sen. Chuck Grassley tells Newsmax TV.
"The president would love to have Congress impeach him because it'd make a martyr out of him," Grassley said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show." "We aren't dumb enough to do that."
Still, Obama's actions are obviously unconstitutional, the Iowa Republican said.
"Even the courts have said that on 12 occasions, and don't forget the Supreme Court sat in on four or five occasions already," he said. "One time he took action that even his own two appointees in the Supreme Court said he acted unconstitutionally."
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"The president would love to have Congress impeach him because it'd make a martyr out of him," Grassley said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show." "We aren't dumb enough to do that."
Still, Obama's actions are obviously unconstitutional, the Iowa Republican said.
"Even the courts have said that on 12 occasions, and don't forget the Supreme Court sat in on four or five occasions already," he said. "One time he took action that even his own two appointees in the Supreme Court said he acted unconstitutionally."
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New York State Launches Probe of Failed Obamacare Co-Op
The State of New York has announced that it is opening an investigation into failed Health Republic, the largest Obamacare co-op in the nation, saying the insurer did not truthfully report its financial condition to regulators.
The New York State Department of Financial Services says in a press release that "it found that Health Republic’s finances were substantially worse than the company previously reported to the state, making it necessary to end the company’s policies as of November 30, 2015."
"Health Republic is the largest of the 23 Obamacare co-ops in the country. It was founded by political activist Sarah Horowitz, who first met then-Senator Barack Obama when they both worked at the same think tank," the Daily Caller reports.
Taxpayers are expected to take the hit for $355 million in losses from the failed venture, the Daily Caller reports.
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The New York State Department of Financial Services says in a press release that "it found that Health Republic’s finances were substantially worse than the company previously reported to the state, making it necessary to end the company’s policies as of November 30, 2015."
"Health Republic is the largest of the 23 Obamacare co-ops in the country. It was founded by political activist Sarah Horowitz, who first met then-Senator Barack Obama when they both worked at the same think tank," the Daily Caller reports.
Taxpayers are expected to take the hit for $355 million in losses from the failed venture, the Daily Caller reports.
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Yale Students Protest, Disrupt, Pro-Free Speech Event
Students at Yale on Saturday protested—and in one case disrupted—an event held by the William F. Buckley, Jr. Program that was designed to highlight the importance of freedom of speech.
According to a report in the Yale Daily News “several attendees were spat on” by the protestors.
The targets of the protest and disruption were participating in the Buckley Program’s “Fifth Annual Conference on the Future of Free Speech: Threats in Higher Education and Beyond.”
The conference is held in keeping with the program’s mission “to expand political discourse on campus and to expose students to often-unvoiced views.”
The Yale Daily News, citing Buckley Fellows (Yale students who participate in the program), reported that protestors spat on conference attendees as they departed.
“A large group of students eventually gathered outside of the building on High Street," the Yale Daily News reported. "According to Buckley fellows present during the conference, several attendees were spat on as they left. One Buckley fellow said he was spat on and called a racist. Another, who is a minority himself, said he has been labeled a 'traitor' by several fellow minority students. Both asked to remain anonymous because they were afraid of attracting backlash."
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According to a report in the Yale Daily News “several attendees were spat on” by the protestors.
The targets of the protest and disruption were participating in the Buckley Program’s “Fifth Annual Conference on the Future of Free Speech: Threats in Higher Education and Beyond.”
The conference is held in keeping with the program’s mission “to expand political discourse on campus and to expose students to often-unvoiced views.”
The Yale Daily News, citing Buckley Fellows (Yale students who participate in the program), reported that protestors spat on conference attendees as they departed.
“A large group of students eventually gathered outside of the building on High Street," the Yale Daily News reported. "According to Buckley fellows present during the conference, several attendees were spat on as they left. One Buckley fellow said he was spat on and called a racist. Another, who is a minority himself, said he has been labeled a 'traitor' by several fellow minority students. Both asked to remain anonymous because they were afraid of attracting backlash."
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Al Qaeda Terror Boss Discovered On Migrant Boat, Authorities ‘Tried To Hide News’
Ben Nasr Mehdi, a Tunisian who was first arrested in Italy in 2007 and sentenced to seven years imprisonment for plotting terror attacks with an Islamic State-linked group, was caught trying to re-enter the country last month.
Authorities discovered him among 200 migrants who were rescued at sea and taken to the island of Lampedusa. Although he gave a false name, migration officers identified him through finger print records, the Independent reports.
German channel n-tv claims the Italian government initially tried to hide the story to avoid “panic” and “scare tactics”. The news did not emerge until several days after Mehdi had been detained last week.
More here
Ex-GAO head: US debt is three times more than you think
The former U.S. comptroller general says the real U.S. debt is closer to about $65 trillion than the oft-cited figure of $18 trillion.
Dave Walker, who headed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, said when you add up all of the nation’s unfunded liabilities, the national debt is more than three times the number generally advertised.
“If you end up adding to that $18.5 trillion the unfunded civilian and military pensions and retiree healthcare, the additional underfunding for Social Security, the additional underfunding for Medicare, various commitments and contingencies that the federal government has, the real number is about $65 trillion rather than $18 trillion, and it’s growing automatically absent reforms,” Walker told host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable” on New York’s AM-970 in an interview airing Sunday.
The former comptroller general, who is in charge of ensuring federal spending is fiscally responsible, said a burgeoning national debt hampers the ability of government to carry out both domestic and foreign policy initiatives.
Dave Walker, who headed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, said when you add up all of the nation’s unfunded liabilities, the national debt is more than three times the number generally advertised.
“If you end up adding to that $18.5 trillion the unfunded civilian and military pensions and retiree healthcare, the additional underfunding for Social Security, the additional underfunding for Medicare, various commitments and contingencies that the federal government has, the real number is about $65 trillion rather than $18 trillion, and it’s growing automatically absent reforms,” Walker told host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable” on New York’s AM-970 in an interview airing Sunday.
The former comptroller general, who is in charge of ensuring federal spending is fiscally responsible, said a burgeoning national debt hampers the ability of government to carry out both domestic and foreign policy initiatives.
O'Malley offers VA reform plans on eve of Veterans Day
The move comes just hours before Veterans Day and gives a direct response to criticism from veterans groups that the Democrat still hadn’t engaged on those issues enough, either on the campaign trail or on his website.
“Veterans have not escaped Washington’s dysfunction,” the former Maryland governor’s campaign states in his new policy paper. “While some progress has been made at (VA), the current situation remains unacceptable. Further reform and bold actions are needed to ensure instances of data manipulation and secret wait lists never happen again.”
Those reforms include expanding several of O’Malley’s veterans initiatives in Maryland to a national level, including the use of new data analysis tools and a greater emphasis on local facility control and response.
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MD State Police Wins 2015 National Awards For Traffic Safety Efforts
(PIKESVILLE, MD) – The International Association of Chiefs of Police, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Sheriff’s Association, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, recently presented the Maryland State Police with three top national awards in recognition for outstanding traffic safety efforts aimed at reducing crashes and injuries.
The Maryland State Police won first place in the 2015 National Law Enforcement Challenge for state police or highway patrol departments with between 500 and 1,500 sworn members. A Special Category Award was also presented to the Maryland State Police for commercial vehicle safety efforts by state police agencies. A third honor, the Clayton J. Hall Memorial Award, was received for submitting the most comprehensive traffic safety program out of more than 200 law enforcement agencies participating in the national competition.
“It was an honor to accept these awards on behalf of the dedicated troopers in the Field Operations Bureau,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi said. “While receiving this recognition is appreciated, our commitment to traffic safety is not to earn awards, but because we know the harder we work, the more impact we can have on reducing crashes, saving lives, and making our highways safer.”
The National Law Enforcement Challenge focuses on the police department’s comprehensive strategies to address the traffic safety issues of impaired driving, occupant protection, and speed awareness. Agencies can select an additional traffic safety issue that has been identified as a problem in their state. Police departments are evaluated and judged on their approaches to traffic safety issues based on the factors of problem identification, policies, planning, training, public information and education, enforcement, and outcomes.
The Maryland State Police won first place in the 2015 National Law Enforcement Challenge for state police or highway patrol departments with between 500 and 1,500 sworn members. A Special Category Award was also presented to the Maryland State Police for commercial vehicle safety efforts by state police agencies. A third honor, the Clayton J. Hall Memorial Award, was received for submitting the most comprehensive traffic safety program out of more than 200 law enforcement agencies participating in the national competition.
“It was an honor to accept these awards on behalf of the dedicated troopers in the Field Operations Bureau,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi said. “While receiving this recognition is appreciated, our commitment to traffic safety is not to earn awards, but because we know the harder we work, the more impact we can have on reducing crashes, saving lives, and making our highways safer.”
The National Law Enforcement Challenge focuses on the police department’s comprehensive strategies to address the traffic safety issues of impaired driving, occupant protection, and speed awareness. Agencies can select an additional traffic safety issue that has been identified as a problem in their state. Police departments are evaluated and judged on their approaches to traffic safety issues based on the factors of problem identification, policies, planning, training, public information and education, enforcement, and outcomes.
New Push For Seat Belts In Maryland School Buses
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren with the new push and why some school boards are so against it.
Many school administrators say school buses are different than regular cars and SUVs and that seat belts are not as effective. But one former Maryland politician says if we have to buckle up every day in our cars, we should have to do so for our kids in school buses.
A parent’s nightmare–their child’s school bus rolls over–like a crash in Baltimore County two years ago, where children had to escape from the roof.
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Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center Banquet
Rethinking the Use of Methadone as a Preferred Treatment for Pain
More than 16,000 Americans die each year from prescription opioid overdoses, with a disproportionate number of these deaths attributed to methadone. Now, the federal government is calling on states to consider removing methadone from the list of preferred drugs used as pain relievers for Medicaid patients. This proposal is part of a larger White House initiative to stop the nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic.
The evidence of harm associated with methadone for pain is clear. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that while methadone accounts for just 2 percent of opioid pain reliever prescriptions, the drug is responsible for nearly one third of prescription opioid overdose deaths. And from 1999 to 2010, as the use of methadone for pain increased, so too did the extent of associated harms. In fact, CDC found overdose deaths associated with methadone for pain increased nearly six-fold in that time, jumping from 784 deaths to 4,577 deaths.
Why does methadone put patients at greater risk?
The unique properties of methadone distinguish it from other opioids. Pain relief ends sooner than the drug’s effects on respiratory and cardiac systems. Because the pain returns before the body has fully metabolized the drug, patients may be tempted to take more, putting them at risk of overdose and death from respiratory depression or heart-beat abnormalities.
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The evidence of harm associated with methadone for pain is clear. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that while methadone accounts for just 2 percent of opioid pain reliever prescriptions, the drug is responsible for nearly one third of prescription opioid overdose deaths. And from 1999 to 2010, as the use of methadone for pain increased, so too did the extent of associated harms. In fact, CDC found overdose deaths associated with methadone for pain increased nearly six-fold in that time, jumping from 784 deaths to 4,577 deaths.
Why does methadone put patients at greater risk?
The unique properties of methadone distinguish it from other opioids. Pain relief ends sooner than the drug’s effects on respiratory and cardiac systems. Because the pain returns before the body has fully metabolized the drug, patients may be tempted to take more, putting them at risk of overdose and death from respiratory depression or heart-beat abnormalities.
More