DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Magnolia Man Charged in Multiple Home Improvement Fraud Cases
Millsboro, DE - The Delaware State Police investigated multiple home improvement fraud cases in the Millsboro area which led to the arrest of a 32-year-old Magnolia man.
The preliminary investigation revealed the incidents started to occur back in April 2015 when Brett D. Johnson, 32 of Magnolia, working under Johnson’s Custom Carpentry, was hired by several victims to complete work at their homes in the Millsboro area. A verbal proposal was submitted to the victims, who in turn, provided Brett Johnson with a deposit totaling more than $ 9,600.00. None of the work has been started and Brett Johnson failed to return the victim’s money even after numerous requests.
Between April 2015 and June 2015, Johnson was hired by five local residents. During this time he made contact with his victims arranging to perform other side jobs for the victims. Johnson would take the victim’s money for a down payment but would never return with the materials or complete the jobs.
Brett D. Johnson was arrested and processed at Troop 4 in Georgetown. He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court #2 on five counts of Home Improvement Fraud-Receive Money for Services not Completed and five counts of Theft by False Pretenses and was released on $5,000.00 unsecured bond.
If any homeowner has had any contact with this company and the work was not performed or completed involving Brett D. Johnson, they are asked to contact Det. T. Shockley at 302-752-3812. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword "DSP."
Hillary to be charged with ethics violations
Could this be the charge that finally sticks?
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing increasing scrutiny after reports surfaced last week that she intervened in a request forwarded by her son-in-law on behalf of a deep-sea mining firm to meet with her or other State Department officials, according to the recently released Clinton emails.
Now, an independent watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), has announced its plan to file a complaint with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) today.
“As evidenced from her recently released emails, it appears that then Secretary Hillary Clinton gave a private company special access to the State Department based upon the company’s relationships with Secretary Clinton’s family members and donors to the Clinton Foundation,” the FACT complaint states.
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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing increasing scrutiny after reports surfaced last week that she intervened in a request forwarded by her son-in-law on behalf of a deep-sea mining firm to meet with her or other State Department officials, according to the recently released Clinton emails.
Now, an independent watchdog group, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), has announced its plan to file a complaint with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) today.
“As evidenced from her recently released emails, it appears that then Secretary Hillary Clinton gave a private company special access to the State Department based upon the company’s relationships with Secretary Clinton’s family members and donors to the Clinton Foundation,” the FACT complaint states.
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Fenwick Approves Motel Zoning Change, Then Enacts Two-Year Moratorium On New Projects
Last Friday, Dec. 11, the town council voted 5-2 to approve an ordinance that would allow one room per 600 square feet at each of the town’s existing three hotels. The change will allow the Sands Motel, which is currently 38 rooms, to be rebuilt to include 65 rooms. The approval came in spite of concerns from Councilman Roy Williams, who voted against the code change with council member Julie Lee.
“There are three attorneys saying this could be a problem,” Williams said.
Williams said he’d heard from two residents who were attorneys as well as from Max Walton, a lawyer who represents resident Richard Benn. All three have questioned whether the ordinance meets Delaware code, which requires uniformity among buildings throughout a particular zoning district.
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BREAKING NEWS POST
Trump’s Big Gamble: Gimme or Gimmick?
When a president decides to address the nation on national security, it is a solemn occasion. It is usually something that unites American’. Last Sunday’s address, occasioned by the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Calif, should have been that sort of speech. It made sense for the chief executive to address the citizenry after such a shaking and shocking example of Islamic State inspiration of a mass shooting.
What made a lot less sense — and what makes Obama seem a much smaller figure than history demands — was his willingness to insert plain political gimmicks into such an address.
In recent weeks, Democrats have adopted a rhetorical proposal about keeping people on the terrorist watch list (who face no charges and have not been convicted of anything) from buying guns. The policy is nothing more than a rhetorical gimmick — there is nothing more impossible in U.S. policy than to deny constitutional rights to people not even accused of a crime. Yet somehow, Obama chose to mention this as if it were a serious proposal in his national address.
If this is how he wants to roll, then it’s up to him. He is, after all, the president of the United States. But this is not the way to unify the country in the face of a threat. It signifies what many have believed about Obama’s presidency — that it is a prolonged campaign, filled with lots of blow-hard rhetoric, and little in the way of substance.
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What made a lot less sense — and what makes Obama seem a much smaller figure than history demands — was his willingness to insert plain political gimmicks into such an address.
In recent weeks, Democrats have adopted a rhetorical proposal about keeping people on the terrorist watch list (who face no charges and have not been convicted of anything) from buying guns. The policy is nothing more than a rhetorical gimmick — there is nothing more impossible in U.S. policy than to deny constitutional rights to people not even accused of a crime. Yet somehow, Obama chose to mention this as if it were a serious proposal in his national address.
If this is how he wants to roll, then it’s up to him. He is, after all, the president of the United States. But this is not the way to unify the country in the face of a threat. It signifies what many have believed about Obama’s presidency — that it is a prolonged campaign, filled with lots of blow-hard rhetoric, and little in the way of substance.
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Should Honest Black Folks Celebrate Kwanzaa?
Of course Black people, honest and dishonest, can celebrate Ground Hog Day if they choose; however, they should know what they are celebrating. Ron Everett, the founder of Kwanzaa, has conned academia, the media, a small segment of Americans and a substantial number of Blacks.
Ron was born in Parsonsburg, Maryland, the fourteenth child in the family. His father was a tenant farmer and Baptist minister. Everett moved to Los Angeles in 1959, joining his older brother who was a teacher there.
During this period he took the name 'Karenga' (Swahili for “keeper of tradition”) and the title 'Maulana' (Swahili-Arabic for “master teacher”).
It seems humility is not one of the principles of Kwanzaa’s founder.
Following the Watts Riots in 1965, Karenga (Ron Everett) organized 'US', or United Slaves, that meant “US black people” and he gave credit to Malcolm X’s Afro-American Unity program as an influence for his group’s existence.
Their silly motto is “Anywhere we are, Us is.”
During the early years of Kwanzaa, Karenga said that it was meant to be an “oppositional alternative” to Christmas (gift giving) and Judaism (using a seven branch candle-holder that evokes Judaism’s menorah); however, as it became more popular it has morphed into a special day for non-thinking Blacks. The holiday begins Dec. 26 until Jan. 1 and the celebrations often include songs and dances, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on a candleholder, followed by discussion of one of the seven principles.
At first blush this may seem to be a useful tool in strengthening black families, but it is a racist, bigoted, make-believe holiday founded by a deranged white-hater.
In his 30-page booklet The Quotable Karenga, Karenga wrote “The sevenfold path of blackness is think black, talk black, act black, create black, buy black, vote black, and live black.”
Wonder what would happen if I suggested the same thing but changed the word black to white?
More here
Ron was born in Parsonsburg, Maryland, the fourteenth child in the family. His father was a tenant farmer and Baptist minister. Everett moved to Los Angeles in 1959, joining his older brother who was a teacher there.
During this period he took the name 'Karenga' (Swahili for “keeper of tradition”) and the title 'Maulana' (Swahili-Arabic for “master teacher”).
It seems humility is not one of the principles of Kwanzaa’s founder.
Following the Watts Riots in 1965, Karenga (Ron Everett) organized 'US', or United Slaves, that meant “US black people” and he gave credit to Malcolm X’s Afro-American Unity program as an influence for his group’s existence.
Their silly motto is “Anywhere we are, Us is.”
During the early years of Kwanzaa, Karenga said that it was meant to be an “oppositional alternative” to Christmas (gift giving) and Judaism (using a seven branch candle-holder that evokes Judaism’s menorah); however, as it became more popular it has morphed into a special day for non-thinking Blacks. The holiday begins Dec. 26 until Jan. 1 and the celebrations often include songs and dances, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on a candleholder, followed by discussion of one of the seven principles.
At first blush this may seem to be a useful tool in strengthening black families, but it is a racist, bigoted, make-believe holiday founded by a deranged white-hater.
In his 30-page booklet The Quotable Karenga, Karenga wrote “The sevenfold path of blackness is think black, talk black, act black, create black, buy black, vote black, and live black.”
Wonder what would happen if I suggested the same thing but changed the word black to white?
More here
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Gowdy and Jordan Hammer DHS Regs
Rep. Trey Gowdy and the growing ranks of CONSERVATIVE Republicans in Congress are elevating the entire oversight discourse with constitutionally constructionist challenges like this one with a senior DHS administrator, regarding Obama’s no-fly list charade. The “testimony” of DHS “expert” Kelli Ann Burriesci is a fitting example of the bureaucratic SNAFUs that typify civilian branches of our bloated central government.
(Here's the video..)
(Here's the video..)
LOOK: Little Boy Prays With Santa for Christmas Miracle
Four-year-old Prestyn Barnette asked Santa for a miracle for baby Knox Joseph, who is 2 months old and on life support in Las Vegas.
Knox's father found him in his crib not breathing two weeks ago.
Prestyn learned about Knox through a prayer group his grandmother belongs to on Facebook, according to WIS.
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Religious vs. Political Islam
Americans take many things for granted. One of them is a rather brilliant decision made by the Founding Fathers, who were among the many settlers coming to the New World to escape religious oppression by state-affiliated faiths. The Founders decided that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Hence, while people were free to worship as they please, church and state would remain separate entities. Islam makes no such distinction, and America is in desperate need of a forthright conversation regarding the differences between religious and political Islam.
“Some Muslims come to the United States to practice their religion peacefully, and assimilate into the Western tradition of tolerance of other people’s liberties, including religious liberty — a tradition alien to the theocratic societies in which they grew up,” writes National Review’s Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor who led the case against the 1993 World Trade Center bombers.
“Others come here to champion sharia, Islam’s authoritarian societal framework and legal code, resisting assimilation into our pluralistic society. Since we want to both honor religious liberty and preserve the Constitution that enshrines and protects it, we have a dilemma.”
Dilemma indeed. As McCarthy further explains, the overwhelming majority of people emigrating from Muslim-majority countries to Western nations are coming from societies where “Islam is a comprehensive ideological system that governs all human affairs, from political, economic, and military matters to interpersonal relations and even hygiene.” And while Islam does have religious tenets, McCarthy argues “these make up only a fraction of what is overwhelmingly a political ideology.”
At the center of that political ideology is Sharia Law..
(Keep reading)
“Some Muslims come to the United States to practice their religion peacefully, and assimilate into the Western tradition of tolerance of other people’s liberties, including religious liberty — a tradition alien to the theocratic societies in which they grew up,” writes National Review’s Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor who led the case against the 1993 World Trade Center bombers.
“Others come here to champion sharia, Islam’s authoritarian societal framework and legal code, resisting assimilation into our pluralistic society. Since we want to both honor religious liberty and preserve the Constitution that enshrines and protects it, we have a dilemma.”
Dilemma indeed. As McCarthy further explains, the overwhelming majority of people emigrating from Muslim-majority countries to Western nations are coming from societies where “Islam is a comprehensive ideological system that governs all human affairs, from political, economic, and military matters to interpersonal relations and even hygiene.” And while Islam does have religious tenets, McCarthy argues “these make up only a fraction of what is overwhelmingly a political ideology.”
At the center of that political ideology is Sharia Law..
(Keep reading)
Maybe WRDE Should Pay Their Bills?
Ex-Radical Islamist: How to Defeat the Islamic State
Islam is a religion, and like any other faith, it is internally diverse. Islamism, by contrast, is the desire to impose a single version of Islam on an entire society. Islamism is not Islam, but it is an offshoot of Islam. It is Muslim theocracy.
In much the same way, jihad is a traditional Muslim idea connoting struggle—sometimes a personal spiritual struggle, sometimes a struggle against an external enemy. Jihadism, however, is something else entirely: It is the doctrine of using force to spread Islamism.
President Barack Obama and many liberal-minded commentators have been hesitant to call this Islamist ideology by its proper name. They seem to fear that both Muslim communities and the religiously intolerant will hear the word “Islam” and simply assume that all Muslims are being held responsible for the excesses of the jihadist few.
I call this the Voldemort effect, after the villain in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books. Many well-meaning people in Ms. Rowling’s fictional world are so petrified of Voldemort’s evil that they do two things: They refuse to call Voldemort by name, instead referring to “He Who Must Not Be Named,” and they deny that he exists in the first place. Such dread only increases public hysteria, thus magnifying the appeal of Voldemort’s power.
The same hysteria about Islamism is unfolding before our eyes. But no strategy intended to defeat Islamism can succeed if Islamism itself and its violent expression in jihadism are not first named, isolated and understood.
It is as disingenuous to argue that Islamic State is entirely divorced from Islam as it is to assert that it is synonymous with Islam. Islamic State does indeed have something to do with Islam—not nothing, not everything, but something. That something is the way in which all Islamists justify their arguments using Islamic scripture and seek to recruit from Muslims.
The urgency of making these distinctions should be apparent to everyone.
Read more here
Overdose Antidote Can Be Dispensed Without Prescription
Officials said Monday that the order is intended to help combat the state’s heroin and opioid abuse epidemic.
The antidote, Naloxone, is a prescription medication that can reverse overdoses related to opioids, which include heroin and prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.
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Marc Kilmer: "During today's council meeting"
During today's council meeting, we had a work session on the issue of chicken houses. Quite a few people spoke out...
Posted by Marc Kilmer, Wicomico County Council on Tuesday, December 15, 2015
E.P.A. Broke the Law by Using Social Media to Push Water Rule
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency engaged in “covert propaganda” in violation of federal law when it blitzed social media to urge the general public to support President Obama’s controversial rule intended to better protect the nation’s streams and surface waters, congressional auditors have concluded.
The ruling by the Government Accountability Office, which opened its investigation after a report in The New York Times on the agency’s practices, served as a cautionary tale to federal agencies about the perils of getting too active in using social media to push a cause. Federal laws prohibit agencies from engaging in lobbying and propaganda.
It also emerged as Republican leaders moved to block the so-called Waters of the United States clean-water rule through an amendment to the enormous spending bill expected to pass in Congress this week.
“GAO’s finding confirms what I have long suspected, that EPA will go to extreme lengths and even violate the law to promote its activist environmental agenda,” Senator Jim Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma and chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee who is pressing to block the rule, said in a statement Monday.
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The ruling by the Government Accountability Office, which opened its investigation after a report in The New York Times on the agency’s practices, served as a cautionary tale to federal agencies about the perils of getting too active in using social media to push a cause. Federal laws prohibit agencies from engaging in lobbying and propaganda.
It also emerged as Republican leaders moved to block the so-called Waters of the United States clean-water rule through an amendment to the enormous spending bill expected to pass in Congress this week.
“GAO’s finding confirms what I have long suspected, that EPA will go to extreme lengths and even violate the law to promote its activist environmental agenda,” Senator Jim Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma and chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee who is pressing to block the rule, said in a statement Monday.
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D.C. Salvation Army races to recover after thieves steal $15-20K worth of gifts
Salvation Army Staffer Bonita Johnson says police arrived to the scene in time to arrest two juveniles, but says the pair alone could not have hauled off all of the stuff that was stolen.
Police say five suspects broke into the temporary warehouse somehow bypassing the alarm. They spent hours going up and down the rows, rummaging through at least 300 gift bags, as though they were shopping. Police say the thieves took "older children's stuff" like Kindle Fires, MP3 players and iPods.
These gifts were expected to go out to families this coming Thursday.
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Tashfeen Malik Helped by Secret Obama Social Media Blackout?
The Department of Homeland Security as recently as 2014 upheld a secret Obama administration policy that barred officials from reviewing the social media accounts of those seeking visas, something that may have stopped San Bernardino shooter Tashfeen Malik from entering the country.
The New York Times reported that Malik, a Pakistani woman who moved to the U.S. with a fiancée visa in May 2014, "had made little effort to hide" her support of violent jihad, and her desire to be a part of it.
This activity was quickly uncovered by the FBI shortly after Malik and her American-citizen husband, Syed Rizwan Farook, killed 14 people at a holiday party in San Bernardino.
Of three background checks conducted by immigration officials during the visa process, none uncovered Malik's activity on social media.
More here
The New York Times reported that Malik, a Pakistani woman who moved to the U.S. with a fiancée visa in May 2014, "had made little effort to hide" her support of violent jihad, and her desire to be a part of it.
This activity was quickly uncovered by the FBI shortly after Malik and her American-citizen husband, Syed Rizwan Farook, killed 14 people at a holiday party in San Bernardino.
Of three background checks conducted by immigration officials during the visa process, none uncovered Malik's activity on social media.
More here
Report: Baltimore has bad raw sewage problem
The report was done by the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project. It says the city dumped more than 300 million gallons of sewage into the Jones Falls over five years to ease pressure on the aging sewage system. The Jones Falls is the main tributary of the Inner Harbor. The city's sewage system system was supposed to have been fixed by January 2016.
"The city has tripled our water and sewer bills over the 13 years and collected more than a billion dollars, and yet the city is only about half done in fixing its sewage problem," said Tom Pelton, of the Environmental Integrity Project. "Most interestingly, it is not reporting to the public, as required by law, how much sewage it is discharging into the public waterways."
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HHS Sec. Burwell: US Lacks Funds to Host Children Crossing Mexico Border
A top health official has voiced concern that too little money is available to house the unexpectedly high numbers of unaccompanied children crossing the U.S.-Mexico Border.
In a letter obtained by the Associated Press, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell told members of Congress' appropriations committee Friday that the agency "may face serious funding challenges in meeting the costs of accommodating the increased number of children."
The secretary says the agency hopes to avoid the situation it faced in the summer of 2014 when tens of thousands of children and families overcrowded Border Patrol shelters.
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In a letter obtained by the Associated Press, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell told members of Congress' appropriations committee Friday that the agency "may face serious funding challenges in meeting the costs of accommodating the increased number of children."
The secretary says the agency hopes to avoid the situation it faced in the summer of 2014 when tens of thousands of children and families overcrowded Border Patrol shelters.
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The name Byrd Stadium is no more, but other UMD buildings have discriminatory namesakes, too
Loh’s recommendation included a five-year moratorium on changing names of other university buildings that recognize historical figures.
In its Dec. 4 report detailing the arguments for and against changing the stadium’s name, the Byrd Stadium Naming Work Group — which Loh tasked with looking into the name change back in September — noted Byrd Stadium is not the only facility on the campus named after someone who supported racial inequality and discrimination. The group suggested that “the campus might undertake a broader initiative to discuss and debate building names and university values.”
Here are a few buildings named after people who had ties to slavery or racial discrimination.
Francis Scott Key Hall:
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Larry Hogan: 'crime is out of control in Baltimore City'
"Crime is out of control in Baltimore City," Hogan said during a radio interview. "I've expressed my concern that we have a lot of people out there, expressing their concern, their frustration over the tragic death of Freddie Gray. But where is the uproar from the community? Where are the people protesting the 330 people murdered?"
Through Tuesday morning, Baltimore police reported 327 homicides in 2015.
Hogan's comments on WBAL's C4 show came at the same time a Baltimore jury was in deliberations for for the first of six police officers charged in Gray's death. Gray's spine was partially severed during a ride in police van in April. His death touched off more than a week of protests and a day of rioting.
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Wicomico County Executive Announces Appointment of Steven E. Miller as Director of Recreation. Parks and Tourism
Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver has appointed Steven E. Miller as the new Director of the Recreation, Parks & Tourism Department. The Wicomico County Council confirmed Miller’s appointment during its December 15, 2015 legislative session. As a result of the new appointment, two other County employees have been promoted.
Miller most recently served as the County’s Tourism Manager, a role he assumed in 2013 after being promoted from the Assistant Tourism Manager. During his tenure, the tourism division saw strong growth as its annual economic impact rose from $38.5 to $52 million. The number of annual events expanded from 40 to 51, bringing in an average of 1,300 additional hotel room nights per year to the County over the last 4 years. Prior to his position in the tourism division, Miller first joined the County in 2009 as the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex Manager under the recreation division.
The Tourism Manager post left by Miller has been filled internally by Kristen Goller, who has worked in the Recreation, Parks & Tourism marketing division since 2007. Goller began as the Assistant Director of Marketing and was promoted to the Director position in 2011. Nicole Wheatley, who served as the Assistant Director of Marketing since 2011, has assumed the Director of Marketing position.
Miller most recently served as the County’s Tourism Manager, a role he assumed in 2013 after being promoted from the Assistant Tourism Manager. During his tenure, the tourism division saw strong growth as its annual economic impact rose from $38.5 to $52 million. The number of annual events expanded from 40 to 51, bringing in an average of 1,300 additional hotel room nights per year to the County over the last 4 years. Prior to his position in the tourism division, Miller first joined the County in 2009 as the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex Manager under the recreation division.
The Tourism Manager post left by Miller has been filled internally by Kristen Goller, who has worked in the Recreation, Parks & Tourism marketing division since 2007. Goller began as the Assistant Director of Marketing and was promoted to the Director position in 2011. Nicole Wheatley, who served as the Assistant Director of Marketing since 2011, has assumed the Director of Marketing position.
More than half of millennials have less than $1,000
Millennials, they’re just like you! They’re struggling to save money.
More than half of millennials (nearly 52%) have less than $1,000 in savings, according to a recent survey from howmuch.net, a personal finance site. The study was carried out online by Google Consumer Surveys last month among more than 2,550 people ages 18 to 24 and ages 24 to 35. But before you fret about the younger Americans and their tendency to splurge on Instagram-worthy meals, while they hold out for the perfect job where their boss respects them and they get to be creative all the time, take note: About 62% of Americans overall have less than $1,000 in savings, a survey from personal finance GoBankingRates.com found earlier this year.
So millennials are just about on par with the rest of America’s poor saving habits, but that may have more to do with their lack of money and time in this world than their behavior. More than half of older millennials, or those aged 25 to 34, have $1,000 or more in savings, howmuch.net found. In other words, it’s possible that after 20-somethings land steady jobs, start managing their student loan debt and have a few years in the working world to save, they’re able to build up a nice cushion. That jives with other evidence that the bulk of today’s young Americans are putting away a portion of their paycheck.
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More than half of millennials (nearly 52%) have less than $1,000 in savings, according to a recent survey from howmuch.net, a personal finance site. The study was carried out online by Google Consumer Surveys last month among more than 2,550 people ages 18 to 24 and ages 24 to 35. But before you fret about the younger Americans and their tendency to splurge on Instagram-worthy meals, while they hold out for the perfect job where their boss respects them and they get to be creative all the time, take note: About 62% of Americans overall have less than $1,000 in savings, a survey from personal finance GoBankingRates.com found earlier this year.
So millennials are just about on par with the rest of America’s poor saving habits, but that may have more to do with their lack of money and time in this world than their behavior. More than half of older millennials, or those aged 25 to 34, have $1,000 or more in savings, howmuch.net found. In other words, it’s possible that after 20-somethings land steady jobs, start managing their student loan debt and have a few years in the working world to save, they’re able to build up a nice cushion. That jives with other evidence that the bulk of today’s young Americans are putting away a portion of their paycheck.
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Kerry Says Paris Agreement Crafted to Avoid Congress
Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday the climate agreement reached this week in Paris did not contain any enforcement provisions because Congress would not have approved them.
"It doesn't have mandatory targets for reduction and it doesn't have an enforcement, compliance mechanism," Kerry said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."
Binding legal requirements would have made the Paris agreement a treaty, requiring approval from two-thirds of the Senate.
Critics have said the climate deal's lack of enforceable requirements could render it useless given the fact that countries will face no punishment for breaking the agreement.
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"It doesn't have mandatory targets for reduction and it doesn't have an enforcement, compliance mechanism," Kerry said during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."
Binding legal requirements would have made the Paris agreement a treaty, requiring approval from two-thirds of the Senate.
Critics have said the climate deal's lack of enforceable requirements could render it useless given the fact that countries will face no punishment for breaking the agreement.
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What Can — Or Should — Internet Companies Do To Fight Terrorism?
After the recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, social media platforms are under pressure from politicians to do more to take down messages and videos intended to promote terrorist groups and recruit new members.
Lawmakers in Congress are considering a bill that calls on President Obama to come up with a strategy to combat the use of social media by terrorist groups. Another measure, proposed in the Senate, would require Internet companies to report knowledge of terrorist activities to the government.
Obama himself has urged tech leaders to make it harder for terrorists "to use technology to escape from justice," and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has recently said that social media companies can help by "swiftly shutting down terrorist accounts, so they're not used to plan, provoke or celebrate violence."
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Lawmakers in Congress are considering a bill that calls on President Obama to come up with a strategy to combat the use of social media by terrorist groups. Another measure, proposed in the Senate, would require Internet companies to report knowledge of terrorist activities to the government.
Obama himself has urged tech leaders to make it harder for terrorists "to use technology to escape from justice," and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has recently said that social media companies can help by "swiftly shutting down terrorist accounts, so they're not used to plan, provoke or celebrate violence."
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Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen Announces There Will Be No Field Trips into Baltimore City This Week
There will be no field trips from Wicomico County Public Schools into Baltimore City for the remainder of this week due to the possibility of civil unrest. The jury is deliberating in the trial of the first police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray. Out of concern for the safety and security of Wicomico students, the school system has elected to cancel any field trips this week that would have placed students in Baltimore City.
The only scheduled Wicomico field trip was one for Fruitland Intermediate students, who would have gone to the National Aquarium on Wednesday.
Wicomico schools will close for the winter holiday break at the end of the school day Friday, Dec. 18.
Baltimore County Public Schools has also cancelled field trips into the city, in consultation with law enforcement. Baltimore City Public Schools announced a heightened state of awareness and said its paramount concern is the safety and well-being of students and staff. The Maryland Center for Safe Schools is coordinating communications regarding school system field trips into Baltimore City.
ACLU SPEAKS OUT ABOUT BALTIMORE CITY STUDENTS' RIGHT TO PROTEST
The following statement can be attributed to Susan Goering, Executive Director, ACLU of Maryland:
"The letter sent today by the Baltimore City School System to parents, students, and community members regarding potential protests related to the trials of officers charged the death of Freddie Gray misses an opportunity to constructively engage with students. The school system's letter assumes that students would engage in violent acts, assumes that students only want to express their emotions, not rational views about the conduct of police and lack of accountability, and it misses an opportunity to affirmatively engage students who want to be politically engaged on these issues.
Baltimore City is experiencing a historic moment. Yet the school system's letter creates a sense that the school leadership does not want students to talk about the issues raised by Freddie Gray's death or how the justice system is addressing it. The school system's letter could instead foster constructive conversation about those issues as part of students' civic education.
Students have a First Amendment right to state their opinion and organize in the community. Participating in a walk-out from school is a form of peaceful civil disobedience, and should be handled by schools as any other unexcused absence is addressed. And if students engage in violent acts or vandalism outside of school, they face criminal sanctions, like any other person. But students cannot be punished in school for actions that take place out of school, absent some nexus to school activities or in school consequences. The school system's letter ignores these rules, and could result in, and seems to be having the effect of, chilling legitimate, peaceful protest activity."
New York to decide whether to revise state constitution
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Many New Yorkers have lost faith in a state government that's been embroiled in one corruption scandal after another. But instead of merely complaining, they'll soon have a chance to tear it all down and start over.
Voters will be asked in 2017 whether the state should hold a constitutional convention to consider fundamental changes to its 121-year-old state Constitution.
It's a question that's automatically on the ballot every 20 years as a way for the public to circumvent lawmakers, and backers say it's notable that the latest opportunity comes amid a crisis of confidence in state government.
"When the stars align, it can be a very powerful moment," Gerald Benjamin, a political scientist at SUNY-New Paltz, said recently at a Bar Association forum to begin a public dialogue on the question.
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Voters will be asked in 2017 whether the state should hold a constitutional convention to consider fundamental changes to its 121-year-old state Constitution.
It's a question that's automatically on the ballot every 20 years as a way for the public to circumvent lawmakers, and backers say it's notable that the latest opportunity comes amid a crisis of confidence in state government.
"When the stars align, it can be a very powerful moment," Gerald Benjamin, a political scientist at SUNY-New Paltz, said recently at a Bar Association forum to begin a public dialogue on the question.
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Mississippi man charged with murdering two policemen found dead in jail
Marvin Banks, 30, faced two counts of capital murder in the shooting deaths of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, police officers Benjamin Deen, 34, and Liquori Tate, 25, who were gunned down in during a routine traffic stop on May 9. It was the first killing of a police officer in the city for more than 30 years.
Deputies found Banks unconscious and alone in a jail cell on Friday, Forrest County Sheriff's Office spokesman Nick Calico said.
Paramedics attempted to revive Banks before taking him to a hospital where he pronounced dead at 7:40 p.m., according to Calico.
Calico said the cause of death was unknown. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation will handle the case and an autopsy will be performed, he said.
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Deputies found Banks unconscious and alone in a jail cell on Friday, Forrest County Sheriff's Office spokesman Nick Calico said.
Paramedics attempted to revive Banks before taking him to a hospital where he pronounced dead at 7:40 p.m., according to Calico.
Calico said the cause of death was unknown. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation will handle the case and an autopsy will be performed, he said.
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Marijuana Extract May Help Some Children With Epilepsy, Study Finds
Parents of children with severe epilepsy have reported incredible recoveries when their children were given cannabidiol, a derivative of marijuana. The drug, a non-psychoactive compound that occurs naturally in cannabis, has been marketed with epithets like Charlotte's Web and Haleigh's Hope.
But those parents were taking a risk; there has been no clinical data on cannabidiol's safety or efficacy as an anti-epileptic. This week, doctors are presenting the first studies trying to figure out if cannabidiol actually works. They say the studies' results are promising, but with a grain of salt.
The largest study being presented at the American Epilepsy Society meeting in Philadelphia this week was started in 2014 with 313 children from 16 different epilepsy centers around the country. Over the course of the three-month trial, 16 percent of the participants withdrew because the cannabidiol was either ineffective or had adverse side-effects, says Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist at the New York University Langone Medical Center and lead author on the study.
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But those parents were taking a risk; there has been no clinical data on cannabidiol's safety or efficacy as an anti-epileptic. This week, doctors are presenting the first studies trying to figure out if cannabidiol actually works. They say the studies' results are promising, but with a grain of salt.
The largest study being presented at the American Epilepsy Society meeting in Philadelphia this week was started in 2014 with 313 children from 16 different epilepsy centers around the country. Over the course of the three-month trial, 16 percent of the participants withdrew because the cannabidiol was either ineffective or had adverse side-effects, says Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist at the New York University Langone Medical Center and lead author on the study.
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A Message to President Obama from a former Muslim
A Message to President Obama from a former Muslim
Posted by Yeshua on Friday, September 5, 2014
Kudlow: This Is War - Seal the Borders and Stop the Visas
I know this is not my usual position. But this is a war. Therefore I have come to believe there should be no immigration or visa waivers until the U.S. adopts a completely new system to stop radical Islamic terrorists from entering the country. A wartime lockdown. And a big change in my thinking.
ISIS and related Islamic terrorists are already here. More are coming. We must stop them.
Until FBI director James Comey gives us the green light, I say seal the borders.
Here's what we must do: Completely reform the vetting process for immigrants and foreign visitors. Change the screening process. Come up with a new visa-application review process. Stop this nonsense of marriage-visa fraud. And in the meantime, seal the borders. I agree with Jessica Vaughn, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, who argued many of these points in excellent detail on the National Review website on Friday.
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ISIS and related Islamic terrorists are already here. More are coming. We must stop them.
Until FBI director James Comey gives us the green light, I say seal the borders.
Here's what we must do: Completely reform the vetting process for immigrants and foreign visitors. Change the screening process. Come up with a new visa-application review process. Stop this nonsense of marriage-visa fraud. And in the meantime, seal the borders. I agree with Jessica Vaughn, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, who argued many of these points in excellent detail on the National Review website on Friday.
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Jury Begins Deliberations In Porter Trial
The jury will enter its first full day of deliberations Tuesday. Porter is the first of six Baltimore City police officers to stand trial for the April 19 death of Freddie Gray, who died one week after suffering a broken neck and spinal cord injury after he was arrested and loaded into a police van and taken to the Western District police station. Exactly two weeks after jury selection began, the jury of seven women and five men is now working to decide whether Porter is guilty of any of the four charges against him.
Those charges are involuntary manslaughter, second degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
The jury sent two questions to Judge Barry Williams before court adjourned at 5:30 p.m. Monday. The first was asking for transcripts of police radio transmissions and Porter's interview with internal affairs. Williams denied that request, as the transcripts were "demonstrative" and not entered into evidence, though a CD of the former and video of the latter were entered as evidence.
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A Viewer Writes: Meeting today regarding the proposed chicken houses
I just got word that at the county council meeting today they are going to be talking about the proposed chicken houses. The meeting begins at 10 but they've pushed back the chicken houses proposal until after lunch. I realize this is super inconvenient for most, as it is for me too. I plan on attending, and will try to convince the council to hold an open meeting for citizens in the near future.
The Greatest Threat to National Security
Day by day, the American citizenry is bombarded by a multitude of propaganda by the corporate media with the only intent of striking fear into the people in order to bring about social order through herd mentality. From Ebola to overseas conflicts, a problem is presented and the government is conveniently always there to save the day. After all, never let a good crisis go to waste.
There is always a new problem created and, every time, new powers are taken away from the people; repossessed to the bureaucrats and politicians. Every week, a new crisis comes along and becomes the newest threat to the homeland. Michelle Obama first said juvenile obesity is the most eminent national security threat, Bernie Sanders believes it is global warming, and the neo-cons claim it is ISIS. All contrived, again, for the sole purpose of expanding the power of the State; to control our choices, oppress the individual, and wage more war.
However, all this rhetoric does is overshadow the true nature of reality. The media spreads this disinformation and is able to persuade the people to comply with their newest agenda, despite the facts that the first lady’s “let’s move” campaign proved an abysmal failure, the earth has not warmed in 18 years, and you have a better chance of being struck by lightening than being killed by ISIS. I contend the most pressing threat to our national security is not climate change or ISIS, but Janet Yellen and the central bank.
The word terrorism can be defined in the following manner:
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.
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There is always a new problem created and, every time, new powers are taken away from the people; repossessed to the bureaucrats and politicians. Every week, a new crisis comes along and becomes the newest threat to the homeland. Michelle Obama first said juvenile obesity is the most eminent national security threat, Bernie Sanders believes it is global warming, and the neo-cons claim it is ISIS. All contrived, again, for the sole purpose of expanding the power of the State; to control our choices, oppress the individual, and wage more war.
However, all this rhetoric does is overshadow the true nature of reality. The media spreads this disinformation and is able to persuade the people to comply with their newest agenda, despite the facts that the first lady’s “let’s move” campaign proved an abysmal failure, the earth has not warmed in 18 years, and you have a better chance of being struck by lightening than being killed by ISIS. I contend the most pressing threat to our national security is not climate change or ISIS, but Janet Yellen and the central bank.
The word terrorism can be defined in the following manner:
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.
More
A Viewer Writes: Missing child and awesome teachers
Mr Albero, I live in Salisbury near Prince Street School and tonight I witnessed several teachers swarming my neighborhood looking for a missing young girl who is my neighbor. They where here looking for this child when no one else was when they found out she was missing. No Police and not her family. I found out tonight she has showed up at many neighbors houses when she can't get in her own house, including mine in 20 degree weather. This is so sad I have seen this young girl turn herself around in the mornings when there is a delay at school and no one has told her. Thank God there was a good outcome and this young girl was found safe and sound. Please post this to let everone know there are still many good people in this world and some of them tonight are the staff at Prince Street Elementary School.
Zuckerberg-Backed Immigration Bill Would Allow Unlimited Muslim Immigration
In January of 2015, a handful of Senators quietly introduced new legislation in Congress that would allow for virtually unlimited Muslim immigration into the United States – lifting caps entirely on several categories of visas favored by immigrants from Muslim countries.
The Mark Zuckerberg-backed legislation, S.153, is called the Immigration Innovation Act (or I-Squared), and it has taken on new significance following the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino. Those attacks were only possible due to Muslim immigration: Syed Farook is reportedly the child of Pakistani immigrants, and his jihadi bride, Tashfeen Malik, was reportedly born in Pakistan.
The I-Squared bill is significant for a second reason. One of the Senators who introduced the bill is also running for President: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). And several of Rubio’s most prominent financial backers are among the bill’s boosters.
I-Squared would expand five major visa categories used by Muslim migrants: the F-1 foreign student visa, green cards for foreign students, green cards for their family members, the H-1B foreign worker visa, and the H-4 spousal visa.
Details here
The Mark Zuckerberg-backed legislation, S.153, is called the Immigration Innovation Act (or I-Squared), and it has taken on new significance following the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino. Those attacks were only possible due to Muslim immigration: Syed Farook is reportedly the child of Pakistani immigrants, and his jihadi bride, Tashfeen Malik, was reportedly born in Pakistan.
The I-Squared bill is significant for a second reason. One of the Senators who introduced the bill is also running for President: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). And several of Rubio’s most prominent financial backers are among the bill’s boosters.
I-Squared would expand five major visa categories used by Muslim migrants: the F-1 foreign student visa, green cards for foreign students, green cards for their family members, the H-1B foreign worker visa, and the H-4 spousal visa.
Details here
In Your Face Bob Culver Haters
USSSA Announces Eastern World Series will Return to the Shore in 2016
Salisbury, MD – The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) has announced its Eastern World Series will return to Delmarva in 2016, marking the tenth consecutive year the shore has hosted the tournament. The three-legged series will run from July 13 to 30, again being billed under the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Sports Alliance (MAASA), a formal sports marketing partnership between the Town of Ocean City, Wicomico and Worcester Counties.
“The requirements of events like the World Series are much greater than any of us can handle on our own,” explained Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver. “By working together we’re able to meet the needs of large scale sports marketing promoters and see that our region continues to benefit from hosting them.”
“We are pleased to welcome back the USSSA Eastern World Series,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “We take pride in hosting these amazing athletes, their coaches and their families.” With over 350 teams anticipated, the area will see an influx of approximately 13,000 visitors over the three week series including players, coaches and families.
“With teams visiting from all over the country,” shared Worcester County Recreation & Parks Director Paige Hurley, “the USSSA World Series has a huge economic impact on our area, with players and parents eating at our restaurants, using our gas stations, shopping at our stores, and staying in our hotels." The 2015 event spanned three weeks, generating an estimated economic impact just under $20 million and hotel room night demand of 12,000.
“The efforts put forth in the past from the staff along with the support we've received from local businesses, particularly the hotels and restaurants, and civic leaders made the decision to keep this three week event in the area an easy one,” commented Bill Dowell, USSSA Vice President of Fastpitch and Tournament Organizer on his return to the shore.
Formed in 2014, MAASA is the first partnership of its kind in the nation. It leverages the combined assets of each jurisdiction in order to attract, retain and build sports marketing events. Although still new on the sports marketing scene, MAASA is already making waves on a national level. The leading publication for sports event planners and tourism directors,Sports Destination Management, recently named MAASA a 2015 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism for its work with the USSSA. The Alliance also took home a 2015 Tourism Partnership Award during Maryland’s 35th Annual Tourism & Travel Summit.
Salisbury, MD – The United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) has announced its Eastern World Series will return to Delmarva in 2016, marking the tenth consecutive year the shore has hosted the tournament. The three-legged series will run from July 13 to 30, again being billed under the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Sports Alliance (MAASA), a formal sports marketing partnership between the Town of Ocean City, Wicomico and Worcester Counties.
“The requirements of events like the World Series are much greater than any of us can handle on our own,” explained Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver. “By working together we’re able to meet the needs of large scale sports marketing promoters and see that our region continues to benefit from hosting them.”
“We are pleased to welcome back the USSSA Eastern World Series,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “We take pride in hosting these amazing athletes, their coaches and their families.” With over 350 teams anticipated, the area will see an influx of approximately 13,000 visitors over the three week series including players, coaches and families.
“With teams visiting from all over the country,” shared Worcester County Recreation & Parks Director Paige Hurley, “the USSSA World Series has a huge economic impact on our area, with players and parents eating at our restaurants, using our gas stations, shopping at our stores, and staying in our hotels." The 2015 event spanned three weeks, generating an estimated economic impact just under $20 million and hotel room night demand of 12,000.
“The efforts put forth in the past from the staff along with the support we've received from local businesses, particularly the hotels and restaurants, and civic leaders made the decision to keep this three week event in the area an easy one,” commented Bill Dowell, USSSA Vice President of Fastpitch and Tournament Organizer on his return to the shore.
Formed in 2014, MAASA is the first partnership of its kind in the nation. It leverages the combined assets of each jurisdiction in order to attract, retain and build sports marketing events. Although still new on the sports marketing scene, MAASA is already making waves on a national level. The leading publication for sports event planners and tourism directors,Sports Destination Management, recently named MAASA a 2015 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism for its work with the USSSA. The Alliance also took home a 2015 Tourism Partnership Award during Maryland’s 35th Annual Tourism & Travel Summit.
Planned Parenthood Sues Ohio in Dispute Over Fetal Tissue
Planned Parenthood sued Ohio's health director on Sunday in a dispute over how the organization's affiliates handle the disposal of fetal tissue in the state.
The organization is accusing the state's health department of changing the interpretation of a fetal tissue disposal rule without notice and then unfairly targeting Planned Parenthood, violating its due process and equal protection rights.
The federal lawsuit filed in Columbus follows an investigation by the state's attorney general into the organization's three facilities in Ohio that provide abortions.
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The organization is accusing the state's health department of changing the interpretation of a fetal tissue disposal rule without notice and then unfairly targeting Planned Parenthood, violating its due process and equal protection rights.
The federal lawsuit filed in Columbus follows an investigation by the state's attorney general into the organization's three facilities in Ohio that provide abortions.
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Treasury delays announcing who will be first female on $10 bill
The country will have to wait a bit longer to find out who will become the first woman on U.S. paper currency in more than a century.
Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew had said he would announce a decision by the end of this year naming the woman who will replace Alexander Hamilton's portrait on the $10 bill.
But late Friday, Treasury issued a statement saying the announcement was being delayed until sometime in 2016.
Treasury said the delay will give the government time to "carefully review and consider a range of options" in response to an outpouring of suggestions from the public over the past six months.
Lew set off a furor in June when he announced he was replacing Hamilton's portrait on the $10 bill with a woman.
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Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew had said he would announce a decision by the end of this year naming the woman who will replace Alexander Hamilton's portrait on the $10 bill.
But late Friday, Treasury issued a statement saying the announcement was being delayed until sometime in 2016.
Treasury said the delay will give the government time to "carefully review and consider a range of options" in response to an outpouring of suggestions from the public over the past six months.
Lew set off a furor in June when he announced he was replacing Hamilton's portrait on the $10 bill with a woman.
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UPS Having Trouble Handling Holiday Avalanche Of Online Orders
We already know UPS is renting additional vehicles to help with the onslaught of holiday deliveries, but it seems that’s not enough to help the company stay ahead of the avalanche of online orders this time of year.
United Parcel Service is facing more holiday volume than it was expecting because everyone likes shopping online for the holidays, reports The Wall Street Journal, which could have a big impact on the season: according to an analysis of millions of packages by software developer ShipMatrix Inc, on-time delivery rates for UPS ground packages based on their usual shipping transit times last week fell to 91%, compared to an on-time rate of 97% during the same week last year.
(UPS isn’t alone in slowing down, however, as FedEx’s early numbers were lower than usual at around 95% on-time rate, the WSJ points out).
Some sources in the know tell the WSJ that UPS is being dragged under the waves by unexpectedly high volumes, high pickups and just not enough people and equipment to get the job done in some locations.
“Volumes are coming in much higher than planned,” John Haber, CEO of Spend Management Experts, which advises retailers on shipping matters told the WSJ. “You can only process so much volume so quickly.”
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United Parcel Service is facing more holiday volume than it was expecting because everyone likes shopping online for the holidays, reports The Wall Street Journal, which could have a big impact on the season: according to an analysis of millions of packages by software developer ShipMatrix Inc, on-time delivery rates for UPS ground packages based on their usual shipping transit times last week fell to 91%, compared to an on-time rate of 97% during the same week last year.
(UPS isn’t alone in slowing down, however, as FedEx’s early numbers were lower than usual at around 95% on-time rate, the WSJ points out).
Some sources in the know tell the WSJ that UPS is being dragged under the waves by unexpectedly high volumes, high pickups and just not enough people and equipment to get the job done in some locations.
“Volumes are coming in much higher than planned,” John Haber, CEO of Spend Management Experts, which advises retailers on shipping matters told the WSJ. “You can only process so much volume so quickly.”
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7 Things We Learned About Federal Student Loans & The Companies That Profit From Them
Fifty years ago, Congress created the federal loan program as a way to help Americans realize their dreams of a better life through higher education. While millions of students have no doubt benefited from the program, millions of others have found themselves burdened by mountains of debts, fielding calls from debt collectors and loan servicers, and watching as their paychecks are whittled down by garnishments. Today, seven million former college students are in default with a record $115 billion in federal loans. While those figures may be oppressing borrowers, it’s providing a stream of income – and profit – for companies contracted by the government to collect payments from debtors.
Gingrich: ‘The Country Is in Rebellion,’ Trump Can ‘Kick Down the Doors’
Former House speaker Gingrich weighed in on Trump’s rise:
“I think he represents a different era” in the same conservative movement, Gingrich said. “The system has become so incompetent and outrageously bureaucratic. The centers of power are so, so in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, that the whole rest of the country is in rebellion. And people are looking for somebody who can kick down the doors.”
“It’s a very deep, very real movement,” he said.
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