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Friday, January 22, 2016

Can Someone Translate What He Said.....


FUNNIEST ANIMAL VIDEO OF THE YEAR!
Can somebody translate?
Posted by DJ Mosaken on Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Click on the title of this post if the video fails to load

Former Mozilla CEO Announces New Internet Browser ‘Brave’

Ousted Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich has a new Internet browser, and it’s nothing less than you’d expect from the creator of JavaScript and co-founder of the company behind FireFox.

Brave is a new browser that aims to “fix the Web.” How? By blocking everything except the content you explicitly want. That means no ads, no cookies, nothing that you haven’t personally requested from the Internet. The exceptions are extremely specific, and the approach is as aggressive as the ads themselves.

In a letter to potential users on the Brave Software website, Eich says:

Everyone’s talking about ad blocking. Blockers can make the user experience of the Web much better. But as Marco Arment noted, they don’t feel good to many folks. They feel like free-riding, or even starting a war. You may never click on an ad, but even forming an impression from a viewable ad has some small value. With enough people blocking ads, the Web’s main funding model is in jeopardy.

At Brave, we’re building a solution designed to avert war and give users the fair deal they deserve for coming to the Web to browse and contribute. We are building a new browser and a connected private cloud service with anonymous ads. Today we’re releasing the 0.7 developer version for early adopters and testers, along with open source and our roadmap.

Brave browsers block everything: initial signaling/analytics scripts that start the programmatic advertising “dirty pipe”, impression-tracking pixels, and ad-click confirmation signals. By default Brave will insert ads only in a few standard-sized spaces. We find those spaces via a cloud robot (so users don’t have to suffer, even a few canaries per screen size-profile, with ad delays and battery draining). We will target ads based on browser-side intent signals phrased in a standard vocabulary, and without a persistent user id or highly re-identifiable cookie.

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MASSIVE Migrant Wave Expected As Men Demand Wives, Children Are Brought To Europe

A second wave of migrants is set to break across Europe as the wives and children of men who have already made the journey set out to join them. According to European Union law, migrants already settled in member states are entitled to bring their families to live with them in their adopted country as part of their right to a family life.

As January draws to a close, the demographics of those arriving by boat in Greece has already shifted, revealing the changing face of the migration crisis. 2015 was characterised by predominantly male migration – 73 percent of those landing on Greek shores last summer were men.

But that figure has already dropped to 45 percent, while the number of women has doubled. Greece has also seen a huge rise in the number of under 18s arriving; they now make up a third of migrants landing on the Greek Islands, according to figures from the UN’s Refugee Agency.

More here

Police called because Kids playing basketball Loudly in the street


Officer White was recently dispatched to a call of kids playing basketball "loudly" in the streets. In the evening. Having fun. Not committing crimes. Let's see how he handled it.
Posted by Gainesville Police Department on Thursday, January 21, 2016
Click on the title of this post if video fails to load for you

McDonalds At Tilghman Road Robbed

The McDonalds just off Route 50 and Tilghman road was just robbed.  Vehicle is possibly dark in color Chevy S-10 pickup.  The suspect did have a gun and was last seen going towards Old Ocean City Road.  Suspect is possibly a White Male

UPDATE: Vehicle is a burgundy and black S-10.  With 2 white males occupants.  

UPDATE: SFD being called to McDonalds. Pregnant female running away from scene fell. (She is not a suspect)

Ron Paul: Polls Are Rigged, for Entertainment Only

Americans should not trust the various presidential polls that are emerging day by day — because they're largely rigged and conducted for "entertainment value" only, former Rep. Ron Paul tells Newsmax TV.

"All this talk for this last year-and-a-half and there hasn't even been a vote cast. It's all been done by polling which for the most part is generally rigged," Paul, a Texas Republican, said Wednesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show."

"They pick people, they boost them up, it's entertainment and [GOP presidential front-runner Donald] Trump really fitted into that quite well. It's entertainment the major networks control."

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Worcester County Superintendent Provides an update On Recent Threats And WCPS response

Obama’s Winter Vacation Costs Hawaii Police Department $341,000 in Overtime Pay

The Hawaii Police Department announced on Thursday the overtime cost for President Barack Obama’s holiday visit.

The total? $341,216.91 — more than $60,000 from the prior year.

The department is responsible for covering the extra costs associated with the president’s annual winter vacation.

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Worcester County Sheriff's Office Encourges Everyone to Stay OFF The Roads

Deputies are responding to multiple accidents in the county. We are strongly encouraging you to stay home tonight. The roads are extremely icy as the snow continues to fall and the winds are expected to increase.

County Executive Bob Culver has issued a Declaration of Emergency


Gov't Settlements For Minorities Going To White People

White loan borrowers are collecting settlement proceeds distributed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) intended for black, Hispanic and Asian people, according to the House Committee of Financial Services’ Wednesday report.

The CFPB is responsible for distributing $80 million in settlement proceeds to “more than 235,000 minority consumers” for alleged racial discrimination by auto-lender Ally Financial Inc. and Ally Bank. The agency, however, removed a number of safeguards in its claims process, making it susceptible to fraud.

To opt-in, borrowers were only required to indicate they were a member of one of the ethnicities eligible for payment, not specify which one.

“It is unclear whether Director Cordray personally approved this action, or whether the decision was made by Assistant Director Patrice Ficklin,” the report states. “When Committee staff asked why the Bureau had rejected the requirement, (staffer Rebecca) Gelfond replied ‘we are not in a position to question self-identification of race.'”

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Snow Emergency Declared for City of Salisbury


Snow Emergency Declared for City of Salisbury
Citizens Reminded Not to Park on Snow Emergency Routes

Salisbury – Revised snow accumulation totals and worsening conditions have led to the declaration of a Snow Emergency within City limits.

Salting operations have been underway since approximately 3:30 this afternoon, and will continue through the night. Plowing of the streets will occur if and when snow accumulation exceeds FOUR (4) INCHES. In that event, the City’s seven (7) snow emergency routes will be the first streets to be plowed.

Pursuant to Chapter 10.12.040 of the Municipal Code of the City of Salisbury, it is unlawful for any person to park a vehicle on any city street that is designated and appropriately signposted as a snow emergency route and for which a snow emergency has been declared and is in effect.

Additionally, pursuant to Chapter 10.12.050, during the time when a snow emergency is in effect, the police department shall have the authority to take possession of, issue citations for, remove, tow away and impound any vehicle found parked, stalled, incapable of proceeding under its own power or left unattended upon any street designated as a snow emergency route; and, before the owner thereof may thereafter obtain possession of such vehicles, he shall first pay the cost of removing such vehicle and any storage charges.

Citizens are urged to stay at home and avoid driving if at all possible. If you must drive during this snow event, it is important to realize that the most slippery surfaces do not appear as hazardous as they actually are. Bridges, overpasses and intersections are common areas where the pavement freezes faster than on ordinary roadways. Please slow down, and allow extra distance when braking.

For service calls after normal business hours, please contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.

For information on snow emergency routes and plowing/salting operations, visit www.salisbury.md and click on the “Winter Storm Preparedness Information” link at the top of the page.

Only Six People Came to See Hillary Clinton at Texas Airport and She Blew Them Off

Just six people showed up at the airport in Beaumont, Texas on Wednesday to catch a glimpse of Hillary Clinton, but she did not stop to say hello or take any pictures.

Local CBS affiliate KFDM reported that security was tight at the small regional airport and caught some footage of Clinton’s Secret Service team escorting her from her private plane to her waiting caravan. She did not say hello or take any pictures with the small crowd. Clinton was in the small southern Texas town for a private fundraiser.

Admission into the fundraiser started at $1,000 and if attendees wanted to get a picture with the presidential candidate, the price was $2,700.

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Brzezinski: DNC, Hillary Campaign 'Screwed' Themselves

MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski said the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign “screwed” themselves by limiting the number of primary debates.

“Yeah, you know what? It’s good that everybody ignored him so much and thought that he was just this crazy socialist that would go away,” Brzezinski said sarcastically as host Joe Scarborough explained how Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is surging in the polls.

“You know, it was really smart of the Clinton campaign, actually, and the DNC trying to try to control the election by making less debates,” she said later on Wednesday’s “Morning Joe.” (VIDEO: Hillary Dodges Question Of Whether Campaign Pressured DNC For Limited Debate Schedule)

“Good on you. You screwed yourself,” Brzezinski said.

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Are You Ready?


This Is Your Main Stream Media, Get Used To It


Wicomico County Newland Park Landfill and Convenience Centers Closing Tomorrow

In light of the current weather event, Wicomico County’s Newland Park Landfill and its Convenience Centers will be closed tomorrow, Saturday, January 23rd, 2016.

Psychologist Discusses Proper Handling Of Alarming Events; Understanding Individual Variability Key

BERLIN — The fear and concern created by the unfounded bomb threats that have disrupted local schools in the past two weeks has been stressful for some parents and their young students. Yet, somewhere in all of that disruption and uncertainty is an opportunity for parents and their children to have a real conversation about recent events in order to not only talk about their feelings or fears, but to more importantly decipher fact from fiction and understand the importance of labeling each of those things clearly.

This week, The Dispatch sat down with Dr. Jennifer Leggour, who is a clinical psychologist and the clinical director at Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services. She says that while kids today are much tougher than we think, parents still need to stay calm and listen intently to what they have to say during and after scary situations.

Here’s a look at what we discussed on Wednesday, the day after the most recent bomb threat at Stephen Decatur High School.

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Answer To Today's Puzzle





Find the 6 hidden words

Click Read More Below To see the answer

The Irishman who captured Abraham Lincoln’s killer John Wilkes Booth

Edward P. Doherty is one of the unheralded heroes of Irish American history, the man who captured Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth.

He was fiercely and proudly Irish, enlisting in the Irish Brigade during the Civil War.

He was born September 26, 1838 in Wickham, Canada East, to immigrant parents from County Sligo.

He came to New York in 1860 and was living there when the American Civil War broke out. He enlisted in a 90-day militia unit and was assigned as a Private to Company A of the 71st New York Volunteers on April 20, 1861. He was assigned to Colonel Ambrose Burnside's 2nd Brigade in Brigadier General David Hunter's 2nd Division, he was captured by the Confederates during the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the American Civil War which took place on July 21, 1861, near Manassas, VA. While a prisoner, he made a daring escape. Ultimately, the 71st Regiment, along with Doherty, mustered out on Aug 9, 1861.

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Declaration Of Emergency Winter Storm

Due to the winter weather event County Executive Bob Culver is issuing a Declaration of Emergency effective immediately. Vehicles should be equipped with snow tires, all weather rated radials or chains are required when operating vehicles on all county roads. No parking or abandoning vehicles on county roads. 

This will facilitate county agencies in mitigating poor road conditions due to the winter storm.






The County Executive is urging all citizens to avoid travel, if possible, during the winter storm.

Historic Property Conserved on the Lower Eastern Shore


The Maryland Environmental Trust has conserved a 446-acre agricultural and woodland tract along the Wetipquin Creek near Quantico in Wicomico County. The owner of the property, Donald C. Graham, chose to work with the trust to permanently protect this ecologically and historically significant site.

“We are grateful to Mr. Graham for his decision to preserve this exceptional property,” Director of the Maryland Environmental Trust Bill Leahy said. “This easement is an important part of Maryland’s history and its natural resources, and will be a lasting legacy for future generations.”

Home to an abundance of fish and wildlife, the property contains nearly 200 wooded acres, 58 wetland acres, along with portions of the Wetipquin Creek and its tributaries Deep Branch and Horner Gut. Approximately 180 acres is in active agricultural use.

The property also contains the historic and architecturally significant house known as Long Hill, which dates back to the mid 18th century and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Long Hill derives its historical significance from its long association with the Dashiell family, several of whom took an active role in the affairs of colonial Maryland. Graham, a descendant of the Dashiells, acquired the property because of its historical and personal significance. The easement contains provisions that preserve the house’s exterior facades and require the landowner to periodically share its exterior for public viewing.

With extensive frontage along Wetipquin Road, Deep Branch Road and Spry Larmore Road, the property offers scenic rural views for travelers. Views of the property can also be seen from Wetipquin Creek, navigable by paddlers.

The Maryland Environmental Trust, a unit of the Department of Natural Resources, is governed by a citizen board of trustees. The trust holds over 1,800 easements protecting close to 130,000 acres in Maryland. For more information, visit dnr.maryland.gov/met.

SPD: Driving Conditions In Salisbury


Driving conditions have deteriorated, Public Works crews have begun working on roads. Please slow down, use caution

New Arizona Bill Would Give Tax Break To Gun Owners

Arizona’s house majority leader introduced a bill to provide tax breaks for concealed carriers.

Republican House Majority Leader Steve Montenegro is pushing for House Bill 2494, legislation that would reimburse residents up to $80, the cost of getting a concealed carry permit.

“Law enforcement have told us time and again that the first line of defense are those that carry CCW permits,” Montenegro said. “In essence, what it does is it’s bringing a level of awareness that we want to make sure that we can say maybe the next generation of those that want to have or possess firearms, they understand that we as a state value making sure that people are educated in how to use weapons or how to carry weapons.”

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Sen. Mathias has busy first week at session

This session of the Maryland General Assembly has started at a full sprint, with potential veto overrides and a host of new bills to be processed, hearings, committee meetings — and all this even before Gov. Larry Hogan presents his budget, which traditionally takes up a good portion of time.

Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) is at the center of a few of these discussions. His proposal for an environmental impact study on a third crossing of the bay bridge had its first hearing this week, he’s weighing options in the ongoing veto override debate and he has a couple of local measures to shepherd through the process.

“I’m looking forward to a good hearing — it’s all about planning,” he said. “As the backups continue and the volume grows, the costs to maintain the bay bridge will also grow. We need a responsible plan for the future.”

Mathias’ proposal for a third bay crossing is scheduled for Wednesday. At its heart, SB56 does little but require the Maryland Transportation Authority to begin saving for an environmental impact study for a potential third crossing at a rate of the greater of $1 million or 5 percent of the total cost of the study per year. The final cost of the study isn’t known, but Mathias estimates it to cost between $30-35 million.

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Wicomico County Offices Closed At 4pm Today

Press Release: County Executive Announces all County Offices will be closing at 4:00 PM Friday, January 22, 2016

All County offices will close Friday, January 22, 2016 at 4:00 PM.

Oberlin President Tells Complaining Students To Take A Hike

Oberlin College’s president released a statement refusing to even consider a 14-page list of demands submitted by student activists, one of the most significant shows of defiance in the past few months to a wave of intense campus activism.

The list of demands at Oberlin, released in mid-December, is one of the most extreme seen at any college in the past two months. Among other things, the list demands the firing of several school employees, creation of segregated black-only safe spaces, a school stipend for protest leaders, and the creation of a bridge program to educate released convicts at the school. The list’s authors are anonymous, but several hundred students signed a Google Doc endorsing it.

Now, over a month later, Oberlin president Marvin Krislov has responded with a harsh tone. In his response, Krislov says the tone of the demands is utterly unacceptable, even if the document raises some valid concerns. As a result, he simply refused to directly engage with any of the list’s demands.

“Some of the challenges outlined in the document resonate with me and many members of our community, including our trustees,” Krislov says. “However, some of the solutions it proposes are deeply troubling. I will not respond directly to any document that explicitly rejects the notion of collaborative engagement. Many of its demands contravene principles of shared governance. And it contains personal attacks on a number of faculty and staff members who are dedicated and valued members of this community.”

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SPD Community Outreach

On Feb 8, 2016 at 6pm at the Salvation Army Members of the Salisbury Police Dept will be holding a Community Outreach Meeting with the public that live or work in the Princeton Homes Area. We want to hear your ideas and concerns so together we can make it a better and safer place to live. Hope to see you there.

Wor-Wic Community College Closed Tomorrow 1-23-15

Closed Because of Weather :: Wor Wic Community College will be closed on Saturday January 23.

Group Threatens Lawsuits Against 37 Counties With Suspicious Voter Rolls

A public interest law firm has threatened to bring lawsuits against more than 30 counties across the United States that have either more registered voters than eligible citizens, or a number of registrants that is implausibly high, the second such wave of notice letters sent by the group to various counties.

The Public Interest Legal Foundation, an election integrity group based in Indiana, sent the statutory notice letters on Jan. 19 to election officials spanning 37 counties in six different states. The group says that by failing to purge names from the rolls, the counties are failing to comply with the National Voter Registration Act.

“Voter rolls across America contain substantial numbers of ineligible voters, resulting in the possible disenfranchisement of legally eligible voters via ballot dilution that threatens to taint the integrity of the election process,” the notice letters says.

“Based on our comparison of publicly available information published by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Federal Election Assistance Commission, your county is failing to comply with Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA),” it continues. “Federal law requires election officials to conduct a reasonable effort to maintain voter registration lists free of dead voters, ineligible voters and voters that have moved away.”

“In short, your county has an implausible number of registered voters compared to the number of eligible living citizens.”

According to the foundation, five counties in Colorado, seven in Florida, two in Nevada, 12 in North Carolina, six in Pennsylvania, and five in Virginia show a substantially high number of registrants and will receive the warning from the group.

More here

From The Princess Anne Police Department

 
No parking on Somerset Avenue went into effect at noon today due to it being a snow emergency route. The no parking will remain in effect until the state of emergency that Maryland is under is lifted.

Governor Hogan Announces Statewide Preparations in Anticipation of Snowstorm


State Agencies Directed to Launch a Coordinated Effort to Keep Marylanders Safe 
ANNAPOLIS, MD – In advance and in preparation for Winter Storm Jonas, Governor Larry Hogan has directed state agencies to launch a coordinated effort to keep Marylanders safe and informed in the coming days. Yesterday, the governor signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in Maryland, which began today at 7 AM. 
Additionally, Governor Hogan signed another Executive Order today, which allows for extended deliveries of commodities related to winter weather relief, such as petroleum products, propane, food, water, medical supplies, generators, restoration of electricity, and snow and debris removal equipment. This morning, Governor Hogan joined Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn and State Highway Administrator Greg Johnson at the State Highway Administration District 5 facility in Annapolis to assess the state's snow removal equipment and procedures.
The Maryland Unites hotline, 1-888-756-7836, is available for public inquiries into Department of Human Resources services including emergency shelter information and other human service needs during the storm.

Statewide preparations include the following:
Maryland Emergency Management Agency
  • Working with the National Weather Service to ensure the state has the best and most up-to-date situational awareness.
  • Coordinating resources with local officials to aid them in positioning assets necessary to manage incidents.
  • Increasing staffing to appropriately handle resource requests from local communities.
Maryland State Police
  • The Maryland State Police and Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration announced that snow emergency plans went into effect at noon.
  • The Statewide Snow Emergency plan requires vehicles traveling on all highways, which are designated as snow emergency routes be equipped with chains, snow tires or all season radials. Additionally, special hauling permits for commercial vehicles are not valid during snow emergencies. The snow emergency plan also allows the Maryland State Police to call tow companies to remove abandoned vehicles in the road or on the shoulder and restricts all parking on designated snow emergency routes.
  • Reassigning troopers from investigative units, specialized units and Aviation Command to road patrol duties at all 23 barracks.
  • Ensuring all 4-wheel drive vehicles in MSP fleet are available/assigned for patrol duties.
  • Assigning troopers to local emergency operation centers in each county to ensure prompt assistance to local authorities.
  • Making truck weighing scale house locations available for commercial truck parking during the storm.
State Highway Administration
  • SHA and the Maryland Transportation Authority have all staff and contract forces prepared to respond with a total of 2,700 pieces of equipment and 365,000 tons of salt.
  • Pre-treating the major highways starting today through tomorrow before the snow starts.
  • Pre-loading salt and staging plows - currently 98 salt domes across the state.
  • Outreach to truckers to remind them to use SHA’s truck parking app to direct them to parking where they can wait out the storm.
  • Coordinating tow truck operators on standby for quick clearance.

Storm Preparation Actions in Place for the City of Salisbury

Mayor Jake Day announced that the City of Salisbury is preparing for the arrival of a possible 2 to 6 inches of snow overnight Friday into Saturday. Snowfall is expected to begin by 4:00 p.m. today, and to be at its heaviest during the overnight hours, before transitioning to rain early Saturday. Residents are cautioned to drive safely and to be aware of the potential of roadway icing.

Director of Public Works, Mike Moulds, has reported that City roads crews will monitor conditions, and will begin salting and plowing operations as warranted. The City has 775 tons of salt on-hand, and nine (9) trucks ready and equipped with plows and salt bodies. Plowing of residential streets will occur if snow accumulation exceeds FOUR (4) INCHES or more. In such case, the City’s 7 snow emergency routes will be the first streets to be plowed. Motorists are reminded to NOT PARK along snow emergency routes, and private plow contractors are reminded to not push snow into public roads.

If you have to be on the roads during the upcoming snow event, it is important to realize that the most slippery surfaces often do not appear as hazardous as they actually are. Bridges, overpasses and intersections are common areas where the pavement freezes faster than on ordinary roadways. Motorists are urged to slow down, and allow extra distance for braking.

Additionally, citizens are reminded that all property owners adjacent to any street within City limits are responsible for the removal of snow from their sidewalks. The snow must be removed for the entire length of the property for a width of four (4) feet. The removal must take place within six (6) hours after the snow has stopped falling. If snowfall ends between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7 a.m., then snow removal must occur before 2 p.m. The purpose of this ordinance is to provide the ability for our residents and visitors to move freely and safely throughout the City. The property owner is liable for any accidents which may occur as a result of un-cleared sidewalks. Please help us make the City of Salisbury safe during severe weather conditions.

For winter snow preparedness information, click here: http://bit.ly/1KuXnLN

Emergency contact information for Salisbury Public Works during business hours from 8:00 to 4:30 is 410-548-3177. For service calls after hours please contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165.

Happening Now In DC! Where is the MSM???

Mark Meadow

The media doesn't cover the massive crowds at the#MarchForLife. Incredible turnout even with a blizzard on the way. #Prolife #StandForLife

Sen. Mathias has busy first week at session

This session of the Maryland General Assembly has started at a full sprint, with potential veto overrides and a host of new bills to be processed, hearings, committee meetings — and all this even before Gov. Larry Hogan presents his budget, which traditionally takes up a good portion of time.

Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) is at the center of a few of these discussions. His proposal for an environmental impact study on a third crossing of the bay bridge had its first hearing this week, he’s weighing options in the ongoing veto override debate and he has a couple of local measures to shepherd through the process.

“I’m looking forward to a good hearing — it’s all about planning,” he said. “As the backups continue and the volume grows, the costs to maintain the bay bridge will also grow. We need a responsible plan for the future.”

Mathias’ proposal for a third bay crossing is scheduled for Wednesday. At its heart, SB56 does little but require the Maryland Transportation Authority to begin saving for an environmental impact study for a potential third crossing at a rate of the greater of $1 million or 5 percent of the total cost of the study per year. The final cost of the study isn’t known, but Mathias estimates it to cost between $30-35 million.

More

UPDATE: Dog Found In Salisbury 1-22-16

I found her on Route 13 and Naylor St. about 8:30 last night. 410-845-0010

Issa Says Fast and Furious Docs May Implicate Eric Holder

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) told Breitbart News Wednesday that documents the Obama administration may be forced to produce regarding Operation Fast and Furious could implicate former Attorney General Eric Holder and his staff.

On Tuesday, a federal judge invalidated President Barack Obama’s use of “executive privilege” to prevent the documents from being provided to a congressional investigation, saying that some of the material had already been cited by the administration in public. The judge will hear more arguments before ordering the documents released.

Issa told Breitbart News that his continuing investigation into Fast and Furious could uncover possible criminality by former Attorney General Eric Holder and his staff, thereby providing a new incoming administration with the facts they would need to bring charges.

Issa said:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA

Winter Storm Warning

 
 
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1149 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

...A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM TODAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING...

MDZ022-023-230100-
/O.CON.KAKQ.WS.W.0001.160122T1800Z-160124T1200Z/
WICOMICO-SOMERSET-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SALISBURY...CRISFIELD...PRINCESS ANNE
1149 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST SUNDAY...

* AREAS AFFECTED: WICOMICO AND SOMERSET COUNTIES IN LOWER
  SOUTHEAST MARYLAND.

* HAZARDS: SNOW...MIXING WITH SLEET THIS AFTERNOON CHANGING TO
  RAIN LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. A GUSTY WIND OF 35 TO 45 MPH
  IS POSSIBLE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.

* STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS: 2 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW.

* TEMPERATURES: RISING INTO THE MID 30S TO UPPER 30S TONIGHT AND
  REMAINING NEARLY STEADY INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

* WINDS: NORTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH TODAY...BECOMING NORTH AND
  INCREASING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH TONIGHT
  INTO SUNDAY.

* TIMING: SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA MIDDAY OR EARLY
  AFTERNOON...GRADUALLY MIXING WITH SLEET THIS EVENING. RAIN IS
  EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. A CHANGE BACK TO SNOW IS
  LIKELY BY LATER SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* IMPACTS: ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW AND ICE COVERED AND HAZARDOUS.
  TRAVEL WILL LIKELY BE SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACTED FRIDAY INTO
  SATURDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE.  THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

What's For Dinner: STUFFED PEPPER SOUP

INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups beef broth
2 29-ounce cans tomato sauce
1½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
3 bell peppers, diced
¾ cup minute rice, uncooked
shredded cheese, for topping


INSTRUCTIONS

Add ground beef, diced onion, garlic, and olive oil to a large stock pot. Saute over medium heat 2-3 minutes until fragrant and onions are tender.
Add beef broth, tomato sauce, cajun seasoning, bell peppers and rice and simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

Taste and add salt and pepper to taste if desired. Top with shredded cheese and serve hot.

Administration EASES Visa Rules For Travelers Visiting Terror Hotspots

The Obama administration on Thursday eased visa rules for certain European travelers who have visited terror hotspots in the Middle East and Africa, a move certain to rile congressional lawmakers who sought the restrictions.

The revised requirements announced Thursday pertain to changes in the Visa Waiver Program passed by Congress. Lawmakers had sought new restrictions to tighten up the program – which allows visa-free travel for residents of eligible countries -- in order to prevent Europeans who have joined ISIS from entering the U.S.

The administration implemented the changes Thursday -- but with some changes of its own.

As called for by The Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, the administration is mostly excluding nationals of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Sudan as well as travelers who have visited the countries since Mar. 1, 2011 from the program. Instead, they'll have to apply for a visa in order to travel to the United States.

But under the revised requirements, some Europeans who have traveled to those four countries in the last five years may still be allowed to travel to the United States without obtaining a visa if they meet certain criteria.

The administration announced Thursday that it will use its waiver authority -- granted to it in the legislation -- to give waivers to travelers who traveled to the terror hotspots as journalists, for work with humanitarian agencies or on behalf of international organizations, regional organizations and sub-national governments on official duty.

Likely to cause ire among congressional Republicans is an additional waiver for people who have traveled to Iran “for legitimate business-related purposes” since the conclusion of the Iran nuclear deal in July. The administration also offers waivers for individuals who have traveled to Iraq for business as well.

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Kathryn Smith Makes History As NFL's First Female Full-Time Coach

The Buffalo Bills announced Wednesday that Kathryn Smith has been hired as the organization's quality control-special teams coach, making her the first woman to hold a full-time coaching position in the NFL.

Smith spent last season as administrative assistant to the Bills' head coach, Rex Ryan, and prior to that spent 12 years working for the New York Jets, also with Ryan, who was that team's coach until 2015. Smith started as an intern with the Jets in 2003.

In a statement on the team's website, Ryan said Smith "has proven that she's ready for the next step" and added:

"Kathryn Smith has done an outstanding job in the seven years that she has worked with our staff," said Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan. "She certainly deserves this promotion based on her knowledge and strong commitment, just to name a couple of her outstanding qualities, and I just know she's going to do a great job serving in the role of Quality Control-Special Teams."

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Cornyn: Indict Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton should be indicted for mishandling classified information on a private system, according to Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, although he doubts the Obama administration will take that step.

"The Attorney General is a political appointee, serves at the pleasure of the president," the Texas Republican, a former state attorney general, told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt. "I find it hard to believe that she would indict Secretary Clinton during this time. But it's clear the FBI views this as a very, very serious matter as they should."

Cornyn asked Attorney General Loretta Lynch to appoint a special counsel to investigate Clinton months ago, after the inspector general for the Intelligence Committee found classified information on Clinton's private server and referred the case to the Justice Department. His latest comments follow a report that the inspector general informed lawmakers that Clinton's server contained information beyond the level of top secret.

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Former Oklahoma City Police Officer Gets 263 Years For Sexual Assaults

Former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw, who was found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting multiple women while on his beat, was sentenced to 263 years in prison.

Holtzclaw's sentencing Thursday was temporarily delayed, after his attorney requested a new trial. Holtzclaw claimed there was evidence that hadn't been presented at trial.

The judge rejected the request, and sentenced Holtzclaw to 263 years in prison, to be served consecutively. That's the maximum sentence, and the one which had been recommended by a jury last month.

As we reported at the time, the jury found Holtzclaw guilty of rapes and sexual assaults against eight women — in total, half of the 36 charges brought against him. He's expected to appeal the conviction.

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Legislature Overrides Hogan’s Veto Of Online Travel Tax Bill

ANNAPOLIS — A third party hotel bookings sales tax bill that Governor Larry Hogan vetoed last year will now become law after that veto was overridden by the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate on Thursday.

Senate Bill 190, one of six pieces of legislation that was vetoed last year by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, aimed to level the playing field and clarify the existing laws on the books when it comes to booking hotel rooms online in the state.

Supporters claim the bill is needed to close a loophole in sales tax collection as hotels charge the tax on bookings made through their own websites and then pay money to the state.

Third party sites like Travelocity and Expedia don’t have to do that, and that has people like Senator Richard Madaleno, who represents Montgomery County and spearheaded the bill and the override effort, crying foul for Maryland consumers.

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Hundreds of Syrian Families Return to Homes near Damascus

Hundreds of families displaced by fighting in a neighborhood on the edge of the Syrian capital returned to their homes Wednesday as part of a truce between the government and local rebels reached last year.

Their return to the Qadam neighborhood is the latest in a series of ground-level local agreements to end fighting and ease suffering in the war-stricken country.

State news agency SANA said 25 buses transported the returnees from nearby areas after final arrangements had been made for their return to homes fled in 2013-2014 battles that transformed Qadam into a ghost town. The area was largely destroyed by intense fighting that ended with a cease-fire in August 2014 after months of negotiations.

The government has struck several similar deals with rebels in other neighborhoods and suburbs of Damascus, usually after besieging them for months and pounding them into submission, opposition activists say.

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Fruitland Police Need Help Identifying Subject

Lawmaker: Obama Admin Fueling ‘Campaign to Destroy Israel’

A leading member of the congressional Israel caucus says the Obama administration is fueling hatred against the Jewish state following comments by a top U.S. diplomat accusing Israel of not upholding democratic rule of law, according to a letter sent Wednesday to the State Department and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

Rep. Peter Roskam (R., Ill.), co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, lashed out at the administration, chastising it for seeking to inflame a diplomatic fight with Israel as the Jewish state grapples with a new wave of Palestinian terror attacks that has killed and wounded many civilians.

Dan Shapiro, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, elicited a sharp rebuke from Israeli leaders Tuesday when he accused the Jewish state of failing to properly investigate crimes committed against Palestinians.

“Too many attacks on Palestinians lack a vigorous investigation or response by Israeli authorities, too much vigilantism goes unchecked, and at times there seem to be two standards of adherence to the rule of law: one for Israelis and another for Palestinians,” Shapiro said, referring to this as “unacceptable.”

Shapiro’s comments came the same day that Dafna Meir, an Israeli mother of six who was stabbed to death last week in her home by a Palestinian terrorist, was buried.

Israeli leaders accused Shapiro of promulgating lies used by Israel’s critics to delegitimize the Jewish state.

Shapiro’s comments prompted Roskam to write Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday to demand that he distance the Obama administration from Shapiro’s remarks.

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New Iranian-Backed Terror Group Makes Inroads in West Bank, Gaza

Iran moving to bolster presence in Gaza

A new Iranian-backed terror group is making inroads in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, where it operates underground with the potential capacity to deliver devastating attacks to Israel, according to regional experts who have been investigating the organization’s rise.

The group, which goes by the name Harakat al-Sabireen, was established around May 2014 but has begun in recent months to boost its public profile on social media and brag about its plots to wage jihad against Israel, according to information gathered by regional analysts and provided to the Washington Free Beacon.

Al-Sabireen is believed to receive $10 million a year from Iran via funds that are smuggled through a large network of tunnels built by terrorists to facilitate illicit travel beneath the Gaza Strip, according to estimates disseminated in the Arab language press.

Like Hezbollah, the Iranian-funded terror group that controls territory along Israel’s northern border, al-Sabireen is being used by the Islamic Republic to indirectly wage war on the Jewish state and foster unrest in the Palestinian territories, according to experts, who view the group’s rise as a sign that Iran is not interested in scaling down its global terror network following the recent implementation of the nuclear agreement.

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'What Really Scares Me Are Those Visa Overstays'

The Obama administration has "no way of knowing" which illegal aliens have overstayed their visas — and that's perhaps far more dangerous than those who are crossing the southern border, political strategist Dick Morris told Newsmax TV on Wednesday.

"None of the 9/11 terrorists came over the Rio Grande. They all came from visa overstays," Morris said on the premiere episode of "Dennis Michael Lynch: Unfiltered."

"There are two ways that illegal immigrants come into the U.S." Morris said. "They go over the border, which is about two-thirds of them, or they come here legally on a visa and they overstay the 90 days or whatever.

"That's about a third. All of the political attention is on the first group, none on the second group — and yet that's where the terrorists are."

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Ocean City Prepares for Winter Storm Impacting Area Friday through Sunday

Ocean City, MD - (January 22, 2016): Town of Ocean City officials and emergency personnel are monitoring the high-impact coastal storm system heading toward Maryland. The winter storm is expected to bring snow, freezing rain, sleet, high winds, coastal flooding, and cold temperatures to the Ocean City area.

According to the National Weather Service, the storm is expected to start this afternoon, Friday, January 22. Motorists are urged to stay off the roads during the height of the storm, as driving could be dangerous once the snow, rain and wind begins. “The Town of Ocean City continues to take action to prepare for this storm and we are working closely with our local and State partners to ensure we have the resources we need,” said Emergency Services Director Joseph Theobald. “At this time, it’s imperative for residents to be prepared and to stay off the roads during the height of the storm later today and Saturday.”

Residents and property owners, specifically in Zone A and B locations, should be prepared for moderate flooding and high winds. Citizens are encouraged to Know Your Zone and Division and be prepared for any impact the storm may have on Ocean City. To begin preparing, citizens should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan for potential relocation during a flooding event. In addition, preparedness efforts should include tying up water vessels, removing outdoor furniture and securing objects susceptible to wind and flooding.

The Town of Ocean City will be posting storm related information on various websites, social media outlets and through the Emergency Alert system. In an effort to keep citizens informed with the most updated and accurate information, the Town of Ocean City will be posting storm related information on the following outlets:

• City Wide Emergency Alerts: Citizens can sign up for emergency alerts by visiting: http://oceancitymd.gov/enews and subscribing to “City Wide Emergency Alerts.”
• Town of Ocean City Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TownOfOceanCity
• Town of Ocean City Twitter: @townofoceancity
• Town of Ocean City website: www.oceancitymd.gov
• FM Advisory Radio Station – 99.5
• Town of Ocean City Access Channels 4 & 15
• Emergency Management Hotline: 410-723-6666

Additional information can be found on the Ocean City Emergency Management website atwww.ocmdemergency.com.

MOTORISTS URGED TO STAY OFF ROADS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND MAKE PREPARATIONS AS SEVERE WINTER STORM APPROACHES MARYLAND

Wicomico County Health Dept: Health-related measures to take during emergencies

Public Hearing on Somerset County Solar Farm

Two Arrested in Millsboro Area Meth Lab Operation


 
Millsboro, DE- The Delaware State Police Sussex County Drug Unit has arrested two people after Probation and Parole Officers located precursors for the manufacturing of Methamphetamine (Meth) at a residence on Hickman Lane.

On Thursday January 21, 2016 at approximately 4:00 p.m., members of the Georgetown Probation and Parole responded to the 29000 block of Hickman Lane in order to conduct an administrative probation check on John E. Jones, 53, who is currently on Level 3 probation stemming from a 2015 drug conviction. As probation officers were conducting a search of the residence, they located various rounds of ammunition as well as equipment and component mixtures of the manufacturing stages of Meth along with key ingredients in making the drug. Jones, as well as his girlfriend, Erica A. Wildes, 38 of the Hickman Lane address, were immediately taken into custody and the residence was evacuated.

Detectives assigned to the Delaware State Police Sussex County Drug Unit, with the assistance of DNREC, responded to the home to assume the investigation and a consent search was obtained in response to the on-going investigation into the manufacturing of meth at the house.

Both subjects were transported to Troop 4 in Georgetown where John Jones was charged with Operating a Clandestine Laboratory, two counts of Possession of Ammunition by a Person Prohibited, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Counterfeit Controlled Substance (Meth), Conspiracy 2nd , three counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Methamphetamine. Erica Wildes was charged with Operating a Clandestine Laboratory, Possession with Intent to Deliver a Counterfeit Controlled Substance (Meth), Conspiracy 2nd , three counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Methamphetamine. After being arraigned at JP2, they were turned over to the Delaware Department of Corrections in lieu of $59,000.00 (Jones) and $39,000.00 (Wildes) secured bond respectively.

No evacuations were ordered as it was determined that there was no immediate hazard to nearby residents.

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Wicomico Recreation’s Kids Klub After School Closed Today


SALISBURY, Md. - Due to inclement weather, Wicomico Recreation’s Kids Klub After School is closed today, Friday, January 22.

81% Would Restrict Abortion, Including 66% of Pro-choicers

Americans for years have been split on abortion, but a deeper dive into the issue finds that a remarkable 81 percent favor some kind of restriction, according to a newly-released survey.

A Marist poll conducted for the Knights of Columbus in advance of the annual March for Life to the U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 22 found that even 66 percent of pro-choice supporters would restrict abortion to the first three months of pregnancy.

The poll, done for the Knights since 2008, looks beyond the longstanding 44 percent to 50 percent divide between pro-life and pro-choice advocates.

Their goal is to wake Americans up to the results that the issue is more complicated and that there is a national consensus on some limits and much agreement between pro-lifers and pro-choicers.

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Find The 6 Words Hidden In The Picture


Answers will be posted at 6:15pm

Delmar Closing All Schools

Delmar is closing the Middle and High School at 12:56 today. The Elementary will close at 12:45.

Texas AG: Obama 'Clearly Violated' Constitution With Amnesty Order

President Barack Obama "clearly violated the Constitution" when he bypassed Congress with his immigration action sparing illegal immigrants who are parents of citizens or lawful permanent residents from deportation, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday.

"He made a massive change in immigration law that Congress should have done, [which] authorizes new benefits for these people including work permits, unemployment insurance, Social Security, Medicare, driver's licenses and even international travel," Paxton told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" host Bill Hemmer. "We think Congress has to do that, not the president."

Fourteen months ago, Obama said he took the initiative for the program, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Relations, or DAPA, because Republicans in Congress had refused repeatedly to support updates to immigration laws, The New York Times reports. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to the law, filed by a Paxton-led group of 26 states.

Paxton said Wednesday that Obama had said for six years that he did not have the authority to change the law, before deciding to make the change.

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Worcester County Schools Closing Early Today 1-22-16

Due to anticipated inclement weather, all Worcester County Public Schools will be closing two hours early for students today, January 22, 2016. Buses will operate accordingly. Afternoon Pre-Kindergarten classes have been cancelled. All afterschool, evening, Adult Education classes and weekend activities have also been cancelled. Thank you.

Playground Spat Looms as Key Church-state Separation Case

A playground spat over surfacing made out of scrap tires is looming as a pivotal church-state separation case, one that religious freedom advocates say could provide relief from what they see as government hostility toward faith.

The U.S. Supreme Court teed up the battle when it agreed last week to consider Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley, a 2013 lawsuit filed by the church after the state of Missouri rejected its application for a grant to replace its preschool’s playground pebbles with repurposed rubber from old tires.

State officials said the preschool was ineligible because it was run by a church, citing an 1875 Missouri constitutional amendment — known as the Blaine Amendment — prohibiting public funds from being used “in aid of any church.”

Three dozen states have similar amendments, but they “shouldn’t be applied in a way that would treat churches and religious organizations worse than everybody else simply because they’re a church,” said Erik Stanley, Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel.

“Taken to the extreme, it could even mean that a state could justify not providing fire protection to a church,” Mr. Stanley said. “They could say, ‘That’s aid to a church. And so we’re not going to do that under our state constitutional provision.’”

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Chinese Military Officers Implicated in Theft of F-35 Designs

Two members of the Chinese military have been implicated in the theft of plans for the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter and other aircraft, court documents revealed this week.

The documents, obtained from a Vancouver court by Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, show that two unnamed co-conspirators worked with Su Bin, a 50-year-old Chinese aviation industry entrepreneur living in Canada, to steal the plans in 2013.

According to the documents, Su directed the hackers to the American aviation engineers he believed would hold the most value. They then targeted their email accounts, and after breaking in, used the accounts as leverage to access corporate networks for information on designs for the F-35 and F-22 Raptor, both by Lockheed, and the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III designs. Throughout the process, they conferred with Su as to what information they should seize. Besides Boeing and Lockheed, Airbus was also targeted.

Plans for the B-2 stealth bomber and the Space Based Laser were stolen the same year, in addition to information from the systems that operate nuclear submarines and anti-aircraft missiles.

One of the co-conspirators was identified through an intercepted messages that contained "Chinese military identification showing his photograph, name, rank, military unit, and year and month of birth."

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DHS Official: ICE Investigated Less Than 1 Percent of Visa Overstays

The Obama administration investigated just 3,000 visa overstays out of an estimated population of some six million illegal immigrants who remained in the U.S. after their visa expired last year, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official testified before a Senate panel Wednesday.

“So for FY ’15 sir, just a snapshot that I alluded to earlier, so roughly we have about 3,000 that are still under investigation right now. 1,626 leads have been what we call exhausted, meaning that we haven’t been able to locate the individual. It comes back to us, into a continuous monitoring status,” Craig Healy, the assistant director of ICE’s National Security Investigations Division, said in response to questions from Sen. David Perdue (R-GA) (D-GA).

Healy was testifying at a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest examining the decades-long absence of a congressionally mandated biometric tracking system for foreign nationals coming and leaving the U.S.

“So, 3,000 were investigated, are under investigation right now. But those 3,000 could’ve come in in any one of the years in the last 20 years, correct?” Perdue asked.

Healy indicated that the Georgian’s assumption was correct.

“Alright, so my question is, if it’s 40% of whatever that top number, we have 4, 5, 6 million people here who overstay their visa. Directionally, that’s fairly correct. And last year, we identified and investigated 3,000?” Perdue asked.

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What does a “State of Emergency” mean?.

What does a “State of Emergency” mean?

In preparation for the upcoming snowstorm, Governor Larry Hogan has asked State agencies to launch a coordinated effort to keep Marylanders safe and informed in the upcoming days. Earlier today, Governor Hogan signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in Maryland beginning Friday, January 22 at 7a.m. Here is information on what a state of emergency means.

Not all states of emergency are the same. Each state of emergency is different and can change depending on the severity of the event or emergency. Be sure to check with your local news and with MEMA for updated information related to states of emergency.

A state of emergency has been declared in order to allow Maryland to coordinate and request emergency resources and support. A state of emergency allows the Governor to access certain resources, like the National Guard, in order to increase the State’s response.

Crash Would Be Worse If America Signed Trans-Pacific Partnership

With U.S. stocks tanking by over 500 points at one point on January 20, the only good news is the crash would be worse if America had already signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

A renewed worldwide selloff in stocks is being driven by fear that China’s “economic hard landing” will pull the rest of the world into a deflationary recession due to the interconnected nature of globalized trade. But the negative impacts of China’s demise would be magnified if America had signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement unveiled on November 5 for a 90-day review period ending on February 4.

China is not an initial participant in the 12-nation TPP “free-trade” deal that includes the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. China is the major trading partner for each of the Asian participants and TPP provisions allow China to administratively join later.

At 5,544 pages long, the treaty is twice as long as Obamacare’s nationalization of the U.S. healthcare system. Provisions of the extremely complex treaty would cause a deeper integration of U.S. and Asian banking; and provide an economic windfall for Hollywood entertainment interests, the pharmaceutical industry, and Silicon Valley corporations that out-source manufacturing to Asia.

But as Breitbart News reported earlier this week in an article titled “Devaluation,” China’s central bank appears to have dumped a record $47 billion of U.S. Treasuries during the first two of 2016 in a crisis effort to slow the devaluation of their yuan currency that is sparking twin corporate and banking crises.

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Concerns Over Zika Virus Outbreak Growing in U.S.

U.S. health officials are reporting new cases of a mosquito-borne virus linked to birth defects.

Three cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed in Florida, and two pregnant women tested positive in Illinois. Texas and Hawaii also have confirmed cases, including a baby born with a birth defect.

In the handful of confirmed cases in the U.S., those infected traveled outside of the country and tested positive once they got home.

All of the Zika cases in the U.S. involve foreign travel. The Florida victims traveled to Colombia and Venezuela and the two pregnant women in Illinois visited Central America and the Caribbean. A Texas man was also diagnosed after he returned from El Salvador in November.

"The two cases that we have in Illinois are in individuals who traveled and came back and were diagnosed," said Nirav Shaw of the Illinois Department of Public Safety.

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The sky could actually be falling, Chicken Little

This interview will get you to start glancing at the sky

Perhaps you missed it. Astronomers tell us Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter were all visibly lined up before dawn Wednesday. You’ve still got time to see this spectacle. The planets will stay that way until late February. You need a clear sky and the fortitude to step outside about 45 minutes before dawn.

I’ve always admired the intellectual power that, accumulated over centuries, has given humanity the large body of knowledge it has about celestial bodies. I mean, who figured out the orbit of Jupiter? The late author Barbara Tuchman, inA Distant Mirror, her 1978 account of the 14th century, noted this, among the “mental furniture” of the average person in the 1300s: knowledge that the earth orbited the sun. Maybe they didn’t state it out loud, given the prevailing doctrine of the time.

I interviewed someone of this century who studies the skies for a highly practical purpose. Lindley Johnson is with the Planetary Defense Office at NASA. He oversees the operation at NASA that tries to identify asteroids that could collide with Earth. The agency just completed a consolidation of several related activities to form the Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

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Are Employers the New Enemy of Job Seekers?

By Staff

Have you ever sent a resume out to a company or agency supposedly looking for a worker, only to have it disappear into the black void?

Many have; too many, in fact. This is becoming a continual grievance amongst job seekers because employers seem to be of the mindset, they are in the catbird seat due to more unemployed than jobs here in Salisbury. However, those employers are actually speaking volumes to the community through this practice.

What they’re saying is: “No one in their right mind should really want to work for us; look at how rudely we treat people who want to work here!”

Ironically, many of these same companies complain they cannot seem to attract the highly skill applicants. Well, no wonder when they blow them off at the first initial contact. They have these applicants fill out four to eight page applications – something that takes a lot longer than truly necessary considering there’s a resume attached – only to be blown off completely, without so much as a “we’ve decided to go with another applicant…” note or email.

Government – especially the local gang - is notorious for being the big rude black hole. Many positions listed on their websites with strict deadlines but when applicants take that time to fill out their unnecessarily lengthy application asking for redundant information -- they get absolutely NO response. None. Nadda. Zero. (Many officials have surely been unfriended on Facebook because they don’t realize their FB friends/voters have been subject to their rude lack of response.)

This employer laziness, because there’s no other way to describe it, is eventually going to haunt them if it already hasn’t –word gets around. Many applicants avoid certain companies in town due to their reputations as being bad employers with revolving doors that move faster than at Herald Square’s Macy’s. Eventually, their post-filling efforts will result in unqualified applicants because the good candidates they’ve already ticked off. It can (and does) happen.

The old Golden Rule, ‘do unto others,’ works in the business world, too, kids.

Employers, if you want quality applicants, then treat job seekers with a little respect. Then, quality people will want to work for you!

And, job seekers, just remember, if a company dismisses your application without response, then the job is probably not all it's cracked up to be. Hang in there, the right job will come.

Share your stories of your last job search here; should prove entertaining at the least, but informative at the worst.

All Maryland Motor Vehicle Offices Will Close At 1:00 PM Today

Regardless of the weather conditions, all Maryland motor vehicles offices will close at 1:00 PM today.