When the federal government releases its 2015 financial statements on Thursday, they’ll show that the running tally of improper payments made since 2004 has now moved above the $1 trillion mark.
That’s despite several years of concerted efforts to reduce improper payments, including the Do Not Pay initiative. In 2014, agencies made a surprising $125 billion in estimated improper payments, $20 billion higher than earlier projections and the largest amount on record following several consecutive years of declines.
Precise figures for 2015 won’t be released until Thursday afternoon, when the Government Accountability Office publishes its audit report on the government’s consolidated financial statements. But Beryl Davis, GAO’s director for financial management and assurance, told an Association of Government Accountants conference that agencies had again reported a high number of improper payments in 2015, enough to bring the cumulative total to more than $1 trillion since the government first began collecting statistics as part of the 2002 Improper Payments Information Act.
“I think one factor is that we’re doing a better job of estimating what the government’s improper payments are than we’ve done in the past,” she said. “More and more agencies are doing better risk assessments and coming to more accurate conclusions. In some cases when the numbers go up, it’s not a negative. The improper payments were always there, they just weren’t estimated accurately and reported out.”
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Saturday Night Specials In March At Oasis
3/5 - Debbie Caldwell Band - Classic Rock
3/12 - Southern Outlaws - Country & Southern Rock
3/19 - Flint Eastwood - Current Party Rock
3/26 - City Painted Green - Current Rock
4/2 - DIRT ROAD OUTLAWZ
Atheist Group Abandons Fight Against ‘Big Mountain Jesus’ on Montana Ski Slopes
(CNSNews.com) – A statue of Jesus dubbed “Big Mountain Jesus,” which stands on a Montana ski slope as a World War II Memorial, is now safe from removal attempts by the atheist group, The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), which claims that the statue’s presence on federal land violates the First Amendment.
The monument was erected by the Knights of Columbus in 1954 on Montana land with a permit from the U.S. Forest Service. World War II veterans who were also members of the Knights of Columbus commissioned the statue in memory of their fallen comrades, and to remind themselves of religious shrines they saw in Europe.
The statue has stood on Big Mountain near Whitefish Mountain Resort for 60 years.
The FFRF, a Wisconsin group, sued in 2012 on behalf of their members in Montana, arguing that the statue’s presence was a government endorsement of religion, which they claim violates the First Amendment.
FFRF passed the deadline for appeal to the Supreme Court on Monday after its Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals loss in August following a five-year-battle against the statue.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals judge ruled in August that “the government’s continued authorization of the statue on federal land does not violate the Establishment Clause.”
The decision noted that the government had secular rationales for its continued authorization of the statue, including “the statue’s cultural and historical significance for veterans, Montanans, and tourists; the statue’s inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places; and the government’s intent to preserve the site ‘as a historic part of the resort.’”
More here
The monument was erected by the Knights of Columbus in 1954 on Montana land with a permit from the U.S. Forest Service. World War II veterans who were also members of the Knights of Columbus commissioned the statue in memory of their fallen comrades, and to remind themselves of religious shrines they saw in Europe.
The statue has stood on Big Mountain near Whitefish Mountain Resort for 60 years.
The FFRF, a Wisconsin group, sued in 2012 on behalf of their members in Montana, arguing that the statue’s presence was a government endorsement of religion, which they claim violates the First Amendment.
FFRF passed the deadline for appeal to the Supreme Court on Monday after its Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals loss in August following a five-year-battle against the statue.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals judge ruled in August that “the government’s continued authorization of the statue on federal land does not violate the Establishment Clause.”
The decision noted that the government had secular rationales for its continued authorization of the statue, including “the statue’s cultural and historical significance for veterans, Montanans, and tourists; the statue’s inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places; and the government’s intent to preserve the site ‘as a historic part of the resort.’”
More here
Texas Bakers Face THREATS After Declining to Bake Gay Wedding Cake
Edie and David Delorme own the Kern’s Bake Shop in Longview, Texas — known around town for their petit fours and sugar cookies — and also their custom-made wedding cakes.
The Delormes are also devout Christians -- faithful members of a nearby Baptist church - and they run their bakery according to the tenets of their religious beliefs.
That became a problem on Feb. 17th when Ben Valencia and Luis Marmolejo requested the bakers make a cake for their upcoming wedding.
“I was up front with them,” Edie told me. “I said, ‘I’m sorry but we don’t provide wedding cakes for homosexual marriages.”
“We don’t do cakes that might conflict with our spiritual convictions,” she said. “It was not something personal against the two young men. We just need to be able to run our business in a way that honors God.”
She offered to provide the gay couple with a list of bakeries that would meet their needs, but she said the men simply walked out of the store.
More here
Seattle Pushes Sweeping New Rules for Worker Schedules
You’ve heard the battle cries over paying workers a “living wage.” Now, get ready for the next phase: “Livable schedules.”
On the heels of Seattle passing a controversial $15 minimum wage law, the City Council there is now drafting an ordinance that aims to shift power away from employers when it comes to how workers are scheduled and paid.
“I think there is a sense among some workers that they are being abused,” Seattle City Council member Lorena Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is leading the effort to impose new rules on how employers schedule their workers. The ordinance is still being written, but it is expected to include:
A guarantee that workers get at least 11 hours of down time between shifts
A requirement that workers get schedules a week in advance, or else be paid time-and-a-half if shifts are added inside that timeframe
A requirement that employers pay employees for a few hours of work not performed if shifts are taken away
Several of these components are being pushed by Working Washington, the same group that successfully fought for a $15 minimum wage in Seattle.
Already, though, members of the business community are firing back against what they call the “restrictive scheduling” measures.
“It’s unfortunate that the city of Seattle seems hell-bent on these one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter approaches to wages and hour issues,” said Patrick Connor of the National Federation of Independent Business. “I think this is going to be one more straw that may soon break the camel’s back.”
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On the heels of Seattle passing a controversial $15 minimum wage law, the City Council there is now drafting an ordinance that aims to shift power away from employers when it comes to how workers are scheduled and paid.
“I think there is a sense among some workers that they are being abused,” Seattle City Council member Lorena Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is leading the effort to impose new rules on how employers schedule their workers. The ordinance is still being written, but it is expected to include:
A guarantee that workers get at least 11 hours of down time between shifts
A requirement that workers get schedules a week in advance, or else be paid time-and-a-half if shifts are added inside that timeframe
A requirement that employers pay employees for a few hours of work not performed if shifts are taken away
Several of these components are being pushed by Working Washington, the same group that successfully fought for a $15 minimum wage in Seattle.
Already, though, members of the business community are firing back against what they call the “restrictive scheduling” measures.
“It’s unfortunate that the city of Seattle seems hell-bent on these one-size-fits-all, cookie-cutter approaches to wages and hour issues,” said Patrick Connor of the National Federation of Independent Business. “I think this is going to be one more straw that may soon break the camel’s back.”
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Kentucky Bill Allowing Companies to Deny Services to Gays Advances
Kentucky businesses could refuse services to gay, lesbian or transgender clients in the name of protecting religious beliefs under a bill advancing in the state Senate.
The bill comes after the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission ordered a Christian T-shirt company to get diversity training for refusing to print shirts for a gay pride festival. A state judge overturned the order, but an appeals court is reviewing the case.
More here
The bill comes after the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission ordered a Christian T-shirt company to get diversity training for refusing to print shirts for a gay pride festival. A state judge overturned the order, but an appeals court is reviewing the case.
More here
Gowdy: Benghazi Committee Breaking 'Immense New Ground'
Rep. Trey Gowdy declares his Select Committee on Benghazi is breaking "an immense amount of new ground" and will interview four more Obama administration officials over the next week.
In a statement Thursday, the South Carolina lawmaker, who chairs the committee, also staunchly defends the panel's work, vowing its "value and fairness."
"Our committee continues to break an immense amount of new ground as we compile the most comprehensive accounting of what happened before, during and after the terrorist attacks in Benghazi," Gowdy states.
"The American people and the families of the victims deserve the truth, and I'm confident that the value and fairness of our investigation will be abundantly clear to everyone when they see the report for themselves."
More here
In a statement Thursday, the South Carolina lawmaker, who chairs the committee, also staunchly defends the panel's work, vowing its "value and fairness."
"Our committee continues to break an immense amount of new ground as we compile the most comprehensive accounting of what happened before, during and after the terrorist attacks in Benghazi," Gowdy states.
"The American people and the families of the victims deserve the truth, and I'm confident that the value and fairness of our investigation will be abundantly clear to everyone when they see the report for themselves."
More here
USCIS Backs Up ICE: Rubio a ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’
In a bombshell hours before the Republican Presidential debate, officers for a second immigration agency are now warning America against Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and are indicating support for GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.
Ken Palinkas—who served as the President of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Council during the Gang of Eight fight and is now a local chapter president for USCIS officers—weighed in on the fight between America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Sen. Rubio.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Palinkas detailed the dangers a Rubio Administration would pose to national security and U.S. sovereignty—perhaps adding more trouble to an already embattled Rubio campaign.
“He’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Palinkas told Breitbart—explaining that Rubio would “absolutely” represent President Obama’s third term on immigration.
“If God forbid he gets elected, I don’t see any change going in the direction that the Republican Party really professes to believe in. I think he would go in the opposite direction. Absolutely,” Palinkas said.
USCIS is the agency responsible for processing all immigration paperwork in the United States—including visas, green cards, and amnesty applications—and, therefore, is the backbone of America’s entire immigration system.
More here
Ken Palinkas—who served as the President of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Council during the Gang of Eight fight and is now a local chapter president for USCIS officers—weighed in on the fight between America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and Sen. Rubio.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, Palinkas detailed the dangers a Rubio Administration would pose to national security and U.S. sovereignty—perhaps adding more trouble to an already embattled Rubio campaign.
“He’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Palinkas told Breitbart—explaining that Rubio would “absolutely” represent President Obama’s third term on immigration.
“If God forbid he gets elected, I don’t see any change going in the direction that the Republican Party really professes to believe in. I think he would go in the opposite direction. Absolutely,” Palinkas said.
USCIS is the agency responsible for processing all immigration paperwork in the United States—including visas, green cards, and amnesty applications—and, therefore, is the backbone of America’s entire immigration system.
More here
Nigeria’s Anti-Christian Jihad: 11,500 Dead, 13,000 Churches Destroyed
A new report offers some startling statistics on the devastation wrought by Muslims on the Christian population in Nigeria, with 11,500 Christians killed, a million displaced and 13,000 churches destroyed or shut down in the last 15 years.
The 48-page report titled “Crushed but Not Defeated: The Impact of Persistent Violence on the Church in Northern Nigeria,” documents the extent of Christian persecution in Nigeria due to targeted violence by Islamic extremists as well as other more moderate Muslims. The document was released after extensive on-the-ground research by Open Doors, a non-profit group devoted to assisting persecuted Christians throughout the world.
The comprehensive study reveals that decades of religious violence directed at the Christian community has had an even larger impact on the Church in Northern Nigeria than previously thought. The violence against Christians in the region has resulted in the deaths of “between 9,000 to 11,500 Christians,” which the report calls “a conservative estimation.” A large number of Christian properties and businesses have been destroyed, the document continues, “including 13,000 churches that have either been destroyed or closed down.”
Moreover, according to the report, 1.3 million Christians in Northern Nigeria “have become internally displaced or have settled in other areas of Nigeria in search for safety and security” since 2000.
One of the more frightening revelations from the report is the finding that the executioners are not just from the well-known Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram, but comprise many other more “moderate” Muslims as well.
The sources of violence against Christians in Northern Nigeria are diverse, yet have one thing in common. They are “connected through a common religious denominator: defending northern Muslims’ interests, Muslim identity and the position of Islam,” the report states.
More here
The 48-page report titled “Crushed but Not Defeated: The Impact of Persistent Violence on the Church in Northern Nigeria,” documents the extent of Christian persecution in Nigeria due to targeted violence by Islamic extremists as well as other more moderate Muslims. The document was released after extensive on-the-ground research by Open Doors, a non-profit group devoted to assisting persecuted Christians throughout the world.
The comprehensive study reveals that decades of religious violence directed at the Christian community has had an even larger impact on the Church in Northern Nigeria than previously thought. The violence against Christians in the region has resulted in the deaths of “between 9,000 to 11,500 Christians,” which the report calls “a conservative estimation.” A large number of Christian properties and businesses have been destroyed, the document continues, “including 13,000 churches that have either been destroyed or closed down.”
Moreover, according to the report, 1.3 million Christians in Northern Nigeria “have become internally displaced or have settled in other areas of Nigeria in search for safety and security” since 2000.
One of the more frightening revelations from the report is the finding that the executioners are not just from the well-known Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram, but comprise many other more “moderate” Muslims as well.
The sources of violence against Christians in Northern Nigeria are diverse, yet have one thing in common. They are “connected through a common religious denominator: defending northern Muslims’ interests, Muslim identity and the position of Islam,” the report states.
More here
Louie Gohmert: Ted Cruz the Candidate ‘With the Most Integrity
Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) explains why he’s endorsing Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), telling Breitbart News Daily host Stephen K. Bannon Cruz consistently fought to stop amnesty during his freshman Senate term.
“Everything Ted did… was to slow down [Gang of Eight] and hopefully give us a chance to stop the bill that Rubio was now the face of. So that made it easier to endorse Ted. But, you know, Ted’s integrity — you may disagree with him, you may dislike him — but his integrity was his strength. When you’re in the political game, what you’ve got to do is continually attack their strength,” Gohmert said.
It’s been “hard” to watch GOP frontrunner Donald Trump continuously attack Cruz as a liar, Gohmert said, hinting that retired neurosurgeon Dr. Bn Carson also disappointed him when it came to honesty.
“Seeing Ted attacked, the guy with the most integrity in the presidential race, and that includes Ben Carson — I know Ben, I love his positions. He’s a fellow believer. But I also know different things behind the scenes that have gone on and that’s why I supported Ted.”
Read more here
“Everything Ted did… was to slow down [Gang of Eight] and hopefully give us a chance to stop the bill that Rubio was now the face of. So that made it easier to endorse Ted. But, you know, Ted’s integrity — you may disagree with him, you may dislike him — but his integrity was his strength. When you’re in the political game, what you’ve got to do is continually attack their strength,” Gohmert said.
It’s been “hard” to watch GOP frontrunner Donald Trump continuously attack Cruz as a liar, Gohmert said, hinting that retired neurosurgeon Dr. Bn Carson also disappointed him when it came to honesty.
“Seeing Ted attacked, the guy with the most integrity in the presidential race, and that includes Ben Carson — I know Ben, I love his positions. He’s a fellow believer. But I also know different things behind the scenes that have gone on and that’s why I supported Ted.”
Read more here
Marine banned from daughter’s graduation after objecting to Islam lessons
A former Marine is asking a judge to lift a no-trespass order ahead of his daughter’s graduation after her high school reportedly banned him from campus for objecting to classroom lessons about Islam.
“She’s in the final semester of her senior year, and as it stands right now, she’s going to have to go through that life experience without her dad there,” said Kate Oliveri, a lawyer from the Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center who is representing John Kevin Wood and his family, The Washington Post reported.
The dispute stems from an October 2014 classroom assignment at La Plata High School in Charles County, Maryland. Mr. Wood’s daughter, a then-junior, was reportedly asked in her World History class to memorize the Five Pillars of Islam and recite the shahada: the Muslim statement of faith that declares, “There is no God but Allah.”
She had been taught, according to school papers submitted to federal court, that most Muslims’ faith is “stronger than the average Christian,” The Post reported.
Mr. Wood called the assignment an assault on his family’s Christian faith. He said that when he called the school to complain and ask for his daughter to be given a different assignment, school officials issued a no-trespass order against him and he has not been allowed on campus since.
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“She’s in the final semester of her senior year, and as it stands right now, she’s going to have to go through that life experience without her dad there,” said Kate Oliveri, a lawyer from the Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center who is representing John Kevin Wood and his family, The Washington Post reported.
The dispute stems from an October 2014 classroom assignment at La Plata High School in Charles County, Maryland. Mr. Wood’s daughter, a then-junior, was reportedly asked in her World History class to memorize the Five Pillars of Islam and recite the shahada: the Muslim statement of faith that declares, “There is no God but Allah.”
She had been taught, according to school papers submitted to federal court, that most Muslims’ faith is “stronger than the average Christian,” The Post reported.
Mr. Wood called the assignment an assault on his family’s Christian faith. He said that when he called the school to complain and ask for his daughter to be given a different assignment, school officials issued a no-trespass order against him and he has not been allowed on campus since.
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Al Sharpton Might 'Get Out of Here' If Trump Wins
Rev. Al Sharpton told attendees at a Center for American Progress Action Fund event Thursday he would flee the country if Donald Trump won the election, in order to avoid being deported by Trump.
Sharpton, a Democrat, had positive feedback for many of the Republican presidential candidates until he got to Trump.
"If Donald Trump is the nominee, I'm open to support anyone [else], while I'm also reserving my ticket to get out of here if he wins, only because he'd probably have me deported anyway," Sharpton told attendees, who responded in laughter.
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Sharpton, a Democrat, had positive feedback for many of the Republican presidential candidates until he got to Trump.
"If Donald Trump is the nominee, I'm open to support anyone [else], while I'm also reserving my ticket to get out of here if he wins, only because he'd probably have me deported anyway," Sharpton told attendees, who responded in laughter.
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House GOP releases healthcare goals
House Republicans tasked with coming up with a health reform plan have released key goals for a detailed proposal later this year.
The mission statement released Thursday by the GOP Task Force on Health Care Reform says the plan will promote innovations in employer-provided coverage, reform insurance markets, increase state flexibility in the Medicaid program and strengthen Medicare.
It also mentions "health tax expenditures," but doesn't clarify exactly what kinds of changes Republicans would propose, which could include various types of tax credits to help people buy coverage.
For years, Republicans have promised to come up with a health reform plan to replace Obamacare, but so far have failed to coalesce around one proposal. Shortly after becoming House speaker, Rep. Paul Ryan instructed groups of members to come up with policy proposals in various areas including healthcare, although he hasn't said whether the House will vote on them this year.
More here
The mission statement released Thursday by the GOP Task Force on Health Care Reform says the plan will promote innovations in employer-provided coverage, reform insurance markets, increase state flexibility in the Medicaid program and strengthen Medicare.
It also mentions "health tax expenditures," but doesn't clarify exactly what kinds of changes Republicans would propose, which could include various types of tax credits to help people buy coverage.
For years, Republicans have promised to come up with a health reform plan to replace Obamacare, but so far have failed to coalesce around one proposal. Shortly after becoming House speaker, Rep. Paul Ryan instructed groups of members to come up with policy proposals in various areas including healthcare, although he hasn't said whether the House will vote on them this year.
More here
Flexibility Could Raise Teacher Pay, But Unions Oppose It
Giving superintendents the flexibility to pay teachers more might seem like a slam-dunk for teachers and students. But their unions actually oppose it.
According to Naomi Nix with The 74, Indiana legislators are considering giving superintendents the power to pay teachers more if they are harder to find. Nix gave two examples: "The experienced high school chemistry teacher who quits in the middle of the year for a higher-paying gig across the state can leave dozens of students without a knowledgeable educator in front of the classroom. An opening for a special education teacher that goes weeks without a qualified applicant can mean the neediest students don't get the support their disability requires."
If superintendents had the flexibility to offer more money, they might be able to retain those teachers, or to attract someone of equal talent and expertise. This wouldn't mean a cut in the average teacher's pay — just that certain teachers could be offered higher salaries as the need arose.
Those who know economics well understand the logic at play. When demand for a certain type of teacher is relatively high, the price to get them rises. When prices are high, it encourages more supply.
But Indiana teachers' unions are having none of it, because it represents a small but real threat to union monopoly power. "I just see it as opening the door for school districts ... to start bargaining with teachers individually," Rick Muir, president of American Federation of Teachers Indiana, told Nix.
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According to Naomi Nix with The 74, Indiana legislators are considering giving superintendents the power to pay teachers more if they are harder to find. Nix gave two examples: "The experienced high school chemistry teacher who quits in the middle of the year for a higher-paying gig across the state can leave dozens of students without a knowledgeable educator in front of the classroom. An opening for a special education teacher that goes weeks without a qualified applicant can mean the neediest students don't get the support their disability requires."
If superintendents had the flexibility to offer more money, they might be able to retain those teachers, or to attract someone of equal talent and expertise. This wouldn't mean a cut in the average teacher's pay — just that certain teachers could be offered higher salaries as the need arose.
Those who know economics well understand the logic at play. When demand for a certain type of teacher is relatively high, the price to get them rises. When prices are high, it encourages more supply.
But Indiana teachers' unions are having none of it, because it represents a small but real threat to union monopoly power. "I just see it as opening the door for school districts ... to start bargaining with teachers individually," Rick Muir, president of American Federation of Teachers Indiana, told Nix.
More
Bomb Threat Prosecution Bills Pass House, Senate
ANNAPOLIS – In this week’s legislative wrap-up, Governor Larry Hogan wants to give the people of Maryland more than a sneak peek of the happenings on the state’s respective legislative floors. Drunk driving laws could get even more strict, Maryland is touted as one of the leading states on the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and versions of the local bomb-threat bill sail through the House of Delegates and the Senate.
Bomb Threat Bills Cruise
Delegate Mary Beth Carozza’s bomb threat prosecution bill, HB 121, passed the House of Delegates unanimously late last week and now moves to the State Senate for consideration. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
The Senate version of the bill, SB 287, sponsored by Sen. Michael Hough of Frederick County as well as Sen. Jim Mathias, among others, also passed through Senate Judicial Proceedings before receiving the unanimous approval from the full Senate.
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Bomb Threat Bills Cruise
Delegate Mary Beth Carozza’s bomb threat prosecution bill, HB 121, passed the House of Delegates unanimously late last week and now moves to the State Senate for consideration. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
The Senate version of the bill, SB 287, sponsored by Sen. Michael Hough of Frederick County as well as Sen. Jim Mathias, among others, also passed through Senate Judicial Proceedings before receiving the unanimous approval from the full Senate.
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BUSINESS OWNER ARMS ENTIRE STAFF TO COMBAT RISING CRIME RATE
"I would not want to come into one of my facilities"
A Georgia business owner is taking the Second Amendment to a whole new level by mandating all his employees be trained to use and carry a firearm.
Criminals targeting Lance Toland Associates, an airplane insurance company with three separate offices, will find themselves staring down the large barrel of a Taurus Judge revolver, the handgun provided to employees by the business’s owner.
“Everybody has one of these in their drawer or on their person,” Toland told WSBTV introducing them to the Judge. “I would not want to come into one of my facilities. It’s a five shot .410, just like a shotgun and you call it ‘hand cannon’.”
A Georgia business owner is taking the Second Amendment to a whole new level by mandating all his employees be trained to use and carry a firearm.
Criminals targeting Lance Toland Associates, an airplane insurance company with three separate offices, will find themselves staring down the large barrel of a Taurus Judge revolver, the handgun provided to employees by the business’s owner.
“Everybody has one of these in their drawer or on their person,” Toland told WSBTV introducing them to the Judge. “I would not want to come into one of my facilities. It’s a five shot .410, just like a shotgun and you call it ‘hand cannon’.”
THE SUBPRIME AUTO LOAN MELTDOWN IS HERE
Everything would be fine if the number of subprime borrowers not making their payments was extremely low
Uh oh – here we go again. Do you remember the subprime mortgage meltdown during the last financial crisis?
Well, now a similar thing is happening with auto loans. The auto industry has been doing better than many other areas of the economy in recent years, but this “mini-boom” was fueled in large part by customers with subprime credit. According to Equifax, an astounding 23.5 percent of all new auto loans were made to subprime borrowers in 2015. At this point, there is a total of somewhere around $200 billion in subprime auto loans floating around out there, and many of these loans have been “repackaged” and sold to investors. I know – all of this sounds a little too close for comfort to what happened with subprime mortgages the last time around. We never seem to learn from our mistakes, and a lot of investors are going to end up paying the price.
Everything would be fine if the number of subprime borrowers not making their payments was extremely low. And that was true for a while, but now delinquency rates and default rates are rising to levels that we haven’t seen since the last recession. The following comes from Time Magazine…
More
Uh oh – here we go again. Do you remember the subprime mortgage meltdown during the last financial crisis?
Well, now a similar thing is happening with auto loans. The auto industry has been doing better than many other areas of the economy in recent years, but this “mini-boom” was fueled in large part by customers with subprime credit. According to Equifax, an astounding 23.5 percent of all new auto loans were made to subprime borrowers in 2015. At this point, there is a total of somewhere around $200 billion in subprime auto loans floating around out there, and many of these loans have been “repackaged” and sold to investors. I know – all of this sounds a little too close for comfort to what happened with subprime mortgages the last time around. We never seem to learn from our mistakes, and a lot of investors are going to end up paying the price.
Everything would be fine if the number of subprime borrowers not making their payments was extremely low. And that was true for a while, but now delinquency rates and default rates are rising to levels that we haven’t seen since the last recession. The following comes from Time Magazine…
More
POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR: TRUMP HAS 97-99% CHANCE OF BECOMING PRESIDENT
Statistical model accurately predicted Clinton, Bush & Obama victories
A political science professor who has accurately predicted the winners of previous presidential elections asserts that his statistical model shows Donald Trump has a 97-99% chance of taking the Oval Office if he wins the Republican nomination.
Stony Brook University Professor Helmut Norpoth has created a statistical algorithm that uses a candidate’s performance in party primaries and patterns in the electoral cycle to forecast the winner of the presidential election.
Should Trump follow through on his huge momentum and become the Republican nominee, he has a 97% chance of beating Hillary Clinton and a 99% chance of beating Bernie Sanders in the general election, according to Norpoth, who presented his findings at the SUNY Global Center in Manhattan earlier this week.
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A political science professor who has accurately predicted the winners of previous presidential elections asserts that his statistical model shows Donald Trump has a 97-99% chance of taking the Oval Office if he wins the Republican nomination.
Stony Brook University Professor Helmut Norpoth has created a statistical algorithm that uses a candidate’s performance in party primaries and patterns in the electoral cycle to forecast the winner of the presidential election.
Should Trump follow through on his huge momentum and become the Republican nominee, he has a 97% chance of beating Hillary Clinton and a 99% chance of beating Bernie Sanders in the general election, according to Norpoth, who presented his findings at the SUNY Global Center in Manhattan earlier this week.
More
Congressman Harris: Dredging is Crucial to the Eastern Shore of Maryland
SALISBURY, MD: Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) commended the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for working with stakeholders in Maryland’s First District on the issue of dredging the Ocean City Inlet. Recently, the shoaling situation was made worse by Winter Storm Jonas and Congressman Harris has been working with Worcester County, the Town of Ocean City, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to begin dredging the inlet ahead of schedule. USACE announced today that dredging of the Ocean City Inlet would begin on March 4th.
“Shoaling is severely impacting the local economy and livelihood of commercial watermen, while also creating safety issues for both commercial and recreational boaters. Dredging the Ocean City Inlet is crucial to the area and we have been working with all stakeholders – including Worcester County, the Town of Ocean City, the watermen, waterfront businesses, local elected officials, and the Army Corps of Engineers, to ensure it is done in a timely manner and to find a lasting solution,” said Congressman Harris. “It’s a win for the area to have the Army Corps of Engineers begin dredging in Ocean City next week and I commend them for working with us to make it happen.”
Since 2012, Congressman Harris and his staff have been involved with the shoaling issue and have been working hard to solve water-related issues around Ocean City. Congressman Harris is hopeful that the “Stinky Beach Scour Hole” project will help to solve the shoaling issue in Ocean City in the long term.
“Shoaling is severely impacting the local economy and livelihood of commercial watermen, while also creating safety issues for both commercial and recreational boaters. Dredging the Ocean City Inlet is crucial to the area and we have been working with all stakeholders – including Worcester County, the Town of Ocean City, the watermen, waterfront businesses, local elected officials, and the Army Corps of Engineers, to ensure it is done in a timely manner and to find a lasting solution,” said Congressman Harris. “It’s a win for the area to have the Army Corps of Engineers begin dredging in Ocean City next week and I commend them for working with us to make it happen.”
Since 2012, Congressman Harris and his staff have been involved with the shoaling issue and have been working hard to solve water-related issues around Ocean City. Congressman Harris is hopeful that the “Stinky Beach Scour Hole” project will help to solve the shoaling issue in Ocean City in the long term.
Porngate: Inside the XXX Emails that Exposed Pennsylvania's Polluted Politics
A staffer marched into the office and beelined to Kane's desk, pressed into the corner of the room. Kane's steely blue eyes fell to a disc that was resting in the staffer's hand. "We're putting this on your computer because the information is important," he said bluntly. "But I recommend that you not look at these."
Why? Kane thought. It wasn't like the disc contained nuclear codes. All that was on there were old emails that had been sent and received by members of the attorney general's office before Kane occupied it.
So of course she opened up the files. She wasn't some wilting flower; she'd seen dead bodies and worked rape cases, and she prided herself on not being treated like the girl in the room. But when she started clicking, she was at first shocked, then repulsed, then a little—just a little—curious.
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Seaside Ball
(Ocean City, MD) Only a few days left to purchase your ticket to Seaside Christian Academy is excited to announce the annual "Seaside Prince and Princess Ball" to be held on Sunday, March 6th at 1:30p.m. at the Grand Hotel & Spa located on 22nd Street and the Boardwalk in Ocean City, MD.
This event provides an opportunity for families to spend time together creating lasting memories. This year's honorary Queen of the Ball and school board member, Ms. Maureen Purnell, remarks that, "Opportunities for families to do things together are precious. We are meeting that need with the Seaside Ball, and at the same time raising funds for our scholarship program."
The theme this year is: “Spend an Afternoon in the Enchanted Forest”. Tickets must be purchased by March 1st – Tuesday afternoon. Tickets include a formal invitation, music, dancing, plated hot lunch with drink, specially catered for guests of ages, a sundae bar, a red carpet Grand March, photo opportunities and more! Horse-drawn carriage rides on the boardwalk will be available ($5/couple) and will provide the crowning touch of the “Seaside Ball.”
Tickets will be $50/adult and $30/child (age 13 and under). Only 200 tickets will be sold and must be purchased in advance prior to March 1st. Business sponsors wishing to purchase a table should contact the school. Individuals may also donate “Fairy Godmother Tickets” for those students who may not be able to afford to attend.
Christie Endorsement Payback to Rubio for Attacks
"This is payback in that sense," pollMore herester Matt Towery told Newsmax in an interview. "There's no love lost between Christie and Rubio.
"This was a counter-move," he added. "This was a move to counter whatever attention Rubio might've picked up [Thursday] that is a mark of a master strategist.
"It adds to my now-growing belief that Donald Trump is not some political novice, but in fact has a politically strategic mind that is far more sophisticated than most GOP consultants.
"What this has done is the art of the deal," Towery said, referencing Trump's 1987 best-selling book. "This had to be in the works. Trump had it in his back pocket."
More here
#BlackLivesMatter Protests Donald Trump … In KKK Attire
We have zero use for the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Why? Because we believe life matters. And we’re sick of ideologies and organizations fomenting needless division.
Anyway, during last week’s “Republican” caucus election in Nevada – a contest won convincingly by GOP frontrunner Donald Trump – a pair of #BlackLivesMatter protesters arrived at a polling place at Cimarron-Memorial High School (in Las Vegas) dressed in KKK robes.
The protesters carried signs showing their support for Trump and invoking his “Make America Great Again” slogan.
Funny, huh?
Eh … hmmmmm.
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State Department Turns Over 1,600 'Newly-Discovered' Clinton Documents
The State Department turned over 1,600 pages of previously undisclosed documents related to Hillary Clinton and Libya to the House Benghazi committee on Friday, a month after it revealed the existence of the documents in an unrelated court case.
The House Select Committee on Benghazi announced it received the records on Friday, adding that the State Department has yet to fully comply with document requests the committee made nearly a year ago.
“Today the State Department turned over more than 1,600 pages of new documents related to former Secretary Clinton and Libya,” the committee said. “The State [Department] claimed in a January 8th court filing that it only recently discovered these new documents from the Office of the Secretary.”
In January, the State Department disclosed in a court filing that it had recently discovered “thousands” of new documents related to Clinton’s tenure and the Benghazi attack. The filing was in response to a lawsuit by the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, which has been seeking records from Clinton’s time at the State Department.
The documents may be released in response to public records requests, but the copies received by the Benghazi committee are not redacted.
The records come from the Office of the Secretary, which would likely include Clinton’s Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, top aide Huma Abedin, and Clinton’s deputy chief of staff and scheduler.
More here
The House Select Committee on Benghazi announced it received the records on Friday, adding that the State Department has yet to fully comply with document requests the committee made nearly a year ago.
“Today the State Department turned over more than 1,600 pages of new documents related to former Secretary Clinton and Libya,” the committee said. “The State [Department] claimed in a January 8th court filing that it only recently discovered these new documents from the Office of the Secretary.”
In January, the State Department disclosed in a court filing that it had recently discovered “thousands” of new documents related to Clinton’s tenure and the Benghazi attack. The filing was in response to a lawsuit by the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, which has been seeking records from Clinton’s time at the State Department.
The documents may be released in response to public records requests, but the copies received by the Benghazi committee are not redacted.
The records come from the Office of the Secretary, which would likely include Clinton’s Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, top aide Huma Abedin, and Clinton’s deputy chief of staff and scheduler.
More here
Failed St. Louis VA Chief Got Plush Job, Free House in Philippines
Rima Nelson disappeared from public view after the St. Louis Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital she managed potentially exposed 1,800 patients to HIV, was closed twice for serious medical safety issues, and ranked dead last in patient satisfaction.
But Nelson wasn’t fired. Her VA superiors hid her literally on the other side of the Earth in 2013 at the department’s only foreign facility, a seldom-used clinic inside the palatial U.S. Embassy in the Philippine capital city of Manila.
She resides in a government-provided condo and gets the same $160,000 salary she made in St. Louis, which allows her to live like royalty in a country where the average person makes only $2,500 a year.
The Manila VA office provides outpatient care and disability checks to the few surviving Filipino World War II veterans who fought alongside Americans against the Japanese. The occasional American veteran who happens to be in the country can also get outpatient care in the Manila VA facility.
The Government Accountability Office questioned in 2011 whether the office was still needed since the last members of the WWII generation of vets were rapidly dying.
On Monday, The Daily Caller News Foundation published a story and database documenting VA’s “bad bosses merry-go-round,” in which the department attempts to solve problems at one facility by bringing in a director who is often fleeing problems at another facility. The merry-go-round exists because civil service rules make it costly and time-consuming to fire top government managers.
Nelson — one of nearly 100 top VA managers TheDCNF found were transferred between three or more states within eight years — became director of the St. Louis facility in February 2009. In mid-2010, its dental unit shut down for a time after the hospital notified 1,800 vets that issues with sterilizing dental equipment could have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis.
Earlene Johnson, a medical device tech, told Congress she tried to warn management starting in March 2009, but no one listened. Johnson was then fired by the VA in retaliation, Johnson testified.
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But Nelson wasn’t fired. Her VA superiors hid her literally on the other side of the Earth in 2013 at the department’s only foreign facility, a seldom-used clinic inside the palatial U.S. Embassy in the Philippine capital city of Manila.
She resides in a government-provided condo and gets the same $160,000 salary she made in St. Louis, which allows her to live like royalty in a country where the average person makes only $2,500 a year.
The Manila VA office provides outpatient care and disability checks to the few surviving Filipino World War II veterans who fought alongside Americans against the Japanese. The occasional American veteran who happens to be in the country can also get outpatient care in the Manila VA facility.
The Government Accountability Office questioned in 2011 whether the office was still needed since the last members of the WWII generation of vets were rapidly dying.
On Monday, The Daily Caller News Foundation published a story and database documenting VA’s “bad bosses merry-go-round,” in which the department attempts to solve problems at one facility by bringing in a director who is often fleeing problems at another facility. The merry-go-round exists because civil service rules make it costly and time-consuming to fire top government managers.
Nelson — one of nearly 100 top VA managers TheDCNF found were transferred between three or more states within eight years — became director of the St. Louis facility in February 2009. In mid-2010, its dental unit shut down for a time after the hospital notified 1,800 vets that issues with sterilizing dental equipment could have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis.
Earlene Johnson, a medical device tech, told Congress she tried to warn management starting in March 2009, but no one listened. Johnson was then fired by the VA in retaliation, Johnson testified.
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Baltimore Professor: White People Need To Personally Give All Their Money To Black People…
Yes, you read that title correctly.
Unfortunately some of you were born white. Guilty. All that money you’re making? If you’re white, you didn’t earn that. Somebody else made that happen.
So here’s what you should do. Take that extra savings you have, or money you were saving for a family trip to Disney World, and give it away. Not to starving children or to the Red Cross, though. You’re supposed to find a black person, any black person, and deposit that money directly into their bank account. Solely because they are black. Does that sound racist in and of itself?
Your white privilege is showing.
Now, lest ye think we deserve a boatload of hatemail for suggesting such a thing, we direct you to the source of this utter lunacy: Lawrence Brown. Mr. Brown is an assistant professor in the Public Health Department at Morgan State University in Baltimore. This leftist activist teaches that black Americans require reparations, that America is still segregated, and black Americans continue to suffer from the historical trauma of white supremacist America.
His solution to these perceived problems? Take your white privilege money (which he defines as “unearned” if you are white), and give it to a black person. Because you’re personally responsible for slavery and need to pay. Or something. Seriously. See below.
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Unfortunately some of you were born white. Guilty. All that money you’re making? If you’re white, you didn’t earn that. Somebody else made that happen.
So here’s what you should do. Take that extra savings you have, or money you were saving for a family trip to Disney World, and give it away. Not to starving children or to the Red Cross, though. You’re supposed to find a black person, any black person, and deposit that money directly into their bank account. Solely because they are black. Does that sound racist in and of itself?
Your white privilege is showing.
Now, lest ye think we deserve a boatload of hatemail for suggesting such a thing, we direct you to the source of this utter lunacy: Lawrence Brown. Mr. Brown is an assistant professor in the Public Health Department at Morgan State University in Baltimore. This leftist activist teaches that black Americans require reparations, that America is still segregated, and black Americans continue to suffer from the historical trauma of white supremacist America.
His solution to these perceived problems? Take your white privilege money (which he defines as “unearned” if you are white), and give it to a black person. Because you’re personally responsible for slavery and need to pay. Or something. Seriously. See below.
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Heritage's von Spakovsky: Obama Wants Non-Citizens to Vote
The Obama Administration wants non-citizens to be allowed to vote in the upcoming election, and that's why it opposes voter ID laws, Hans A. von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, tells Newsmax TV.
Von Spakovsky, a former FEC and U.S. Department of Justice lawyer, wrote about the issue at National Review where he detailed the current Justice Department's efforts to undermine U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
"A number of states have been very smart, Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Arizona, and they have passed laws that say that when you register to vote, you have to provide proof of U.S. citizenship," he said Wednesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show." Kansas then went to EAC and said it needed to change the instructions for residents of the states using the federal form to include a proof of citizenship.
That brought a lawsuit from the NAACP, the League of Women Voters and Project Vote saying proof of citizenship cannot be required. The Justice Department, which is tasked with defending federal agencies refused to do so, and also refused to allow the EAC to hire its own lawyers.
"It's a Catch-22," von Spakovsky said.
But he said Federal Judge Richard Leon said he had not seen such action from Justice Department in his entire career, and the EAC will ask him to appoint legal representation.
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Von Spakovsky, a former FEC and U.S. Department of Justice lawyer, wrote about the issue at National Review where he detailed the current Justice Department's efforts to undermine U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
"A number of states have been very smart, Kansas, Alabama, Georgia, Arizona, and they have passed laws that say that when you register to vote, you have to provide proof of U.S. citizenship," he said Wednesday on "The Steve Malzberg Show." Kansas then went to EAC and said it needed to change the instructions for residents of the states using the federal form to include a proof of citizenship.
That brought a lawsuit from the NAACP, the League of Women Voters and Project Vote saying proof of citizenship cannot be required. The Justice Department, which is tasked with defending federal agencies refused to do so, and also refused to allow the EAC to hire its own lawyers.
"It's a Catch-22," von Spakovsky said.
But he said Federal Judge Richard Leon said he had not seen such action from Justice Department in his entire career, and the EAC will ask him to appoint legal representation.
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The FDA Now Officially Belongs to Big Pharma
Robert Califf's ties to Big Pharma run deep and the Obama nominee just sailed through the U.S. Senate.
It is hard to believe only four senators opposed the confirmation of Robert Califf, who was approved today as the next FDA commissioner. Vocal opponent Bernie Sanders condemned the vote from the campaign trail. But where was Dick Durbin? Where were all the lawmakers who say they care about industry and Wall Street profiteers making money at the expense of public health?
Califf, chancellor of clinical and translational research at Duke University until recently, received money from 23 drug companies including the giants like Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Merck, Schering Plough and GSK according to a disclosure statement on the website of Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Not merely receiving research funds, Califf also served as a high level Pharma officer, say press reports. Medscape, the medical website, discloses that Califf “served as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for Genentech.” Portola Pharmaceuticals says Califf served on its board of directors until leaving for the FDA.
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It is hard to believe only four senators opposed the confirmation of Robert Califf, who was approved today as the next FDA commissioner. Vocal opponent Bernie Sanders condemned the vote from the campaign trail. But where was Dick Durbin? Where were all the lawmakers who say they care about industry and Wall Street profiteers making money at the expense of public health?
Califf, chancellor of clinical and translational research at Duke University until recently, received money from 23 drug companies including the giants like Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Merck, Schering Plough and GSK according to a disclosure statement on the website of Duke Clinical Research Institute.
Not merely receiving research funds, Califf also served as a high level Pharma officer, say press reports. Medscape, the medical website, discloses that Califf “served as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for Genentech.” Portola Pharmaceuticals says Califf served on its board of directors until leaving for the FDA.
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What Does It Take to End a Teacher Shortage?
Prairie View Elementary School doesn’t usually have trouble attracting new teachers. It’s one of the more affluent schools in rural Enid, Oklahoma, housed in the district’s newest building, which looks out on to wheat fields.
“When I started having trouble hiring teachers — I can only imagine what the other principals are doing,” said Prairie View’s principal, Clark Koepping.
Schools nationwide are reporting teacher shortages that go beyond the chronic struggle to fill positions at low-income schools and in subjects such as science and special education. Oklahoma, where education funding has been slashed, may be the hardest hit state.
Like many of her counterparts, Republican Gov. Mary Fallin has focused on one solution: giving teachers a raise. Her latest budget proposal finds money for teacher pay increases despite declining revenue and a projected $1.3 billion deficit for fiscal 2017.
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“When I started having trouble hiring teachers — I can only imagine what the other principals are doing,” said Prairie View’s principal, Clark Koepping.
Schools nationwide are reporting teacher shortages that go beyond the chronic struggle to fill positions at low-income schools and in subjects such as science and special education. Oklahoma, where education funding has been slashed, may be the hardest hit state.
Like many of her counterparts, Republican Gov. Mary Fallin has focused on one solution: giving teachers a raise. Her latest budget proposal finds money for teacher pay increases despite declining revenue and a projected $1.3 billion deficit for fiscal 2017.
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Bible Clubs in Ohio Schools Face Atheist Complaint
Student Bible clubs in at least two Fairfield County schools have been temporarily suspended after administrators received a complaint that area religious leaders were heading the groups.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a non-profit group that serves as a watchdog over issues involving separation of church and state, sent letters to four school districts regarding Bible studies held in eight high schools, junior high schools and middle schools before class or on lunch breaks.
Such groups violate protections of separation of church and state if they are led or regularly attended by local pastors, claims Ryan Jayne, a legal fellow at the Wisconsin-based foundation.
"Public school districts must ensure that student religious groups are genuinely student-initiated and student-run, and that outside adults do not regularly participate in the clubs," said a letter from the group to Lancaster City Schools Superintendent Steve Wigton.
Similar letters were sent to the Bloom-Carroll Local School District, Fairfield Union Local Schools and Liberty Union-Thurston Local Schools.
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The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a non-profit group that serves as a watchdog over issues involving separation of church and state, sent letters to four school districts regarding Bible studies held in eight high schools, junior high schools and middle schools before class or on lunch breaks.
Such groups violate protections of separation of church and state if they are led or regularly attended by local pastors, claims Ryan Jayne, a legal fellow at the Wisconsin-based foundation.
"Public school districts must ensure that student religious groups are genuinely student-initiated and student-run, and that outside adults do not regularly participate in the clubs," said a letter from the group to Lancaster City Schools Superintendent Steve Wigton.
Similar letters were sent to the Bloom-Carroll Local School District, Fairfield Union Local Schools and Liberty Union-Thurston Local Schools.
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Billionaire Asks for $30 Million to Let Public Access Beach
Dem donor Vinod Khosla has posted armed guards to stop beach-goers
Billionaire Vinod Khosla has had 53 acres of beach property near San Francisco roped-off for his private use since 2010 and is finally willing to open it back up to the public—if California pays him $30 million, the New York Times reports.
The offer by lawyers for the billionaire, Vinod Khosla, was the latest salvo in a case that has touched a nerve in California as resentment grows over issues of wealth, privilege, and public land use. The case has generated years of protests as it wound its way through state courts, where two lawsuits aim to force Mr. Khosla, who does not live on the property, to let the public back in.
About eight years ago, Mr. Khosla, a founder of Sun Microsystems, snapped up a prime 53-acre parcel of Martins Beach for $37.5 million. The parcel, about four miles south of Half Moon Bay on the San Francisco Peninsula, includes the beach and the road. And for a century, California’s State Lands Commission said, the land had been a haven for the beachgoing public.
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Billionaire Vinod Khosla has had 53 acres of beach property near San Francisco roped-off for his private use since 2010 and is finally willing to open it back up to the public—if California pays him $30 million, the New York Times reports.
The offer by lawyers for the billionaire, Vinod Khosla, was the latest salvo in a case that has touched a nerve in California as resentment grows over issues of wealth, privilege, and public land use. The case has generated years of protests as it wound its way through state courts, where two lawsuits aim to force Mr. Khosla, who does not live on the property, to let the public back in.
About eight years ago, Mr. Khosla, a founder of Sun Microsystems, snapped up a prime 53-acre parcel of Martins Beach for $37.5 million. The parcel, about four miles south of Half Moon Bay on the San Francisco Peninsula, includes the beach and the road. And for a century, California’s State Lands Commission said, the land had been a haven for the beachgoing public.
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Update: Kohls - Closing 18 Stores in 2016
It’s paring down its 1,160-store fleet.
Kohl’s KSS 3.25% will close 18 stores in 2016 in anticipation of another year of meager sales gains. The number may not sound huge, but it’s the first time in memory that the retailer will shutter that many locations.
Earlier this month, Kohl’s reported comparable sales rose a modest 0.4% during the holiday season. Now the department store expects comparable sales, which exclude recently closed or opened stores, to range from unchanged to rising 1% for most in 2016. Total sales may even fall, Kohl’s warned investors on Thursday. So now the retailer has decided to pare some of its 1,160-store fleet. (Macy’s has also announced store closings because of weak sales.)
Kohl’s has not yet said where the closings will occur.
“While the decision to close stores is a difficult one, we evaluated all of the elements that contribute to making a store successful, and we were thoughtful and strategic in our approach. We are committed to leveraging our resources on our more productive assets,” Kohl’s CEO Kevin Mansell said in an interview.
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Kohl’s KSS 3.25% will close 18 stores in 2016 in anticipation of another year of meager sales gains. The number may not sound huge, but it’s the first time in memory that the retailer will shutter that many locations.
Earlier this month, Kohl’s reported comparable sales rose a modest 0.4% during the holiday season. Now the department store expects comparable sales, which exclude recently closed or opened stores, to range from unchanged to rising 1% for most in 2016. Total sales may even fall, Kohl’s warned investors on Thursday. So now the retailer has decided to pare some of its 1,160-store fleet. (Macy’s has also announced store closings because of weak sales.)
Kohl’s has not yet said where the closings will occur.
“While the decision to close stores is a difficult one, we evaluated all of the elements that contribute to making a store successful, and we were thoughtful and strategic in our approach. We are committed to leveraging our resources on our more productive assets,” Kohl’s CEO Kevin Mansell said in an interview.
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Senator, County At Odds Over Package Goods Measure; Commissioners Support House Legislation
BERLIN — One week after Worcester officials threw their support behind a bill introduced in the House to pursue an exit strategy for the county’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC), Senator Jim Mathias responded to criticism his legislation did not represent the county’s wishes.
As part of the exit strategy for the beleaguered DLC, a pair of bills has been introduced in the General Assembly creating a Class A beer, wine and liquor license in Worcester that would essentially allow for new private sector package goods stores in the county. The bills would also permit existing businesses that sell beer and wine to add liquor to their line of merchandise by acquiring the new Class A license.
For decades, all liquor had to be purchased at county-run retail stores for off-site or carryout consumption, with the exception of a few grandfathered businesses that were allowed to sell liquor off-site. However, faced with drooping revenues and stiff competition from liquor wholesalers following an upheaval of the old Liquor Control Board (LCB) system, the county is now planning an exit strategy.
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As part of the exit strategy for the beleaguered DLC, a pair of bills has been introduced in the General Assembly creating a Class A beer, wine and liquor license in Worcester that would essentially allow for new private sector package goods stores in the county. The bills would also permit existing businesses that sell beer and wine to add liquor to their line of merchandise by acquiring the new Class A license.
For decades, all liquor had to be purchased at county-run retail stores for off-site or carryout consumption, with the exception of a few grandfathered businesses that were allowed to sell liquor off-site. However, faced with drooping revenues and stiff competition from liquor wholesalers following an upheaval of the old Liquor Control Board (LCB) system, the county is now planning an exit strategy.
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Democrats & Guns
In 1881 a left wing radical Democrat shot James Garfield, President of the United States - who later died from the wound.
In 1963 a radical left wing socialist shot and killed John F. Kennedy, President of the United States .
In 1975 a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at Gerald Ford, President of the United States .
In 1983 a registered Democrat shot and wounded Ronald Reagan, President of the United States .
In 1984 James Hubert, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 22 people in a McDonalds restaurant.
In 1986 Patrick Sherrill, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 15 people in an Oklahoma post office.
In 1990 James Pough, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 10 people at a GMAC office.
In 1991 George Hennard, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 23 people in a Luby's cafeteria in Killeen , TX .
In 1995 James Daniel Simpson, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 5 coworkers in a Texas laboratory.
In 1999 Larry Asbrook, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 8 people at a church service.
In 2001 a left wing radical Democrat fired shots at the White House in a failed attempt to kill George W. Bush, President of the US ...
In 2003 Douglas Williams, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 7 people at a Lockheed Martin plant.
In 2007 a registered Democrat named Seung - Hui Cho, shot and killed 32 people in Virginia Tech.
In 2010 a mentally ill registered Democrat named Jared Lee Loughner, shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed 6 others.
In 2011 a registered Democrat named James Holmes, went into a movie theater and shot and killed 12people.
In 2012 Andrew Engeldinger, a disgruntled Democrat, shot and killed 7 people in Minneapolis.
In 2013 a registered Democrat named Adam Lanza, shot and killed 26 people in a school in Newtown , CT.
As recently as Sept 2013, an angry Democrat shot 12 at a Navy ship yard.
Clearly, there is a problem with Democrats and guns.
Not one NRA member, Tea Party member, or Republican conservative was involved in any of these shootings and murders.
SOLUTION: It should be illegal for Democrats to own guns. We don't need gun control, we need Democrat control. Guns don't kill people, Democrats do!
Grassley: 'I Don't Care If I Ever Go Down In History'
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley doesn't care about how history will judge him for refusing to consider President Obama's next Supreme Court justice nominee.
"Do you think I spend my days wondering about how Chuck Grassley will go down in history?" the Iowa Republican told reporters Wednesday.
"I don't care if I ever go down in history," Grassley added, "I'm here to do my job."
Grassley also pushed back against criticism from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, R-Nev., that he is an "obstructionist."
"I've been a leader on the Judiciary Committee for the last five years, first as ranking member and now as chairman," he said. "I think Congress has passed more than 320 judges and only disproved two. So, if I wanted to obstruct, I could obstruct. But I think this proves we haven't been doing that."
On the Senate floor Tuesday, Reid said Grassley will go down as the "most obstructionist" chairman in history.
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"Do you think I spend my days wondering about how Chuck Grassley will go down in history?" the Iowa Republican told reporters Wednesday.
"I don't care if I ever go down in history," Grassley added, "I'm here to do my job."
Grassley also pushed back against criticism from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, R-Nev., that he is an "obstructionist."
"I've been a leader on the Judiciary Committee for the last five years, first as ranking member and now as chairman," he said. "I think Congress has passed more than 320 judges and only disproved two. So, if I wanted to obstruct, I could obstruct. But I think this proves we haven't been doing that."
On the Senate floor Tuesday, Reid said Grassley will go down as the "most obstructionist" chairman in history.
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China Heading Toward Operational, Tactical Control of Major U.S. Trade Route
(CNSNews.com) - If China continues to arm all of the bases they've reclaimed in the South China Sea...they will change the operational landscape in the region," Admiral Harry Harris, head of U.S. Pacific Command, told a news conference on Thursday.
"And short of war with the United States, they can become -- they can rise to the level of having operational control, tactical control of the waterways and airways in the South China Sea, which today, involves about $5.3 trillion of trade, over a billion of which -- over a trillion of which is destined for the United States.
"There are enormous I.T. infrastructure in the...undersea cables in the South China Sea. It's a principle shipping lane, as we've discussed.
"And I think that, again, short of war with the United States, China will exercise de facto control of the South China Sea, if they are -- if they continue to outfit the bases that they've reclaimed there."
Harris said China, in the past few years, has reclaimed almost 3,000 acres of land from the South China Sea, turning many of the islands into military bases.
"I am of the opinion that they are militarizing the South China Sea," Harris said.
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"And short of war with the United States, they can become -- they can rise to the level of having operational control, tactical control of the waterways and airways in the South China Sea, which today, involves about $5.3 trillion of trade, over a billion of which -- over a trillion of which is destined for the United States.
"There are enormous I.T. infrastructure in the...undersea cables in the South China Sea. It's a principle shipping lane, as we've discussed.
"And I think that, again, short of war with the United States, China will exercise de facto control of the South China Sea, if they are -- if they continue to outfit the bases that they've reclaimed there."
Harris said China, in the past few years, has reclaimed almost 3,000 acres of land from the South China Sea, turning many of the islands into military bases.
"I am of the opinion that they are militarizing the South China Sea," Harris said.
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Editorial: Support live video of State House happenings
Technology can be a beautiful thing, especially when that technology promotes open government.
It seems Gov. Larry Hogan feels the same way, throwing his support behind bipartisan legislation that would outfit the historic Maryland State House with video cameras in order to livestream debates of both the House of Delegates and Senate on the Internet. Video of the debates would also be archived online.
House Bill 316 is sponsored by Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Harford County Republican, and Del. David Moon, a Montgomery County Democrat.
Hogan also said he supports livestreaming voting sessions of all committees. Bill hearings are currently livestreamed, but not all debate and voting sessions are.
While the General Assembly provides audio from floor sessions on its website and archive recordings, Maryland is one of just seven states that don't offer video streaming of legislative floor sessions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
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It seems Gov. Larry Hogan feels the same way, throwing his support behind bipartisan legislation that would outfit the historic Maryland State House with video cameras in order to livestream debates of both the House of Delegates and Senate on the Internet. Video of the debates would also be archived online.
House Bill 316 is sponsored by Del. Kathy Szeliga, a Harford County Republican, and Del. David Moon, a Montgomery County Democrat.
Hogan also said he supports livestreaming voting sessions of all committees. Bill hearings are currently livestreamed, but not all debate and voting sessions are.
While the General Assembly provides audio from floor sessions on its website and archive recordings, Maryland is one of just seven states that don't offer video streaming of legislative floor sessions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
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Delaware State Police Use of Cell Site Simulators
The Delaware State Police does possess a cell site simulator that is designed to allow our Troopers to locate a lawfully targeted cellphone. The tool is used in felonious cases or life threatening events, to include the location of missing persons who are in harm’s way. The cell site simulator is an effective tool in keeping the citizens of Delaware safe. Unfortunately, there are widely held misconceptions about the usage of cell site simulators.
In the case of cell site simulators, numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have determined that the public release of technical details, applications, and operational procedures would create a significant detriment to the protection of their communities by providing criminal elements with the ability to circumvent the devices. Law enforcement agencies must always balance the desire to provide the public with full disclosure on the details of sensitive investigative and protective techniques versus the substantial risk that such knowledge would allow criminals to avoid detection and cause serious harm to law enforcement personnel and members of the community.
In an effort to address common concerns, while also keeping the cell site simulator as a relevant tool, the Delaware State Police is providing the following facts on the utilization of the device:
Since the inception of the utilization of this tool, the Delaware State Police has always sought legal authority, from the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, signed by a Superior Court Judge before the cell site simulator can be operated by an investigator of the Delaware State Police.
In the case of cell site simulators, numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have determined that the public release of technical details, applications, and operational procedures would create a significant detriment to the protection of their communities by providing criminal elements with the ability to circumvent the devices. Law enforcement agencies must always balance the desire to provide the public with full disclosure on the details of sensitive investigative and protective techniques versus the substantial risk that such knowledge would allow criminals to avoid detection and cause serious harm to law enforcement personnel and members of the community.
In an effort to address common concerns, while also keeping the cell site simulator as a relevant tool, the Delaware State Police is providing the following facts on the utilization of the device:
Since the inception of the utilization of this tool, the Delaware State Police has always sought legal authority, from the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, signed by a Superior Court Judge before the cell site simulator can be operated by an investigator of the Delaware State Police.
Homeland Security Is Spilling a Lot of Secrets
The Department of Homeland Security suffered over 100 "spills" of classified information last year, 40 percent of which came from one office, according to a leaked internal document I obtained. Officials and lawmakers told me that until the Department imposes stricter policies and sounder practices to better protect sensitive intelligence, the vulnerabilities there could be exploited. Not only does this raise the threat that hostile actors could get their hands on classified information, but may lead to other U.S. agencies keeping DHS out of the loop on major security issues.
A spill is not the same as an unauthorized disclosure of classified information. A Homeland Security official explained that spills often include “the accidental, inadvertent, or intentional introduction of classified information into an unclassified information technology system, or higher-level classified information into a lower-level classified information technology system, to include non-government systems.”
Examples include: using a copier not approved for the level of classified information copied; failing to properly mark a classified product; transmitting classified information on an unclassified system like Gmail; or sending classified information to someone who, while having the proper level of clearance, is not authorized to read a section of information sent to them, the official said.
There were 119 of these classified spills reported throughout the Homeland Security Department in fiscal year 2015, according to the internal document, which itself is unclassified.
More here
A spill is not the same as an unauthorized disclosure of classified information. A Homeland Security official explained that spills often include “the accidental, inadvertent, or intentional introduction of classified information into an unclassified information technology system, or higher-level classified information into a lower-level classified information technology system, to include non-government systems.”
Examples include: using a copier not approved for the level of classified information copied; failing to properly mark a classified product; transmitting classified information on an unclassified system like Gmail; or sending classified information to someone who, while having the proper level of clearance, is not authorized to read a section of information sent to them, the official said.
There were 119 of these classified spills reported throughout the Homeland Security Department in fiscal year 2015, according to the internal document, which itself is unclassified.
More here
Is Civil Defense the Way to Defeat the 'Knife Intifada'?
Has the paradigm of war shifted? How can Israel fight 'lone wolves'? The answer, says a former MK, is empowering Israeli citizens themselves.
Since the current so-called "wave of terror" began last year, analysts, politicians and security experts alike have struggled to define the new phase of Arab violence buffeting Israel.
The problem to a great degree lies in the difficulty observers have in conceptualizing the ongoing violence within conventional paradigms. The State of Israel has long since moved on from the paradigm of conventional warfare it fought during the first four decades of its existence - but even the paradigm of organized terrorism, which came to a height in the Second Intifada and continued to bubble for years since, no longer appears relevant in the face of what has been inadequately defined as the "Intifada of the knives."
That, says one security expert and former Knesset Member, is because such paradigms are indeed no longer relevant - and to defeat it, Israel's basic security doctrine must undergo a radical shift.
Yoni Chetboun, a one-time Jewish Home party MK and member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, has had a distinguished military career.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva shortly after recent training, Chetboun described how it had struck him that the security establishment was entering a new phase of warfare without even knowing it - one which brought individual citizens to the front line not just as victims, but as active players in the struggle for their own security.
"During my three months training to be a Battalion Commander, I met some of the strongest, most inspiring people in Israel - professionals in their 40s who leave their work for months on end, from hi tech, public positions, and senior management, to help command the Israel Defense Forces.
Keep reading..
Since the current so-called "wave of terror" began last year, analysts, politicians and security experts alike have struggled to define the new phase of Arab violence buffeting Israel.
The problem to a great degree lies in the difficulty observers have in conceptualizing the ongoing violence within conventional paradigms. The State of Israel has long since moved on from the paradigm of conventional warfare it fought during the first four decades of its existence - but even the paradigm of organized terrorism, which came to a height in the Second Intifada and continued to bubble for years since, no longer appears relevant in the face of what has been inadequately defined as the "Intifada of the knives."
That, says one security expert and former Knesset Member, is because such paradigms are indeed no longer relevant - and to defeat it, Israel's basic security doctrine must undergo a radical shift.
Yoni Chetboun, a one-time Jewish Home party MK and member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, has had a distinguished military career.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva shortly after recent training, Chetboun described how it had struck him that the security establishment was entering a new phase of warfare without even knowing it - one which brought individual citizens to the front line not just as victims, but as active players in the struggle for their own security.
"During my three months training to be a Battalion Commander, I met some of the strongest, most inspiring people in Israel - professionals in their 40s who leave their work for months on end, from hi tech, public positions, and senior management, to help command the Israel Defense Forces.
Keep reading..
Prepaid Ambulance Tickets Aren’t A Bad Idea, Unless Salespeople Mislead You
CBS Sacramento looked into the tickets when a viewer complained that his mother had been sold a ticket and was told that it would cover 100% of the bill if she needed to take an ambulance. The station checked it out, and that was indeed what they were told.
One drugstore clerk explained that the tickets were “like insurance.” Residents just had to pay $100 to cover their ambulance rides all year.
More
MyFundNow Launches a Lower Cost Alternative for Crowdfunders
“MyFundNow has been designed to be an affordable alternative to the larger crowdfunding sites in the marketplace. Repeated studies have shown that even when using Gofundme or Indiegogo, the vast majority of campaigns are funded by people you already know or have connections to. MyFundNow lowers the cost of raising funds without sacrificing the tools you get at other places,” said Brent Murphy, founder of MyFundNow.
Crowdfunding websites are used to raise funds for a wide range of causes and ideas. MyFundNow’s goal is to make crowdfunding affordable and flexible for those seeking to raise funds to support their dreams.
Town Officials Not Pleased With Man Who Patched Neighborhood Potholes Himself
The problem isn’t necessarily that a man in Massachusetts went out and patched some holes in his street himself, at his own expense. The town prefers to use hot asphalt instead of the patching material he used. The core problem is that he happens be the sales manager for the company that sells that patching material.
2016 Lincoln Day Dinner
The Worcester County Republican Central Committee will host its 2016 Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday, March 12th at the Atlantic Hotel, 2 N. Main Street in Berlin beginning at at 6:00 p.m. The speaker, Michael Anthony Peroutka of "The Institute on the Constitution" will give a presentation on "The Founders and the American View of Law and Government".
The cost is $50.00 per person, and there with be four (4) dinner choices.
For more information, call 443-614-4953.
The cost is $50.00 per person, and there with be four (4) dinner choices.
For more information, call 443-614-4953.
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