As the Army continues to reduce its total force to under a million regular, guard and reservists by 2018, the service is preparing to cut another 14,000 soldiers.
Of those 14,000 the Army needs to cut to reach its intended numbers, 10,000 will be officers, said Gen. Daniel Allyn, vice chief of staff of the Army.
The Army has been planning to reduce its military personnel from 1.3 million to 980,000 since the release of the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review.
“With 186,000 deployed on a daily basis in 140 countries, you understand my discomfort with trying to continue to meet emergent demands and current operations with a force that is getting smaller,” Allyn said during a March 15 Senate Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee hearing.
The Army currently has 482,000 active-duty soldiers. That will be reduced to 475,000 by the end of fiscal 2016. The number will be further reduced to 450,000 by 2018.
Allyn said the soldiers who were cut in previous rounds of layoffs were highly seasoned.
“Over 50 percent of those we were asking to separate involuntarily had two or more combat deployments, so these are all soldiers that have answered the call of the nation; they have served admirably and because of the program force structure we must separate [from] them,” Allyn said.
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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
Friday, March 18, 2016
Are We Headed to a Contested Convention?
Last night, the major step toward the Republicans ending in a contested, or brokered, convention occurred. Ohio Gov. John Kasich won his home state, claiming its 66 Winner-Take-All delegates.
Though Donald Trump had a strong night, placing first in the other four states and carrying the Northern Marianas Winner-Take-All territorial caucus the day before (9 delegates), he still has a difficult task to commit the majority of Republican delegates before the Republican National Convention begins on July 18th.
At this point, the votes of 1,489 Republican delegates are either committed to a candidate or will go to the convention as unbound. This means 983 delegates remain. Of the 983 delegate votes, 152 would be unbound according to individual state party rule; hence, they become the Republican version of “Super Delegates”. The remaining 831 will be committed, or bound, votes.
To win the nomination, Donald Trump must secure 57.3% of the remaining delegates. But, to officially clinch the nomination before the convention, he would need 67.7% of the bound delegates. Both percentages may be out of reach, considering he has committed just 45.3% of the available votes to this point. Now with only two opponents remaining, his take of the available delegate pool will naturally grow – but to what extent?
The key becomes Gov. Kasich’s performance. Though neither he nor Sen. Ted Cruz can reach the majority mark themselves, the two can certainly force the contested convention.
Sen. Cruz’s contention that he can beat Trump one-on-one if the others – and now just Kasich, since Sen. Marco Rubio suspended his campaign after the Florida result last night – drop out may not be accurate.
The remaining states, centered largely in the northeast with New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Maryland still yet to vote, favor Trump, but to what degree is yet unknown. And, California, with the largest delegate contingent (172) that will vote in a Winner-Take-All by congressional district format on June 7th, may well play the deciding role.
The delegate results:
Republicans
CANDIDATE ESTIMATED DELEGATE COUNT
Donald Trump 674
Ted Cruz 413
John Kasich 146
Marco Rubio 172 (out)
Others 15
Uncommitted 26
Needed to win: 1,237 Remaining: 983
Delegate Count Source: Unofficial - The Green Papers website
Note: this count includes some unbound delegates who have announced their preference. Therefore, these individuals can still change their vote up until the first convention roll call. Approximately 78 delegates are in this category.
Democrats
Hillary Clinton had a big night yesterday, placing first in all five states and potentially delivering the political knockout blow that she’s needed. Counting the announced Super Delegates, her lead is becoming insurmountable.
CANDIDATE REGULAR DELEGATES SUPER DELEGATES
Hillary Clinton 1,094 467
Bernie Sanders 774 26
Total Clinton: 1,561
Total Sanders: 800
Needed to win: 2,383
Delegate Count Source: Unofficial – New York Times
Note: approximately 336 Super Delegates from the states that have now voted remain uncommitted
Source: AAN
Though Donald Trump had a strong night, placing first in the other four states and carrying the Northern Marianas Winner-Take-All territorial caucus the day before (9 delegates), he still has a difficult task to commit the majority of Republican delegates before the Republican National Convention begins on July 18th.
At this point, the votes of 1,489 Republican delegates are either committed to a candidate or will go to the convention as unbound. This means 983 delegates remain. Of the 983 delegate votes, 152 would be unbound according to individual state party rule; hence, they become the Republican version of “Super Delegates”. The remaining 831 will be committed, or bound, votes.
To win the nomination, Donald Trump must secure 57.3% of the remaining delegates. But, to officially clinch the nomination before the convention, he would need 67.7% of the bound delegates. Both percentages may be out of reach, considering he has committed just 45.3% of the available votes to this point. Now with only two opponents remaining, his take of the available delegate pool will naturally grow – but to what extent?
The key becomes Gov. Kasich’s performance. Though neither he nor Sen. Ted Cruz can reach the majority mark themselves, the two can certainly force the contested convention.
Sen. Cruz’s contention that he can beat Trump one-on-one if the others – and now just Kasich, since Sen. Marco Rubio suspended his campaign after the Florida result last night – drop out may not be accurate.
The remaining states, centered largely in the northeast with New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Maryland still yet to vote, favor Trump, but to what degree is yet unknown. And, California, with the largest delegate contingent (172) that will vote in a Winner-Take-All by congressional district format on June 7th, may well play the deciding role.
The delegate results:
Republicans
CANDIDATE ESTIMATED DELEGATE COUNT
Donald Trump 674
Ted Cruz 413
John Kasich 146
Marco Rubio 172 (out)
Others 15
Uncommitted 26
Needed to win: 1,237 Remaining: 983
Delegate Count Source: Unofficial - The Green Papers website
Note: this count includes some unbound delegates who have announced their preference. Therefore, these individuals can still change their vote up until the first convention roll call. Approximately 78 delegates are in this category.
Democrats
Hillary Clinton had a big night yesterday, placing first in all five states and potentially delivering the political knockout blow that she’s needed. Counting the announced Super Delegates, her lead is becoming insurmountable.
CANDIDATE REGULAR DELEGATES SUPER DELEGATES
Hillary Clinton 1,094 467
Bernie Sanders 774 26
Total Clinton: 1,561
Total Sanders: 800
Needed to win: 2,383
Delegate Count Source: Unofficial – New York Times
Note: approximately 336 Super Delegates from the states that have now voted remain uncommitted
Frightening Facts You Need to Know About Obama's Supreme Court Nominee
2. Garland has favored environmental regulations. As SCOTUSblog noted in 2010: “On environmental law, Judge Garland has in a number of cases favored contested EPA regulations and actions when challenged by industry, and in other cases he has accepted challenges brought by environmental groups.” That could be very important, with Obama’s Clean Power Plan in the balance.
3. Garland’s positions on abortion and social issues are murky. Some liberals are worried that Garland may not be unambiguously pro-choice. Richard Wolf of USA Today writes: “During 19 years at the D.C. Circuit, Garland has managed to keep a low profile. The court’s largely administrative docket has left him without known positions on issues such as abortion or the death penalty.”
4. Garland would maintain the Court’s demographic profile. He is the second Chicagoan Obama has nominated. He is no “wise Latina,” and is the first man Obama has chosen. But Garland, like Scalia, is a graduate of Harvard Law, keeping the number of Crimson justices at five. If confirmed, he would also be the fourth Jew on the Court, preserving the odd exclusion of evangelical Protestants.
Source: Breitbart News
Anti Trump Group's New Threat
They intend to march across the East Coast in order to spark a “fire that transforms the political climate in America.”
The operation, calling itself Democracy Spring, is threatening “drama in Washington” with the “largest civil disobedience action of the century.” The radicals believe this will result in the arrest of thousands of their own activists.
“We will demand that Congress listen to the People and take immediate action to save our democracy. And we won’t leave until they do — or until they send thousands of us to jail,” the website for Democracy Spring declares, channeling rhetoric from the Occupy movement.
Source: Breitbart News
Could Trump University Help Highlight The Importance of Asset Protection?
Years ago, Donald Trump endorsed a series of books for his university written by experts in the financial sector, including one titled, “Trump University Asset Protection 101.”
With his meteoric rise in politics as a truly one-of-a-kind candidate, controversy is bubbling around the former reality-TV star’s past business dealings, including his university, with thousands of former students claiming the courses they took had no value.
“The world has had its fill of Trump, yet it seems to want more,” says attorney Hillel Presser of the Presser Law Firm, P.A., which specializes in comprehensive domestic and international Asset Protection.
“Love him or hate him, there could be at least one great takeaway from Trump’s media storm: maybe it’ll encourage some to look more closely at their financial vulnerabilities.”
Helping educate the average person on asset protection is why Presser wrote “Financial Self-Defense” (www.assetprotectionattorneys.com). He says there are several reasons people should take steps to safeguard whatever wealth they have.
• The world is a minefield of threats to your hard-earned money. Lawsuits, which can be unpredictable, often drive people to asset protection – and for good reason. The tort system in the United States is the most expensive in the industrial world, accounting for 2.2 percent of the gross domestic product. The annual cost of litigation in the U.S. is $867.4 billion. And don’t assume your good behavior will always protect you. Consider the school teacher defending a $5 million lawsuit because she dismissed a student caught cheating on an exam.
• You don’t have to be wealthy to benefit from financial self-defense. Wealth is relative. If an old car and a small bank account are all you have financially, it still makes sense to protect them. Hard-working folks across the country are worried about creditor problems or lawsuits, and what little they have is precious to them. There are cost-effective ways for them protect their money.
• Liability insurance doesn’t always protect you. Liability insurance is important, but it’s just a starting point. Most lawsuits and other financial claims aren’t insured, or your insurance company may deny you coverage on your claim because of an exclusion. You need more than insurance, which covers few financial catastrophes. You need a full, robust self-defense plan.
“I wouldn’t have thought that a presidential election could possibly highlight the importance of asset protection, but here we are,” Presser says. “These are interesting times.”
Arrest This jackass & Make America Great Again
I love having a jeep sometimes
Posted by Julien Schuessler on Tuesday, March 15, 2016
What Socrates Can Teach You To Teach Your Kids
Moms and dads determined to raise children who love to learn and who respect others might do well to skip the latest parenting guides and turn instead to Socrates and Confucius.
They and other great thinkers who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago still offer surprisingly relevant advice that one generation can pass on to the next.
“The search for knowledge and how to lead a meaningful life is nothing new,” says Dean Chavooshian, author of The Pursuit of Wisdom (www.thepursuitofwisdom.net), which explores more than 80 great thinkers in philosophy, religion and science.
“If parents introduce children to these ideas from the past, they will have a better understanding of how to live, think and make decisions in the world today.”
Of course, skeptical young people might doubt that anyone who predates the Internet has much to offer in the 21st century.
They are wrong, Chavooshian says.
“These ideas are relevant whether people are wearing togas or jeans,” he says, “and they have practical applications that can help all of us.”
Examples of everyday advice these extraordinary minds left us include:
• Ask questions to understand other viewpoints. When people hear an opinion that differs from their own – whether it’s about politics, religion or the merits of a favorite entertainer – their immediate reaction is to argue for their side. But Socrates’ favorite method for weighing the validity of someone’s argument was not to counter with his own arguments. Instead, he posed questions. Lots and lots of questions – hoping to lead to a broader understanding of issues.
• Treat others well. Good manners aren’t just empty gestures you reluctantly agree to because your grandmother expects it. Roughly 2,500 years ago, Confucius stressed the importance of paying attention to rules about politeness and decorum. How you treat others really does make a difference in how they treat you. Confucius’ disciples marveled that he made his point “by being cordial, frank, courteous, temperate, (and) deferential.”
How the Kasich Win May Spell Chaos
In Ohio, the survey research also foretold the growing John Kasich momentum in his home state, culminating with the Governor notching an 11-point victory over the New York real estate mogul. Therefore, Kasich captures Ohio’s 66 Winner-Take-All delegates.
On the Democratic front, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may have delivered the political knockout punch that she has needed to put the nomination battle to bed. Winning the Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Illinois primaries will increase her already substantial delegate lead, thus beginning to put her in sight of the 2,383 convention votes to win the nomination. For his part, Sen. Bernie Sanders only outpolled Ms. Clinton in Missouri.
Mr. Trump also placed first in North Carolina and Illinois, which will add to his delegate totals. Since those two states have no vote threshold requirement, all candidates, including Rubio, added to their delegate totals. Mr. Trump fought Sen. Ted Cruz to a virtual draw in Missouri, leading by less than 2,000 votes statewide, but due to the congressional district winner-take-all system the state employs his actual delegate take may be as high as 34-15. The three Republican National Committee delegates are unbound.
Bernie Sanders Top 5 Wealthy Contributors
Failed Terror Attack in Paris
Four people have been arrested in the Paris area on suspicion of planning a terror attack, French media report.
Three men and a woman were detained at dawn in the 18th arrondissement of Paris and the nearby northern suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, TF1 and BFMTV say.
They are reported to have been known to anti-terrorism officials who feared they were becoming a serious threat.
The French capital remains on high alert after the jihadist attacks in November which killed 130 people.
More than 100 people were wounded in a series of shootings and suicide bombings that targeted a concert hall, major stadium, restaurants and bars over the course of a Friday evening.
The Daily News has details:
Four people suspected of plotting an "imminent" terror attack in central Paris were arrested Wednesday, according to reports.
The suspects — three men and one woman — were known to authorities and have links to radical Islam, TV station TF1 reports. They were arrested in dawn raids.
Two brothers originally from Turkey were among those arrested, according to the report.
Police found an assault rifle cartridge, USB sticks and a safe during the search.
Source: AAN
Watchdog Group Seeks to Depose Seven Clinton Aides
Judicial Watch on Tuesday named seven aides to Hillary Clinton that the group is seeking to depose in federal court. The request comes as part of a lawsuit the watchdog group has filed in an effort to obtain records on Huma Abedin, who served as Clinton's deputy chief of staff during her tenure as secretary of state.
Those aides are Patrick F. Kennedy, an undersecretary for management; Donald R. Reid, a senior security coordinator for infrastructure; Bryan Pagliano, an IT assistant who helped to set up Clinton's personal server; Stephen D. Mull and Lewis A. Lukens, high-level officials at State during Clinton's tenure; Cheryl D. Mills, Clinton's chief of staff; and Huma Abedin.
More here
Those aides are Patrick F. Kennedy, an undersecretary for management; Donald R. Reid, a senior security coordinator for infrastructure; Bryan Pagliano, an IT assistant who helped to set up Clinton's personal server; Stephen D. Mull and Lewis A. Lukens, high-level officials at State during Clinton's tenure; Cheryl D. Mills, Clinton's chief of staff; and Huma Abedin.
More here
New Ad Shows How Dems Plan to Use Trump to Retake Senate
Democratic startegists have been salivating at the opportunity to fight the fall election with Donald Trump as the Republican nominee, and with a new ad out today, we can begin to see why.
A new Democratic Senatatorial Campaign Committee ad shows clips of Trump using crude language and mocking a disabled reporter, and intercuts them with vulnerable senators playing footsie with Trump or saying that they'd support him as nominee.
Among the candidates are: Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Roy Blunt of Missouri.
The ad accuses them of "running for U.S. Senate in lock step with Donald Trump."
To recapture the Senate, Democrats need to gain five seats — or just four if they also win the presidency.
More here
A new Democratic Senatatorial Campaign Committee ad shows clips of Trump using crude language and mocking a disabled reporter, and intercuts them with vulnerable senators playing footsie with Trump or saying that they'd support him as nominee.
Among the candidates are: Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Roy Blunt of Missouri.
The ad accuses them of "running for U.S. Senate in lock step with Donald Trump."
To recapture the Senate, Democrats need to gain five seats — or just four if they also win the presidency.
More here
Liberal Hits Protestors for 'Mass Attempt' to Silence Trump
Liberal Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen, who recently said Donald Trump has never suffered any "setbacks" despite losing a brother to alcoholism, is siding with the Republican presidential candidate on one controversy.
In his latest op-ed, Cohen called on anti-Trump protesters who have disrupted his rallies, in a way that has sometimes led to violence, to resist further attempts.
"[W]hile the protesters are entitled to make their case, so is Trump. If they have free speech, so does he," Cohen wrote. "A silent protest is one thing; a mass attempt to shout him down — in other words, to silence him — is something else entirely. The response is often violence — an attempt to shut up the shut-uppers. To Trump's constituency, there is something particularly galling about college students — seen as spoiled and the establishment-in-waiting — silencing the candidate whom they revere as their champion."
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In his latest op-ed, Cohen called on anti-Trump protesters who have disrupted his rallies, in a way that has sometimes led to violence, to resist further attempts.
"[W]hile the protesters are entitled to make their case, so is Trump. If they have free speech, so does he," Cohen wrote. "A silent protest is one thing; a mass attempt to shout him down — in other words, to silence him — is something else entirely. The response is often violence — an attempt to shut up the shut-uppers. To Trump's constituency, there is something particularly galling about college students — seen as spoiled and the establishment-in-waiting — silencing the candidate whom they revere as their champion."
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Civil Rights Commish: Wages, Job Chances for Black Males Crushed By Illegal Immigration
Decades of illegal immigration have set back the economic fortunes of black men, robbing jobs and wages and even playing a role in low marriage rates and putting more blacks in jail, according to a commissioner with the U.S. Civil Rights Commission.
"Illegal immigration has a disproportionately negative effect on the wages and employment levels of blacks, particularly black males," said Peter N. Kirsanow.
In prepared testimony for a Senate hearing on the impact of immigration on the wages and employment of native-born Americans, two other experts said that legal immigration has cost over $500 billion in annual wages to native-borns, and that more than all the job growth in the country since 2007 has gone to immigrants.
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"Illegal immigration has a disproportionately negative effect on the wages and employment levels of blacks, particularly black males," said Peter N. Kirsanow.
In prepared testimony for a Senate hearing on the impact of immigration on the wages and employment of native-born Americans, two other experts said that legal immigration has cost over $500 billion in annual wages to native-borns, and that more than all the job growth in the country since 2007 has gone to immigrants.
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China Invites U.S. to Cooperate on 'Internet Security'
China is extending an invitation to the United States to participate in counter-terrorism, cybersecurity and "Internet security" initiatives, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported late Monday.
The comments were reportedly made by Chinese Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun to FBI Director James Comey during a meeting in Beijing this week. "China ... is willing to deepen cooperation with the United States on the basis of laws in the field of cybersecurity and the fight against terrorism," Shengkun said, adding that China would like to "deepen law enforcement and security cooperation in the fields of Internet security and counter-terrorism."
Though some observers interpreted Shengkun's emphasis to be on cybersecurity more broadly, recent history would suggest that interpretation is off the mark. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said China is still targeting American companies in hacking schemes geared towards the theft of commercial secrets, in spite of an agreement last year that the practice would end.
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The comments were reportedly made by Chinese Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun to FBI Director James Comey during a meeting in Beijing this week. "China ... is willing to deepen cooperation with the United States on the basis of laws in the field of cybersecurity and the fight against terrorism," Shengkun said, adding that China would like to "deepen law enforcement and security cooperation in the fields of Internet security and counter-terrorism."
Though some observers interpreted Shengkun's emphasis to be on cybersecurity more broadly, recent history would suggest that interpretation is off the mark. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said China is still targeting American companies in hacking schemes geared towards the theft of commercial secrets, in spite of an agreement last year that the practice would end.
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DHS Agency Barred Officials From Detaining San Bernardino Accomplice
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officers refused to let Department of Homeland Security investigators detain the man accused of providing weapons to the San Bernardino terrorists, federal officials revealed on Tuesday.
Ernique Marquez, who was subsequently indicted for providing material support to terrorists, was scheduled to appear at an immigration hearing the day after the shooting took place.
"[Homeland Security Investigators] contacted the HSI special agent requesting a team of armed agents to respond to the San Bernardino USCIS office in order to detain Marquez until an FBI interview team could be dispatched," Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman Ron Johnson, R.-Wis., quoted from an internal memo during a hearing on Tuesday.
"The special agent informed the HSI team that the officer in charge of USCIS would not let HSI agents in the building."
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Ernique Marquez, who was subsequently indicted for providing material support to terrorists, was scheduled to appear at an immigration hearing the day after the shooting took place.
"[Homeland Security Investigators] contacted the HSI special agent requesting a team of armed agents to respond to the San Bernardino USCIS office in order to detain Marquez until an FBI interview team could be dispatched," Senate Homeland Security Committee chairman Ron Johnson, R.-Wis., quoted from an internal memo during a hearing on Tuesday.
"The special agent informed the HSI team that the officer in charge of USCIS would not let HSI agents in the building."
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Suspicious letter with white powder sent to Eric Trump, report
NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - The NYPD says law enforcement is examining a suspicious letter mailed to 100 Central Park South with a white powder inside. That letter was reportedly addressed to GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's son, Eric Trump.
The letter also contained a threatening message aimed at Donald Trump's five children. Eric Trump is the real estate mogul's third oldest child. The NYPD says that they got the call about 7:15 p.m. on Thursday evening.
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The letter also contained a threatening message aimed at Donald Trump's five children. Eric Trump is the real estate mogul's third oldest child. The NYPD says that they got the call about 7:15 p.m. on Thursday evening.
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Cruz courts Rubio supporters in primary night speech
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz courted Marco Rubio's supporters in a late-night speech in Houston.
Cruz did not earn a victory in any state voting on Tuesday before taking the stage, but he described the primary results as a "good night" because of the delegates he gained.
"To those who supported Marco, who worked so hard, we welcome you with open arms, with gratitude, and with hope and with a positive vision together for our great nation," Cruz said. "Starting tomorrow morning every Republican has a clear choice. Only two campaigns have a plausible path to the nomination, ours and Donald Trump's. Nobody else has any mathematical possibility whatsoever...
More here
Cruz did not earn a victory in any state voting on Tuesday before taking the stage, but he described the primary results as a "good night" because of the delegates he gained.
"To those who supported Marco, who worked so hard, we welcome you with open arms, with gratitude, and with hope and with a positive vision together for our great nation," Cruz said. "Starting tomorrow morning every Republican has a clear choice. Only two campaigns have a plausible path to the nomination, ours and Donald Trump's. Nobody else has any mathematical possibility whatsoever...
More here
Rubio's Delegates Up For Grabs, Could Decide Nominee
Marco Rubio ending his White House bid after Donald Trump crushed him in his home state of Florida, scrambles the delegate math for the candidates still running.
Under Republican National Committee rules, elected delegates to the GOP presidential nominating convention in Cleveland are bound to vote on the first ballot for the candidate that won the state they represent.
But that rule does not apply when a candidate drops out, party officials confirmed Tuesday evening.
That means most of Rubio's 163 delegates are free to vote for whichever candidate they want on first floor ballot at the July convention. That could prove highly significant, even decisive, if no Republican by himself reaches the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination by the end of primary season in June.
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Under Republican National Committee rules, elected delegates to the GOP presidential nominating convention in Cleveland are bound to vote on the first ballot for the candidate that won the state they represent.
But that rule does not apply when a candidate drops out, party officials confirmed Tuesday evening.
That means most of Rubio's 163 delegates are free to vote for whichever candidate they want on first floor ballot at the July convention. That could prove highly significant, even decisive, if no Republican by himself reaches the 1,237 delegates needed to secure the nomination by the end of primary season in June.
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NSA: Fallout From Snowden Leaks Isn't Over, But Info Is Getting Old
The fallout from Edward Snowden's 2013 spying revelations is not over yet, according to Richard Ledgett, who ran the National Security Agency's investigation into Snowden's leaks.
It's been nearly three years since Snowden, a former contractor for the NSA, told the world about the bulk collection of American phone records.
But in an interview at NSA headquarters, Ledgett, the agency's deputy director, tells NPR that more classified documents about the internal workings of the government surveillance apparatus may yet come to light.
"There are still some other shoes to drop, I think," says Ledgett. "There are things that'll probably be released that are designed to cause friction between the United States and other countries."
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It's been nearly three years since Snowden, a former contractor for the NSA, told the world about the bulk collection of American phone records.
But in an interview at NSA headquarters, Ledgett, the agency's deputy director, tells NPR that more classified documents about the internal workings of the government surveillance apparatus may yet come to light.
"There are still some other shoes to drop, I think," says Ledgett. "There are things that'll probably be released that are designed to cause friction between the United States and other countries."
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The Eaglet Is Landing: 'Pip In Process' Caught On Web-Cam In D.C.
"We have a pip in process!!" says an update sent by the American Eagle Foundation, which clarifies, "It's not technically a full pip until there is a full hole."
The group says it could take between 12 and 48 hours for the eaglet to fully emerge from the shell.
A "pip," we'll remind you, occurs when a baby bird breaks through its shell using its beak. You can watch the eagle webcam online to see the young bird hatch — but be warned, the American Eagle Foundation says: "This is a wild eagle nest and anything can happen."
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Napolitano: Obama's SCOTUS Choice a 'Lose-Lose'
President Barack Obama's choice for the Supreme Court is possibly the "most conservative nominee" picked by a Democratic president in modern years, and it's obvious he was chosen to "pry loose Republicans," Judge Andrew Napolitano said Wednesday.
"He is not Justice Elena Kagan," Napolitano told Fox News' Bill Hemmer on the "America's Newsroom" program about Obama's SCOTUS choice, U.S. Court of Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland.
"He is not Justice Sonia Sotomayor. He does not think about the law the way Barack Obama does, so Barack Obama does not get the opportunity to appoint Antonin Scalia's opposite number."
Napolitano said he knows Garland professionally, and described him as a "consummate Washington, D.C. insider" who has worked for both Republicans and Democrats.
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"He is not Justice Elena Kagan," Napolitano told Fox News' Bill Hemmer on the "America's Newsroom" program about Obama's SCOTUS choice, U.S. Court of Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland.
"He is not Justice Sonia Sotomayor. He does not think about the law the way Barack Obama does, so Barack Obama does not get the opportunity to appoint Antonin Scalia's opposite number."
Napolitano said he knows Garland professionally, and described him as a "consummate Washington, D.C. insider" who has worked for both Republicans and Democrats.
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Doctors Who Get More Drug-Company Cash Prescribe More Brand-Name Drugs
Doctors have long disputed the accusation that the payments they receive from pharmaceutical companies have any relationship to how they prescribe drugs.
There's been little evidence to settle the matter, until now.
A ProPublica analysis has found that doctors who receive payments from the medical industry do indeed prescribe drugs differently on average than their colleagues who don't. And the more money they receive, the more brand-name medications they tend to prescribe.
We matched records on payments from pharmaceutical and medical device makers in 2014 with corresponding data on doctors' medication choices in Medicare's prescription drug program.
Doctors who got money from drug and device makers prescribed a higher percentage of brand-name drugs overall than doctors who didn't, our analysis showed. Even those who simply got meals from companies prescribed more brand-name drugs, on average.
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There's been little evidence to settle the matter, until now.
A ProPublica analysis has found that doctors who receive payments from the medical industry do indeed prescribe drugs differently on average than their colleagues who don't. And the more money they receive, the more brand-name medications they tend to prescribe.
We matched records on payments from pharmaceutical and medical device makers in 2014 with corresponding data on doctors' medication choices in Medicare's prescription drug program.
Doctors who got money from drug and device makers prescribed a higher percentage of brand-name drugs overall than doctors who didn't, our analysis showed. Even those who simply got meals from companies prescribed more brand-name drugs, on average.
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Bullet Casings from Shooting of Oregon Occupier Missing
Two bullet casings from rounds fired by an FBI agent at a leader of the armed occupation of an Oregon wildlife refuge apparently disappeared from the site where a state police officer fatally shot the protester, an Oregon newspaper reported.
In an article on its website late on Tuesday, The Oregonian cited unnamed law enforcement sources as saying video footage taken after the Jan. 26 shooting showed agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation searching the ground and huddling, before one agent bent over twice to pick up something.
The newspaper report comes a week after the U.S. Department of Justice said its inspector general's office was investigating the actions of the FBI's hostage rescue team in the deadly confrontation with Robert "LaVoy" Finicum.
Finicum, who had taken part in an occupation by armed land rights protesters at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, was shot dead by Oregon State Police after leaving his pickup truck at a roadblock along a snow-covered road in eastern Oregon.
Last week, Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris said eight shots had been fired at Finicum, six by Oregon State Police and two by at least one FBI agent.
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In an article on its website late on Tuesday, The Oregonian cited unnamed law enforcement sources as saying video footage taken after the Jan. 26 shooting showed agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation searching the ground and huddling, before one agent bent over twice to pick up something.
The newspaper report comes a week after the U.S. Department of Justice said its inspector general's office was investigating the actions of the FBI's hostage rescue team in the deadly confrontation with Robert "LaVoy" Finicum.
Finicum, who had taken part in an occupation by armed land rights protesters at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, was shot dead by Oregon State Police after leaving his pickup truck at a roadblock along a snow-covered road in eastern Oregon.
Last week, Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris said eight shots had been fired at Finicum, six by Oregon State Police and two by at least one FBI agent.
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TENNESSEE BILL WOULD BAN PUNISHMENT FOR OFFENSIVE SPEECH, ‘MICROAGGRESSIONS’ AT UNIVERSITIES
The state legislature of Tennessee is considering a bill which will ensure universities and colleges are powerless to punish students on the basis of making mean or offensive comments.
The proposal, named The Tennessee Student Free Speech Protection Act, would ban institutions from creating systems that allow students to report incidents with the expectation of disciplinary action, unless it involves a “genuine threat or harassment.”
It would also prohibit schools from punishing students for “microaggressions,” which refers to incidents where people take offence to a subtle or even misunderstood comment.
“The best kind of educational environment is one where there’s a lot of controversy and conversation about various issues, and we encourage students to speak up,” state Rep. Martin Daniel, a Knoxville Republican who introduced the bill, told The College Fix.
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A Big Night for One Man
Tuesday’s five primaries are in the books (almost), and Donald Trump walked away with three big wins and a virtual tie. The big one, of course, was winner-take-all Florida. Trump won “yuge” over the Sunshine State’s hometown boy, Marco Rubio, and the latter dropped out after his shellacking. Ted Cruz fought Trump to a draw in Missouri (as we go to press, the two are separated by just 1,800 votes). But the night was a good one for the frontrunner in just about every way. “You explain it to me, because I can’t,” Trump said to his supporters. “I don’t understand it. Nobody understands it.”
Actually, we totally understand it, and we have from the beginning.
John Kasich won his home state of Ohio (his first and only victory), giving him all the justification he wanted for staying in the race. Yet he sounded delusional declaring, “I may go to the convention before this is over with more delegates than anybody else.” Unless Trump and Cruz both drop out today, that’s not going to happen. Nonetheless, Kasich’s strategy surely must be to keep fighting for a brokered convention where he can either hope for a lifeline from the party’s establishment or play kingmaker with his delegates.
“In the meantime, however,” writes David French, “he’ll split the anti-Trump vote even further, allowing Trump to continue to win contest after contest with a plurality of voters. It’s self-serving, it’s vain, and it’s Kasich.”
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Actually, we totally understand it, and we have from the beginning.
John Kasich won his home state of Ohio (his first and only victory), giving him all the justification he wanted for staying in the race. Yet he sounded delusional declaring, “I may go to the convention before this is over with more delegates than anybody else.” Unless Trump and Cruz both drop out today, that’s not going to happen. Nonetheless, Kasich’s strategy surely must be to keep fighting for a brokered convention where he can either hope for a lifeline from the party’s establishment or play kingmaker with his delegates.
“In the meantime, however,” writes David French, “he’ll split the anti-Trump vote even further, allowing Trump to continue to win contest after contest with a plurality of voters. It’s self-serving, it’s vain, and it’s Kasich.”
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Sound Familiar Folks?
Ireton is back to his old tricks. Debbie Campbell, Terry Cohen, Tim Spies, "The Council of No". Yet they passed 95% of everything Jim proposed.
Come on Jimmy, is that all you've got? Clearly you're still acting like a spoiled child who just can't offer ANYTHING concrete. How's that "you can swim in the Wicomico River in 10 years" working for you?
Here's a really good one. Did you people know that your $140,000,000.00 Waste Water Treatment Plant still does NOT work? Yeah, they've done a great job keeping that quiet.
Liberals continue to ATTACK Republicans, yet they scream and yell at Donald Trump when they use their own people to start riots and make it look like they are Trump supporters. Sounds like the old Jim Ireton / Chuck Cook games of the past.
It looks like it will be pretty easy to predict what Jim Ireton will do in the future. Attack, attack, attack, yet offer no original solutions. After all, he failed at pretty much everything he proposed as Mayor of Salisbury or stole and used ideas from others.
Parker: Black Americans and Reagan Ideals
I was recently made very proud, and also very humbled, by receiving the Ronald Reagan Award, given at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference by the American Conservative Union.
Regarding the award, ACU says: “The winners of this award, our highest honor, are not household names, but the men and women working in the trenches, who sacrifice and, in so doing, set an example for others.”
I write about this at the risk of coming off as the opposite of humble. After all, Star, really — announcing your award to the world?
I’m writing about it because of the chaotic time we are in now, and because, no, it is not about Star Parker. It is about America and working to save our country.
It is important that Americans, and particularly minority Americans, see that there is a hardworking American black woman who shares the ideals of Ronald Reagan and believes that America is an anointed nation with a mission.
What are those ideals? Traditional values, limited government, free markets and a strong national defense.
But let’s specifically talk about race and the vision of America as a free nation under God.
Regarding the award, ACU says: “The winners of this award, our highest honor, are not household names, but the men and women working in the trenches, who sacrifice and, in so doing, set an example for others.”
I write about this at the risk of coming off as the opposite of humble. After all, Star, really — announcing your award to the world?
I’m writing about it because of the chaotic time we are in now, and because, no, it is not about Star Parker. It is about America and working to save our country.
It is important that Americans, and particularly minority Americans, see that there is a hardworking American black woman who shares the ideals of Ronald Reagan and believes that America is an anointed nation with a mission.
What are those ideals? Traditional values, limited government, free markets and a strong national defense.
But let’s specifically talk about race and the vision of America as a free nation under God.
Subject: Giant Texas Cross Sparks Atheist Lawsuit
Lifelong atheist Patrick Greene has a huge problem with a giant cross under construction alongside Interstate 37 in Corpus Christi, Texas – a city whose name literally means “Body of Christ.”
“It’s tacky as hell,” Mr. Greene told me.
The 230-foot tall cross is being erected on property owned by Abundant Life Fellowship – paid for by donations.
Pastor Rick Milby said it will be the largest cross in the western hemisphere. So tall, in fact, that the church was required to install a lighted beacon on the top.
Mr. Greene said the cross is a safety hazard and said it should not be seen from the highway.
“I don’t think it should be within eyesight because it jeopardizes people’s safety on the road,” he said.
So the San Antonio atheist filed a lawsuit.
But Mr. Greene did not file a lawsuit because he believes the cross is tacky. Nor did he file a lawsuit because of potential safety hazards.
He filed a lawsuit because the mayor and other city leaders attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the cross.
More here
“It’s tacky as hell,” Mr. Greene told me.
The 230-foot tall cross is being erected on property owned by Abundant Life Fellowship – paid for by donations.
Pastor Rick Milby said it will be the largest cross in the western hemisphere. So tall, in fact, that the church was required to install a lighted beacon on the top.
Mr. Greene said the cross is a safety hazard and said it should not be seen from the highway.
“I don’t think it should be within eyesight because it jeopardizes people’s safety on the road,” he said.
So the San Antonio atheist filed a lawsuit.
But Mr. Greene did not file a lawsuit because he believes the cross is tacky. Nor did he file a lawsuit because of potential safety hazards.
He filed a lawsuit because the mayor and other city leaders attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the cross.
More here
Wicomico Recreation’s Eggstravaganza Cancelled
The event had been scheduled for Sunday, March 20 at Pemberton Historical Park.
For more information contact Allen Swiger at aswiger@wicomicocounty.org or 410-548-4900 ext. 108.
Zika Virus Risk Calculated for 50 US Cities
Weather, travel, and poverty will be key drivers of Zika’s spread in certain regions of the U.S., according to the National Center for Atmospheric Research report.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is spreading the virus in Latin America and the Caribbean, will likely be common in the southern and eastern United States as the weather warms, according to insect and disease experts at the NCAR.
Conditions are also expected to be favorable for mosquito populations to pose a threat along the East Coast as far north as New York City and across the southern tier of the country as far west as Phoenix and Los Angeles, according to specialized computer simulations conceived and run by researchers at NCAR and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
"This research can help us anticipate the timing and location of possible Zika virus outbreaks in certain U.S. cities," said NCAR scientist Andrew Monaghan, the lead author of the study. "While there is much we still don't know about the dynamics of Zika virus transmission, understanding where the Aedes aegypti mosquito can survive in the U.S. and how its abundance fluctuates seasonally may help guide mosquito control efforts and public health preparedness."
The researchers noted that long-range forecasts for this summer point to a 40-45 percent chance of warmer-than-average temperatures for most of the United States.
More here
Senate Blocks Bill To Override GMO Labeling Laws
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday blocked a bill that would nullify state and local efforts requiring food makers to label products made with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, as the industry races to stop a Vermont law from taking effect July 1.
The proposed legislation, from Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, comes amid growing calls for transparency in the U.S. food system. Labeling advocates oppose the bill because it leaves the decision to disclose GMO ingredients to the companies whose products contain them.
The bill is known as the Biotech Labeling Solutions Act by supporters and the Deny Americans the Right to Know, or DARK, Act, by opponents. Proponents of the legislation on Wednesday failed to obtain the necessary 60 votes to advance the bill in the Senate, with 49 yes votes and 48 no votes.
Roberts vowed to keep fighting as the deadline looms for Vermont's law - which requires labels on food products containing GMOs - to take effect.
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The proposed legislation, from Republican Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas, comes amid growing calls for transparency in the U.S. food system. Labeling advocates oppose the bill because it leaves the decision to disclose GMO ingredients to the companies whose products contain them.
The bill is known as the Biotech Labeling Solutions Act by supporters and the Deny Americans the Right to Know, or DARK, Act, by opponents. Proponents of the legislation on Wednesday failed to obtain the necessary 60 votes to advance the bill in the Senate, with 49 yes votes and 48 no votes.
Roberts vowed to keep fighting as the deadline looms for Vermont's law - which requires labels on food products containing GMOs - to take effect.
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Bill Would Confiscate Guns Before Allegations of Abuse Proven
A new bill introduced in Connecticut changes state law so that guns are confiscated from the subject of a protective order the moment the request for the order is filed rather than waiting until the accused has an opportunity to have his or her case heard by a judge.
The measure is supported by state senator Mae Flexer (D-Killingly), who says, “The minute a woman comes forward and asks for a temporary restraining order is the most dangerous moment of her life.”
Opponents of the measure point out that the request for a protective order on the accusation of criminal behavior and the issuance of said order in light of a judge’s decision are two different things. They argue that it completely flips the scales, forcing gun owners into a position of being guilty until proven innocent.
Moreover, according to the Hartford Courant, bill opponents want to know if Flexer has thought about how long confiscated guns would be held by the state in a situation where the judge refuses to issue an order? For example, in a case where an order is requested on the first day of the month and guns are confiscated, what happens to those guns if the judge refuses the order request two weeks later?
The measure is supported by state senator Mae Flexer (D-Killingly), who says, “The minute a woman comes forward and asks for a temporary restraining order is the most dangerous moment of her life.”
Opponents of the measure point out that the request for a protective order on the accusation of criminal behavior and the issuance of said order in light of a judge’s decision are two different things. They argue that it completely flips the scales, forcing gun owners into a position of being guilty until proven innocent.
Moreover, according to the Hartford Courant, bill opponents want to know if Flexer has thought about how long confiscated guns would be held by the state in a situation where the judge refuses to issue an order? For example, in a case where an order is requested on the first day of the month and guns are confiscated, what happens to those guns if the judge refuses the order request two weeks later?
Subject: US Administration Fumbles on Calling ISIS Actions 'Genocide'
John Kerry can't decide whether ISIS is carrying out genocide, just as administration couldn't figure out Syria 'red line.'
US Secretary of State John Kerry will miss a deadline imposed by Congress to rule on whether ISIS's murders of Christians in Syria and Iraq amount to genocide.
Lawmakers set Thursday as the day on which the State Department would have to confirm whether the US government regards the brutal ISIS persecution of religious minorities as a crime against humanity.
But department spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday that Kerry was still gathering evidence before making his determination and would miss the deadline -- an admission sure to trigger anger on Capitol Hill.
"Given the scope and the breadth of the analysis he's contemplating, he will not have a final decision completed by the Congressionally-mandated deadline tomorrow," Toner said.
"What more does Secretary John Kerry need to see and hear in order to call these atrocities for what they are?" House speaker Paul Ryan said.
"This is genocide, plain and simple. The House has spoken very clearly on this. And we all continue to pray for the persecuted."
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US Secretary of State John Kerry will miss a deadline imposed by Congress to rule on whether ISIS's murders of Christians in Syria and Iraq amount to genocide.
Lawmakers set Thursday as the day on which the State Department would have to confirm whether the US government regards the brutal ISIS persecution of religious minorities as a crime against humanity.
But department spokesman Mark Toner said Wednesday that Kerry was still gathering evidence before making his determination and would miss the deadline -- an admission sure to trigger anger on Capitol Hill.
"Given the scope and the breadth of the analysis he's contemplating, he will not have a final decision completed by the Congressionally-mandated deadline tomorrow," Toner said.
"What more does Secretary John Kerry need to see and hear in order to call these atrocities for what they are?" House speaker Paul Ryan said.
"This is genocide, plain and simple. The House has spoken very clearly on this. And we all continue to pray for the persecuted."
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Weekend: Illegal Immigration Activists, ‘Black Lives Matter’ Plan Rallies to ‘Crush Trump’
US State Department Webpage Erases Israel
While the US State Department’s refusal to recognize Jerusalem as being part of the State of Israel is well-known and was even the subject of a US Supreme Court case, it seems that the official US visa information and appointment services website has erased Israel completely.
Elder of Ziyon notes that the visa application website is run by a private firm, Computer Sciences Corporation, on behalf of the US State Department, and is the only officially authorized website for completing visa applications.
Curiously, while the website lists dozens of nations around the world, including rogue states like Iran, with their flags, there is no mention of Israel or the Israeli flag. Instead, two separate listings are made under the Middle East section: one for Jerusalem and one for Tel Aviv. Israel is, in fact, the only country whose reference is avoided and replaced with the names of cities.
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Elder of Ziyon notes that the visa application website is run by a private firm, Computer Sciences Corporation, on behalf of the US State Department, and is the only officially authorized website for completing visa applications.
Curiously, while the website lists dozens of nations around the world, including rogue states like Iran, with their flags, there is no mention of Israel or the Israeli flag. Instead, two separate listings are made under the Middle East section: one for Jerusalem and one for Tel Aviv. Israel is, in fact, the only country whose reference is avoided and replaced with the names of cities.
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WashPost: Is Speaker Ryan Leaving Door Open to Be GOP Nominee?
House Speaker Paul Ryan insists he isn't interested in being the Republican presidential nominee, but Amber Phillips of The Washington Post's The Fix blog isn't so sure after parsing Ryan's words.
Phillips admits Ryan's comments fall into a gray area, but argues that he didn't "categorically" rule out a nomination from a contested convention either.
"You know, I haven't given any thought to this stuff," Ryan told CNBC's John Harwood during Tuesday night's election coverage. "People say, 'What about the contested convention?' I say, well, there are a lot of people running for president. We'll see. Who knows?"
Those last two sentences are what set Phillips speculating that Ryan, who was Mitt Romney's 2012 running mate, might be open to being essentially drafted — just as he was for the House speakership that he adamantly said he did not want right up until the point that he accepted.
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Phillips admits Ryan's comments fall into a gray area, but argues that he didn't "categorically" rule out a nomination from a contested convention either.
"You know, I haven't given any thought to this stuff," Ryan told CNBC's John Harwood during Tuesday night's election coverage. "People say, 'What about the contested convention?' I say, well, there are a lot of people running for president. We'll see. Who knows?"
Those last two sentences are what set Phillips speculating that Ryan, who was Mitt Romney's 2012 running mate, might be open to being essentially drafted — just as he was for the House speakership that he adamantly said he did not want right up until the point that he accepted.
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Subject: Hearing on Visa Overstays Yields More Questions Than Answers
(CNSNews.com) - With 523,000 visa overstays a year, why can't the federal government do a better job of tracking people who don't leave the country when their time is up? Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) asked Obama administration officials on Tuesday.
The bureaucrats who testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee couldn't even say which type of visas are most often abused by people who don't leave the country when they are supposed to.
"I'm not sure I've seen a figure on any particular area," David Donahue, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs at the State Department, said. "I really don't know."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldana, asked about visa categories that are most often abused, offered "an educated -- I think -- guess."
"The most visas we have are B1s and B2s, travelers for business or pleasure," she said. "So I would think there would be some correlation between that and the number of overstays."
"I don't understand what's so hard about keeping track of this," Johnson said.
He noted that everyone who comes into the U.S. legally has a passport with a number attached to it, which is entered into a database. The senator wondered what is so hard about linking the passport number to a specific visa, which would allow visa overstays to pop up on a computer screen with the push of a button.
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The bureaucrats who testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee couldn't even say which type of visas are most often abused by people who don't leave the country when they are supposed to.
"I'm not sure I've seen a figure on any particular area," David Donahue, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs at the State Department, said. "I really don't know."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldana, asked about visa categories that are most often abused, offered "an educated -- I think -- guess."
"The most visas we have are B1s and B2s, travelers for business or pleasure," she said. "So I would think there would be some correlation between that and the number of overstays."
"I don't understand what's so hard about keeping track of this," Johnson said.
He noted that everyone who comes into the U.S. legally has a passport with a number attached to it, which is entered into a database. The senator wondered what is so hard about linking the passport number to a specific visa, which would allow visa overstays to pop up on a computer screen with the push of a button.
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Donald Trump: “There Will Be Riots” If GOP Denies Him Nomination
… HE’S PROBABLY RIGHT, TOO
The “Republican” establishment is clearly making moves to deny Donald Trump the GOP presidential nomination. In fact they’ve got their “compromise candidate” for a contested convention already lined up, it appears.
You know … since plans A, B and C fell apart.
What does Trump think of the effort to unseat him?
“I think you’d have riots,” Trump said on CNN’s New Day, just hours after winning three additional states in his front-running bid to become the GOP nominee.
“I think we’ll win before getting to the convention,” Trump added. “But I can tell you, if we didn’t and if we’re 20 votes short or if we’re 100 short and we’re at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, because we’re way ahead of everybody, I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically.”
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The “Republican” establishment is clearly making moves to deny Donald Trump the GOP presidential nomination. In fact they’ve got their “compromise candidate” for a contested convention already lined up, it appears.
You know … since plans A, B and C fell apart.
What does Trump think of the effort to unseat him?
“I think you’d have riots,” Trump said on CNN’s New Day, just hours after winning three additional states in his front-running bid to become the GOP nominee.
“I think we’ll win before getting to the convention,” Trump added. “But I can tell you, if we didn’t and if we’re 20 votes short or if we’re 100 short and we’re at 1,100 and somebody else is at 500 or 400, because we’re way ahead of everybody, I don’t think you can say that we don’t get it automatically.”
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A Maryland inmate was just convicted of planning a prison break-in
A Maryland inmate serving a life sentence for conspiracy to commit murder was convicted again on Thursday of conspiring with two other men to use a drone to smuggle drugs and pornography into prison.
Charles Brooks, 43, was sentenced to 13 years after an Allegany County jury convicted him on two counts of conspiracy and two counts of possessing contraband with intent to distribute, according to court records.
Thaddeus Shortz, 25, of Knoxville, and Keith Brian Russell, 30, of Silver Spring, were convicted last year.
They were arrested in August 2015 parked outside the Western Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland.
Police seized pornographic video discs, tobacco, a loaded handgun, illegal drugs, and the drone.
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Charles Brooks, 43, was sentenced to 13 years after an Allegany County jury convicted him on two counts of conspiracy and two counts of possessing contraband with intent to distribute, according to court records.
Thaddeus Shortz, 25, of Knoxville, and Keith Brian Russell, 30, of Silver Spring, were convicted last year.
They were arrested in August 2015 parked outside the Western Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Maryland.
Police seized pornographic video discs, tobacco, a loaded handgun, illegal drugs, and the drone.
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Heroin treatment far away for many in Del.
DRUG ADDICTION THRIVES IN KENT AND SUSSEX COUNTIES. SERVICES ARE BADLY NEEDED.
Southern Delaware has a bigger heroin problem than does its larger neighbor to the north, state and local police say. But when an addict hits bottom here, he or she could be offered a tent rather than a bed in a halfway house.
Treatment services are sparse, requiring addicts hitch rides or drive 30 miles to counseling sessions and support group meetings. There are no state-funded detox or inpatient rehabs downstate, as there are in New Castle County. And experts say there is a culture of denial among residents in Kent and Sussex counties about the widespread abuse of heroin.
"A lot of it has to do with the rural culture in which people don't reach beyond their inner circles or families to find ways to solve their problems," says Joseph Connor, director of the Addictions Coalition of Delaware. "They solve them internally."
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Southern Delaware has a bigger heroin problem than does its larger neighbor to the north, state and local police say. But when an addict hits bottom here, he or she could be offered a tent rather than a bed in a halfway house.
Treatment services are sparse, requiring addicts hitch rides or drive 30 miles to counseling sessions and support group meetings. There are no state-funded detox or inpatient rehabs downstate, as there are in New Castle County. And experts say there is a culture of denial among residents in Kent and Sussex counties about the widespread abuse of heroin.
"A lot of it has to do with the rural culture in which people don't reach beyond their inner circles or families to find ways to solve their problems," says Joseph Connor, director of the Addictions Coalition of Delaware. "They solve them internally."
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Sheriff Clarke Posts Footage of Presidential Candidate Being Pulled Over...it's REVEALING
A video from a few years back featuring Ohio Gov. John Kasich calling a law enforcement officer an idiot is resurfacing, and boy, oh boy, is it making this guy even more unpopular than he already is.
Yes, that’s actually possible.
Outspoken Sheriff David Clarke is none too happy with Kasich over the video as he made clear in a recent tweet.
Police officers have had a rough go of things over the last year or so, thanks to race baiting liberals who have done their best to keep people divided through false narratives designed to make cops look like evil racists bent on murder and oppression.
Treating law enforcement with respect has been one of many themes popping up during this presidential election, and this video is likely to finish putting the final nail in the coffin for Kasich’s campaign.
Not like it needed much help. It was pretty much dead already.
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How To Build Authentic Character In Youth Sports
Not everyone deserves a trophy.
In fact, unearned rewards can be harmful, because artificially inflating a child’s self-esteem merely for participation in sport sends the wrong message, warns psychologist Jason Richardson.
“There are plenty of incarcerated felons with an inflated self-view and there are extremely successful people grappling with a more moderate self-concept, so self-esteem alone is not the measure by which we should prepare our children for greatness,” says Richardson, a Pan-Am Games gold medalist who is also known as “Dr. JRich” among colleagues.
Richardson isn’t alone. Last year, Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison returned two participation trophies given to his two sons, awarded not for a specific victory that they’d earned, but simply for being student-athletes.
Anyone can give and get a trophy, but the true value of youth sports is in the occasional tough lessons – and successes – children experience through hard work and merit, says Richardson, author of “It’s All BS! We’re All Wrong, And You’re All Right!” (www.drjasonrichardson.com).
He offers practical tips parents can share with their kids.
• Stop saying “the problem is …” Fill in the blank. Too many people say the problem is with the coach, the school, the other kids, the equipment, the schedule – and so on. This kind of thinking implies failure because it immediately rules out your child’s goals. Instead, say things that rule in positive outcomes, such as, “I/We/You can do this!”
• Make failure a teachable moment. Sports can test a kid’s emotional fragility. They may want to give up with failure, but that’s a terrible lesson. If your child missed a free throw that would’ve won the team the game, encourage free-throw practice the next day. Better yet, ask them what they are going to do differently next time! Use a coach’s staple: remind your child that Michael Jordan was cut by his high school basketball team during his sophomore year. Parents can always reward persistence and effort.
• Don’t let your child’s ego run wild. The flipside of low self-esteem due to failure can be cockiness with success. Children have far less experience keeping the ego in check, so if he/she is the best athlete in school, they may become arrogant. Try to catch this early; people evolve at different rates. Temper their ego by showing examples of humility, respect and gratitude. Use examples of great athletes who have overcome slumps or adversity.
• Show them how to be a better student. It may seem odd that a star quarterback can memorize every detail of a complex playbook, but has trouble with class studies. If he’s having trouble with chemistry, for example, place the playbook next to the textbook and show him the parallels of complexity. Don’t let him believe he’s “just a jock.”
About Jason Richardson, Psy.D., MBA
Dr. Jason Richardson (www.drjasonrichardson.com) is a psychologist who earned his principles for self-improvement as a world-traveling athlete, doctoral student and student of life. He maintained top-10 status on the professional BMX circuit for most of his 15-year career, retiring with a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games.
Subject: Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Release 3-18-16
Emily Louise Davis of Princess Anne, arrested 2-23-16 on a warrant regarding 2nd degree assault, dangerous weapon, wear with the intent to injure, and reckless endangerment. Davis was later released on a unsecured bond.
Andrew Thomas Marshall of Crisfield, arrested 2-23-16 on a warrant for violating pre-release conditions. Marshall was later held on a $25,000 bond.
Roger Ellis Lloyd Jr. of Middle River Maryland, arrested 2-27-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Lloyd was later held on a $500.00 bond.
Dominic Maurice Savage of Crisfield, arrested 2-27-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Savage was later held on a $500.00 bond.
Henry Lee Fitchett Jr. of Crisfield, arrested 2-28-16 for driving impaired by drugs. Fitchett was later released on signatures pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by Deputies in the Dash Inn parking lot.
Deandre Maurice Taylor of Princess Anne, arrested 2-28-16 for driving without a license, and driving on a suspended/revoked license. Taylor was later released on citations pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by Deputies in the area of Church St, Princess Anne.
Stephen James Wise of Pocomoke, criminal summons served 3-3-16 for malicious destruction of property, and theft less than $1,000. Wise was later released on signature pending court actions.
Donald Wallace 3rd of Willards, arrested 3-10-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Wallace was later held on a $500.00 bond.
Amber Leigh Hall of Salisbury, arrested 3-3-16 on a warrant for violation of probation. Hall was later held without bond.
Rikki Ladedra Brown of Princess Anne, arrested 3-7-16 on a civil body attachment. Brown was later held on a $8,726.00 bond.
Alfonzo Lamar Jackson of Marion Station, charged 3-14-16 for possession of suspected marijuana. Jackson was later released on a civil citation.
Andrew Thomas Marshall of Crisfield, arrested 2-23-16 on a warrant for violating pre-release conditions. Marshall was later held on a $25,000 bond.
Roger Ellis Lloyd Jr. of Middle River Maryland, arrested 2-27-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Lloyd was later held on a $500.00 bond.
Dominic Maurice Savage of Crisfield, arrested 2-27-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Savage was later held on a $500.00 bond.
Henry Lee Fitchett Jr. of Crisfield, arrested 2-28-16 for driving impaired by drugs. Fitchett was later released on signatures pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by Deputies in the Dash Inn parking lot.
Deandre Maurice Taylor of Princess Anne, arrested 2-28-16 for driving without a license, and driving on a suspended/revoked license. Taylor was later released on citations pending court actions. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by Deputies in the area of Church St, Princess Anne.
Stephen James Wise of Pocomoke, criminal summons served 3-3-16 for malicious destruction of property, and theft less than $1,000. Wise was later released on signature pending court actions.
Donald Wallace 3rd of Willards, arrested 3-10-16 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Wallace was later held on a $500.00 bond.
Amber Leigh Hall of Salisbury, arrested 3-3-16 on a warrant for violation of probation. Hall was later held without bond.
Rikki Ladedra Brown of Princess Anne, arrested 3-7-16 on a civil body attachment. Brown was later held on a $8,726.00 bond.
Alfonzo Lamar Jackson of Marion Station, charged 3-14-16 for possession of suspected marijuana. Jackson was later released on a civil citation.
Christy Bisker Briggs Named Wicomico Teacher of the year
Bill Duck of Wi-Hi, Stacey Wheeler of Fruitland Intermediate & Ms. Becker at the Early Learning Center were announced as finalists along with Mrs. Briggs.
Mrs. Briggs will next compete at the State level.
Very Cool Places
Wait For It!!!
WOW i wasn´t expecting thatWOW i wasn´t expecting that. Really....... Highway to hell hahahahah :D
Posted by Dave Soul on Monday, March 14, 2016
News Station Finds Barium in Chemtrails
News Station Finds Barium in ChemtrailsA local Louisiana news station admits to finding Barium in Chemtrail fallout. #chemtrails #GeoEngineering #WeatherModification #WeatherControl #WeatherWarfare #Ionosphere #Chemtrail #LookUp #LeifAtman Leif Atman
Posted by Leif Atman on Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Justice Department Advises Against Throwing Poor People In Jail For Not Paying Fines
While debtor prisons have long been outlawed, failure to pay a court-ordered fine or fee can get you locked up. But in a letter sent yesterday to state court administrators, the Department of Justice advises against using the penal system as a way to collect debts.
In the letter [PDF], the DOJ provides guidance intended to address “some of the most common practices that run afoul of the United States Constitution and/or other federal laws” and suggests “alternative practices that can address legitimate public safety needs while also protecting the rights of participants in the justice system.”
The DOJ has previously criticized some municipalities for using their court systems to generate revenue rather than mete out justice properly.
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In the letter [PDF], the DOJ provides guidance intended to address “some of the most common practices that run afoul of the United States Constitution and/or other federal laws” and suggests “alternative practices that can address legitimate public safety needs while also protecting the rights of participants in the justice system.”
The DOJ has previously criticized some municipalities for using their court systems to generate revenue rather than mete out justice properly.
More
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