DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, April 01, 2016
Government Has Used 1789 Law To Compel Apple & Google To Unlock More Than 63 Smartphones
FBI Now Helping Other Law Enforcement Agencies Bypass Apple’s iPhone Security Measures
One of Apple’s biggest concerns about being compelled to assist the FBI in bypassing the security measures on the iPhone was that it would be just the first of many requests to get around the device’s encryption, thus increasing the odds of this work-around getting into the hands of hackers. Now comes news that the FBI — which was able to crack the iPhone lockdown without Apple’s assistance — is offering to unlock Apple devices for other law enforcement agencies.
Wells Fargo: 25% Chance of US Recession in Next 6 Months
Wells Fargo analysts warn that the probability of a U.S. recession is more than 25 percent during the next six months, the highest since the Great Recession era.
“At present, we are not calling for a recession within the next six months. However, given that the recession probabilities based on our preferred model and average of all models are somewhat elevated, it is not wise to entirely dismiss recession risk," Philly.com cites John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo & Co., as saying after sifting employment data, stock market valuations and economic output reports.
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“At present, we are not calling for a recession within the next six months. However, given that the recession probabilities based on our preferred model and average of all models are somewhat elevated, it is not wise to entirely dismiss recession risk," Philly.com cites John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo & Co., as saying after sifting employment data, stock market valuations and economic output reports.
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Financial Literacy Month Is The Right Time To Get Your Fiscal House In Order
One problem with that, though, is many adults aren’t all that financially literate themselves.
For example, one survey revealed that about 80 percent of Americans admit to making some sort of financial mistake, such as not saving enough for retirement, failing to track their spending or taking on too much debt.
“People can make financial mistakes for a lot of reasons,” says Brett King, the managing/founding partner and Senior Vice President Investments for Elite Financial Associates (www.elitefinancialassociates.com).
“But often it’s because they simply haven’t taken the time to make a personal budget and plot out their spending and investing habits.”
April is National Financial Literacy Month, making it the opportune time for people to review their fiscal situation and figure out how to do better.
King says there are several steps to consider as people try to make sure they are getting the most out of their money:
• Build a reserve account for emergencies. Major medical problems, job loss or other unexpected events can undermine anyone’s financial stability. That’s why it’s important to build an emergency fund. Many experts recommend the fund be large enough to cover all your expenses for three to six months, though that’s a tough goal for most people. But something is better than nothing, King says, so try to stash away at least a little each week.
• It’s never too early to start saving for retirement. “A lot of people tell themselves they will begin to save for retirement when their income reaches a more comfortable level,” King says. “But the longer you delay, the harder it’s going to be to accumulate the amount of money you will need when you retire.” If saving is difficult right now, one strategy would be to start small and increase your contribution each year as your salary grows. Even setting aside a small amount out of each paycheck now can make a big difference over time because of the power of compound interest.
• Adjust your strategies as financial circumstances change. Reviewing your income and expenses shouldn’t be a one-time event. For example, if you become a new parent you may want to shift some of your money into a college-savings plan for your child. Be ready to change to deal with the new realities life tosses your way.
“If you have concerns about whether you’re making the right decisions about your money,” King says, “you should seek the assistance of a financial professional who can give you guidance in getting your financial house in order.”
Secretary of State Wobensmith, Attorney General Frosh Announce Dissolution of Scam Cancer Charities
Cancer Fund of America, Related Charities Dissolved After Bilking Donors of $75 Million
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Secretary of State John Wobensmith and Attorney General Brian Frosh announced today that Maryland, working with the Federal Trade Commission and representatives of each state and the District of Columbia, has dissolved two sham cancer charities and have banned their president from profiting from any charity fundraising in the future.
“Together, the FTC and state charity regulators across the country presented a united front against charity fraud and put an end to these sham charities,” said Secretary Wobensmith. “We will not sit idly by while scammers defraud consumers and deprive legitimate charities of much needed support for Maryland citizens.”
Cancer Fund of America Inc. (CFA), Cancer Support Services Inc. (CSS) and their leader, James Reynolds, Sr., agreed in court documents filed yesterday to settle charges that the organizations claimed to help cancer patients, but instead spent the overwhelming majority of donations on trips, gifts and salaries for operators, families, and friends, as well as on fundraising activities.
“We are sending a clear signal that we won’t tolerate this kind of deception and egregious lies,” Frosh said. “For those who are generous enough to give and help others, we will be here for you to make sure that your good intentions are fulfilled.”
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Secretary of State John Wobensmith and Attorney General Brian Frosh announced today that Maryland, working with the Federal Trade Commission and representatives of each state and the District of Columbia, has dissolved two sham cancer charities and have banned their president from profiting from any charity fundraising in the future.
“Together, the FTC and state charity regulators across the country presented a united front against charity fraud and put an end to these sham charities,” said Secretary Wobensmith. “We will not sit idly by while scammers defraud consumers and deprive legitimate charities of much needed support for Maryland citizens.”
Cancer Fund of America Inc. (CFA), Cancer Support Services Inc. (CSS) and their leader, James Reynolds, Sr., agreed in court documents filed yesterday to settle charges that the organizations claimed to help cancer patients, but instead spent the overwhelming majority of donations on trips, gifts and salaries for operators, families, and friends, as well as on fundraising activities.
“We are sending a clear signal that we won’t tolerate this kind of deception and egregious lies,” Frosh said. “For those who are generous enough to give and help others, we will be here for you to make sure that your good intentions are fulfilled.”
Top Trump Ally off the Rails?
Defending billionaire businessman Donald Trump is like constantly having to bail a teenage son from prison, author and political commentator Ann Coulter groused in a recent radio interview.
"I'm a little testy with our man right now. Our candidate is mental! Do you realize our candidate is mental?" Coulter said jokingly during a taping of an episode of the "Milo Yiannopoulos Show," which is scheduled to air in full this weekend. "It's like constantly having to bail out your 16-year-old son from prison."
Yiannopoulos and Coulter have spent most of the 2016 GOP primary enthusiastically defending Trump, and making the case for why he is the most qualified candidate to take on the Democratic front-runner in the fall.
However, Coulter is now unhappy with Trump over his late-night Twitter shenanigans, which have included attacks on journalists, businesses, television networks, heads of state and Heidi Cruz, the wife of Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
For months, it seemed like nothing could derail the Trump Train. That may still be the case. But key media surrogates and top conservatives deserting Trump can't be good.
Source: AAN
From Homemaker to Terrorist Trouble Maker
Safya Yassin was arrested last month for threatening the lives of federal agents with pro-ISIS messages. But her complete online trail raises the question of whether she was a true believer in the Islamic State or just a lonely single mother who yearned for attention. Members of her family, for what it’s worth, think she’s anything but a Muslim fanatic.
“She believes in Jesus Christ as her personal savior,” one of Yassin’s cousins told The Daily Beast. “I gave her her first Bible, and she still has that.”
On Feb. 18, the Federal Bureau of Investigation took Yassin into custody after they said she “retweeted the personal identifiable information of two FBI agents with the statement ‘Wanted to Kill.’” Yassin also allegedly shared photos and addresses of U.S. military personnel and tweeted that a “media personality ‘would be better off without her head,’” the complaint added.
Source: The Daily Beast
Source: The Daily Beast
4 Business Lessons Drawn From Riots, Robberies And Mob Threats
“It’s the worst experiences that sometimes teach us the most important lessons,” says Nix, a successful businessman and author of “Nixland: My Wild Ride in the Inner City Check Cashing Industry” (nixland.net).
The incredible rise of his multimillion-dollar enterprise, Nix Check Cashing, is a case in point. Nix encountered turbulent times in the inner city of Los Angeles as he built his company into a trusted institution among underserved communities.
He and his employees faced harrowing experiences, such as armed robberies and threats from the mob, which hoped to block some of his expansion plans.
The 1992 riots that erupted after a jury acquitted police officers in the beating of Rodney King proved especially distressing. Many businesses were looted or burned to the ground, and Nix scrambled to protect his check-cashing locations.
He was gratified to learn that loyal customers prevented some branches from being torched.
“We even had a gang member call us,” Nix says. “He said he had always been treated with respect at Nix, and his gang decided not to burn Nix because we were part of the community.”
Nix says his experiences taught him valuable lessons that relate both to business and life, such as:
• Take responsibility. This applies to everything that happens, including things you can’t control. Once when an economic downturn left him unable to pay bills, Nix contacted each creditor to explain his predicament and work out a plan. That upfront approach helped the business avoid bankruptcy.
• Never play the victim role or blame game. Avoid replaying misfortunes over and over in your mind. Accept setbacks gracefully and concentrate on getting back on track. In the 1990s, a business deal that went awry nearly forced Nix to sell his company, but he focused on solving the problem and persevered.
• Be courageous. The most debilitating human emotion is fear. Learn to keep it in perspective, minimize it when applicable and harness it to your benefit when need be. Nix says standing up to bullies as a child set the stage for standing up to the mob.
• Maintain integrity. Operating with fair play and compassion is important in building trust. “The way community members protected some of our branches during the riots was a reflection of this,” Nix says.
“Treating people fairly and supporting community programs paid off.”
Good times may be more enjoyable, but challenging times provide more opportunity for growth, he says.
“Realize that bad people, tough times and mistakes are your teachers,” Nix says. “Always ask yourself, ‘What do I need to do to capitalize on these events?’ ”
Cruz: Trump 'Hatchet Man' Roger Stone Planted Enquirer Story
Ted Cruz said Tuesday that he had proof that rival Donald Trump planted last week's report in The National Enquirer that he had had five extramarital affairs — tying it to the developer's "hatchet man," former political adviser Roger Stone.
"Sure," Cruz said in response to a question from CNN host Anderson Cooper on whether he had evidence of Trump's ties to the story. The Texas senator was speaking at a town hall hosted by the cable network in Milwaukee.
"The story on its face quoted one person on the record, Roger Stone," Cruz began. "Roger Stone has been Donald Trump's chief political adviser.
"He planned and ran his presidential campaign — and he's been his hatchet man. He spent 40 years as a hatchet man."
Cruz also noted that Trump is "good friends" with National Enquirer Chief Executive David Pecker.
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"Sure," Cruz said in response to a question from CNN host Anderson Cooper on whether he had evidence of Trump's ties to the story. The Texas senator was speaking at a town hall hosted by the cable network in Milwaukee.
"The story on its face quoted one person on the record, Roger Stone," Cruz began. "Roger Stone has been Donald Trump's chief political adviser.
"He planned and ran his presidential campaign — and he's been his hatchet man. He spent 40 years as a hatchet man."
Cruz also noted that Trump is "good friends" with National Enquirer Chief Executive David Pecker.
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Germany to Migrants: Integrate and Learn Language or Lose Permanent Residency
German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere is proposing a new law that will compel migrants to learn German and integrate into society or else lose their permanent residency rights.
The proposal comes after voters rejected Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door refugee policy in elections earlier this month, instead turning to the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany.
In return for language lessons, social benefits and housing, Germany expected refugees would make an effort to integrate into western culture, Mr. de Maiziere told ARD television.
“For those who refuse to learn German, for those who refuse to allow their relatives to integrate — for instance women or girls — for those who reject job offers: for them, there cannot be an unlimited settlement permit after three years,” he said, Reuters reported.
He said he wanted to create a “link between successful integration and the permissions for how long one is allowed to stay in Germany.”
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The proposal comes after voters rejected Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door refugee policy in elections earlier this month, instead turning to the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany.
In return for language lessons, social benefits and housing, Germany expected refugees would make an effort to integrate into western culture, Mr. de Maiziere told ARD television.
“For those who refuse to learn German, for those who refuse to allow their relatives to integrate — for instance women or girls — for those who reject job offers: for them, there cannot be an unlimited settlement permit after three years,” he said, Reuters reported.
He said he wanted to create a “link between successful integration and the permissions for how long one is allowed to stay in Germany.”
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Blackburn: Left is seeking 'incremental' erosion of free expression
The right to free expression is under attack, according to a leading Republican in Congress, through an incremental approach that begins with federal regulators and trickles down to the private sector.
"They begin with the end in mind, and they incrementally walk toward their end," Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn told the Washington Examiner on Monday. "We know that is how they operate.
"Bearing that in mind, you know what they are doing is seeking ways to encroach on your privacy and freedom of speech, and then they want to tax it and regulate so that they control priority and value to content," Blackburn added. "Working with Google and Facebook, they're able to get into that ... business."
More here
"They begin with the end in mind, and they incrementally walk toward their end," Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn told the Washington Examiner on Monday. "We know that is how they operate.
"Bearing that in mind, you know what they are doing is seeking ways to encroach on your privacy and freedom of speech, and then they want to tax it and regulate so that they control priority and value to content," Blackburn added. "Working with Google and Facebook, they're able to get into that ... business."
More here
Detroit Principals' Bribery Con Cost Schools $2.7M, Say Feds
A dozen current and former Detroit schools principals have been charged in a $2.7 million bribery scheme involving kickbacks for fraudulent invoices, federal prosecutors revealed.
The prosecutors accused Norman Shy, 74, owner of Allstate Sales, with submitting false invoices to Detroit Public Schools and then using part of the payments from the school district as kickbacks to school principals with whom he allegedly conspired, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office statement.
Prosecutors accused 13 school officials – 12 current or former Detroit school principals and an assistant superintendent – in the scheme in which Shy received $2.7 million from Detroit Public Schools and the school administrators received $908,518 in kickbacks.
"It is a heavy blow to public confidence when so many school principals are charged with bribery," said U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. "Public officials should take note that while it may seem easy to take bribes when they are offered, officials who betray their public trust will eventually get caught and will face the consequences."
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The prosecutors accused Norman Shy, 74, owner of Allstate Sales, with submitting false invoices to Detroit Public Schools and then using part of the payments from the school district as kickbacks to school principals with whom he allegedly conspired, according to a U.S. Attorney's Office statement.
Prosecutors accused 13 school officials – 12 current or former Detroit school principals and an assistant superintendent – in the scheme in which Shy received $2.7 million from Detroit Public Schools and the school administrators received $908,518 in kickbacks.
"It is a heavy blow to public confidence when so many school principals are charged with bribery," said U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. "Public officials should take note that while it may seem easy to take bribes when they are offered, officials who betray their public trust will eventually get caught and will face the consequences."
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Trump: Federal Government’s Top Three Functions Are Security, Healthcare, and Education
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stated that the federal governments top three functions are security, education, and healthcare, and “housing, providing great neighborhoods” are also responsibilities of the federal government during CNN’s Republican Town Hall on Tuesday.
Trump said, in response to a question on the “top three functions of the United States government?” “Well, the greatest function of all by far, is security for our nation. I would also say healthcare, I would also say education. I mean, there are many, many things, but I would say the top three are security, security, security.”
After moderator Anderson Cooper asked, “You also say healthcare and education should be provided by the federal government?” Trump responded, “Those are two of the things. Yeah, sure. There are obviously many things, housing, providing great neighborhoods –.”
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Trump said, in response to a question on the “top three functions of the United States government?” “Well, the greatest function of all by far, is security for our nation. I would also say healthcare, I would also say education. I mean, there are many, many things, but I would say the top three are security, security, security.”
After moderator Anderson Cooper asked, “You also say healthcare and education should be provided by the federal government?” Trump responded, “Those are two of the things. Yeah, sure. There are obviously many things, housing, providing great neighborhoods –.”
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Subject: Democrat Attorneys General to Police Climate Change Dissent
A coalition of Democratic attorneys general in 16 states announced Tuesday an unprecedented campaign to pursue companies that challenge the catastrophic climate change narrative, raising concerns over free speech and the use of state authority to punish political foes.
Standing beside former Vice President Al Gore, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the state officials are committed to “working together on key climate-related initiatives,” including queries into whether fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil have committed fraud by deceiving the public and shareholders about the impact of man-made carbon dioxide emissions.
Two states — California and New York — already have launched probes into ExxonMobil, while attorneys general from Massachusetts and the Virgin Islands indicated Tuesday that they would follow suit. Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Walker, an independent, is the only non-Democrat involved in the campaign, called AGs United for Clean Power.
“The bottom line is simple: Climate change is real; it is a threat to all the people we represent,” Mr. Schneiderman said. “If there are companies, whether they’re utilities, whether they’re fossil fuel companies, committing fraud in an effort to maximize their short-term profits at the expense of the people we represent, we want to find out about it. We want to expose it and want to pursue them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mr. Schneiderman also announced that 20 attorneys general representing 18 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands filed a brief Tuesday in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan rule, which has been challenged by attorneys general in 25 mostly red states.
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Standing beside former Vice President Al Gore, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the state officials are committed to “working together on key climate-related initiatives,” including queries into whether fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil have committed fraud by deceiving the public and shareholders about the impact of man-made carbon dioxide emissions.
Two states — California and New York — already have launched probes into ExxonMobil, while attorneys general from Massachusetts and the Virgin Islands indicated Tuesday that they would follow suit. Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Walker, an independent, is the only non-Democrat involved in the campaign, called AGs United for Clean Power.
“The bottom line is simple: Climate change is real; it is a threat to all the people we represent,” Mr. Schneiderman said. “If there are companies, whether they’re utilities, whether they’re fossil fuel companies, committing fraud in an effort to maximize their short-term profits at the expense of the people we represent, we want to find out about it. We want to expose it and want to pursue them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mr. Schneiderman also announced that 20 attorneys general representing 18 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands filed a brief Tuesday in support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan rule, which has been challenged by attorneys general in 25 mostly red states.
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Subject: Associated Press Willingly Cooperated with the Nazis, New Report Shows
News agency and Third Reich said to have made mutually beneficial deal, with AP providing countless photos for Nazi propaganda; AP denies collaboration
The Associated Press news agency willingly cooperated with Nazi Germany, submitting to the regime’s restrictive rulings on the freedom of the press and providing it with images from its photo archives to be used in its anti-Semitic and anti-Western propaganda machine, a new report reveals.
When Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists rose to power in 1933, all international news agencies but the US-based AP were forced to leave Germany. The AP continued to operate in the Third Reich until 1941, when the United States joined World War II.
According to German historian Harriet Scharnberg, the world’s biggest news agency was only allowed to remain in Germany because it signed a deal with the regime.
The news agency lost control over its copy by submitting itself to the Schriftleitergesetz (editor’s law), agreeing not to print any material “calculated to weaken the strength of the Reich abroad or at home,” she wrote in an article published in the academic journal Studies in Contemporary History.
Scharnberg’s research was first reported by the UK-based Guardian newspaper.
According to the paper, the Nazis’ so-called editor’s law forced AP employees to contribute material for the Nazi party’s propaganda division. One of the four photographers working for the company in the 1930s was Franz Roth, a member of the SS paramilitary unit’s propaganda division. His pictures were handpicked by Hitler, the Guardian writes.
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The Associated Press news agency willingly cooperated with Nazi Germany, submitting to the regime’s restrictive rulings on the freedom of the press and providing it with images from its photo archives to be used in its anti-Semitic and anti-Western propaganda machine, a new report reveals.
When Adolf Hitler’s National Socialists rose to power in 1933, all international news agencies but the US-based AP were forced to leave Germany. The AP continued to operate in the Third Reich until 1941, when the United States joined World War II.
According to German historian Harriet Scharnberg, the world’s biggest news agency was only allowed to remain in Germany because it signed a deal with the regime.
The news agency lost control over its copy by submitting itself to the Schriftleitergesetz (editor’s law), agreeing not to print any material “calculated to weaken the strength of the Reich abroad or at home,” she wrote in an article published in the academic journal Studies in Contemporary History.
Scharnberg’s research was first reported by the UK-based Guardian newspaper.
According to the paper, the Nazis’ so-called editor’s law forced AP employees to contribute material for the Nazi party’s propaganda division. One of the four photographers working for the company in the 1930s was Franz Roth, a member of the SS paramilitary unit’s propaganda division. His pictures were handpicked by Hitler, the Guardian writes.
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Tea Party Wave, Part II
The anti-Washington political sentiment is more than just a factor in the presidential race. The feeling is permeating the early congressional nomination campaigns, particularly among Republicans, and House incumbents are taking serious notice.
So far six states have held their congressional primaries: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, and Texas, and though no incumbent has lost many have deflected competitive intra-party challenges, while several others loom on the horizon. In the six states that have nominated their 2016 congressional candidates, including four with run-off systems, none has even been cast into a secondary election.
The closest two results came in Texas and Illinois, where veteran Reps. Kevin Brady (R-TX-8) and John Shimkus (R-IL-15) won respective 53 and 60% re-nomination victories. The most serious current primary campaigns are occurring in North Carolina, now scheduled for June 7th after a court-mandated major redistricting plan forced the state to move its congressional primaries from March 15th.
We’ve already covered the Republican pairing between Reps. Renee Ellmers and George Holding in the new 2nd District, and that Reps. Walter Jones (R-NC-3), Bob Pittenger (R-NC-9), and Alma Adams (D-NC-12) have serious nomination contests, but two-term Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC-8), who faces a 60% new constituency covered by the state’s two most expensive media markets (Charlotte and Raleigh), also faces significant GOP competition.
Tim D’Annunzio, a previously unsuccessful congressional and statewide candidate, is personally wealthy and entered the race against Hudson just as candidate filing closed. He immediately purchased $200,000 in early television with much more to follow, so the 8th District campaign is another to watch. Rep. Hudson, an Energy & Commerce Committee member, is a strong campaigner and is quickly adding to his $600,000 campaign war chest. It’s already clear that he will need to spend more than $1 million to lock this race down.
The next two state primaries come on April 26th in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The Keystone State campaigns are attracting the most attention. Indicted Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA-2) is in clear danger of losing his Philadelphia-anchored seat. Veteran state Representative Dwight Evans (D) is mounting an aggressive campaign and could well topple the embattled incumbent. Two other local Philadelphia Democrats are also on the ballot.
Facebook for Jihadis?
A month ago, while attending the Startup Turkey conference in Antalya, I had the chance to talk to Shoaib Fadie, CEO and co-founder of the social networking platform Muslimface.
He was there to pitch to potential investors his website, which, in addition to social networking also offers prayer times, job postings, a tool to locate the nearest mosque, a ‘find your spouse’ feature, and much more.
It might not seem the best of times, now, to write about Islamic online content, given the prejudices that surround the topic and the rising Islamophobia (which the recent terrorist attacks has certainly not helped reduce). Just think of Donald Trump’s proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants from entering the United States.
But Fadie’s project struck me as potentially making sense both from the entrepreneurial and social point of view. After all, the world’s Muslim population is expected to increase from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion by 2030, according to a Pew Research Center study.
On the one hand, the digital media environment has created all sorts of avenues and opportunities for people to interact with those that share their common interests. On the other, it's troubling that Muslims are increasingly seeking out avenues to isolate themselves from the broader American culture. It's no secret that a lot of what we see on social media is both intellectually and morally the bottom of the proverbial barrel, but so is much of what's in American culture. Part of assimilating into a society is being able to engage with and tolerate the extremes of that society. If Muslims can't do that, it doesn't bode well for America.
Source: AAN
Veterans mark 50th anniversary of Vietnam War
The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments joined together Tuesday to honor the nearly 9 million Americans who serviced in the Armed Forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, as part of the Vietnam War Commemoration. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the war.
“This Commemoration has special significance for those of us at VA because of our honored mission to serve those who have ‘borne the battle,'” said VA Secretary Robert McDonald, during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Veteran Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. “It’s also an opportunity to remember our VA colleagues who served in this generation of Veterans, to extend our heartfelt appreciation to them and to their families who shared the burden of their loved one’s service.”
GO HERE to see photos.
“This Commemoration has special significance for those of us at VA because of our honored mission to serve those who have ‘borne the battle,'” said VA Secretary Robert McDonald, during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Veteran Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. “It’s also an opportunity to remember our VA colleagues who served in this generation of Veterans, to extend our heartfelt appreciation to them and to their families who shared the burden of their loved one’s service.”
GO HERE to see photos.
Border Hopping Pedophile's Horrific Crime
Source: Breitbart
How To Avoid Going Too Far When You Whiten Your Teeth
That’s why many people opt for teeth-whitening procedures at the dentist’s office or whitening strips that can be purchased for use at home.
They want a bright smile that can serve them well in a job interview, in meeting the opposite sex or just to impress the world in general.
But teeth whitening can also come with negatives.
For example, many people are choosing to ditch the strips, says Dr. Barry Bartusiak, who has lectured on dentistry throughout the country and formerly was dentist to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“More recently, the concern has been, ‘Do my teeth look too white?’ Because that’s a dead giveaway that they’re unnaturally so,” he says. “Just as most people want hair coloring to look natural, folks also want their teeth to be a convincing shade of healthy white.”
So they are choosing natural ways to whiten their teeth, without drastic measures such as bleaching agents, which can strip the enamel that protects the sensitive core of the tooth from erosion.
“One alternative is a natural toothpaste that uses activated charcoal to whiten teeth, such as Black Is White, (www.curaprox.com),” Bartusiak says. “Activated charcoal has been a recent trend in skin care – since it’s proven to cleanse impurities – and has proven itself to be highly effective in dental care.”
Options to consider in the effort to rid your teeth of yellowish stains and return to a natural, brighter smile include:
• Strawberries and other fruit. Some foods can help whiten teeth. Strawberries, for example, contain acids that help break down stains. Apples and other fruit can do the same. The downside of this approach, though, is that fruit contains sugar and those acids also can erode the enamel if left on the teeth too long, so it’s still important to rinse and brush your teeth after eating them.
• Baking soda. One time-honored option for a toothpaste substitute is baking soda. Baking soda helps with whitening because it acts as a mild abrasive that can remove surface stains from teeth.
• Activated charcoal. It seems counterintuitive that something black like charcoal could whiten teeth, but it does, Bartusiak says. Activated charcoal (a treated and purified form of the charcoal used on grills) can absorb the stains on teeth. While some Americans have experimented with activated charcoal in a do-it-yourself way and reported their findings on the Internet, the Swiss company Curaprox has now introduced its Black Is White charcoal-activated toothpaste to the U.S. market.
“Having whiter teeth is important to a lot of people,” Bartusiak says. “But it’s also important to achieve that goal in a way that’s safe for your dental health.”
A Viewer Writes: Protesters
Joe, I was out driving around a lot last week and noticed that there’s a lot of Protesters putting up signs all over the place against all sorts of things! Crazy idiots; don’t they know we need these things to keep going so things don’t go to pot?
Pamela Geller: Muslim Offers $10,000 to Anyone Who Can Show the Qur’an Commands Terror; Where Do I Pick Up My Check?
Omar Alnatour, who identifies himself as a “Palestinian-American Muslim. Student. Humanitarian,” has published an article in the Huffington Post entitled, “Why Muslims Should Never Have To Apologize for Terrorism.” It’s one of the most deceptive apologetic pieces ever to appear on HuffPo – and that’s saying a lot.
“Picture this: You wake up in the morning to hear your wife screaming at you because it’s pouring rain outside,” Alnatour starts out. “She hates the rain and now her day is ruined because of you. You go downstairs only to hear your children yell at you because they broke the toaster. They can’t have waffles now and it’s all your fault.” And on and on. Comparing things that happen in the course of a day that are irritating with not having to apologize for terrorism is deceptive and illogical. Millions of Muslims across the world are waging a bloody holy war to impose Islam because of what is written in the Quran, Hadith, etc.
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“Picture this: You wake up in the morning to hear your wife screaming at you because it’s pouring rain outside,” Alnatour starts out. “She hates the rain and now her day is ruined because of you. You go downstairs only to hear your children yell at you because they broke the toaster. They can’t have waffles now and it’s all your fault.” And on and on. Comparing things that happen in the course of a day that are irritating with not having to apologize for terrorism is deceptive and illogical. Millions of Muslims across the world are waging a bloody holy war to impose Islam because of what is written in the Quran, Hadith, etc.
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Republican Jews to help reelect embattled GOP senators
WASHINGTON — The Republican Jewish Coalition named four incumbent GOP senators as at risk in a fundraising drive.
The fundraising email sent Tuesday listed Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Mark Kirk of Illinois as needing RJC assistance in winning reelection.
Each of the RJC pitches says funds raised would be directed to shaping the narrative about the races in question.
Republicans are defending 24 seats in this year’s Senate race and Democrats 10.
Democrats need to win four Senate seats and the presidency to regain control of the body, giving a Democratic president a leg up in advancing legislation and approving Supreme Court judges.
According to the fundraising letter, Ayotte has a slight advantage over Maggie Hassan, the state’s Democratic governor, among Independents, and the RJC would seek to expand that margin.
Kirk’s challenger, Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, is well liked among those who know her – but much of the state does not know her, the email says, and the RJC would seek to define Duckworth among that plurality.
More here
The fundraising email sent Tuesday listed Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Mark Kirk of Illinois as needing RJC assistance in winning reelection.
Each of the RJC pitches says funds raised would be directed to shaping the narrative about the races in question.
Republicans are defending 24 seats in this year’s Senate race and Democrats 10.
Democrats need to win four Senate seats and the presidency to regain control of the body, giving a Democratic president a leg up in advancing legislation and approving Supreme Court judges.
According to the fundraising letter, Ayotte has a slight advantage over Maggie Hassan, the state’s Democratic governor, among Independents, and the RJC would seek to expand that margin.
Kirk’s challenger, Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, is well liked among those who know her – but much of the state does not know her, the email says, and the RJC would seek to define Duckworth among that plurality.
More here
Social Security Number Removal Initiative (SSNRI) content for CMS web page
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted information to ensure that agency partners have access to basic information about the Social Security Number Removal Initiative (SSNRI), created to meet the requirements and timeline included in MACRA. CMS is still in a reactive communications mode on this initiative and to get ready for the new Medicare cards.
For additional information, click here:
https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Look-Up-Topics/Medicare/SSNRI-Message.html
For additional information, click here:
https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Look-Up-Topics/Medicare/SSNRI-Message.html
Subject: Alexander: Are America's Best Days Ahead?
At the 1992 GOP convention, even though it was becoming apparent that a draft-dodging serial adulterer named Bill Clinton might bookend the optimism and character of the Reagan/Bush era, former President Ronald Reagan had this to say about our nation’s future: “America’s best days are yet to come. Our proudest moments are yet to be. Our most glorious achievements are just ahead. America remains what Emerson called her 150 years ago, ‘the country of tomorrow.’”
I have to ask: Do you believe Reagan’s pronouncement of nearly a quarter-century ago to be true today? If you answered “no,” I certainly understand why. But I believe President Reagan’s words are as true today as in 1992. Allow me to tell you why.
A flood of pessimism continues to swamp our nation, and in the process it has swept away the hopes and dreams of a hundred million Americans, leaving most justifiably angry, if not merely depressed. After more than seven years of abject domestic and foreign policy failures under the Obama regime and its cadres of Socialist Democrats, too many Americans, including more than a few of my fellow Patriots, have lost sight of all that is good and right with America.
Make no mistake: I’m a realist, and I have no illusions about the detrimental impact the last seven years have had on every quarter of our nation. But I do not get caught up in the 24-hour news spin cycle, be it CNN or Fox, and the “chicken little” syndrome they propagate.
I have history’s assurance that Reagan was right. It is the spirit of his words that are most relevant and they reach back to the dawn of our Republic.
More here
I have to ask: Do you believe Reagan’s pronouncement of nearly a quarter-century ago to be true today? If you answered “no,” I certainly understand why. But I believe President Reagan’s words are as true today as in 1992. Allow me to tell you why.
A flood of pessimism continues to swamp our nation, and in the process it has swept away the hopes and dreams of a hundred million Americans, leaving most justifiably angry, if not merely depressed. After more than seven years of abject domestic and foreign policy failures under the Obama regime and its cadres of Socialist Democrats, too many Americans, including more than a few of my fellow Patriots, have lost sight of all that is good and right with America.
Make no mistake: I’m a realist, and I have no illusions about the detrimental impact the last seven years have had on every quarter of our nation. But I do not get caught up in the 24-hour news spin cycle, be it CNN or Fox, and the “chicken little” syndrome they propagate.
I have history’s assurance that Reagan was right. It is the spirit of his words that are most relevant and they reach back to the dawn of our Republic.
More here
The Anti Trump State?
But he is stumbling in the state that is set to vote next, Wisconsin. The latest poll has Trump down 10 points to Cruz.
Why is Trump struggling in Wisconsin, a blue state with heavy manufacturing, which is his base? Part of it is some unfortunate remarks Trump has made on everything from Ted Cruz’s wife to abortion. But the biggest reason is that Wisconsin’s conservatives are largely supportive of the GOP leadership.
Politico reports:
Because if Wisconsin is where Trump’s wave finally breaks, it will be in no small part because of Charlie Sykes.
Sykes is Wisconsin’s leading conservative radio voice after 23 years on the air and a leader of the #NeverTrump brigade since long back before it had a hash-tag. He might also be the single biggest impediment to Trump's winning Wisconsin’s primary next Tuesday and putting the GOP nomination on ice.
[...]But if Cruz does ultimately find fertile soil in Wisconsin, it’ll be due largely to Sykes’ spadework and the anti-Trump broadsides he’s been delivering almost daily to an audience of 100,000 conservatives in southeastern Wisconsin going back to last summer.
“Talk radio’s impact can’t really be understated,” Batzel said. “And it’s first and foremost anti-Trump. There have been such tough battles here with the bargaining reforms, the recalls and Walker’s re-election, and talk radio has been a key outlet for informing the voters and informing the electorate.
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus hails from Wisconsin, as does House Speaker Paul Ryan. Another reason is that conservative activists and Republican Party leaders are on far friendlier terms than in other states.
If Trump is defeated in Wisconsin, can Cruz replicate this kind of effort in future states? Most likely not. Most of the remaining states should be far more favorable to Donald Trump than Wisconsin.
Source: AAN
Feds Restart Civil Asset Forfeiture Sharing Program
The federal government is bringing back its Equitable Sharing Program just months after shutting it down. The “Department of Justice” announced the decision to bring the civil asset forfeiture program back this week, meaning participating local and state law enforcement agencies will enjoy getting a piece of the pie whenever a task force seizes property:
"The Department of Justice is pleased to announce that, effective immediately, the Department is resuming Equitable Sharing payments to State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. As you know, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 included a $746 million permanent reduction, or “rescission,” that, when combined with the additional rescission of $458 million contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law in December 2015, reduced Asset Forfeiture Program funds by $1.2 billion. Those rescissions threatened the financial solvency of the Assets Forfeiture Fund, and forced the Department to take cost-cutting steps across all discretionary programs, including on December 21, 2015, the deferral of Equitable Sharing payments."
A lot of people are probably sitting here going, “So what? The people they’re seizing items from have committed crimes.” That’s not true. Criminal asset forfeiture involves seizing items from people who are charged for a crime. Civil asset forfeiture is completely different with the DOJ defining it as action taken against the property itself because it may have been involved in a crime. No charges against any person is needed. This goes against the Fourth and Fifth Amendments because it violates the search and seizure clause and it deprives property from someone without due process.
So why do authorities do it? For the cash, of course. Law enforcement seized $3.9B in property in civil asset forfeiture in 2014, while only seizing $697M in criminal asset forfeiture. This includes a case out of Philadelphia where a family lost their $350K home because their son happened to sell $40 worth of heroin, even though the family told CNN they didn’t know what the 22-year-old was doing.
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"The Department of Justice is pleased to announce that, effective immediately, the Department is resuming Equitable Sharing payments to State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. As you know, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 included a $746 million permanent reduction, or “rescission,” that, when combined with the additional rescission of $458 million contained in the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law in December 2015, reduced Asset Forfeiture Program funds by $1.2 billion. Those rescissions threatened the financial solvency of the Assets Forfeiture Fund, and forced the Department to take cost-cutting steps across all discretionary programs, including on December 21, 2015, the deferral of Equitable Sharing payments."
A lot of people are probably sitting here going, “So what? The people they’re seizing items from have committed crimes.” That’s not true. Criminal asset forfeiture involves seizing items from people who are charged for a crime. Civil asset forfeiture is completely different with the DOJ defining it as action taken against the property itself because it may have been involved in a crime. No charges against any person is needed. This goes against the Fourth and Fifth Amendments because it violates the search and seizure clause and it deprives property from someone without due process.
So why do authorities do it? For the cash, of course. Law enforcement seized $3.9B in property in civil asset forfeiture in 2014, while only seizing $697M in criminal asset forfeiture. This includes a case out of Philadelphia where a family lost their $350K home because their son happened to sell $40 worth of heroin, even though the family told CNN they didn’t know what the 22-year-old was doing.
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Federal Judge Drops THIS Hillary Bombshell
The Washington Examiner reports:
"Where there is evidence of government wrongdoing and bad faith, as here, limited discovery is appropriate," U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth wrote as part of a ruling that a watchdog group could proceed with discovery related to Clinton's server...
... "Plaintiff is not relying on 'speculation' or 'surmise' as the State Department claims," he added. "Plaintiff is relying on constantly shifting admissions by the government and the former government officials."
Lamberth then unloaded on the Obama administration, accusing them of possible wrongdoing.
"Where there is evidence of government wrong-doing and bad faith, as here, limited discovery is appropriate, even though it is exceedingly rare in FOIA (freedom-of-information) cases," Lamberth’s order declared.
Source: AAN
Subject: Williams: Campus Lunacy
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni publishes occasional reports on what college students know. Nearly 10 percent of the college graduates surveyed thought Judith Sheindlin, TV’s “Judge Judy,” is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. Less than 20 percent of the college graduates knew the effect of the Emancipation Proclamation. More than a quarter of the college graduates did not know Franklin D. Roosevelt was president during World War II; one-third did not know he was the president who spearheaded the New Deal. But it is little mystery why so many college students are illiterate, innumerate and resistant to understanding. Let’s look at it.
Student activists at Brown University complained of emotional stress and poor grades after they spent months of protesting for various causes. They blamed the university for insisting that they complete their coursework. One of the objects of their protest was an op-ed in The Brown Daily Herald, the university newspaper, that was deemed racist because it defended the celebration of Columbus Day. Brown University’s faculty recently took care of that and renamed Columbus Day “Indigenous People’s Day.”
Professor Salvador Vidal-Ortiz of American University told his students that capitalism dehumanizes brown people and black people. If his students had one iota of brains, they might ask him why it is that brown and black people all over the world are seeking to flee to countries toward the capitalist end of the economic spectrum rather than the communist end. Campus Reform reports that Vidal-Ortiz, during the Q&A of a book talk at the University of Virginia, said he tells his students that though he is light-skinned, he refuses to be called white. “I will not be labeled as something that I know is violent,” he said.
More here
Student activists at Brown University complained of emotional stress and poor grades after they spent months of protesting for various causes. They blamed the university for insisting that they complete their coursework. One of the objects of their protest was an op-ed in The Brown Daily Herald, the university newspaper, that was deemed racist because it defended the celebration of Columbus Day. Brown University’s faculty recently took care of that and renamed Columbus Day “Indigenous People’s Day.”
Professor Salvador Vidal-Ortiz of American University told his students that capitalism dehumanizes brown people and black people. If his students had one iota of brains, they might ask him why it is that brown and black people all over the world are seeking to flee to countries toward the capitalist end of the economic spectrum rather than the communist end. Campus Reform reports that Vidal-Ortiz, during the Q&A of a book talk at the University of Virginia, said he tells his students that though he is light-skinned, he refuses to be called white. “I will not be labeled as something that I know is violent,” he said.
More here
Rental Policies Stiffened
During Tuesday’s work session, city officials tried to make up for lost time by ensuring new restrictions for R-1 (single-family residential) rentals, including a more thorough rental application, would finally be incorporated eight months after they were first introduced.
Improvements to the application include asking homeowners to list the number of bedrooms a unit has, where the property is being advertised, and its advertised total occupancy.
“All these changes were brought by Realtors as a first step to fix a big issue. We’re at the beginning of the season and we have a really small window to fix this,” said Councilman Tony DeLuca.
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Is Paul Ryan About to Commit Political Suicide?
Because Ryan is so beloved by many inside the Beltway, some are suggesting that he parachute into a contested Republican convention—one in which Donald Trump fails to win the 1,237 delegates required on the first vote—and become the party’s nominee. “If we don’t have a nominee who can win on the first ballot, I’m for none of the above,” said Ryan’s predecessor, former House Speaker John Boehner, a couple of weeks ago. “I’m for Paul Ryan to be our nominee.” Sure, Americans seem to be flirting with populism, but maybe what they really want deep down is upper-income tax cuts, Social Security private accounts, and more immigration? Add to that Ryan’s patented smile-frown of humble empathy, and he handily beats Hillary Clinton. It all makes sense.
There are signs that Ryan is open to being drafted. He didn’t mind the idea of being vice president back in 2012, so maybe he wouldn’t mind the idea of being president today. He has shaved his beard, quietingsuspicions of a secret fealty to Islam. He represents the opposite of Trump on many policy fronts, like trade, immigration, and foreign policy. Yes, he has denied interest in the nomination. “While I am grateful for the encouragement I’ve received, I will not be a candidate,” he has averred. But...oh, sorry, that quote is from last October. It’s what Ryan said about becoming Speaker of the House about three weeks before becoming Speaker of the House. More recently, he hasn’t ruled it out—first telling CNBC, “We’ll see, who knows?” and then trying to backpedal by telling people to “knock it off,” perhaps while batting at the air coyly. Ryan is also doing plenty behind the scenes, including taking a trip to Utah a few days before Mitt Romney gave a speech there denouncing Donald Trump.
Ryan was once a Tea Party favorite, but his allegiance to the establishment and capitulation on a number of spending and social issues rankled many true conservatives who believe he's no better than John Boehner. Although it may be in the establishment's best interest to use a brokered convention to stave off a Trump or Cruz nomination, for Ryan, such a move would be the nail in the coffin of what was once a promising political career. The Wisconsin Wonk would lose any remaining support among committed conservatives and basically serve at the pleasure of the establishment.
Source: AAN
Convention center seeks expansion approval
Plans for a third phase of expansions at the convention center that will add approximately 30,000 square feet of exhibit space will be presented by the center’s director, Larry Noccolino, at a City Council work session on April 26.
“Then we have to get state approval,” he said.
The first phase of convention center improvements, completed in early 2013, expanded the facility by enclosing a second-story deck to create a bay-view grand ballroom space on the top floor. The intent of the first phase was to build an alternative area to compensate for space lost when the two-level 1,212-seat Performing Arts Center was constructed during the second phase of expansion work.
Increased pricing schedules for the PAC have also been released for next year, but should be capped until 2019 Noccolino said. There are two tiers of pricing, a reduced rate for show promoters, and a higher scale for existing convention center clients.
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“Then we have to get state approval,” he said.
The first phase of convention center improvements, completed in early 2013, expanded the facility by enclosing a second-story deck to create a bay-view grand ballroom space on the top floor. The intent of the first phase was to build an alternative area to compensate for space lost when the two-level 1,212-seat Performing Arts Center was constructed during the second phase of expansion work.
Increased pricing schedules for the PAC have also been released for next year, but should be capped until 2019 Noccolino said. There are two tiers of pricing, a reduced rate for show promoters, and a higher scale for existing convention center clients.
More
His Son Was Killed By An Illegal. This Is What He Did Next
In the five years since an unlicensed illegal immigrant ran down his son, Don Rosenberg has turned his anger and grief into a mission to answer a seemingly simple question: How many people are killed each year by drivers who don’t belong in the U.S., much less behind a wheel?
Drew Rosenberg, a 25-year-old student at Golden Gate University, was riding his motorcycle in San Francisco when Roberto Galo struck him on Nov. 16, 2010. In his frenzied effort to flee the scene, Galo ran over his victim twice. The elder Rosenberg got the news no parent should hear from San Francisco General Hospital that night, but what he would learn over the next few years only compounded his bitterness.
As many as 7,500 Americans -- 20 per day -- are killed annually by unlicensed drivers, and Rosenberg calculates that more than half are the victims of illegal immigrants. Now, by testifying before lawmakers, speaking to parents who have been through the same ordeal and posting his research on his nonprofit’s website, unlicensedtodrive.org, Rosenberg is shedding light on a frightening number not readily available from government sources.
Source: AAN
House Passes Bill Recriminalizing Marijuana
ANNAPOLIS — In this week’s legislative digest, a bill that would require employers to give employees paid sick leave is on the move as is an effort to recriminalize marijuana. In addition, Governor Larry Hogan finally makes his feelings known about Donald Trump.
Legislation to recriminalize using marijuana in public won approval in the House of Delegates this week by a 102-36 vote, but the bill is expected to have a much more uphill battle in the Senate.
The House bill, which was introduced by Delegate Brett R. Wilson (R-Washington County), is a response to a bill that decriminalized the possession of marijuana paraphernalia last year. Two years ago, possession of small amounts of marijuana was decriminalized.
Wilson’s bill would make using marijuana in public a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500. Currently, using pot in public is illegal, but it is punished by a civil citation rather than a criminal one.
“It’s an issue that’s good for our children, for families and for outdoor spaces,” said Wilson. “The civil citation regime will not work. It’s very difficult for police to do anything to enforce laws when it comes to civil citations.”
Yet, if a version of the bill passes in the Senate, the language might be slightly different than the House bill, focusing on criminal sanctions for using pot in public and while driving, and could raise the decriminalization limit for possession above 10 grams.
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Legislation to recriminalize using marijuana in public won approval in the House of Delegates this week by a 102-36 vote, but the bill is expected to have a much more uphill battle in the Senate.
The House bill, which was introduced by Delegate Brett R. Wilson (R-Washington County), is a response to a bill that decriminalized the possession of marijuana paraphernalia last year. Two years ago, possession of small amounts of marijuana was decriminalized.
Wilson’s bill would make using marijuana in public a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500. Currently, using pot in public is illegal, but it is punished by a civil citation rather than a criminal one.
“It’s an issue that’s good for our children, for families and for outdoor spaces,” said Wilson. “The civil citation regime will not work. It’s very difficult for police to do anything to enforce laws when it comes to civil citations.”
Yet, if a version of the bill passes in the Senate, the language might be slightly different than the House bill, focusing on criminal sanctions for using pot in public and while driving, and could raise the decriminalization limit for possession above 10 grams.
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8 Appalling Times Trump Was Threatened
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Traffic Stop near Seaford Nets Heroin
The incident occurred Thursday March 31, 2016 around 5:50 p.m. as a trooper on patrol in the area of Sussex Highway (US13) and Old Furnace Road observed a green Honda Civic with an expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted on the car and contact was made with the operator, identified as Anthony L. Robinson, 20 of Seaford, and a front seat passenger, Shaquil J. Turnage, 23 of Seaford. An odor of marijuana was detected upon making contact with the driver and both subjects were asked to exit the vehicle while a search was conducted of the car. Troopers located a total of 650 bags of heroin weighing 9.75 grams along with over $1,200.00 in suspected drug proceeds, although no marijuana was found.
Both occupants were transported back to Troop 5 where they were both charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin, Possession of Heroin, Conspiracy 2nd, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Robinson was additionally charged with Driving While Suspended or Revoked and Expired Registration. Robinson and Turnage were arraigned at JP3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $77,050.00 and $76,500.00 secured respectively.
It’s Cruel To Politicize Heidi Cruz’s Depression
When I heard reports of Heidi Cruz’s depression and how it’s being used to smear her husband’s campaign, I was very upset—not so much by the use of wives as pawns in political power plays, but by the exploitation of a woman’s dark night of the soul to gain political advantage.
Millions of Americans experience depression every year, with women facing the illness at double the rate of men. This fact alone should rouse our compassion, not our judgment, and certainly not our condemnation. Stigma for mental illness should be a thing of the past. Suffering with depression doesn’t mean you’re crazy or incompetent. To make that implication robs people of dignity and hope—the very things they need to find healing.
Broadcasting Cruz’s former struggle with depression, as if it is somehow a game-changer in her husband’s bid for the White House, perpetuates archaic notions about depression and heaps shame on people suffering from this terrible illness.
Cruz’s depression became fodder for the press when a police report surfaced about an incident in Texas more than a decade ago.
Here is the account from Buzzfeed:
Millions of Americans experience depression every year, with women facing the illness at double the rate of men. This fact alone should rouse our compassion, not our judgment, and certainly not our condemnation. Stigma for mental illness should be a thing of the past. Suffering with depression doesn’t mean you’re crazy or incompetent. To make that implication robs people of dignity and hope—the very things they need to find healing.
Broadcasting Cruz’s former struggle with depression, as if it is somehow a game-changer in her husband’s bid for the White House, perpetuates archaic notions about depression and heaps shame on people suffering from this terrible illness.
Cruz’s depression became fodder for the press when a police report surfaced about an incident in Texas more than a decade ago.
Here is the account from Buzzfeed:
These American Heroes Are Endorsing Trump
In an official statement first obtained by Breitbart Texas, the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) endorsed Donald Trump for President of the United States. The unusually bold statement comes just days after a senior policy adviser for Trump made clear that future U.S. border security policy would be largely determined by the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol who are actual agents protecting the border and not by politically-appointed bureaucrats in the Border Patrol or its parent agency, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), if Trump is elected.
The endorsement is the first-ever in a presidential primary for the NBPC. The agents’ statement makes clear that Trump’s public pledge to secure the border by turning to the actual agents in the NBPC is revolutionary and an opportunity never-before-seen and one that may never be seen again. They wrote, “Mr. Trump will take on special interest and embrace the ideas of rank-and-file Border Patrol agents rather than listening to the management yes-men who say whatever they are programmed to say. This is a refreshing change that we have not seen before – and may never see again.”
Politicians and big business can complain all they want about the effectiveness and feasability of Trump's border wall, but it's clear that those people on the front lines who fight to keep us safe every day have thought about it, and they're endorsing Trump.
Source: AAN
The endorsement is the first-ever in a presidential primary for the NBPC. The agents’ statement makes clear that Trump’s public pledge to secure the border by turning to the actual agents in the NBPC is revolutionary and an opportunity never-before-seen and one that may never be seen again. They wrote, “Mr. Trump will take on special interest and embrace the ideas of rank-and-file Border Patrol agents rather than listening to the management yes-men who say whatever they are programmed to say. This is a refreshing change that we have not seen before – and may never see again.”
Politicians and big business can complain all they want about the effectiveness and feasability of Trump's border wall, but it's clear that those people on the front lines who fight to keep us safe every day have thought about it, and they're endorsing Trump.
Source: AAN
Israel Rejects Effort by Democrats to Launch Legal Probe of Jewish State
The Israeli government on Wednesday pushed back against a new effort by Democrats to pressure the Obama administration into launching a probe of alleged Israeli human rights violations, a move that could threaten U.S. military aid to the Jewish state.
A group of 10 Democrats, led by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.), has petitioned the State Department to investigate the Israeli and Egyptian governments for human rights violations. The congressmen cited reports claiming Israeli security forces engaged in the torture and killing of Palestinians.
The letter prompted an angry response from the Israeli government, which dismissed the lawmakers’ allegations and accused them of unjustly attacking the Jewish state while ignoring Palestinian terrorism.
The request for a probe could further complicate already strained relations between the United States and Israeli and jeopardize the military aid provided annually to the Jewish state.
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A group of 10 Democrats, led by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.), has petitioned the State Department to investigate the Israeli and Egyptian governments for human rights violations. The congressmen cited reports claiming Israeli security forces engaged in the torture and killing of Palestinians.
The letter prompted an angry response from the Israeli government, which dismissed the lawmakers’ allegations and accused them of unjustly attacking the Jewish state while ignoring Palestinian terrorism.
The request for a probe could further complicate already strained relations between the United States and Israeli and jeopardize the military aid provided annually to the Jewish state.
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DEPRESSING SURVEY RESULTS SHOW HOW EXTREMELY STUPID AMERICA HAS BECOME
If we continue to put garbage in, we are going to continue to get garbage out, and that is the cold, hard reality of the matter
Ten years ago, a major Hollywood film entitled “Idiocracy” was released, and it was an excellent metaphor for what would happen to America over the course of the next decade.
In the movie, an “average American” wakes up 500 years in the future only to discover that he is the most intelligent person by far in the “dumbed down” society that he suddenly finds himself in. Sadly, I truly believe that if people of average intellect from the 1950s and 1960s were transported to 2016, they would likely be considered mental giants compared to the rest of us. We have a country where criminals are being paid $1000 a month not to shoot people, and the highest paid public employee in more than half the states is a football coach. Hardly anyone takes time to read a book anymore, and yet the average American spends 302 minutes a day watching television. 75 percent of our young adults cannot find Israel on a map of the Middle East, but they sure know how to find smut on the Internet. It may be hard to believe, but there are more than 4 million adult websites on the Internet today, and they get more traffic than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined.
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Ten years ago, a major Hollywood film entitled “Idiocracy” was released, and it was an excellent metaphor for what would happen to America over the course of the next decade.
In the movie, an “average American” wakes up 500 years in the future only to discover that he is the most intelligent person by far in the “dumbed down” society that he suddenly finds himself in. Sadly, I truly believe that if people of average intellect from the 1950s and 1960s were transported to 2016, they would likely be considered mental giants compared to the rest of us. We have a country where criminals are being paid $1000 a month not to shoot people, and the highest paid public employee in more than half the states is a football coach. Hardly anyone takes time to read a book anymore, and yet the average American spends 302 minutes a day watching television. 75 percent of our young adults cannot find Israel on a map of the Middle East, but they sure know how to find smut on the Internet. It may be hard to believe, but there are more than 4 million adult websites on the Internet today, and they get more traffic than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined.
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Subject: University Moves to Fire Conservative Professor Over His Political Views
Marquette University has moved to suspend and then fire Professor John McAdams for backing a student who tried to defend man-woman marriage when a leftist teaching assistant shut the student down.
In the fall of 2014, junior faculty member Cheryl Abbate told a student, who secretly recorded the exchange, that his defense of man-woman marriage was an unacceptable topic in her ethics class and compared his views to racism. She said, “You can have whatever opinions you want but I can tell you right now, in this class homophobic comments, racist comments, and sexist comments will not be tolerated.” And then she told the student he should drop the class.
On this very popular blog, Professor McAdams outed the incident and charged the teaching assistant with “using a tactic typical among liberals now. Opinions with which they disagree are not merely wrong, and are not to be argued against on their merits, but are deemed ‘offensive’ and need to be shut up.”
A firestorm ensued that pitted the academic freedom of McAdams against the leftist pieties of the officially “Catholic” institution.
The teaching assistant is said to have gotten mean emails, though she was hailed as a liberal hero and went on to a tenure track position at another university. McAdams was brought up on charges.
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In the fall of 2014, junior faculty member Cheryl Abbate told a student, who secretly recorded the exchange, that his defense of man-woman marriage was an unacceptable topic in her ethics class and compared his views to racism. She said, “You can have whatever opinions you want but I can tell you right now, in this class homophobic comments, racist comments, and sexist comments will not be tolerated.” And then she told the student he should drop the class.
On this very popular blog, Professor McAdams outed the incident and charged the teaching assistant with “using a tactic typical among liberals now. Opinions with which they disagree are not merely wrong, and are not to be argued against on their merits, but are deemed ‘offensive’ and need to be shut up.”
A firestorm ensued that pitted the academic freedom of McAdams against the leftist pieties of the officially “Catholic” institution.
The teaching assistant is said to have gotten mean emails, though she was hailed as a liberal hero and went on to a tenure track position at another university. McAdams was brought up on charges.
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Do Americans Really Move To Canada Because Of Politics?
Every election, there's that chorus of people who insist they are moving to Canada if candidate so-and-so wins. Everyone knows these people. They're tweeting andGoogling about it as you read this. One Nova Scotia island is even specifically appealing to the anti-Trump crowd.
And, yeah, some people actually follow through with it. The Guardian dug up one such couple earlier this year. Another immigration lawyer tells NPR that he has definitely seen this happen on a wider scale.
"I did a lot of American immigration in the late 1990s, 2000s, [and] there was a huge spike in liberal-leaning individuals moving north," said David Aujla, a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer.
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And, yeah, some people actually follow through with it. The Guardian dug up one such couple earlier this year. Another immigration lawyer tells NPR that he has definitely seen this happen on a wider scale.
"I did a lot of American immigration in the late 1990s, 2000s, [and] there was a huge spike in liberal-leaning individuals moving north," said David Aujla, a Vancouver-based immigration lawyer.
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U.S. Extends Amnesty to “Battered Spouses”
Weeks after granting illegal immigrants in Flint, Michigan a special reprieve from deportation over the area’s water crisis, the Obama administration has quietly expanded its boundless amnesty to award undocumented aliens with work authorization if they claim to be “battered spouses.” The administration appears to be getting quite creative to meet its goal of implementing a far-flung amnesty that will ultimately apply to all of the millions living in the U.S. illegally.
Judicial Watch has reported on this many times in the last few years. Besides the broad protection the president has offered illegal immigrants, he’s created a number of special categories to help and shield specific groups. Special amnesties have been created in the last few years for Haitians affected by the 2010 earthquake, illegal aliens affected by hurricane Sandy in 2012, Ebola in 2015 and floods or “severe weather,” earlier this year. Just last week the administration extended the “temporary” Ebola amnesty for illegal immigrants from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In the announcement the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) writes that although there have been “significant improvements” the lingering effects of the Ebola Virus and “continued recovery challenges” support the extension, which protects illegal aliens from those countries for an additional six months.
This month’s amnesty du jour will shield illegal aliens who assert they or their children have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty perpetrated by a spouse.
More here
Judicial Watch has reported on this many times in the last few years. Besides the broad protection the president has offered illegal immigrants, he’s created a number of special categories to help and shield specific groups. Special amnesties have been created in the last few years for Haitians affected by the 2010 earthquake, illegal aliens affected by hurricane Sandy in 2012, Ebola in 2015 and floods or “severe weather,” earlier this year. Just last week the administration extended the “temporary” Ebola amnesty for illegal immigrants from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In the announcement the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) writes that although there have been “significant improvements” the lingering effects of the Ebola Virus and “continued recovery challenges” support the extension, which protects illegal aliens from those countries for an additional six months.
This month’s amnesty du jour will shield illegal aliens who assert they or their children have been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty perpetrated by a spouse.
More here
Rt. 50 West Bound Is Still A Major Cluster
That's right, lots of people are experiencing loose stones breaking their windshields, so keep your distance and take your time.
Obama tasks HHS with creating heroin prevention program
Health and Human Services has gotten a new assignment from the President. As they often do, this presidential initiative means work for selected agencies. At a conference in Atlanta, President Barack Obama outlined several measures to curb heroin and prescription opiate addiction. The Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration has a new $11 million grant program to administer. HHS headquarters issued new proposed rules for doctors prescribing opiate alternatives, and for the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program. (White House)
New Army soldiers may have to go through longer basic training. ArmyTimes reports the branch may want to add more time so it can focus on critical thinking and increasing trainees’ physical fitness. However, Army officials are also looking at rearranging events within the current length of time. Right now, basic training lasts around 10 weeks. Last October, the Army introduced a series of tests all new soldiers must pass in order to graduate. (Army Times)
New Army soldiers may have to go through longer basic training. ArmyTimes reports the branch may want to add more time so it can focus on critical thinking and increasing trainees’ physical fitness. However, Army officials are also looking at rearranging events within the current length of time. Right now, basic training lasts around 10 weeks. Last October, the Army introduced a series of tests all new soldiers must pass in order to graduate. (Army Times)
Representatives from three contracting trade associations met with Defense Secretary Ash Carter to discuss DoD’s plan for upcoming acquisition reform in Congress. Bloomberg Government reports the Professional Services Council, the National Defense Industrial Association and the Aerospace Industries Association sent people. Carter held the meeting to lay out his priorities and reassure industry their concerns are being heard. (Bloomberg Government)
Montgomery County to consider raising minimum wage to $15
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) — A Montgomery County official says he plans to introduce legislation to raise the county’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020.
County Council member Marc Elrich tells The Washington Post (http://wapo.st/1UG9YFj ) that he expects to introduce the bill as early as next week.
The county agreed in 2013 to collaborate with Prince George’s County and Washington in gradually raising the minimum to $11.50 by 2017. Montgomery County’s current minimum wage is $9.55.
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The county agreed in 2013 to collaborate with Prince George’s County and Washington in gradually raising the minimum to $11.50 by 2017. Montgomery County’s current minimum wage is $9.55.
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Explore Wicomico County in a canoe or kayak through R.O.P.E. tours
Salisbury, MD – Explore Wicomico County’s great outdoors in a canoe or kayak on a R.O.P.E. eco tour.
R.O.P.E., or River Otter Paddle Excursions, will be held at Leonard’s Mill Park and Pemberton Historical Park this spring through fall. Participants can choose to go out in a canoe or kayak.
The Wicomico Amazon tour will bring people out on Leonard’s Mill Pond to learn about ecosystems and wildlife. Wicomico Amazon tours are set for June 19, July 17, July 31, Aug. 27, Sept. 24 and Oct. 22 at 11 a.m.
The Paddle Back in Time tour will take canoers and kayakers from Pemberton Historical Park along the Wicomico River to explore the shores of one of Salisbury’s founding fathers. Paddle Back in Time tours are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. April 23, 9 a.m. May 14, 2 p.m. June 4, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 13 and 8 a.m. Oct. 8.
R.O.P.E., or River Otter Paddle Excursions, will be held at Leonard’s Mill Park and Pemberton Historical Park this spring through fall. Participants can choose to go out in a canoe or kayak.
The Wicomico Amazon tour will bring people out on Leonard’s Mill Pond to learn about ecosystems and wildlife. Wicomico Amazon tours are set for June 19, July 17, July 31, Aug. 27, Sept. 24 and Oct. 22 at 11 a.m.
The Paddle Back in Time tour will take canoers and kayakers from Pemberton Historical Park along the Wicomico River to explore the shores of one of Salisbury’s founding fathers. Paddle Back in Time tours are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. April 23, 9 a.m. May 14, 2 p.m. June 4, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 13 and 8 a.m. Oct. 8.
Each tour will cost $30 per participant. Lunch will be provided for an additional $10 per person.
Moon Lite tours will also be held at both locations, also for $30 per participant. After enjoying the beauty and peace on the water under the night sky, participants will enjoy a fire with marshmallows and hot dogs. The tour at Leonard’s Mill Pond is set for 7:30 p.m. April 22 and the Pemberton Park Moon Lite tours will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 21 and 7 p.m. Sept. 16.
All tours last about two to two-and-a-half hours.
Registration is available at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.) and online atwww.pembertonpark.org. For more information, contact Program Director Allen Swiger at 410-548-4900 x108, or ataswiger@wicomicocounty.org.
Moon Lite tours will also be held at both locations, also for $30 per participant. After enjoying the beauty and peace on the water under the night sky, participants will enjoy a fire with marshmallows and hot dogs. The tour at Leonard’s Mill Pond is set for 7:30 p.m. April 22 and the Pemberton Park Moon Lite tours will be held at 7:30 p.m. May 21 and 7 p.m. Sept. 16.
All tours last about two to two-and-a-half hours.
Registration is available at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Box Office (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.) and online atwww.pembertonpark.org. For more information, contact Program Director Allen Swiger at 410-548-4900 x108, or ataswiger@wicomicocounty.org.
DIRT ROAD OUTLAWZ Tomorrow Night At The Oasis
Meet A Tractor That Can Plow Fields And Talk To The Cloud
At the trendy South by Southwest conference in mid-March, there was buzz about music, movies, President Obama's keynote address ... and tractors.
Why? Because there's a new, low-cost (but pretty smart) mini-tractor that's part of a business start-up in Abuja, Nigeria, called "Hello Tractor." And it was part of a SxSW competition.
What makes the tractors smart? Each one comes with a GPS antenna. So when the tractor has been used enough to need maintenance, Hello Tractor will alert the owner. Even better, the company can use data on tractor location to play matchmaker. If a certain farmer needs a tractor, the company can contact the nearest tractor owner, who'll ride over and, for a fee, perform the services needed on the neighboring farm.
The idea is so bright that the company founders raised $3 million in seed money from USAID and other sources. And so far they've sold 1,000 tractors to farmers in Nigeria at $4,000 a machine.
The entrepreneur behind Hello Tractor is a city boy: founder and CEO Jehiel Oliver, 33, from Cleveland, Ohio. He's got a masters in economics from Cornell University.
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Why? Because there's a new, low-cost (but pretty smart) mini-tractor that's part of a business start-up in Abuja, Nigeria, called "Hello Tractor." And it was part of a SxSW competition.
What makes the tractors smart? Each one comes with a GPS antenna. So when the tractor has been used enough to need maintenance, Hello Tractor will alert the owner. Even better, the company can use data on tractor location to play matchmaker. If a certain farmer needs a tractor, the company can contact the nearest tractor owner, who'll ride over and, for a fee, perform the services needed on the neighboring farm.
The idea is so bright that the company founders raised $3 million in seed money from USAID and other sources. And so far they've sold 1,000 tractors to farmers in Nigeria at $4,000 a machine.
The entrepreneur behind Hello Tractor is a city boy: founder and CEO Jehiel Oliver, 33, from Cleveland, Ohio. He's got a masters in economics from Cornell University.
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