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Wednesday, April 20, 2016
U.S. ECONOMIC GROWTH: DUELING BAD NEWS
DUPLICATIVE GOVERNMENT TRACKS TANKING ECONOMY …
Talk about double trouble …
The federal government’s secretive central bank now has not one but two of its branches tracking America’s economic growth in “real time.”
One of these measures – the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDP Now – is obviously an indicator we’ve been tracking for some time. This estimate of gross domestic product expansion (or contraction) was humming along at 2.7 percent as recently as two months ago, but has since tanked. The latest reading? A measly 0.3 percent growth.
Want a second opinion? Now you can get one courtesy of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) – which has just launched its own “real-time” economic tracker called the “FRBNY Nowcast.”
More
Talk about double trouble …
The federal government’s secretive central bank now has not one but two of its branches tracking America’s economic growth in “real time.”
One of these measures – the Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDP Now – is obviously an indicator we’ve been tracking for some time. This estimate of gross domestic product expansion (or contraction) was humming along at 2.7 percent as recently as two months ago, but has since tanked. The latest reading? A measly 0.3 percent growth.
Want a second opinion? Now you can get one courtesy of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) – which has just launched its own “real-time” economic tracker called the “FRBNY Nowcast.”
More
GAS PRICES CREEPING BACK UP …
RUH-ROH, ECONOMY …
Low fuel costs have been a bright spot for consumers struggling to navigate America’s disappointing economy. Sure, they haven’t spawned the spending renaissance we were promised, but you know … Obamacare happened.
Anyway, imagine how bad things would be for American consumers if gas prices started going back up?
Stop imagining … it’s happening.
According to the AAA daily fuel gauge report, the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States is currently $2.11. That’s up a hefty forty cents (or 23.3 percent) from a low of $1.71 back in February – which makes this the biggest surge in gas prices since July 2009.
Ouch … and we can expect additional increases during the peak summer travel months (assuming anybody can afford a vacation this year).
In South Carolina – where gas prices are almost always the nation’s lowest – the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded is currently $1.89. That’s up 36 cents (or 23.5 percent) from a low of $1.53 in February – but the Palmetto State did tie with Mississippi for the lowest prices nationally.
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Low fuel costs have been a bright spot for consumers struggling to navigate America’s disappointing economy. Sure, they haven’t spawned the spending renaissance we were promised, but you know … Obamacare happened.
Anyway, imagine how bad things would be for American consumers if gas prices started going back up?
Stop imagining … it’s happening.
According to the AAA daily fuel gauge report, the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States is currently $2.11. That’s up a hefty forty cents (or 23.3 percent) from a low of $1.71 back in February – which makes this the biggest surge in gas prices since July 2009.
Ouch … and we can expect additional increases during the peak summer travel months (assuming anybody can afford a vacation this year).
In South Carolina – where gas prices are almost always the nation’s lowest – the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded is currently $1.89. That’s up 36 cents (or 23.5 percent) from a low of $1.53 in February – but the Palmetto State did tie with Mississippi for the lowest prices nationally.
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Subject: Schedule | Donald J Trump for President
- FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2016 -
HARRINGTON, DE
The Delaware State Fairgrounds - Quillen Arena
3:00 PM
Donald J. Trump for President Rally in Harrington, Delaware
Doors open at 12:00 PM
Donald J. Trump for President Rally in Harrington, Delaware
Doors open at 12:00 PM
String Of Chinese Restaurants Caught Hiring Illegal Aliens In Pa.
WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The acknowledged ringleader of an organization that provided undocumented workers for six Chinese restaurants in the State College area will go to jail for 15 months.
U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann on Friday sentenced Jing Mei Jiang, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens and wire fraud.
His sentence also includes two years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine he must pay within six months after being released from prison. He is to self-report May 16.
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U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann on Friday sentenced Jing Mei Jiang, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens and wire fraud.
His sentence also includes two years of supervised release and a $50,000 fine he must pay within six months after being released from prison. He is to self-report May 16.
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Illegal Alien Killed Man On Scooter In ‘Sanctuary City’ Of Philadelphia
Thomas Dunbar’s last half-hour on Earth was filled with horrific pain.
Police said Dunbar, 36, was riding on motor scooter in Port Richmond at 9:22 p.m. on Wednesday when a 2004 grey Pontiac Aztec struck him as both turned westbound onto Lehigh Avenue from Aramingo.
Dunbar rolled under the Pontiac and was dragged for 240 feet. A woman who was driving behind the Pontiac had to swerve to avoid striking Dunbar as well, which caused another car to slam into her vehicle. Dunbar, of Almond Street near Cambria, was admitted to Hahnemann University Hospital in critical condition. He died at 9:55 p.m.
The man who allegedly struck and killed Dunbar was arrested on Thursday. Police said Ramon Morales, 62, was charged with murder, accident involving death, homicide by vehicle, and involuntary manslaughter. Police said witnesses attempted to stop Morales, of Cedar Street near Allegheny Avenue, the night of the accident, but he fled the scene.
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Police said Dunbar, 36, was riding on motor scooter in Port Richmond at 9:22 p.m. on Wednesday when a 2004 grey Pontiac Aztec struck him as both turned westbound onto Lehigh Avenue from Aramingo.
Dunbar rolled under the Pontiac and was dragged for 240 feet. A woman who was driving behind the Pontiac had to swerve to avoid striking Dunbar as well, which caused another car to slam into her vehicle. Dunbar, of Almond Street near Cambria, was admitted to Hahnemann University Hospital in critical condition. He died at 9:55 p.m.
The man who allegedly struck and killed Dunbar was arrested on Thursday. Police said Ramon Morales, 62, was charged with murder, accident involving death, homicide by vehicle, and involuntary manslaughter. Police said witnesses attempted to stop Morales, of Cedar Street near Allegheny Avenue, the night of the accident, but he fled the scene.
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DC BOWL COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES PURCHASE OF 290-ACRE PROPERTY ON MARYLAND’S EASTERN SHORE TO BE KNOWN AS PATRIOT POINT
The committee’s newest philanthropic initiative will serve as a retreat for wounded service members and their families
WASHINGTON, D.C.— The DC Bowl Committee today announced that it is purchasing a 290-acre property near Cambridge, Md., to operate as a retreat for wounded service members and their families. It will be named Patriot Point.
“Patriot Point will be a place for the men and women who serve our nation so selflessly to take the time to recharge,” DCBowl Committee President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. “We look forward to welcoming these brave men andwomen to the Eastern Shore and allowing them to enjoy themselves and relax.”
At Patriot Point, guests will be able to hunt and fish. They also will be able to go crabbing and enjoy watersports. Patriot Point has 2.3 miles of waterfront along Parsons Creek, Slaughters Creek and the Little Choptank River, leading to the nearby Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, by maintaining the existing property, Patriot Point will continue to protect wetlands and shoreline.
“We are grateful to our founding partners in this endeavor, Stuart Plank and the Taishoff Family Foundation,” Beck said. “We learned about this property from Stuart, who had visited when its former owner, James Bugg, the Chairman of the Yellow Ribbon Fund, used it to host wounded service members. Patriot Point will further develop and formalize Mr. Bugg’s concept.”
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WASHINGTON, D.C.— The DC Bowl Committee today announced that it is purchasing a 290-acre property near Cambridge, Md., to operate as a retreat for wounded service members and their families. It will be named Patriot Point.
“Patriot Point will be a place for the men and women who serve our nation so selflessly to take the time to recharge,” DCBowl Committee President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. “We look forward to welcoming these brave men andwomen to the Eastern Shore and allowing them to enjoy themselves and relax.”
At Patriot Point, guests will be able to hunt and fish. They also will be able to go crabbing and enjoy watersports. Patriot Point has 2.3 miles of waterfront along Parsons Creek, Slaughters Creek and the Little Choptank River, leading to the nearby Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, by maintaining the existing property, Patriot Point will continue to protect wetlands and shoreline.
“We are grateful to our founding partners in this endeavor, Stuart Plank and the Taishoff Family Foundation,” Beck said. “We learned about this property from Stuart, who had visited when its former owner, James Bugg, the Chairman of the Yellow Ribbon Fund, used it to host wounded service members. Patriot Point will further develop and formalize Mr. Bugg’s concept.”
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Can you smell what the Trump is cooking?
What would your Winning Trump quote be?
Washington College says ‘Dam the Debt’
WASHINGTON — Washington College in Maryland is helping some of its students find student loan relief with a fundraising program called “Dam the Debt.”
Sheila Bair, who chaired the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation from 2006 to 2011, was named Washington College president last fall and initiated the program shortly after. The program has already raised $1 million and hopes to double that.
Both corporate and private donors are funding the initiative.
Dam the Debt will reduce $313,933 worth of federally subsidized loans for the spring 2016 semester for 119 qualifying Washington College students. The average reduction will be $2,630, or about 10 percent of a student’s total federal loan burden.
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High court strikes down Maryland power plant subsidies
WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Maryland officials overstepped their authority when they offered financial subsidies to encourage construction of a new power plant in the state.
The justices said the Maryland plan interferes with federal law governing wholesale electricity rates.
The ruling is a setback for Maryland and other states that want to ensure a reliable supply of electricity for customers at reasonable rates.
The case involves a 2012 decision by state regulators to order construction of natural gas power plant. Officials offered the winning bidder a financial incentive by requiring utilities to buy electricity from the plant for 20 years at a fixed price.
Lower courts sided with rival power suppliers who said the incentive interfered with pricing in wholesale markets, which are subject to federal regulation.
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The justices said the Maryland plan interferes with federal law governing wholesale electricity rates.
The ruling is a setback for Maryland and other states that want to ensure a reliable supply of electricity for customers at reasonable rates.
The case involves a 2012 decision by state regulators to order construction of natural gas power plant. Officials offered the winning bidder a financial incentive by requiring utilities to buy electricity from the plant for 20 years at a fixed price.
Lower courts sided with rival power suppliers who said the incentive interfered with pricing in wholesale markets, which are subject to federal regulation.
More
Property Owner Citied for Fire Code Violations
Deputy Fire Marshal’s responded to the two story, multi-family dwelling in March 2016, and conducted an on-site fire safety inspection. During the inspection, numerous violations were witnessed by investigators, including the improper installation of a gas water heater, failure to provide a working smoke alarm inside of an occupied dwelling unit, failure to provide a carbon monoxide alarm in the laundry room with fuel burning equipment and accumulations of waste.
Safety violations were immediately repaired by order of the Fire Marshal. In addition, Andrews was required to have the water heaters inspected by a third party inspector prior to use.
“The improper installation of fuel burning appliances and lack of working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms can be deadly,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley. “The Office of the Fire Marshal takes fire safety code violations seriously and strictly maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ position. We expect that all property owners to know and abide by these polices.”
Pictures: Outside Trump 2016 Rally Berlin, Maryland
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| Photo Courtesy of Worcester County Sheriff's office |
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| Pay to park sign |
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| MSP Berlin Barrack |
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| MSP Berlin Barrack Extra Officers |
Fire Marshal’s Make Arrest for Downtown OC Fire
First responders were dispatched to 19 St. Louis Avenue on March 11, 2016, at 12:34 a.m., for a reported structure fire. Ocean City police officers arrived on scene and located a two-story, single family home, well involved in fire. Firefighters arrived on scene shortly after and quickly brought the fire under control.
During the investigation, witnesses reported hearing Doerr make statements indicating his intent to set the house on fire. In addition, witnesses told investigators that they saw Doerr leave his porch and walk toward 19 St. Louis Avenue shortly before the house caught fire.
Doerr was arrested by Ocean City police on Friday, April 15. After being seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner, he was transferred to the Worcester County Jail on $500,000 bond.
Illegal Alien Caught Selling Meth Served Less Than Two Months In Jail
GRANVILLE, IA (KIWA Radio) – A man who is alleged to have entered the country illegally has been released to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following his sentencing on drug charges in Sioux County District Court Monday.
Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle announced that 33-year old Xavier Alvarez-Carrisales, who has been living in Granville, was sentenced for two counts of Failing to Affix Drug Tax Stamps on Methamphetamine, two Class D Felonies.
This case arose on February 24 and 26, 2016, when Alvarez-Carrisales reportedly assisted in the distribution of approximately 4 and 8 ounces, respectively, of methamphetamine. Both deliveries occurred at a home near rural Granville, where Alvarez-Carrisales was staying.
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Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle announced that 33-year old Xavier Alvarez-Carrisales, who has been living in Granville, was sentenced for two counts of Failing to Affix Drug Tax Stamps on Methamphetamine, two Class D Felonies.
This case arose on February 24 and 26, 2016, when Alvarez-Carrisales reportedly assisted in the distribution of approximately 4 and 8 ounces, respectively, of methamphetamine. Both deliveries occurred at a home near rural Granville, where Alvarez-Carrisales was staying.
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Maryland goes back to paper ballots for primary election
The system requires most voters to mark their ballots by filling in ovals, similar to those on standardized tests, with pens provided by election judges. Voters feed their marked ballots into scanning machines that tabulate the results.
The new system largely replaces touch-screen terminals, which eliminated the “hanging chads” and other difficulties in discerning voter intent on paper punch-card ballots highlighted by the 2000 presidential election.
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Old Photos of "Firsts"
Recipient of the world’s first human heart transplant,
Louis Washkansky, in
Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town,
three days after the surgery.
[6 December 1967]
Biden Slams Netanyahu Hours After Jerusalem Attack
Vice President Joe Biden said Monday night that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was leading the country "in the wrong direction" hours after a bus bombing in Jerusalem wounded at least 21 people.
In a speech to the Israel advocacy group J Street, Biden criticized Palestinian leaders, but saved his harshest words for Israeli officials.
"I firmly believe that the actions that Israel's government has taken over the past several years -- the steady and systematic expansion of settlements, the legalization of outposts, land seizures -- they're moving us and more importantly they're moving Israel in the wrong direction," Biden said.
Biden, who met in March with both Netanyahu and Abbas, said he came away from that trip discouraged about prospects for peace anytime soon. Still, he said the U.S. is obliged to guarantee Israel's security and to "push them as hard as we can" toward a two-state solution despite "our sometimes overwhelming frustration with the Israeli government."
"There is at the moment no political will that I observed from either Israelis or Palestinians to go forward with serious negotiations," Biden said.
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In a speech to the Israel advocacy group J Street, Biden criticized Palestinian leaders, but saved his harshest words for Israeli officials.
"I firmly believe that the actions that Israel's government has taken over the past several years -- the steady and systematic expansion of settlements, the legalization of outposts, land seizures -- they're moving us and more importantly they're moving Israel in the wrong direction," Biden said.
Biden, who met in March with both Netanyahu and Abbas, said he came away from that trip discouraged about prospects for peace anytime soon. Still, he said the U.S. is obliged to guarantee Israel's security and to "push them as hard as we can" toward a two-state solution despite "our sometimes overwhelming frustration with the Israeli government."
"There is at the moment no political will that I observed from either Israelis or Palestinians to go forward with serious negotiations," Biden said.
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Taxpayer Assistance for Deportees
A U.S. government agency gives out $50,000 a year to Salvadorians who were deported back to their country so they can start businesses there.
Can anyone say government waste? As Fox News' James Rosen reports, even the Small Business Administration doesn’t provide that kind of assistance. SBA only provides loan guarantees for entrepreneurs looking to start small businesses — the things that grow our economy, maybe even provide some jobs.
However, the Inter-American Foundation, an independent agency founded to hand out aid to countries below our southern borders, distributes taxpayer cash to Salvadorians who were caught breaking our immigration laws. The thinking is that the seed money will encourage Salvadorians to start their own businesses, become established in their home country and never make the trek back to the States.
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Can anyone say government waste? As Fox News' James Rosen reports, even the Small Business Administration doesn’t provide that kind of assistance. SBA only provides loan guarantees for entrepreneurs looking to start small businesses — the things that grow our economy, maybe even provide some jobs.
However, the Inter-American Foundation, an independent agency founded to hand out aid to countries below our southern borders, distributes taxpayer cash to Salvadorians who were caught breaking our immigration laws. The thinking is that the seed money will encourage Salvadorians to start their own businesses, become established in their home country and never make the trek back to the States.
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‘I Was Looking For My Daughter, Her Whole Body Was Burned’
Police investigation found that an explosive device blew up at the back of the bus. Security forces are investigating the possibility that one of the wounded is a suicide bomber.
From her bed at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem, Racheli recounted in tears the terrifying experience.
"My daughter and I got on the number 12 bus, and my daughter went to the back to find us seats while I paid the bus driver. We hadn't even sat down when all of a sudden we heard a huge explosion, and glass began to fall on us. Everything was dark and full of smoke," she recalled.
"I collapsed. Her whole face was black and burned. It was impossible to see her," Dandon continued. "Paramedics had to carry my daughter out of the bus because she couldn't move under her own power."
After breaking down in tears, she added "I've always watched these things happen from the outside, but when it happens to you… I can't believe that I'm here and that my daughter isn't. She'll be 16 in a month, and now she's sedated and on a ventilator. I'm praying that she'll get out of this ok."
More here
Charge: FEC Dems would ban Drudge, NYT, free media on election eve
The war between Republicans and Democrats on the politically splintered Federal Election Commission flared late Monday when a Republican commissioner and former chairman charged that the panel's Democrats want to regulate the press and end free election media.
The moves by Democrats "signal an active regulatory effort within the agency, caution press organizations to look over their shoulders, and chill the free exercise of press activity," said Republican Lee E. Goodman in a statement on a recent FEC split vote.
On that vote, the Democrats voted as a block to punish the maker of an anti-Obama movie distributed free before the 2012 election. The Republicans argued that he should receive the standard media exemption, as Democrats on the FEC have granted liberal moviemakers in the past. The split voted blocked any action against Joel Gilbert and Highway 61 films for his Dreams of My Real Father: A Story of Reds and Deception.
Goodman, who has been warning of efforts by Democrats on the FEC to regulate and even block conservative news sites like the Drudge Report, said that a split vote on the anti-Obama movie proves the motives of the Democrats, Ann M. Ravel, Steven T. Walther, and Ellen L. Weintraub.
More here
The moves by Democrats "signal an active regulatory effort within the agency, caution press organizations to look over their shoulders, and chill the free exercise of press activity," said Republican Lee E. Goodman in a statement on a recent FEC split vote.
On that vote, the Democrats voted as a block to punish the maker of an anti-Obama movie distributed free before the 2012 election. The Republicans argued that he should receive the standard media exemption, as Democrats on the FEC have granted liberal moviemakers in the past. The split voted blocked any action against Joel Gilbert and Highway 61 films for his Dreams of My Real Father: A Story of Reds and Deception.
Goodman, who has been warning of efforts by Democrats on the FEC to regulate and even block conservative news sites like the Drudge Report, said that a split vote on the anti-Obama movie proves the motives of the Democrats, Ann M. Ravel, Steven T. Walther, and Ellen L. Weintraub.
More here
Subject: Pat Boone Rips SNL for Anti-Christian Skit: They’d Be in ‘Witness Protection’ If They Joked About Islam
Actor-singer Pat Boone ripped Saturday Night Live over its recent anti-Christian fake movie trailer, “God is a Boob Man,”on Monday, pointing out that the program would never have the guts to air a similar skit lampooning Islam or Mohammad.
On Saturday, SNL aired a fake movie trailer parodying the recent faith-based film God’s Not Dead 2. In the trailer, small-town baker Beth refuses to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple; the gay couple promptly threatens to get their “Jewish lawyer” involved in the case, and want the baker to admit that “God is gay.” Beth goes to court in an attempt to “prove once and for all that God is straight.”
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter on Monday, the 81-year-old God’s Not Dead 2 star said that Saturday Night Live would never have made similar jokes about Islam, for fear of a violent backlash.
“This skit was outright sacrilege,” Boone told the outlet. “They know if they did this to Muslims they’d have to be put into the witness protection program. There’s nothing sacred at SNL — except maybe the words ‘Mohammad’ or ‘Allah.’
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On Saturday, SNL aired a fake movie trailer parodying the recent faith-based film God’s Not Dead 2. In the trailer, small-town baker Beth refuses to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple; the gay couple promptly threatens to get their “Jewish lawyer” involved in the case, and want the baker to admit that “God is gay.” Beth goes to court in an attempt to “prove once and for all that God is straight.”
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter on Monday, the 81-year-old God’s Not Dead 2 star said that Saturday Night Live would never have made similar jokes about Islam, for fear of a violent backlash.
“This skit was outright sacrilege,” Boone told the outlet. “They know if they did this to Muslims they’d have to be put into the witness protection program. There’s nothing sacred at SNL — except maybe the words ‘Mohammad’ or ‘Allah.’
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Report: State Department Steered $13 Million to Clinton Foundation Donor
A prominent Clinton Foundation donor who faced corruption allegations in Bangladesh received $13 million from a State Department-linked U.S. agency during Hillary Clinton’s tenure, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported this week.
Mohammad Yunus, known as the pioneer of charitable micro-financing, reportedly received at least 18 grants, loans, and contracts from USAID, a federal agency that operates under guidance from the State Department, while Clinton was secretary of state.
Yunus contributed between $100,000 and $300,000 to the Clinton Foundation:
The awards, totaling $13 million, were issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the development arm of the State Department, beginning when Clinton became secretary of state. Another $11 million in federal funds went to organizations allied with Yunus.
When asked to explain the Yunus grants and loans, USAID Spokesman Raphael Cook said the agency didn’t have the “manpower” to respond to questions about the transactions.
According to the Daily Caller, the funding went to several of Yunus’s charities.
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Mohammad Yunus, known as the pioneer of charitable micro-financing, reportedly received at least 18 grants, loans, and contracts from USAID, a federal agency that operates under guidance from the State Department, while Clinton was secretary of state.
Yunus contributed between $100,000 and $300,000 to the Clinton Foundation:
The awards, totaling $13 million, were issued by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the development arm of the State Department, beginning when Clinton became secretary of state. Another $11 million in federal funds went to organizations allied with Yunus.
When asked to explain the Yunus grants and loans, USAID Spokesman Raphael Cook said the agency didn’t have the “manpower” to respond to questions about the transactions.
According to the Daily Caller, the funding went to several of Yunus’s charities.
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Congressman Harris: The Maryland Teachers’ Union is Obstructing Free Speech
WASHINGTON, DC: Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01) released the following statement in response to the Maryland State Education Association’s call on the Worcester County school system to cancel Donald Trump’s rally at Stephen Decatur High School:
“The Maryland teachers’ union should be ashamed of their undemocratic and hypocritical protesting of Donald Trump’s event in Worcester County. Their protest is a national embarrassment to Marylanders. Stephen Decatur High School is a publicly owned forum and the hardworking taxpayers on the Eastern Shore deserve to hear from the leading Republican candidate for president, as well as any other candidate running for president. The very people who are supposed to be teaching our youth about our constitutionally protected First Amendment right to free speech are obstructing it. The Maryland teachers’ union is the real bully here, and I believe they should apologize to Mr. Trump, as well as the hardworking people of the Eastern Shore, who deserve to participate fully in the election process. I applaud the Worcester County school system for agreeing to host this historic event.”
Gun Jobs Up Almost 75% Under Obama
The number of full-time jobs in the firearms industry increased from about 166,000 in 2008 to nearly 288,000, according to a new report from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, or NSSF. That represents a 73 percent increase.
In 2015 alone, the gun industry went from 263,223 jobs to 287,986, an increase of nearly 25,000 jobs.
The NSSF estimates that the gun industry currently has a total economic impact of nearly $50 billion. That’s up 158 percent from $19.1 billion in 2008. Wages in the industry rose 126 percent over the same time period. The average industry worker now receives $50,180 between wages and benefits.
The gun industry has also generated record amounts of tax revenue for both the federal government and state governments in the past eight years. In 2015, the federal government collected $3.7 billion in tax revenue, an increase of 144 percent since 2008. State governments saw nearly double the tax revenue over the same period. Excise taxes are also up 92 percent.
The NSSF said the industry’s growth was driven by new shooters and gun rights victories in the courts.
More here
The Empire State of Politics
The pressure period is beginning for Republican presidential contender Donald Trump. New Yorkers vote today in the state where he is heavily favored. Mr. Trump will also likely place first in the next five eastern venue primaries scheduled for April 26th. However, in order to score a first ballot victory, Trump must not only win these states, but corral a combined 70%+ average of the available delegate votes, or risk going to a contested convention.
Both Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton are expected to place first in their respective intra-party contests tonight, and by significant margins. Trump, however, needs to pull over 80% of his home state delegate vote, which will be no easy feat under the complex New York Republican delegate apportionment system.
Ms. Clinton, on the other hand, will obtain far more than she needs to meet her state delegate quota. The former Secretary of State and New York Senator needs only 30% of the remaining delegates nationwide to clinch the party nomination. Looking to get 175 of the state’s 291 Democratic delegates, Ms. Clinton will have little trouble in making her former electorate a major win, and one that becomes the next serious step toward her mathematically clinching the nomination.
For Trump to score big, he needs to capture an absolute statewide majority, something he has yet to do in any state (Massachusetts has been his strongest domain at 49.3%). Under NY rules, all 11 at-large delegates are awarded a candidate who exceeds 50% of the statewide vote.
In order to sweep the state, Trump – or any candidate – would have to then break 50% in each of the state’s 27 congressional districts, a performance that is highly unlikely. If no candidate scores an absolute district majority, the first place finisher is awarded two delegates, and the person capturing second position gains one. Therefore, under such a system, any leading candidate would have a difficult time in securing the overwhelming number of delegate commitments.
Below are the latest unofficial delegate results:
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Union: VA Accountability Plan An 'Assault' On Federal Workers
The country's largest federal worker union says language aimed at boosting accountability at the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs is actually an "assault" on federal employee rights, and asked senators on Monday night to drop it.
The Senate has been working for weeks on new VA legislation, and may introduce a bipartisan plan this week. House Republicans in particular are pushing for language that would make it easier for the VA to fire corrupt or negligent employees.
But on Monday, the American Federation of Government Employees wrote senators to say that language would violate the due process rights and even the civil rights of federal workers.
"Title I of the bill, entitled 'Personnel and Accountability Matters,' is a frontal assault on federal employee due process rights," AFGE wrote.
"The rights of federal employees to defend themselves against accusations of poor performance or misconduct are matters of civil rights as well as due process rights, and AFGE will stand firm in defense of those rights," the letter said.
The union also said the bill would end up hurting women and minority workers more than others, although it didn't say how.
More here
The Senate has been working for weeks on new VA legislation, and may introduce a bipartisan plan this week. House Republicans in particular are pushing for language that would make it easier for the VA to fire corrupt or negligent employees.
But on Monday, the American Federation of Government Employees wrote senators to say that language would violate the due process rights and even the civil rights of federal workers.
"Title I of the bill, entitled 'Personnel and Accountability Matters,' is a frontal assault on federal employee due process rights," AFGE wrote.
"The rights of federal employees to defend themselves against accusations of poor performance or misconduct are matters of civil rights as well as due process rights, and AFGE will stand firm in defense of those rights," the letter said.
The union also said the bill would end up hurting women and minority workers more than others, although it didn't say how.
More here
Sheriff Warns of What Will Happen if We Don't Secure the Border Now
In testimony before Congress Tuesday, a Maryland sheriff said amnesty for minors has led to increased gang crime and warned that without a secure border every county will be a “border county.”
“Open borders, reckless sanctuary policies, and failure to enforce our immigration laws have greatly impacted public safety and national security throughout every jurisdiction of this country. Every single day, more Americans are becoming victims of senseless crimes, being injured and killed by criminal aliens, many are transnational gang members,” said Sheriff Charles Jenkins of
Frederick County, Md. Frederick County is about 40 miles from Washington, D.C. Jenkins said that his cooperation with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) through the Department of Homeland Security’s 287(g) has helped rid his county of many illegal aliens.
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Revealed: Colorado Lawmakers Who Voted to Scrap Election Are Ted Cruz Delegates
Social media posts, along with Cruz’s campaign website, reveal that supporters in the Colorado Republican Party were responsible for crushing an effort to give Colorado the ability to vote in a state primary.
In May of 2015, four Colorado Senate Republicans killed an initiative “to create a presidential primary in 2016,” reported the Denver Post. “Under the bill, Colorado would have held a presidential primary in March that ran parallel with the state’s complicated caucus system… when it came before the Senate Appropriations Committee, four Republicans voted to kill the bill with three Democrats supporting it.”
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In May of 2015, four Colorado Senate Republicans killed an initiative “to create a presidential primary in 2016,” reported the Denver Post. “Under the bill, Colorado would have held a presidential primary in March that ran parallel with the state’s complicated caucus system… when it came before the Senate Appropriations Committee, four Republicans voted to kill the bill with three Democrats supporting it.”
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Bad Accident West Bound On Rt. 50
James Woods: 'The World is Fighting Islamic Terrorism...Democrats are Fighting for Men to Pee in Ladies' Rooms'
Actor James Woods thinks that while there are global issues of terrorism, starvation and disease to address, "democrats are fighting for men to pee in ladies' rooms."
On April 17 Woods tweeted:
The world is fighting Islamic terrorism, starvation, and disease, but democrats are fighting for men to pee in the ladies' room. #insanity
In recent weeks there has been a debate in several states about "bathroom bills" that would require a person to use the restroom that corresponds with their biological gender. Critics have characterized the bills as hostile to transgender people, while defenders argue that the bills are necessary to keep people safe from predators.
The Washington Post recently reported that when lawmakers in North Carolina passed such a bill, "incensed state Senate Democrats walked out of the vote in protest." On March 31, the International Transgender Day of Visibility, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) released a statement:
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On April 17 Woods tweeted:
The world is fighting Islamic terrorism, starvation, and disease, but democrats are fighting for men to pee in the ladies' room. #insanity
In recent weeks there has been a debate in several states about "bathroom bills" that would require a person to use the restroom that corresponds with their biological gender. Critics have characterized the bills as hostile to transgender people, while defenders argue that the bills are necessary to keep people safe from predators.
The Washington Post recently reported that when lawmakers in North Carolina passed such a bill, "incensed state Senate Democrats walked out of the vote in protest." On March 31, the International Transgender Day of Visibility, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) released a statement:
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Subject: 'When Will You Act On This?'
Two mothers whose children were killed by illegal immigrants will urge lawmakers on Tuesday to reverse President Obama's immigration enforcement policies and crack down on sanctuary cities.
"When will you act on this?" Laura Wilkerson, whose son Joshua was murdered in 2010 by a high school classmate from Belize, plans to ask House Judiciary subcommittee members during Tuesday's hearing. "Maybe it will take the loss of your child," she said in her prepared remarks.
Wilkerson will appear alongside a Maryland sheriff and Michelle Root, whose daughter Sarah was killed in January by a drunk driver who was an illegal immigrant. The cases implicate sanctuary cities, the Department of Homeland Security's response to the influx of unaccompanied Central American children on the southern border, and the enforcement priorities set by Obama's 2014 executive orders.
Wilkerson intends to give a detailed, blow-by-blow account of her son's murder. "I testified before the Senate last July, 2015 and told this story," she'll say after describing the killing. "Nothing has been done about it. People are dying as we speak from illegal alien criminals. Does anybody here know the number of people whom have died or been raped or brutalized since then? That answer is no. Why? Because the government has no clue who is here or what their intent is in being here."
Transnational gangs, strengthened by illegal immigration, are a growing problem in the United States, according to a Maryland sheriff.
"There are over 75 active known validated transnational criminal gang members in Frederick County, many more suspected of gang affiliation," Sheriff Charles Jenkins will testify. "Transnational alien gangs are structured criminal enterprises involved in drug and human trafficking, crimes of violence over turf, retaliation, money laundering, and other serious crime. As these gangs are recruiting locally and increasing in number, so does the associated crime within communities."
Jenkins is a proponent of local police enforcing federal immigration laws.
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"When will you act on this?" Laura Wilkerson, whose son Joshua was murdered in 2010 by a high school classmate from Belize, plans to ask House Judiciary subcommittee members during Tuesday's hearing. "Maybe it will take the loss of your child," she said in her prepared remarks.
Wilkerson will appear alongside a Maryland sheriff and Michelle Root, whose daughter Sarah was killed in January by a drunk driver who was an illegal immigrant. The cases implicate sanctuary cities, the Department of Homeland Security's response to the influx of unaccompanied Central American children on the southern border, and the enforcement priorities set by Obama's 2014 executive orders.
Wilkerson intends to give a detailed, blow-by-blow account of her son's murder. "I testified before the Senate last July, 2015 and told this story," she'll say after describing the killing. "Nothing has been done about it. People are dying as we speak from illegal alien criminals. Does anybody here know the number of people whom have died or been raped or brutalized since then? That answer is no. Why? Because the government has no clue who is here or what their intent is in being here."
Transnational gangs, strengthened by illegal immigration, are a growing problem in the United States, according to a Maryland sheriff.
"There are over 75 active known validated transnational criminal gang members in Frederick County, many more suspected of gang affiliation," Sheriff Charles Jenkins will testify. "Transnational alien gangs are structured criminal enterprises involved in drug and human trafficking, crimes of violence over turf, retaliation, money laundering, and other serious crime. As these gangs are recruiting locally and increasing in number, so does the associated crime within communities."
Jenkins is a proponent of local police enforcing federal immigration laws.
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VA Avoids Tough New Firing Law To Discipline Two Senior Officials
The Department of Veterans Affairs said Monday that it is not using an aggressive new law to pursue discipline against two senior officials for their role in a scandal involving enrollment in the VA's healthcare program.
Instead, the VA is using another part of the federal code that gives officials much more notice and more time to fight any discipline they might face. That decision could lead to a lighter punishment, and the VA admitted so far that the two officials so far have just received "reprimands."
VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson told some news outlets on Friday that the VA was considering discipline against seven VA workers in total, including two senior officials. Those workers are reportedly involved in a scandal involving the enrollment of about 300,000 deceased veterans, which led to fears that some of those veterans may have died while awaiting healthcare.
Congress passed legislation in 2014 allowing the VA to fire corrupt or negligent senior officials. That law also gives them a much shorter appeal process.
More here
Instead, the VA is using another part of the federal code that gives officials much more notice and more time to fight any discipline they might face. That decision could lead to a lighter punishment, and the VA admitted so far that the two officials so far have just received "reprimands."
VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson told some news outlets on Friday that the VA was considering discipline against seven VA workers in total, including two senior officials. Those workers are reportedly involved in a scandal involving the enrollment of about 300,000 deceased veterans, which led to fears that some of those veterans may have died while awaiting healthcare.
Congress passed legislation in 2014 allowing the VA to fire corrupt or negligent senior officials. That law also gives them a much shorter appeal process.
More here
California’s Minimum Wage Is $15/Hour. This Is How UC-Berkeley Responded…
You know, I’m kind of glad that California is overrun by liberal wackadoodle ideas. Then the rest of us can see how much they utterly SUCK and we know not implement them.
By now, you know that California passed a law making the minimum wage $15/hour. We like to point out how it’s going to affect fast-food restaurants and their employees, but that’s not the only place where it’s causing problems.
According to this, UC-Berkeley – home to some of THE most liberal wackadoodles in the country – is actually having to cut 500 job in order to deal with the minimum wage mandate. These jobs are things like janitors, food service workers, and health clinic workers –
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By now, you know that California passed a law making the minimum wage $15/hour. We like to point out how it’s going to affect fast-food restaurants and their employees, but that’s not the only place where it’s causing problems.
According to this, UC-Berkeley – home to some of THE most liberal wackadoodles in the country – is actually having to cut 500 job in order to deal with the minimum wage mandate. These jobs are things like janitors, food service workers, and health clinic workers –
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Trump says he WON'T woo Republican delegates with rides on his 757 and free rooms at Mar-a-Lago – but it wouldn't be against the rules
Donald Trump said he doesn't plan to woo delegates with his luxury clubs and jets in order to ensure additional support at the Republican National Convention.
'Look, nobody has better toys than I do,' he told reporters at a stop on Staten Island yesterday, according to the New York Times.
'You're basically buying these people,' Trump continued. 'You're basically saying 'Delegate, listen, we're going to send you to Mar-a-Lago on a Boeing 757, you're going to use the spa, you're going to this, you're going to that, we want your vote.'
'That's a corrupt system,' Trump added.
It may be 'corrupt' in Trump's mind, but the Washington Post looked into how much delegates could be bought and some legal experts suggested that a campaign could cover an all-expenses-paid trip to meet campaign staff at a luxury resort like Trump's Mar-a-Lago.
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'Look, nobody has better toys than I do,' he told reporters at a stop on Staten Island yesterday, according to the New York Times.
'You're basically buying these people,' Trump continued. 'You're basically saying 'Delegate, listen, we're going to send you to Mar-a-Lago on a Boeing 757, you're going to use the spa, you're going to this, you're going to that, we want your vote.'
'That's a corrupt system,' Trump added.
It may be 'corrupt' in Trump's mind, but the Washington Post looked into how much delegates could be bought and some legal experts suggested that a campaign could cover an all-expenses-paid trip to meet campaign staff at a luxury resort like Trump's Mar-a-Lago.
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Trump Triumphs In New York; Clinton, Sanders Vie For Victory
The margin of Trump’s victory in his home state and the number of delegates he secures will determine the real impact of his win. If he captures more than 50 percent of the vote, he will be in a strong position to win most of New York’s 95 delegates, an impressive haul that will keep him on a narrow path to the nomination.
Trump’s closest rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, downplayed the billionaire businessman’s win as little more than “a politician winning his home state.” Cruz left New York before the polls closed, turning his attention to Pennsylvania, where he delivered a speech calling on Americans to join together to move the country forward.
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Poll: Trump leads by 14 points in Maryland
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has a double-digit lead in Maryland, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey.
Trump has 43 percent support, followed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, with 29 percent, and Texas Sen.Ted Cruz, with 24 percent.
Among GOP voters in the state, Trump has a favorable rating of 57 percent and an unfavorable rating of 37 percent. Kasich has a favorable rating of 48 percent, and Cruz is viewed favorably by just 33 percent of GOP voters.
Maryland's primary is next Tuesday, April 26.
If the race were between just two candidates, Trump would still have a sizable advantage over both of his competitors.
Trump has 43 percent support, followed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, with 29 percent, and Texas Sen.Ted Cruz, with 24 percent.
Among GOP voters in the state, Trump has a favorable rating of 57 percent and an unfavorable rating of 37 percent. Kasich has a favorable rating of 48 percent, and Cruz is viewed favorably by just 33 percent of GOP voters.
Maryland's primary is next Tuesday, April 26.
If the race were between just two candidates, Trump would still have a sizable advantage over both of his competitors.
Bern Out
Bernie Sanders campaign might be over. The Democratic Senator who hoped to upset Hillary in his home state of New York was totally shellacked. As The Daily News reports:
Hillary Clinton won the New York primary on Tuesday, according to early projections from several TV networks.
Clinton was declared the winner by NBC, CBS, and ABC about 40 minutes after the polls closed at 9 p.m.
She had 62.45% of the vote with nearly 70% of the city's precincts reporting, according to the city's Board of Elections.
Source: AAN
Hillary Clinton won the New York primary on Tuesday, according to early projections from several TV networks.
Clinton was declared the winner by NBC, CBS, and ABC about 40 minutes after the polls closed at 9 p.m.
She had 62.45% of the vote with nearly 70% of the city's precincts reporting, according to the city's Board of Elections.
Source: AAN
A Viewer Writes: Puppy Mill
A Viewer Writes: Scam
Question, have u heard of a scam. Two men going around Wicomico County possible solar roof scam. Will send a man back to look at your roof to see if u quality or a solar roof at no charge. But need your bank Acct. for monthly billing after solar panels are installed on roof. And working through Delmarva Power. Also saying later, all will have to go to solar power .
Month after merger, Pepco seeks Md. rate increase
Pepco filed its request with the Maryland Public Service Commission Tuesday. The public utility seeks a 10 percent rate increase for its 560,000 customers in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. If approved, the average customer’s bill would go up by $15.80 per month.
Pepco says it will use the rate increase to extend a grid-resiliency program in Maryland. If approved, it would mean $127 million in additional revenue for Pepco.
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Arthur W. Perdue Stadium Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump speaking in Harrington Friday
Trump’s campaign added the event at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington to his calendar late Tuesday night.
The visit follows an appearance in nearby Berlin, Maryland Wednesday night by the outspoken and controversial New York real estate mogul.
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National Take-Back Initiative
On Saturday April 30, 2016, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. the DEA will coordinate a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies focused on removing potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. A national take-back day will provide a unified opportunity for the public to surrender expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications to law enforcement officers for destruction. This one-day effort will bring national focus to the issue of pharmaceutical controlled substance abuse. The program also provides an opportunity for law enforcement, prevention, treatment, and the business community to collaborate and establish a safe collection site for all Americans, regardless of where they reside.
The locations for planned disposal monitored by the Delaware State Police will be at the following:
Delaware State Police Troop 4, 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown, DE 19947.
Christiana Care, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19713
The locations for planned disposal monitored by the Delaware State Police will be at the following:
Delaware State Police Troop 4, 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown, DE 19947.
Christiana Care, 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19713