Last night, liberal loon filmmaker Michael Moore joined Megyn Kelly and explained why he's terrified of Donald Trump, but even more afraid of Hillary. As the Blaze reports:
Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore said Thursday night on the Fox News Channel that he was worried if Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is elected president the U.S. may find itself entangled in another war.
The comment came when host Megyn Kelly asked, “What worries you, if anything, about Hillary?”
“My fear is that if she was president we would find ourselves in another war,” Moore said. “She voted for the Iraq War.”
“You think she’s more than a hawk than Trump?” Kelly pressed.
“Oh, I don’t know. I thought you said Obama,” Moore replied. “She’s more of a hawk than Obama.”
More/Video
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, May 07, 2016
Benghazi Bombshell
This week marks the second anniversary of the creation of the Benghazi Committee. Throughout the process, liberals have complained about interminable delays and the cost of the committee. It turns out, we now know who is to blame for that: Barack Obama's State Department. As Fox News reports:
The State Department missed its own target date last year for the establishment of a special unit to review Benghazi documents, documents obtained by Fox News show.
The previously unpublished documents, generated by the House select committee that is investigating the 2012 terror attacks, detail how Rep. Trey Gowdy, the panel’s Republican chairman from South Carolina, began working behind the scenes early last year to help the department secure over $4 million in “reprogrammed” funds set aside by Congress for such a unit.
According to agreements worked out between Republican staff on the committee and top aides to Secretary of State John Kerry, including chief of staff Jonathan Finer, the document review unit was supposed to be “operational” in June 2015.
Yet the State Department, prompted by inquiries from Fox News, now acknowledges it missed that target date. “The Congressional Document Production unit began staffing up in mid-2015,” said State Department spokesman Mark Toner in an email late Thursday, “and is now fully operational.”
The records obtained by Fox News also show repeated refusals by Kerry’s aides, including Finer, to account for what happened to the appropriated funds when Gowdy’s staff made repeated inquiries about the matter back in mid-2015.
Gowdy told Fox News he sought the additional funding “so they could speed up document production to Congress and we could finish the investigation faster.”
GO HERE for more and video.
The State Department missed its own target date last year for the establishment of a special unit to review Benghazi documents, documents obtained by Fox News show.
The previously unpublished documents, generated by the House select committee that is investigating the 2012 terror attacks, detail how Rep. Trey Gowdy, the panel’s Republican chairman from South Carolina, began working behind the scenes early last year to help the department secure over $4 million in “reprogrammed” funds set aside by Congress for such a unit.
According to agreements worked out between Republican staff on the committee and top aides to Secretary of State John Kerry, including chief of staff Jonathan Finer, the document review unit was supposed to be “operational” in June 2015.
Yet the State Department, prompted by inquiries from Fox News, now acknowledges it missed that target date. “The Congressional Document Production unit began staffing up in mid-2015,” said State Department spokesman Mark Toner in an email late Thursday, “and is now fully operational.”
The records obtained by Fox News also show repeated refusals by Kerry’s aides, including Finer, to account for what happened to the appropriated funds when Gowdy’s staff made repeated inquiries about the matter back in mid-2015.
Gowdy told Fox News he sought the additional funding “so they could speed up document production to Congress and we could finish the investigation faster.”
GO HERE for more and video.
Gingrich Rips Paul Ryan for Trump Non-Endorsement
Thursday on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized current House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) for his lack of endorsement of likely presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump earlier in the day in an interview with CNN.
Gingrich told host Sean Hannity it was a “big mistake” and that it sets the wrong tone for the rest of the Republican Party.
“[I]n the case of Paul Ryan he made a big mistake today and he needs to understand this,” Gingrich said. “He is the Speaker of the House. He has an obligation to unify the party. He has an obligation to reach out. Obviously he and Donald Trump are going to have disagreements. Some of them will work out and some of them they won’t. That’s fine. Our constitution provides that speakers and presidents can fight, but I think he sends the wrong signal and a signal which I think endangers the House Republicans and endangers the Senate Republicans.”
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Gingrich told host Sean Hannity it was a “big mistake” and that it sets the wrong tone for the rest of the Republican Party.
“[I]n the case of Paul Ryan he made a big mistake today and he needs to understand this,” Gingrich said. “He is the Speaker of the House. He has an obligation to unify the party. He has an obligation to reach out. Obviously he and Donald Trump are going to have disagreements. Some of them will work out and some of them they won’t. That’s fine. Our constitution provides that speakers and presidents can fight, but I think he sends the wrong signal and a signal which I think endangers the House Republicans and endangers the Senate Republicans.”
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Gen. Michael Flynn: America Facing New 'ism' Enemy With Radical Islam
America is facing a new "ism" enemy in radical Islam and Donald Trump is half right on how to defeat the group, Gen. Michael Flynn told Newsmax TV Thursday.
Flynn, a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told host J.D. Hayworth on "Newsmax Prime" radical Islam is similar to Nazism and Communism.
"Radical Islam is an ideology that won't go away by simply crushing them on the battlefield," said Flynn, co-author of the forthcoming "The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies." "We must face the fact that we are up against an 'ism,' if you will, like we were against Nazism or Communism, and now this is radical Islamism and we must face that. We must clearly define it.
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Flynn, a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told host J.D. Hayworth on "Newsmax Prime" radical Islam is similar to Nazism and Communism.
"Radical Islam is an ideology that won't go away by simply crushing them on the battlefield," said Flynn, co-author of the forthcoming "The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies." "We must face the fact that we are up against an 'ism,' if you will, like we were against Nazism or Communism, and now this is radical Islamism and we must face that. We must clearly define it.
More
Social Security Admin Moves to Block Mentally Ill From Buying Guns
The Social Security Administration is proposing a new rule to block some people unable to work because of mental health disorders from buying guns – a move the NRA is bitterly opposing as a violation of their 2nd Amendment rights.
According to The Hill, the SSA plan to report people who get disability benefits and have a mental health condition to the FBI for background checks stems from a memorandumPresident Barack Obama issued in 2013.
The rule is to appear in the Federal Register, The Hill reports.
Similar efforts to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill by the Department of Veterans Affairs were criticized by Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who claims 99 percent of the people the FBI prohibits from owning guns because they are considered “mentally defective” come from the VA, The Hill reports.
More
According to The Hill, the SSA plan to report people who get disability benefits and have a mental health condition to the FBI for background checks stems from a memorandumPresident Barack Obama issued in 2013.
The rule is to appear in the Federal Register, The Hill reports.
Similar efforts to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill by the Department of Veterans Affairs were criticized by Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, who claims 99 percent of the people the FBI prohibits from owning guns because they are considered “mentally defective” come from the VA, The Hill reports.
More
West Virginia Will Be Another Donald Trump Rout
INEVITABILITY … CREEPING
GOP frontrunner Donald Trump has opened up a massive three-to-one lead over U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in West Virginia – which hosts its “Republican” presidential primary next week.
According to the latest Public Policy Polling survey, Trump leads Cruz by a whopping 61-22 percent margin – with liberal Ohio governor John Kasich bringing up the rear at 14 percent.
Trump is the only candidate Mountaineer State “Republicans” even like. He’s got a 67-24 percent favorability rating, whereas Cruz (32-53 percent) and Kasich (32-50 percent) are both wildly unpopular among “Wild and Wonderful” GOP voters.
Hmmm … wonder why?
“Trump is winning every subgroup of the Republican electorate, but a few things stand out,” PPP pollsters noted. “He’s getting 70 percent among the independents planning to vote in the GOP primary, to 20 percent for Cruz and just 9 percent for Kasich. Trump also has by far and away the most committed support – 87 percent of his voters say they will definitely cast their ballots for him next Tuesday, compared to only 67 percent of Cruz’s voters and 45 percent of Kasich’s voters who say the same about their candidates.”
More
GOP frontrunner Donald Trump has opened up a massive three-to-one lead over U.S. Senator Ted Cruz in West Virginia – which hosts its “Republican” presidential primary next week.
According to the latest Public Policy Polling survey, Trump leads Cruz by a whopping 61-22 percent margin – with liberal Ohio governor John Kasich bringing up the rear at 14 percent.
Trump is the only candidate Mountaineer State “Republicans” even like. He’s got a 67-24 percent favorability rating, whereas Cruz (32-53 percent) and Kasich (32-50 percent) are both wildly unpopular among “Wild and Wonderful” GOP voters.
Hmmm … wonder why?
“Trump is winning every subgroup of the Republican electorate, but a few things stand out,” PPP pollsters noted. “He’s getting 70 percent among the independents planning to vote in the GOP primary, to 20 percent for Cruz and just 9 percent for Kasich. Trump also has by far and away the most committed support – 87 percent of his voters say they will definitely cast their ballots for him next Tuesday, compared to only 67 percent of Cruz’s voters and 45 percent of Kasich’s voters who say the same about their candidates.”
More
Pet Owners Fighting for 'Paw-Ternity' Time off
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — There’s still plenty of discussion about making sure parents get maternity leave and paternity leave, and whether or not American business
standards are generous enough compared to other countries.
Now, the question has popped up over what’s getting called “paw-ternity” time. A number of businesses in the United Kingdom have now started offering employees the option to take time off for new pets.
The time would be used to train, comfort and establish their pet’s place in their homes.
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standards are generous enough compared to other countries.Now, the question has popped up over what’s getting called “paw-ternity” time. A number of businesses in the United Kingdom have now started offering employees the option to take time off for new pets.
The time would be used to train, comfort and establish their pet’s place in their homes.
More
A Poem that was Us
A little house with three bedrooms,
One bathroom and one car on the street
A mower that you had to push
To make the grass look neat.
In the kitchen on the wall
We only had one phone,
And no need for recording things,
Someone was always home.
We only had a living room
Where we would congregate,
Unless it was at mealtime
In the kitchen where we ate.
We had no need for family rooms
Or extra rooms to dine.
When meeting as a family
Those two rooms would work out fine.
We only had one TV set
And channels maybe two,
But always there was one of them
With something worth the view
For snacks we had potato chips
That tasted like a chip.
And if you wanted flavor
There was Lipton's onion dip.
Store-bought snacks were rare because
My mother liked to cook
And nothing can compare to snacks
In Betty Crocker's book
Weekends were for family trips
Or staying home to play
We all did things together –
Even go to church to pray.
When we did our weekend trips
Depending on the weather,
No one stayed at home because
We liked to be together
Sometimes we would separate
To do things on our own,
But we knew where the others were
Without our own cell phone
Then there were the movies
With your favorite movie star,
And nothing can compare
To watching movies in your car
Then there were the picnics
at the peak of summer season,
Pack a lunch and find some trees
And never need a reason.
Get a baseball game together
With all the friends you know,
Have real action playing ball –
And no game video.
Remember when the doctor
Used to be the family friend,
And didn't need insurance
Or a lawyer to defend
The way that he took care of you
Or what he had to do,
Because he took an oath and strived
To do the best for you
Remember going to the store
And shopping casually,
And when you went to pay for it
You used your own money?
Nothing that you had to swipe
Or punch in some amount,
And remember when the cashier person
Had to really count?
The milkman used to go
From door to door,
And it was just a few cents more
Than going to the store.
There was a time when mailed letters
Came right to your door,
Without a lot of junk mail ads
Sent out by every store .
The mailman knew each house by name
And knew where it was sent;
There were not loads of mail addressed
To "present occupant”
There was a time when just one glance
Was all that it would take,
And you would know the kind of car,
The model and the make
They didn't look like turtles
Trying to squeeze out every mile;
They were streamlined, white walls, fins
And really had some style
One time the music that you played
Whenever you would jive,
Was from a vinyl, big-holed record
Called a forty-five
The record player had a post
To keep them all in line
And then the records would drop down
And play one at a time.
Oh sure, we had our problems then,
Just like we do today
And always we were striving,
Trying for a better way.
Oh, the simple life we lived
Still seems like so much fun,
How can you explain a game,
Just kick the can and run?
And why would boys put baseball cards
Between bicycle spokes
And for a nickel, red machines
Had little bottled Cokes?
This life seemed so much easier
Slower in some ways
I love the new technology
But I sure do miss those days.
So time moves on and so do we
And nothing stays the same,
But I sure love to reminisce
And walk down memory lane.
With all today's technology
We grant that it's a plus!
But it's fun to look way back and say,
HEY LOOK, GUYS, THAT WAS US!
[Worc. Co., MD History, Bob Jones, Coordinator] Public Landing, Part 19 —The Cupola House
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How Banks, Other Businesses Can Avoid Becoming Cyber-Crime Victims
Apparently, the heist couldn’t have been any simpler if it had been drawn up in the lunch line at an elementary school cafeteria.
In February, Bangladesh’s central bank saw $81 million disappear out a virtual window. Now it’s been revealed that, although the computer hackers used custom-made malware, they probably didn’t need to work up a cyber sweat while pulling off their long-distance theft. The bank had no firewalls to defend against intruders and its computers were linked to global-financial networks through second-hand routers that cost $10.
“It’s stunning that a major institution would leave itself so defenseless in this day and age when everyone should know that cyber criminals are waiting for you to let your guard down,” says Gary S. Miliefsky, CEO of SnoopWall (www.snoopwall.com), a company that specializes in cyber security.
But he says the episode can serve as a cautionary tale for other banks and any businesses that want to protect themselves against today’s cyber versions of Bonnie and Clyde.
“Most companies have some vulnerability and it doesn’t take a sophisticated attack to cause a security breach,” Miliefsky says. “Often on the hackers’ end of things, it just takes patience.”
For example, he says, a cyber criminal can gain access by sending a company an email with an attachment called a Remote Access Trojan, or RAT, that looks like a normal file. All it takes is for an unsuspecting employee to open that file and, voila, security is compromised.
That’s bad for companies, of course, but it’s also bad for consumers, whose bank account, credit card and other private information is at risk.
Miliefsky says it’s important to go on the offensive. Among his recommendations:
• Employers need to train their staffs. Those employees sitting at their computers each day are a company’s first line of defense. An errant click on the wrong email is like unlocking the front door, so employees should be made aware of the dangers and told what do about suspicious email.
• Companies should routinely update their defenses. Outdated technology and outdated security software make a company’s computers vulnerable to attack. It’s important that businesses periodically review their IT operations to make sure what worked last year still provides the needed security.
• Consumers must take their own safety measures. It would be nice to expect banks and retailers to protect consumer information, but the average person can’t count on that. Miliefsky suggests consumers take personal security measures such as frequently changing passwords and deleting any phone apps they don’t use. Many apps contain malware that can spy on you.
“Most people log onto the internet every day without much thought about how susceptible they are to being hacked,” Miliefsky says. “It takes vigilance to protect yourself against cyber criminals who are working hard to figure their way around security measures.”
In February, Bangladesh’s central bank saw $81 million disappear out a virtual window. Now it’s been revealed that, although the computer hackers used custom-made malware, they probably didn’t need to work up a cyber sweat while pulling off their long-distance theft. The bank had no firewalls to defend against intruders and its computers were linked to global-financial networks through second-hand routers that cost $10.
“It’s stunning that a major institution would leave itself so defenseless in this day and age when everyone should know that cyber criminals are waiting for you to let your guard down,” says Gary S. Miliefsky, CEO of SnoopWall (www.snoopwall.com), a company that specializes in cyber security.
But he says the episode can serve as a cautionary tale for other banks and any businesses that want to protect themselves against today’s cyber versions of Bonnie and Clyde.
“Most companies have some vulnerability and it doesn’t take a sophisticated attack to cause a security breach,” Miliefsky says. “Often on the hackers’ end of things, it just takes patience.”
For example, he says, a cyber criminal can gain access by sending a company an email with an attachment called a Remote Access Trojan, or RAT, that looks like a normal file. All it takes is for an unsuspecting employee to open that file and, voila, security is compromised.
That’s bad for companies, of course, but it’s also bad for consumers, whose bank account, credit card and other private information is at risk.
Miliefsky says it’s important to go on the offensive. Among his recommendations:
• Employers need to train their staffs. Those employees sitting at their computers each day are a company’s first line of defense. An errant click on the wrong email is like unlocking the front door, so employees should be made aware of the dangers and told what do about suspicious email.
• Companies should routinely update their defenses. Outdated technology and outdated security software make a company’s computers vulnerable to attack. It’s important that businesses periodically review their IT operations to make sure what worked last year still provides the needed security.
• Consumers must take their own safety measures. It would be nice to expect banks and retailers to protect consumer information, but the average person can’t count on that. Miliefsky suggests consumers take personal security measures such as frequently changing passwords and deleting any phone apps they don’t use. Many apps contain malware that can spy on you.
“Most people log onto the internet every day without much thought about how susceptible they are to being hacked,” Miliefsky says. “It takes vigilance to protect yourself against cyber criminals who are working hard to figure their way around security measures.”
Subject: It's a combat mission, Mr. President
Last month, Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pinned Purple Hearts on four fellow Marines at a remote outpost in northern Iraq. They and four others were wounded in an attack by the Islamic State group that killed their buddy, Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin.
Less than a week later, Dunford was seated before the Senate Armed Services Committee, serving as a lightning rod for lawmakers’ frustration with the White House’s refusal to recognize that U.S. troops deployed to help in the fight against the ISIS were on a "combat" mission.
Dunford wouldn’t answer for the White House, but he didn’t mince words in expressing his view: Cardin “was killed in combat, senator,” he told the Republican from Alaska, Dan Sullivan. So, too, was Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, a Special Forces soldier killed in Iraq last October as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
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Less than a week later, Dunford was seated before the Senate Armed Services Committee, serving as a lightning rod for lawmakers’ frustration with the White House’s refusal to recognize that U.S. troops deployed to help in the fight against the ISIS were on a "combat" mission.
Dunford wouldn’t answer for the White House, but he didn’t mince words in expressing his view: Cardin “was killed in combat, senator,” he told the Republican from Alaska, Dan Sullivan. So, too, was Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, a Special Forces soldier killed in Iraq last October as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
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Donald Trump Sends a Message to Hispanics
As you can see, while Trump has no love for lawbreaking illegal immigrants, he's a great friend of the Hispanic community and their terrific food.
Source: AAN
New Rule Gives FDA Tighter Grip on Tobacco, Says American Heart Association
Washington, D.C. - American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments today on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) release of the final tobacco deeming rule that gives the agency authority to regulate tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, hookah and cigars:
“At last, Americans can breathe a sigh of relief now that all tobacco products have the federal oversight they’ve needed for a very long time. The American Heart Association has strongly advocated for across-the-board FDA regulation, and we applaud the FDA for issuing the final deeming rule that will do just that.
All tobacco products present risk. That’s why it was absolutely necessary for the FDA to assert its authority over these products. We commend the FDA for taking this significant step to protect the cardiovascular health of Americans and prevent children from starting down a dangerous and addictive path.
Keeping cigars, e-cigarettes and hookah out of the hands of young Americans should be a top priority for the agency now that the FDA’s jurisdiction has been extended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that e-cigarette use among U.S. teens has tripled in just one year. Similarly, hookah use has roughly doubled in middle and high school students, and cigar use remains high; every day more teenage boys start using tobacco with a cigar for the first time rather than a cigarette. Now, thanks to this new rule, more potential tobacco users will hopefully be steered clear from taking that first puff during adolescence. Research and tobacco surveillance shows that effective regulation of tobacco products helps reduce tobacco use in both youths and adults.
While the rule addresses the important issue of flavoring, we would have liked to see candy and fruit flavors banned outright for all tobacco products. According to a CDC-FDA study, seven out of 10 middle and high school students who currently use tobacco use a flavored product. While we are pleased that the FDA intends to issue a separate rule prohibiting characterizing flavors in cigars, we continue to encourage the FDA to extend the ban to e-cigarettes. Tough regulation is needed or tobacco companies will only continue to use cunning tactics and sweet flavors in an attempt to entice a new generation of kids to a lifetime of nicotine addiction.
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“At last, Americans can breathe a sigh of relief now that all tobacco products have the federal oversight they’ve needed for a very long time. The American Heart Association has strongly advocated for across-the-board FDA regulation, and we applaud the FDA for issuing the final deeming rule that will do just that.
All tobacco products present risk. That’s why it was absolutely necessary for the FDA to assert its authority over these products. We commend the FDA for taking this significant step to protect the cardiovascular health of Americans and prevent children from starting down a dangerous and addictive path.
Keeping cigars, e-cigarettes and hookah out of the hands of young Americans should be a top priority for the agency now that the FDA’s jurisdiction has been extended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that e-cigarette use among U.S. teens has tripled in just one year. Similarly, hookah use has roughly doubled in middle and high school students, and cigar use remains high; every day more teenage boys start using tobacco with a cigar for the first time rather than a cigarette. Now, thanks to this new rule, more potential tobacco users will hopefully be steered clear from taking that first puff during adolescence. Research and tobacco surveillance shows that effective regulation of tobacco products helps reduce tobacco use in both youths and adults.
While the rule addresses the important issue of flavoring, we would have liked to see candy and fruit flavors banned outright for all tobacco products. According to a CDC-FDA study, seven out of 10 middle and high school students who currently use tobacco use a flavored product. While we are pleased that the FDA intends to issue a separate rule prohibiting characterizing flavors in cigars, we continue to encourage the FDA to extend the ban to e-cigarettes. Tough regulation is needed or tobacco companies will only continue to use cunning tactics and sweet flavors in an attempt to entice a new generation of kids to a lifetime of nicotine addiction.
More
GOP Establishment Backs Trump
My, how quickly things change. The New York Times is reporting that the RNC is telling employees to get behind Trump or find another job. TPM follows up:
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Republican National Committee staffers were told that if they could not embrace Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee they would need to leave by the end of this week.
Here's the unsourced Times report:
Some staff members at the Republican National Committee were told Wednesday that if they were unable to get behind the nominee, they should leave by the end of the week.
The RNC denied the Times' report on Thursday morning.
"That is 100% false," RNC spokeswoman Lindsay Walters wrote in an email to TPM when asked about the Times article.
Despite Priebus' denial, AAN has heard non confirmed chatter along the same lines from well placed sources in the conservative movement. We will update this story if any more information becomes available.
Source: AAN
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Republican National Committee staffers were told that if they could not embrace Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee they would need to leave by the end of this week.
Here's the unsourced Times report:
Some staff members at the Republican National Committee were told Wednesday that if they were unable to get behind the nominee, they should leave by the end of the week.
The RNC denied the Times' report on Thursday morning.
"That is 100% false," RNC spokeswoman Lindsay Walters wrote in an email to TPM when asked about the Times article.
Despite Priebus' denial, AAN has heard non confirmed chatter along the same lines from well placed sources in the conservative movement. We will update this story if any more information becomes available.
Source: AAN
Sex Scandal Rocks Fox
Fox News chief White House correspondent Ed Henry will not be appearing on the channel for the time being, following a report in In Touch Weekly that he cheated on his wife with a Las Vegas hostess.
Source: Politico
“We recently became aware of Ed’s personal issues and he’s taking some time off to work things out,” a Fox News spokesperson told POLITICO in a statement.
Henry joined Fox News in 2011 as chief White House correspondent. He was previously the White House correspondent for CNN.
UPDATE (Via Mediaite): In Touch‘s story reveals text messages they say were exchanged between Henry and Lima, and the issue came out on newsstands today. According to In Touch, Lima said, “Whenever [Henry] was in town, we would pretty much just have sex. He has a really high sex drive.” She goes on to say that she met the veteran newscaster through social media, and that they connected during his cross-country travels covering the 2016 Presidential race beginning in the Spring of last year.
Source: Politico
Pew: 57 percent say 'America First'
Americans are adopting a foreign policy much closer to Republican Donald Trump than Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, saying in a new survey that they want an "America First" focus that fixes the U.S. before other countries.
A comprehensive new Pew Research Center poll found that 57 percent agree that America should deal with its own problems. Just 37 percent disagreed. And more than not said America is too helpful internationally.
"The new survey, conducted April 12 to 19 among 2,008 U.S. adults, finds the public remains wary of global involvement," said Pew.
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A comprehensive new Pew Research Center poll found that 57 percent agree that America should deal with its own problems. Just 37 percent disagreed. And more than not said America is too helpful internationally.
"The new survey, conducted April 12 to 19 among 2,008 U.S. adults, finds the public remains wary of global involvement," said Pew.
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Over 1,000 leaders worldwide slam failed prohibitionist drug policies, call on UN for systemic reform
More than 1,000 international leaders – prominent in the fields of politics, health, academics and entertainment – have publicly called for a “new global response to drugs,” in advance of an upcoming United Nations session.
The UN is currently holding a General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, at its New York headquarters. The three-day session involves a meeting of the UN’s member states, in which global drug policy priorities are being discussed and, hopefully, reassessed.
The UN has influenced international drug policy for over half a century. In 1961, it instituted the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs – formalizing a list of substances (including marijuana) to be classified as internationally illegal. Unlike typical UN documents – which make use of objective and factual statements – the Single Convention includes biased and subjective phrasing, including the description of drugs as a “serious evil”. This 55 year-old convention remains the legal backbone of modern drug policy, which is considerably contributory to mass incarceration in the United States, as well as violence, corruption, and human rights abuses in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
More
The UN is currently holding a General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs, at its New York headquarters. The three-day session involves a meeting of the UN’s member states, in which global drug policy priorities are being discussed and, hopefully, reassessed.
The UN has influenced international drug policy for over half a century. In 1961, it instituted the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs – formalizing a list of substances (including marijuana) to be classified as internationally illegal. Unlike typical UN documents – which make use of objective and factual statements – the Single Convention includes biased and subjective phrasing, including the description of drugs as a “serious evil”. This 55 year-old convention remains the legal backbone of modern drug policy, which is considerably contributory to mass incarceration in the United States, as well as violence, corruption, and human rights abuses in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
More
Offshore Seismic Blasting Remains A Serious Concern
OCEAN CITY — While the Obama administration announced in March it was abandoning plans to open a vast swath of ocean off the mid-Atlantic coast as close as 20 miles from the resort for offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, the threat of seismic air gun blasting to find those very reserves remains a real threat.
A collective sigh of relief was heard from coastal communities in mid-March when the administration reversed course on a controversial plan to lease a vast area totaling nearly three million acres off the mid-Atlantic coast to offshore drilling for oil and natural gas reserves. The federal government’s reversal came after strong opposition to the proposal from local, state and elected officials, environmental advocacy groups and hundreds of coastal communities along the east coast whose economies rely on clean oceans, healthy natural resources, tourism and commercial and recreational fishing.
However, left on the table was a federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposal to allow private sector companies to utilize potentially harmful seismic air gun testing to determine what oil and gas reserves lay beneath the ocean floor off the mid-Atlantic coast. Seismic air guns shoot blasts of sound into the ocean floor, each of which has been equated to 100,000 times more intense than a jet engine’s sound.
Last July, BOEM released its final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for seismic air gun testing in the mid-Atlantic, essentially opining the potential rewards outweigh any possible impact to marine life. While there are still several hurdles to clear before seismic air guns are blasted into the ocean floor off the mid-Atlantic coast, the PEIS represents the federal government’s intention to move forward with the practice despite an outcry of opposition from nearly all corners.
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A collective sigh of relief was heard from coastal communities in mid-March when the administration reversed course on a controversial plan to lease a vast area totaling nearly three million acres off the mid-Atlantic coast to offshore drilling for oil and natural gas reserves. The federal government’s reversal came after strong opposition to the proposal from local, state and elected officials, environmental advocacy groups and hundreds of coastal communities along the east coast whose economies rely on clean oceans, healthy natural resources, tourism and commercial and recreational fishing.
However, left on the table was a federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposal to allow private sector companies to utilize potentially harmful seismic air gun testing to determine what oil and gas reserves lay beneath the ocean floor off the mid-Atlantic coast. Seismic air guns shoot blasts of sound into the ocean floor, each of which has been equated to 100,000 times more intense than a jet engine’s sound.
Last July, BOEM released its final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for seismic air gun testing in the mid-Atlantic, essentially opining the potential rewards outweigh any possible impact to marine life. While there are still several hurdles to clear before seismic air guns are blasted into the ocean floor off the mid-Atlantic coast, the PEIS represents the federal government’s intention to move forward with the practice despite an outcry of opposition from nearly all corners.
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Subject: Ted Cruz’s zombie campaign
The Texas senator has given up on being the GOP nominee, but he’s still fighting for control of the party’s future.
Ted Cruz’s run for president is over, but this weekend, his operatives will fight on, heading to a pair of state conventions to push the campaign's preferred delegates to the Republican National Convention.
According to a GOP source familiar with the Cruz campaign’s decision, staff will be on the ground in North Carolina and South Carolina, where 56 delegates will be selected. Some will even fan out next week when a dozen more states — including Cruz’s home state of Texas — pick their national delegates. It’s an effort, two Cruz sources told POLITICO, to pack the convention full of conservatives who can stand up to any attempt by Donald Trump to weaken conservative planks of the GOP platform or rework the rules that govern the presidential nomination process.
“It’s still important that we have a conservative convention … I think we would be doing Ted Cruz a disservice if we gave up that fight,” said Rob Uithoven, who helmed Cruz’s operation in western states. “It’ll be even more difficult now with the campaign suspended to try to get our [delegates] elected.”
Uithoven sent a letter Wednesday to the Cruz leadership teams in each of the western states he oversaw urging the delegates he helped elect to attend the national convention rather than cede the floor to Trump.
It’s not, however, about trying to take the nomination from Trump -- and there won’t even be Cruz-specific delegates slates, according to one of the campaign sources. “It’s more about conservative/non-establishment folks having a voice in the upcoming rules and platform,” said the source, “especially since Trump has said he wants to change the platform.”
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Ted Cruz’s run for president is over, but this weekend, his operatives will fight on, heading to a pair of state conventions to push the campaign's preferred delegates to the Republican National Convention.
According to a GOP source familiar with the Cruz campaign’s decision, staff will be on the ground in North Carolina and South Carolina, where 56 delegates will be selected. Some will even fan out next week when a dozen more states — including Cruz’s home state of Texas — pick their national delegates. It’s an effort, two Cruz sources told POLITICO, to pack the convention full of conservatives who can stand up to any attempt by Donald Trump to weaken conservative planks of the GOP platform or rework the rules that govern the presidential nomination process.
“It’s still important that we have a conservative convention … I think we would be doing Ted Cruz a disservice if we gave up that fight,” said Rob Uithoven, who helmed Cruz’s operation in western states. “It’ll be even more difficult now with the campaign suspended to try to get our [delegates] elected.”
Uithoven sent a letter Wednesday to the Cruz leadership teams in each of the western states he oversaw urging the delegates he helped elect to attend the national convention rather than cede the floor to Trump.
It’s not, however, about trying to take the nomination from Trump -- and there won’t even be Cruz-specific delegates slates, according to one of the campaign sources. “It’s more about conservative/non-establishment folks having a voice in the upcoming rules and platform,” said the source, “especially since Trump has said he wants to change the platform.”
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No New Trial For Nottingham But Conviction On Affray Tossed
OCEAN CITY — A reversal on one element of an appeal filed by a man convicted of manslaughter was not enough to toss out the entire conviction, the state’s Court of Special Appeals opined this week.
In June 2014, a Worcester County Circuit Court jury found George Nottingham, now 51, of West Ocean City, guilty on all counts related to the January 2013 death of Michael Post including manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and affray. Nottingham was later sentenced to seven years for the manslaughter conviction, the maximum allowed under the guidelines, along with five years each for second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and affray, all of which is being served concurrently.
Nottingham’s appeal asserted when the prosecutors left out the “to the terror of the people” element in the affray definition, they biased the jury on the affray verdict, which, in turn, biased the jury on the verdicts for manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment. The Court of Appeals reviewed the case and determined the prosecution did err in its definition of affray and ultimately tossed out the conviction on that charge alone.
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In June 2014, a Worcester County Circuit Court jury found George Nottingham, now 51, of West Ocean City, guilty on all counts related to the January 2013 death of Michael Post including manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and affray. Nottingham was later sentenced to seven years for the manslaughter conviction, the maximum allowed under the guidelines, along with five years each for second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and affray, all of which is being served concurrently.
Nottingham’s appeal asserted when the prosecutors left out the “to the terror of the people” element in the affray definition, they biased the jury on the affray verdict, which, in turn, biased the jury on the verdicts for manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment. The Court of Appeals reviewed the case and determined the prosecution did err in its definition of affray and ultimately tossed out the conviction on that charge alone.
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See Paul Run
Why the GOP spurning Trump is ultimately a good thing
Some people never learn.
An angry, defiant yet patriotic GOP electorate turned out by the millions to give populist outsider Donald Trump wins in 27 primaries. He beat Bush, Rubio, Cruz, the rest of the crowded field and all of the big donors used to calling the shots.
Trump won in the South, the Northeast, the Southwest, and the Rust Belt. He won pluralities of women, men, Hispanics, blacks, college and high school graduates. He made several controversial statements that pundits predicted would finish him. None of them did. He was unrepentant and unrelenting — which came off as refreshing compared to the poll-tested reactions from the rest of the field. If he was a bully — he was their bully fighting the corrupt government and political correctness so many have grown tired of.
After this brutal, almost year-long stretch, one might think that the Republicans in power would have had a revelation or two. Maybe the obsessive push for TPP or immigration amnesty was wrongheaded. Maybe they need to oppose liberal policies instead of cave to them. Maybe they should recognize that the last Bush administration made some key errors that we need not repeat. (After all, the GOP lost the House and the Senate between 2006 and 2008.)
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Some people never learn.
An angry, defiant yet patriotic GOP electorate turned out by the millions to give populist outsider Donald Trump wins in 27 primaries. He beat Bush, Rubio, Cruz, the rest of the crowded field and all of the big donors used to calling the shots.
Trump won in the South, the Northeast, the Southwest, and the Rust Belt. He won pluralities of women, men, Hispanics, blacks, college and high school graduates. He made several controversial statements that pundits predicted would finish him. None of them did. He was unrepentant and unrelenting — which came off as refreshing compared to the poll-tested reactions from the rest of the field. If he was a bully — he was their bully fighting the corrupt government and political correctness so many have grown tired of.
After this brutal, almost year-long stretch, one might think that the Republicans in power would have had a revelation or two. Maybe the obsessive push for TPP or immigration amnesty was wrongheaded. Maybe they need to oppose liberal policies instead of cave to them. Maybe they should recognize that the last Bush administration made some key errors that we need not repeat. (After all, the GOP lost the House and the Senate between 2006 and 2008.)
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Students Learn Financial Literacy
The program is in its fourth year at the school and is sponsored by the Bank of Ocean City. EverFi underscores the need for young adults entering the 21st Century economy to truly understand what goes into their personal finances.
“I know a lot of people who just want to sign a piece of paper and they don’t understand insurance or home equity and now I feel like I know what all that means.” said Decatur senior Erin Smith.
EverFi offers students “The Sims” style online program that simulates all the big financial choices a person could make in their life. Topics range from getting their first checking and savings accounts to purchasing a car and a house, while covering resume preparation and the potential pitfalls of credit. Eventually, students find themselves virtually walking onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to learn about investing.
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OCEAN CITY CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS: A CAUTIONARY TALE
In late 2006, the Samuel Young and Jean Young purchased a condominium unit at the Orleans Court Condominiums in Ocean City, Maryland for $173,000.00. It is a small condominium, but the Youngs, along with their adult son Devin, worked hard to save and hoped to relax and spend summer weekends in Ocean City.
Shortly after the Youngs purchased their unit, the Orleans Court Condominium Association decided it would undertake a large, mostly cosmetic renovation project intend to improve the "façade" of the condominiums. In December of 2008, the Youngs got a bill for $30,638.61 as a "special assessment" for this project, and were informed that they were pay within 10 days. The Youngs did not pay the special assessment because of concerns that the charges were not legitimate. The main concern, according to the Youngs, was that the renovation project was improperly approved, without a vote, by an unelected Board of Directors. In early 2011, Orleans Court charged a second "special assessment" to the Youngs and other unit owners in the amount of $4,676.00. This second special assessment, according to Orleans Court, was due on February 1, 2012. At the time, the Youngs did not know what reason or purpose Orleans Court intended to put these funds to use. The Youngs did not pay the two bills for "special assessments."
On April 14, 2016, the Youngs were given notice by the Orleans Court Condominium Association that their unit would be sold in a foreclosure sale. No bank or lender is involved; this is purely a dispute between a condominium association and a unit owner. The amount the Youngs owe, according to Orleans Court, is $104,710.80. Much of this amount is interest (18%), "collection costs" and attorneys' fees. To stop the foreclosure, the Youngs have been told they must immediately "pay the full amount due, including late charges, interest, costs of collection, attorney's fees, trustee's fees and other foreclosure costs. A certified or cashier's check will be required."
The Youngs' story may be extreme, but it is not entirely unusual.
Almost $50,000.00 in interest.
Condominium Associations, if unwatched, have a tremendous amount of authority, whether unit owners agree with their decisions or not. Now, in the Young's case, their own Condominium Association is attempting to foreclose upon them-not because the Youngs failed to make their mortgage payments; the Youngs pay every month in full and on time. Not because they are bad neighbors; there is simply no evidence of that. They Youngs may lose their condominium because they did not pay charges they thought were improper. Right or wrong, they are now looking at a bill that exceeds $100,000.00, and in today's economy, the assessments and dues may be greater than the fair market value of the condominium unit itself. There are two sides to every story, and Salisbury News would like its readers' input on this matter.
Assateague’s Economic Impact Calculated At $110M
ASSATEAGUE — With the long-range future of Assateague Island National Seashore in question, including a rather draconian option of allowing the barrier island to return to its pristine, primitive state, there is little doubt about its economic impact on the area after the results of a study were released late last week.
The National Park Service is currently considering a revised General Management Plan (GMP), which will direct the barrier island’s future for the next 25 years or more, a new report released last week revealed the roughly 2.3 million visitors to the part spent $96.7 million in the local area last week with a cumulative benefit to the local economy of nearly $110 million. That spending supported 1,320 jobs in the local area.
The study results come while the National Park Service in considering a revision of the GMP for the Assateague Island National Seashore. Faced with a frequency and increased intensity of coastal storms, climate change and sea level rise, the NPS is considering a draft GMP which will chart the future of the barrier island. While the alternatives on the table include maintaining the status quo to a rather draconian plan to eventually allow AINS to return to its natural primitive state, its economic impact on the region has been confirmed by the report.
“Assateague Island National Seashore welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Debbie Darden. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experience it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.”
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The National Park Service is currently considering a revised General Management Plan (GMP), which will direct the barrier island’s future for the next 25 years or more, a new report released last week revealed the roughly 2.3 million visitors to the part spent $96.7 million in the local area last week with a cumulative benefit to the local economy of nearly $110 million. That spending supported 1,320 jobs in the local area.
The study results come while the National Park Service in considering a revision of the GMP for the Assateague Island National Seashore. Faced with a frequency and increased intensity of coastal storms, climate change and sea level rise, the NPS is considering a draft GMP which will chart the future of the barrier island. While the alternatives on the table include maintaining the status quo to a rather draconian plan to eventually allow AINS to return to its natural primitive state, its economic impact on the region has been confirmed by the report.
“Assateague Island National Seashore welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Debbie Darden. “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experience it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers.”
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Driving While Black: Cops Target Minority Drivers in This Mostly White New Jersey Town
Anecdotal experience suggests that race matters when you get behind the wheel: minority drivers are more likely to get stopped and pulled over by police than white drivers.
A group of law students at Seton Hall University in New Jersey recently tested that conventional wisdom. When New Jersey police officers issue a traffic ticket, they are required to fill out driver's name, age, eye color, residence, license plate, and so on, but are not required to record their race or ethnicity. Determining whether tickets were being issued disproportionately to black or Latino drivers meant that the researchers had to collect that data themselves. They spent four weeks last October sitting in on traffic court hearings in Bloomfield, a small township in New Jersey.
The hearings take place twice a day. Researchers sat in on about 70 hours of hearings and observed 855 ticketed individuals, according to their report. During their observations, they made note of the ethnicity, age, gender, and area of residence for each person who showed up.
Bloomfield is an affluent, predominantly white suburb that lies northwest of Newark. CNN Money once deemed it "one of the best places to live" due to low crime rates, and it's beendescribed as the kind of town that evokes a particular kind of American sentimentality — duck crossing signs, picnicking families, ice cream parlors, and little chapels with green lawns.
The selection of the town was fairly random, according to Mark Denbeaux, the professor who led the study out of the law school's Center for Policy and Research, which he directs. Students wanted to look closely at a border town, meaning one that is surrounded by a variety of demographics, and one that was easily accessible from Seton Hall.
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A group of law students at Seton Hall University in New Jersey recently tested that conventional wisdom. When New Jersey police officers issue a traffic ticket, they are required to fill out driver's name, age, eye color, residence, license plate, and so on, but are not required to record their race or ethnicity. Determining whether tickets were being issued disproportionately to black or Latino drivers meant that the researchers had to collect that data themselves. They spent four weeks last October sitting in on traffic court hearings in Bloomfield, a small township in New Jersey.
The hearings take place twice a day. Researchers sat in on about 70 hours of hearings and observed 855 ticketed individuals, according to their report. During their observations, they made note of the ethnicity, age, gender, and area of residence for each person who showed up.
Bloomfield is an affluent, predominantly white suburb that lies northwest of Newark. CNN Money once deemed it "one of the best places to live" due to low crime rates, and it's beendescribed as the kind of town that evokes a particular kind of American sentimentality — duck crossing signs, picnicking families, ice cream parlors, and little chapels with green lawns.
The selection of the town was fairly random, according to Mark Denbeaux, the professor who led the study out of the law school's Center for Policy and Research, which he directs. Students wanted to look closely at a border town, meaning one that is surrounded by a variety of demographics, and one that was easily accessible from Seton Hall.
More/Video
County’s Budget Hearing Focuses On Education Funding
SNOW HILL – Requests for funding teacher salary increases and technology for local schools again highlighted Worcester County’s annual budget hearing.
On Tuesday evening, dozens of county residents attended a public hearing on Worcester County’s proposed $194 million budget for fiscal year 2017. Comments from those present focused primarily on the need to support education funding.
“The County Commissioners heard everything you said,” County Commissioner Jim Bunting said at the close of the hearing. “We are listening. The spirit is good between the commissioners and the board of education.”1
The county’s budget, as currently proposed, totals $194 million and includes a $6.5 million shortfall that needs to be reconciled through a reduction in expenditures or an increase in taxes. The commissioners have advertised for a 4.55-cent property tax increase that would bring the rate to $87 cents per $100 of assessment. The budget and tax rate are scheduled to be adopted June 7.
In a presentation during Tuesday’s hearing, Harold Higgins, the county’s chief administrative officer, said the bulk of the county’s proposed expenditures (49 percent) in the coming fiscal year were related to education. Public safety accounts for 16.7 percent of expenditures in the proposed budget while grants to municipalities account for 11.2 percent of costs.
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On Tuesday evening, dozens of county residents attended a public hearing on Worcester County’s proposed $194 million budget for fiscal year 2017. Comments from those present focused primarily on the need to support education funding.
“The County Commissioners heard everything you said,” County Commissioner Jim Bunting said at the close of the hearing. “We are listening. The spirit is good between the commissioners and the board of education.”1
The county’s budget, as currently proposed, totals $194 million and includes a $6.5 million shortfall that needs to be reconciled through a reduction in expenditures or an increase in taxes. The commissioners have advertised for a 4.55-cent property tax increase that would bring the rate to $87 cents per $100 of assessment. The budget and tax rate are scheduled to be adopted June 7.
In a presentation during Tuesday’s hearing, Harold Higgins, the county’s chief administrative officer, said the bulk of the county’s proposed expenditures (49 percent) in the coming fiscal year were related to education. Public safety accounts for 16.7 percent of expenditures in the proposed budget while grants to municipalities account for 11.2 percent of costs.
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Could You Get Sued For Texting Someone While They Are Driving?
However prevalent it may be, texting while driving is unsafe and, in most places, against the law. What those laws don’t address is the liability of the person on the other end of that text message. If you’re safe at home texting someone who then crashes their car, could you be held liable? It’s a possibility, according to some recent court rulings.
My name is Olivia-Jax not fetus not human tissue
They said my intestines were out of my body - my momma and daddy wouldnt let them.
They said my legs and feet were deformed and not worth the mothers risk - my momma and daddy wouldnt let them.
Then they said I had Trisomy 18 and wouldnt live outside of the womb - and my mommy and daddy wouldnt let them.
Daddy said he didn't believe them- he said their evidence was pathetic -daddy said I was fine. My mommy agreed. And went against the will and advice of the top doctors of their field "high risk pregnancy".
I was born a month early - I'm in the 95+% for everything - my hands and feet are perfect - my tummy is just like it is supposed to be - I don't have an extra 18th chromosome- I'm almost 7months old now because i was born a month early and - I'm fine.
My name is Olivia-Jax not fetus not human tissue. I'm a little girl that my mommy and daddy didn't give up on - and I'm fine"
We did the math to see if it's worth it to buy a ticket for the $415 million Powerball jackpot
While that's a huge amount of money, buying a ticket is still probably a losing proposition.
Consider the expected value
When trying to evaluate the outcome of a risky, probabilistic event like the lottery, one of the first things to look at is "expected value."
The expected value of a randomly decided process is found by taking all of the possible outcomes of the process, multiplying each outcome by its probability, and adding all of these numbers up. This gives us a long-run average value for our random process.
Expected value is helpful for assessing gambling outcomes. If my expected value for playing the game, based on the cost of playing and the probabilities of winning different prizes, is positive, then in the long run the game will make me money. If expected value is negative, then this game is a net loser for me.
Powerball and similar lotteries are a wonderful example of this kind of random process. As of October 2015 in Powerball, five white balls are drawn from a drum with 69 balls, and one red ball is drawn from a drum with 26 balls. Prizes are then given out based on how many of a player's chosen numbers match the numbers written on the balls. Match all five white balls and the red Powerball, and you win the jackpot. In addition, there are several smaller prizes won for matching some subset of the drawn numbers.
Powerball's website helpfully provides a list of the odds and prizes for each of the possible outcomes. We can use those probabilities and prize sizes to evaluate the expected value of a $2 Powerball ticket. Take each prize, subtract the price of our ticket, multiply the net return by the probability of winning, and add all those values up to get our expected value:
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When trying to evaluate the outcome of a risky, probabilistic event like the lottery, one of the first things to look at is "expected value."
The expected value of a randomly decided process is found by taking all of the possible outcomes of the process, multiplying each outcome by its probability, and adding all of these numbers up. This gives us a long-run average value for our random process.
Expected value is helpful for assessing gambling outcomes. If my expected value for playing the game, based on the cost of playing and the probabilities of winning different prizes, is positive, then in the long run the game will make me money. If expected value is negative, then this game is a net loser for me.
Powerball and similar lotteries are a wonderful example of this kind of random process. As of October 2015 in Powerball, five white balls are drawn from a drum with 69 balls, and one red ball is drawn from a drum with 26 balls. Prizes are then given out based on how many of a player's chosen numbers match the numbers written on the balls. Match all five white balls and the red Powerball, and you win the jackpot. In addition, there are several smaller prizes won for matching some subset of the drawn numbers.
Powerball's website helpfully provides a list of the odds and prizes for each of the possible outcomes. We can use those probabilities and prize sizes to evaluate the expected value of a $2 Powerball ticket. Take each prize, subtract the price of our ticket, multiply the net return by the probability of winning, and add all those values up to get our expected value:
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Tickets On Sale For Berlin Fire Pig Pickin’ Event
BERLIN – Members of the Berlin Fire Company are hoping a new event will restore the organization’s standing in the community following several years of discord.
Now that the multimillion dollar harassment lawsuit against the fire company has been settled and its relationship with the Town of Berlin is on the mend following a temporary funding cut, the Berlin Fire Company (BFC) is hosting a “Pig Pickin’ and Clam Bake” May 14.
“It’s been a bad time,” fire company member John Holloway said. “We want to open our doors and invite the community in.”
Tickets to the event, which is set to take place at the fire house from 4-10 p.m., are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Attendees will be treated to pulled pork and side dishes as well as live music from Tranzfusion and beer from Burley Oak. Casino games, raffles and a Chinese auction will also be offered.
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Now that the multimillion dollar harassment lawsuit against the fire company has been settled and its relationship with the Town of Berlin is on the mend following a temporary funding cut, the Berlin Fire Company (BFC) is hosting a “Pig Pickin’ and Clam Bake” May 14.
“It’s been a bad time,” fire company member John Holloway said. “We want to open our doors and invite the community in.”
Tickets to the event, which is set to take place at the fire house from 4-10 p.m., are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Attendees will be treated to pulled pork and side dishes as well as live music from Tranzfusion and beer from Burley Oak. Casino games, raffles and a Chinese auction will also be offered.
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Verizon Workers Enter Day 23 of Strike
Unionized Elmira Verizon employees entered Day 23 of the national strike on Friday.
With black, red and white signs hanging from their necks, a small group of Community Workers of America union members walked around Wisner Park on the rainy, 50-degree day.
The Elmira chapters of CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers — the two unions striking — joined the national effort of 39,000 other employees. The unions represent installers, customer service employees, repairmen and other service workers in Connecticut, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., for Verizon's wireline business, which provides fixed-line phone services and FiOS Internet service.
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With black, red and white signs hanging from their necks, a small group of Community Workers of America union members walked around Wisner Park on the rainy, 50-degree day.
The Elmira chapters of CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers — the two unions striking — joined the national effort of 39,000 other employees. The unions represent installers, customer service employees, repairmen and other service workers in Connecticut, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., for Verizon's wireline business, which provides fixed-line phone services and FiOS Internet service.
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26th Annual Cruisin’ Set For Ocean City In Two Weeks
The nationally recognized event attracts more than 3,500 customs, hot rods, street machines, classics and more from over 20 states plus Canada. The 26th Annual Cruisin’ will have more than 10,000 event participants taking part in various car shows at the Convention Center on 40th Street, the downtown Inlet parking lot and various citywide locations.
Scheduled to appear at this year’s Cruisin’, from the hit television show “Vegas Rat Rods,” custom car builder Steve Darnell will be at the event Friday and Saturday, May 20-21. As the mastermind behind all the builds at Welder Up, Darnell will be on site to talk about all of his wild creations, Friday inside the OC Convention Center and Saturday at the beachside Inlet. Also joining in on the fun will be television and movie star Alexandra Paul, best known for her role as “Lt. Stephanie Holden” on “Baywatch” and loved by car enthusiasts for her role as Leigh in the horror masterpiece “Christine. She will be at the event Friday, May 20 at the Inlet parking lot and Saturday, May 21 at the OC Convention Center.
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Parents sue feds for forcing school to let transgenders in girls locker room
Do the rights of boys who identify as girls trump the rights of girls who are born girls?
That question is at the heart of a lawsuit filed by dozens of Illinois parents after the Obama administration’s Department of Education strong-armed their school district into allowing a transgender student the right to use all girls’ locker rooms.
“The girls are mortified,” said Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Jeremy Tedesco, a religious liberty law firm representing some 50 families. “They are in a constant state of fear that their bodies are going to be exposed to a male in these settings. It’s a constant state of stress and anxiety for them.”
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That question is at the heart of a lawsuit filed by dozens of Illinois parents after the Obama administration’s Department of Education strong-armed their school district into allowing a transgender student the right to use all girls’ locker rooms.
“The girls are mortified,” said Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Jeremy Tedesco, a religious liberty law firm representing some 50 families. “They are in a constant state of fear that their bodies are going to be exposed to a male in these settings. It’s a constant state of stress and anxiety for them.”
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PRMC dedicates outpatient clinic in Salisbury to Moores
“Of all the things I’ve raised money for, this was the easiest. Everybody knows someone either in their family or in a friend’s family [who] knows the horror of mental illness in children,” Leighton Moore said. “It’s a silent destructor.”
The need for such a facility emerged from a recent comprehensive needs analysis performed by the hospital, Dr. Stephen Dixon, executive director of behavioral health at PRMC, said.
“We’re focusing on what we call ‘population health,’ which is simply improving the health of a population from birth to death,” Dixon said.
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Trump: I Didn’t Inherit The Republican Party, ‘I Won It’
Donald Trump says that instead of inheriting the Republican Party, he “won it with millions of voters,” a direct shot at Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.
On Friday, Trump tweeted, “Paul Ryan said that I inherited something very special, the Republican Party. Wrong, I didn’t inherit it, I won it with millions of voters!”
On Thursday, Ryan said that he was “just not ready” to support Trump, adding, “I do not want to under-play what [Trump] accomplished. He needs to be congratulated for an enormous accomplishment for winning now a plurality of delegates, and he’s on his way to winning a majority of delegates, but he also inherited something very special, that’s very special to a lot of us.”
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On Friday, Trump tweeted, “Paul Ryan said that I inherited something very special, the Republican Party. Wrong, I didn’t inherit it, I won it with millions of voters!”
On Thursday, Ryan said that he was “just not ready” to support Trump, adding, “I do not want to under-play what [Trump] accomplished. He needs to be congratulated for an enormous accomplishment for winning now a plurality of delegates, and he’s on his way to winning a majority of delegates, but he also inherited something very special, that’s very special to a lot of us.”
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SU Rededicates Conway Hall
During a festive ceremony on Tuesday, April 26, his alma mater recognized his devotion to learning, to the Eastern Shore and to all of Maryland by rededicating its award-winning Teacher Education and Technology Center as Conway Hall.
A member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1987-2015 and chair of its Appropriations Committee from 2003-2014, Conway was instrumental in helping SU secure funding for the building, which opened in 2008. During his tenure with the legislature, he also supported the construction of SU’s Patricia R. Guerrieri Academic Commons, Perdue Hall and Henson Science Hall; its Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art; the transfer of Delmarva Public Radio to the University; and the creation of SU’s M.S.W. program, among other projects.
“Many people may not fully understand the complexities involved in gaining funding for new academic buildings, though I think most people appreciate the challenges sometimes faced in navigating the political waters of Annapolis,” said SU President Janet Dudley-Eshbach. “For nearly three decades, Salisbury University and this entire region had an extremely influential advocate working on our behalf in Delegate Norman Conway. His efforts were significant in shaping the University’s ability to grow and expand over the past 15 years. The name Conway Hall will remind current and future students of what he has done for this campus and what they, too, can accomplish with an SU education.”
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Donald Trump on Vicente Fox: ‘I Accept His Apology’
During his campaign rally in West Virginia on Thursday night, Donald Trump responded to Breitbart News’s recent interview with former Mexican President Vicente Fox in California on Wednesday, in which Fox apologized for using vulgar language about Trump and invited him to Mexico.
“Vicente Fox was on television last night and he apologized and I accept his apology,” Trump told a crowd of more than 12,000 in Charleston, West Virginia on Thursday, the day after Fox’s apology and invitation. “I thought it was very, very nice, because I was giving him a little hard time about something and he apologized.”
“I thought it was very nice that he apologized,” Trump repeated, adding, “We’re going to have a great relationship with Mexico, but we need a border.”
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“Vicente Fox was on television last night and he apologized and I accept his apology,” Trump told a crowd of more than 12,000 in Charleston, West Virginia on Thursday, the day after Fox’s apology and invitation. “I thought it was very, very nice, because I was giving him a little hard time about something and he apologized.”
“I thought it was very nice that he apologized,” Trump repeated, adding, “We’re going to have a great relationship with Mexico, but we need a border.”
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Learn symptoms to Lyme disease for early detection
Tick season has started and May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
Dr. Maneesha Ahluwalia, with the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, said 70 percent of people diagnosed with Lyme disease get a rash that's hard to miss.
"It is easy to diagnose Lyme when you have the classic rash, and it's not as easy to diagnose when the rash isn't present," Ahluwalia said.
Ahluwalia said early diagnosis is key.
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Nehlen: ‘Paul Ryan’s Disdain and Disrespect for the American Electorate Is Breathtaking’
Asked about what Politico reported as Paul Ryan “ditching” presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, “It was stunning,” Ryan’s primary challenger Paul Nehlen told Breitbart News Daily SiriusXM host Stephen K. Bannon.
“I couldn’t believe it,” continued Nehlen. “I don’t know where you get off…” pausing to read from, then direct listeners to a new Nehlen campaign press release on the subject, “Paul Ryan’s elitism is showing. He’s apparently decided that the American electoral process of a representative republic isn’t good enough. His disdain and disrespect for the American electorate is breathtaking.”
The release continues:
“It doesn’t matter whether Speaker Ryan approves of candidate Trump or not,” noted Nehlen. “It doesn’t matter whether any congressional leader approves of him. It matters even less if RNC leadership approves of him—including Paul Ryan. The fact is, the American people have spoken in state after state after state. They’ve made their choice. It is petulant, arrogant, disrespectful—and in many senses dangerous—to our representative system of government to tell people across this nation who took the time to cast a vote, ‘Sorry, I’m not cool with your choice.’ It is for the people to decide who they want to lead, not for one man or a cabal of party elites.”
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“I couldn’t believe it,” continued Nehlen. “I don’t know where you get off…” pausing to read from, then direct listeners to a new Nehlen campaign press release on the subject, “Paul Ryan’s elitism is showing. He’s apparently decided that the American electoral process of a representative republic isn’t good enough. His disdain and disrespect for the American electorate is breathtaking.”
The release continues:
“It doesn’t matter whether Speaker Ryan approves of candidate Trump or not,” noted Nehlen. “It doesn’t matter whether any congressional leader approves of him. It matters even less if RNC leadership approves of him—including Paul Ryan. The fact is, the American people have spoken in state after state after state. They’ve made their choice. It is petulant, arrogant, disrespectful—and in many senses dangerous—to our representative system of government to tell people across this nation who took the time to cast a vote, ‘Sorry, I’m not cool with your choice.’ It is for the people to decide who they want to lead, not for one man or a cabal of party elites.”
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Obama Orders Fed Agencies to Stop Asking Job Applicants about Criminal History
To make public-sector jobs more accessible to convicts, President Obama has issued a new order prohibiting federal agencies from asking candidates about criminal history when applying for positions. It’s part of the commander-in-chief’s mission to reduce barriers to reentry and employment for incarcerated individuals once they leave jail. The new measure, announced in a Friday media dump, will affect tens of thousands of federal government positions funded with taxpayer dollars.
Government often tries to escape fallout by burying controversial or bad news right before the weekend, but it’s difficult to keep this outrageous development below the radar. At the president’s order the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is publishing a proposed rule that would prohibit federal agencies from asking those applying for competitive service and career senior executive service positions about criminal and credit history. People with criminal records are already eligible to compete for the vast majority of federal jobs, a White House announcement states, and the proposed rule ensures that hiring managers are making selection decisions based solely on qualifications. “Early inquiries into an applicant’s criminal history may discourage motivated, well-qualified individuals who have served their time from applying for a federal job,” the announcement says, adding that “early inquiries could also lead to the disqualification of otherwise eligible candidates.”
The administration refers to criminal background checks as “barriers to employment” that “unnecessarily narrow the pool of eligible and qualified candidates for federal employment while also limiting opportunities for those with criminal histories to obtain the means to support themselves and their families.” If a candidate’s criminal record becomes known, they’re not be eliminated but rather evaluated via a “suitability determination” that considers character and conduct as well as the following factors; “relevance of any past criminal conduct to the job; the nature, seriousness, recency, and circumstances of any criminal conduct; the age of the individual at the time of the conduct; contributing societal conditions; and whether any efforts have been made toward rehabilitation.” This can easily be interpreted as a mandate to look the other way when evidence of a criminal record surfaces in the federal workforce.
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Government often tries to escape fallout by burying controversial or bad news right before the weekend, but it’s difficult to keep this outrageous development below the radar. At the president’s order the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is publishing a proposed rule that would prohibit federal agencies from asking those applying for competitive service and career senior executive service positions about criminal and credit history. People with criminal records are already eligible to compete for the vast majority of federal jobs, a White House announcement states, and the proposed rule ensures that hiring managers are making selection decisions based solely on qualifications. “Early inquiries into an applicant’s criminal history may discourage motivated, well-qualified individuals who have served their time from applying for a federal job,” the announcement says, adding that “early inquiries could also lead to the disqualification of otherwise eligible candidates.”
The administration refers to criminal background checks as “barriers to employment” that “unnecessarily narrow the pool of eligible and qualified candidates for federal employment while also limiting opportunities for those with criminal histories to obtain the means to support themselves and their families.” If a candidate’s criminal record becomes known, they’re not be eliminated but rather evaluated via a “suitability determination” that considers character and conduct as well as the following factors; “relevance of any past criminal conduct to the job; the nature, seriousness, recency, and circumstances of any criminal conduct; the age of the individual at the time of the conduct; contributing societal conditions; and whether any efforts have been made toward rehabilitation.” This can easily be interpreted as a mandate to look the other way when evidence of a criminal record surfaces in the federal workforce.
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A Viewer Writes: Taxi Etc. Deserves Free Advertising
If you notice in the picture there is an empty regular parking spot on the right. There were actually two spots on the right but the picture only shows one.
The name of the company is Taxi Etc.
LEGENDARY COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 5-7-16
Gas Pumps
Something we all take for granted are gas pumps. We go get gas and hardly give a thought to the years of evolution that have brought us to the present “swipe & go” method of filling up our tank.
These past two weeks have had me thinking about an invention of my father’s that would have solved the problem for the gas stations up north that couldn’t pump gas because they didn’t have electricity. The plaque in the picture is a copy of the patent for a design to insert a crank into a gas pump when the electricity goes off that allows you to hand crank the gas out. I thought about this as the news was relating the situation during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. I couldn’t figure out why they couldn’t just insert the crank and get all the gas they wanted.
Because my father worked for Martin & Schwartz/Wayne Pump/ Dresser for a total of 44 years, he never realized any great monetary gains for his efforts. He also helped design the famous “blender” pumps that were seen at all Sunoco stations back in the 1960’s.
I remember sitting around the dinner table and usually the conversation was about us kids. Back in the 1950’s, we finally decided that Pop should be included in the evening conversation. After two weeks of hearing about a new valve he was working on and very excited about, we politely asked him to leave work at work. I guess valves were not very interesting to anybody but an engineer.
Times have changed to the point where nobody works for anybody for 44 years. Part of this situation is because companies don’t remain in one location for that long anymore. Pop never complained about not getting rich from his many ideas incorporated in the pumps. He had the self-satisfaction of a job well done and job security. He was raised in Buffalo, N.Y. during the Depression and appreciated just having a job. According to his peers, he was the most knowledgeable man in the world when it came to mechanical gasoline pumps. Toward the end of his life/career, more and more electronics were incorporated in the design of gas pumps. He freely admitted that he knew nothing about electronics and the young electrical engineering graduates were where the future was going.
Sometimes we take things for granted nowadays and never give a thought to bettering the situation. It seems that the hand crank on the pump has been relegated to a time in history when people used their ingenuity to advance everybody’s situation in life. Now, it’s just press a button and everything works. But not without electricity.
A Viewer Writes: My Day At The Election Board
First of all, let me tell you that in Wicomico County, not one ballot was left unattended. I counted about 35 different issues that mostly were concerning the provisional ballots, not the absentee ones. Each ballot was scrutinized by the board and unanimously approved or rejected on an individual basis, and if you voted here as a registered R or D, your ballot was counted!
However, I came there today to find out a completely other thing, I found out. I was there today to find out if my VOTE counted! What I found out is that a COMPLETELY different subject! If I voted for, say, Ben Carson for President or a certain candidate for Congressman, did my vote go to my mark or another candidate? (paper) Ballots are read through the same scanners we used at the polls, and at the end of the day the tale of the tape is printed out and duplicated on a thumb drive, but are NEVER compared to an actual audit against a visual physical count of the actual ballots UNLESS a candidate asks for a recount, or a judge orders it. There is never a bunch of people sitting at a table physically counting ballots and comparing the results to the electronic results.
In addressing this, the board members explained to me how this type of accuracy is audited. Before each election, a pre-marked set of ballots with scores is fed into each voting scanner, and the results compared to the pre-marked numbers. If a machine doesn’t pass the test, it is not used in the election. The same test is applied after the election. The same operation will happen for the November National election, before and after. This seems to be an acceptable method.
Currently, there is no law in place that requires, say, random precincts to choose one random coin flip voting scanner to undergo a physical audit of comparing the real paper ballots to the electronic and tape printout results of a live election in each precinct. You and I know that the Board of Elections has a small budget, and this mandate, if ever considered, would have to be so funded, so there’s that. Personally, I’m not sure that’s needed, as the current system seems GTG. However, if funded, it may not be a bad idea. There is an audit performed on a random 3 precincts that have more than 300 voters to verify the ballot count.
Speaking of funding, these people were so adept at re-arranging the room six or more times over for the different phases of the ballot count and the opening board meeting had to be held in the warehouse area of the building to accommodate the setup for the ballot count. Yes, every operation there was overcrowded, so if you ever hear that the Election Board needs more room, please believe them!
So, what’s missing?
The “Everything!” Holy cow!
ACLU SEEKS JUSTICE FOR WOMAN FIRED FOR BEING PREGNANT
"Women have a right not to be fired or forced out of jobs when their employers learn that they are pregnant or when they return to work after having a baby," said Nick Steiner, an attorney at the ACLU of Maryland. "When women like Ms. Bentley are pushed out of the workplace, they lose important income and benefits when they need them the most. We are sending a message to employers, including national conglomerates with local affiliates, that regardless of how they structure themselves, Marylanders will make sure they don't get away with civil rights violations in the workplace."
In June of 2015, Leslie Ann Bentley was hired by Northwestern Mutual/Michael Chartos & Associates to work as an assistant to Michael Chartos and Benjamin Ganley. She provided clerical office support, communicated with new and ongoing clients, and supported the financial advisors in client service and business operations. Although Ms. Bentley reported to Chartos and Ganley, she always understood herself to be employed by Northwestern Mutual, as she received employment materials that indicated her position as a financial representative for the larger company. Indeed, Chartos' website is emblazoned with a Northwestern Mutual banner, describing him as "a Northwestern Mutual representative": http://michaelchartos.nm.com/.
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