The person who leaked the 25-year-old “audio tape” to the Washington Post was…. wait for it,…. Donald Trump:
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, May 16, 2016
EPIC ! Candidate Donald Trump Just Trolled The Entire Mainstream U.S. Media…
LOLOL. Talk about three-dimensional media chess, and owning the new cycle. This guy is an epic candidate.
The person who leaked the 25-year-old “audio tape” to the Washington Post was…. wait for it,…. Donald Trump:
The person who leaked the 25-year-old “audio tape” to the Washington Post was…. wait for it,…. Donald Trump:
Watchdog group sues White House for FOIA obstruction
A nonpartisan watchdog group has filed suit against eleven federal agencies and the White House Office of Counsel over the Obama administration's alleged practice of obstructing Freedom of Information Act requests.
The suit, filed in the District Court for Washington, D.C. on Monday by the nonpartisan group Cause of Action, alleges that the executive branch has systematically obstructed FOIA requests since a 2009 memo issued by then-White House Counsel Gregory Craig. The memo, issued to all federal agencies, "reminded" them to consult with the counsel's office on all document requests involving White House "equities."
Since that time, Cause of Action stated, record requests involving topics of interest to the White House have been improperly sent to the counsel's office for review, even when they have not involved "FOIA exemptions and privileges."
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The suit, filed in the District Court for Washington, D.C. on Monday by the nonpartisan group Cause of Action, alleges that the executive branch has systematically obstructed FOIA requests since a 2009 memo issued by then-White House Counsel Gregory Craig. The memo, issued to all federal agencies, "reminded" them to consult with the counsel's office on all document requests involving White House "equities."
Since that time, Cause of Action stated, record requests involving topics of interest to the White House have been improperly sent to the counsel's office for review, even when they have not involved "FOIA exemptions and privileges."
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Dems to Obama: Don't Deport Illegals Now, It's an Election Year
"This is ill-advised, ill-timed and counterproductive on anything we're talking about in terms of galvanizing our community for the upcoming elections," Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva tells The Hill.
"When we're trying to distinguish ourselves as being more humane ... and trying to distinguish ourselves from ... the rhetoric and what [Donald] Trump is saying about this issue ... here we are carrying out and proposing to carry out these raids, which I think are a huge mistake."
Argues Illinois Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez, "These are not illegal immigrants."
"These are children, these are people fleeing violence," he tells The Hill. "They are asylum seekers."
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Inside the GOP Effort to Derail Trump
A band of exasperated Republicans — including 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney, a handful of veteran consultants and members of the conservative intelligentsia — is actively plotting to draft an independent presidential candidate who could keep Donald Trump from the White House.
These GOP figures are commissioning private polling, lining up major funding sources and courting potential contenders, according to interviews with more than a dozen Republicans involved in the discussions. The effort has been sporadic all spring but has intensified significantly in the 10 days since Trump effectively locked up the Republican nomination.
Those involved concede that an independent campaign at this late stage is probably futile, and they think they have only a couple of weeks to launch a credible bid. But these Republicans — including commentators William Kristol and Erick Erickson and strategists Mike Murphy, Stuart Stevens and Rick Wilson — are so repulsed by the prospect of Trump as commander in chief that they are desperate to take action.
Their top recruiting prospects are freshman Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), a conservative who has become one of Trump’s sharpest critics, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), who withdrew from the 2016 race May 4. Romney is among those who have made personal overtures to both men in recent days, according to several people with knowledge of the former Massachusetts governor’s activities.
More here
These GOP figures are commissioning private polling, lining up major funding sources and courting potential contenders, according to interviews with more than a dozen Republicans involved in the discussions. The effort has been sporadic all spring but has intensified significantly in the 10 days since Trump effectively locked up the Republican nomination.
Those involved concede that an independent campaign at this late stage is probably futile, and they think they have only a couple of weeks to launch a credible bid. But these Republicans — including commentators William Kristol and Erick Erickson and strategists Mike Murphy, Stuart Stevens and Rick Wilson — are so repulsed by the prospect of Trump as commander in chief that they are desperate to take action.
Their top recruiting prospects are freshman Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), a conservative who has become one of Trump’s sharpest critics, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), who withdrew from the 2016 race May 4. Romney is among those who have made personal overtures to both men in recent days, according to several people with knowledge of the former Massachusetts governor’s activities.
More here
Should Christians Vote For Donald Trump?
For many Christians – Donald Trump is like a bucket of store-bought chicken at a Wednesday night church supper. It may be a culinary heresy – but folks will still eat it.
That’s the best case scenario for the Trump campaign as they try to woo wary Evangelical Christians. Many are still not convinced that the man who has had more wives than there are letters to the Corinthians shares their view from the pew.
It’s not just the #NeverTrump crowd that is causing the campaign to worry. It’s the unknown number of Evangelicals who may stay home on Election Day.
A popular quote by the renowned pastor Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been trending on social networking websites.
“Of two evils choose none,” Spurgeon once said.
But is that really our best and only option – to throw in the towel? Do Christians get to claim the moral high ground by electing President Hillary Clinton?
“The idea of not voting – you’re sacrificing your Christian worldview on the altar of political expediency,” said Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. “It is silly to talk about not voting for either candidate. Every single Christian should vote.”
Franklin Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said Christians need to take a stand in 2016.
More here
That’s the best case scenario for the Trump campaign as they try to woo wary Evangelical Christians. Many are still not convinced that the man who has had more wives than there are letters to the Corinthians shares their view from the pew.
It’s not just the #NeverTrump crowd that is causing the campaign to worry. It’s the unknown number of Evangelicals who may stay home on Election Day.
A popular quote by the renowned pastor Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been trending on social networking websites.
“Of two evils choose none,” Spurgeon once said.
But is that really our best and only option – to throw in the towel? Do Christians get to claim the moral high ground by electing President Hillary Clinton?
“The idea of not voting – you’re sacrificing your Christian worldview on the altar of political expediency,” said Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. “It is silly to talk about not voting for either candidate. Every single Christian should vote.”
Franklin Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said Christians need to take a stand in 2016.
More here
Shoppers Hold Man Accused of Choking, Molesting 8-Year-Old Girl in Store Bathroom
A group of shoppers and store clerks surrounded and detained a man until police arrived after witnesses say he choked an eight-year-old girl unconscious and attempted to molest her in a store bathroom in Chicago’s South Loop, police report.
According to Chicago’s ABC affiliate, police arrested Reese M. Hartstirn, 33, after witnesses said he was seen choking the child until she was unconscious, then carrying her into a stall in the bathroom of a store on South Canal Street.
The child, who was in the store with her mother, was later taken to Comer Children’s Hospital. Her condition was not released.
Witnesses told police that after the suspect was seen attacking the girl, the child’s mother and several of the patrons and workers of the store gathered together to restrain the man until police arrived.
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According to Chicago’s ABC affiliate, police arrested Reese M. Hartstirn, 33, after witnesses said he was seen choking the child until she was unconscious, then carrying her into a stall in the bathroom of a store on South Canal Street.
The child, who was in the store with her mother, was later taken to Comer Children’s Hospital. Her condition was not released.
Witnesses told police that after the suspect was seen attacking the girl, the child’s mother and several of the patrons and workers of the store gathered together to restrain the man until police arrived.
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Black Pastors Slam Obama Admin Over Gender Identity Ideology
“There is simply no relation between the struggles that Black Americans have faced and the desire of a tiny minority group to violate the dignity and privacy of women and girls,” said Rev. Bill Owens in a statement sent to Breitbart News. “To suggest some sort of equivalence is a gross insult to all of those who marched with Dr. King and faced fire hoses and hatred in the name of equality.”
Owens referred to attempts by the Obama administration to make the LGBT political and social engineering agendas the equivalent of civil rights a “theft and outrageous extortion and usurpation of the Civil Rights Movement.”
“We call all black Americans to stand up and fight for the sanctity of Martin Luther King’s accomplishments for our race,” he said. “There is simply no relation between the struggles that Black Americans have faced and the desire of a tiny minority group to violate the dignity and privacy of women and girls.”
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Subject: Hidden Microphones Exposed As Part of Government Surveillance Program
Hidden microphones that are part of a clandestine government surveillance program that has been operating around the San Francisco Bay Area has been exposed.
Imagine standing at a bus stop, talking to your friend and having your conversation recorded without you knowing. It happens all the time, and the FBI doesn’t even need a warrant to do it.
Federal agents are planting microphones to secretly record conversations.
Jeff Harp, a KPIX 5 security analyst and former FBI special agent said, “They put microphones under rocks, they put microphones in trees, they plant microphones in equipment. I mean, there’s microphones that are planted in places that people don’t think about, because that’s the intent!”
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Imagine standing at a bus stop, talking to your friend and having your conversation recorded without you knowing. It happens all the time, and the FBI doesn’t even need a warrant to do it.
Federal agents are planting microphones to secretly record conversations.
Jeff Harp, a KPIX 5 security analyst and former FBI special agent said, “They put microphones under rocks, they put microphones in trees, they plant microphones in equipment. I mean, there’s microphones that are planted in places that people don’t think about, because that’s the intent!”
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Senior IDF Official: ISIS Members Recently Trained in Gaza
Speaking to the Saudi news site Elaph and quoted by Haaretz, Mordechai said the ISIS members entered Gaza a few days ago with the support of a well-connected Hamas affiliate in the city of Rafah, adding that Hamas is helping the ISIS fighters receive medical care in Gaza's hospitals.
According to the Israeli general, the operatives used ties with Sayid Abed El Aal, who is close to Hamas and holds sway in the border town of Rafah. Mordechai explained that Hamas' field commanders were informed, and its top military and political leaders were updated on the issue.
Mordechai’s comments come just after Egypt reopened the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Sinai on Wednesday and Thursday for the first time in three months.
The crossing has been mostly closed since a terrorist attack in the Sinai Peninsula in October 2014, in which Egypt claimed Hamas played a role.
After that attack, Egypt began creating a wide buffer zone along the Gaza border, in a bid to destroy the hundreds of smuggling tunnels Cairo says are used by Palestinian Arabs to deliver weapons to jihadists in the Sinai.
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Republicans to Unveil Alternative Legislation to Repeal and Replace Dodd-Frank Act
Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee, led by Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R., Texas), are set to unveil new legislation in the coming weeks that would effectively repeal and replace the Dodd-Frank Act.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 was signed into law by President Obama after the financial crisis of 2008, driven by arguments that the legislation would “promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system,” and that it would put an end to “too big to fail” banks.
“When they voted for it, supporters of Dodd-Frank said it would promote financial stability, end too big to fail, and lift the economy,” said Hensarling in his remarks at the National Center for Policy Analysis event on Thursday.
“None of this has come to pass. Instead, five and a half years later, it has become evident that our society has become less stable, less prosperous, and most ominously, less free.”
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The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 was signed into law by President Obama after the financial crisis of 2008, driven by arguments that the legislation would “promote the financial stability of the United States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system,” and that it would put an end to “too big to fail” banks.
“When they voted for it, supporters of Dodd-Frank said it would promote financial stability, end too big to fail, and lift the economy,” said Hensarling in his remarks at the National Center for Policy Analysis event on Thursday.
“None of this has come to pass. Instead, five and a half years later, it has become evident that our society has become less stable, less prosperous, and most ominously, less free.”
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Pentagon: China Restructures for War
China’s military underwent a major restructuring last year in a bid to prepare its military for conflict, the Pentagon said in its latest annual assessment of the Communist Party-controlled People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The armed forces were reformed with new military regions, a new command structure, and updated strategies to better fight regional, high technology warfare, the 145-page report to Congress says.
“These reforms aim to strengthen the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) control over the military, enhance the PLA’s ability to conduct joint operations, and improve its ability to fight short-duration, high-intensity regional conflicts at greater distances from the Chinese mainland,” the report said.
Abraham Denmark, deputy assistant defense secretary for East Asia, told reporters the military reforms “are intended to enhance the PLA’s ability to conduct joint operations by replacing the old military regions with new geographic commands.”
“Our approach focuses on reducing risk, expanding common ground, and maintaining our military superiority,” Denmark said.
As part of its military strategy, China continued to expand its building of new islands in the South China Sea where military forces can be used to control the strategic waterway linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
More here
The armed forces were reformed with new military regions, a new command structure, and updated strategies to better fight regional, high technology warfare, the 145-page report to Congress says.
“These reforms aim to strengthen the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) control over the military, enhance the PLA’s ability to conduct joint operations, and improve its ability to fight short-duration, high-intensity regional conflicts at greater distances from the Chinese mainland,” the report said.
Abraham Denmark, deputy assistant defense secretary for East Asia, told reporters the military reforms “are intended to enhance the PLA’s ability to conduct joint operations by replacing the old military regions with new geographic commands.”
“Our approach focuses on reducing risk, expanding common ground, and maintaining our military superiority,” Denmark said.
As part of its military strategy, China continued to expand its building of new islands in the South China Sea where military forces can be used to control the strategic waterway linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
More here
Milwaukee Schools Give $471,073 to ‘Black Lives Matter’
MILWAUKEE – Revenues are down for Milwaukee Public Schools, so officials are forced to prioritize spending on the most important things.
Apparently, that includes a new $471,073 expenditure for “Black Lives Matter,” according to News Talk 1130, which posted a copy of the district’s official budget notice published in Wednesday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“The proposal does not specify why exactly MPS needs to spend $471,073 on Black Lives Matter, but it is interesting that the district plans to spend nearly as much on this organization as it plans to spend on College Access Centers, Universal Driver Education, and Advanced Studies and World Languages,” the news site pointed out.
“This budget reflects our plan to succeed,” MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver said earlier this week when she announced the budget, which also includes $12 million in raises, and a $26.6 million increase in “direct spending on students in the classroom,” theJournal Sentinel reports.
“It is a blueprint for building on past accomplishments and funding future achievement,” she said.
And while it’s unclear what exactly MPS plans to do with the half-million it plans to spend on Black Lives Matter, blogger Larry Miller outlined a Black Lives Matter resolution he introduced to the MPS board along with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor Robert Smith that would set broad objectives schools should strive for.
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Apparently, that includes a new $471,073 expenditure for “Black Lives Matter,” according to News Talk 1130, which posted a copy of the district’s official budget notice published in Wednesday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“The proposal does not specify why exactly MPS needs to spend $471,073 on Black Lives Matter, but it is interesting that the district plans to spend nearly as much on this organization as it plans to spend on College Access Centers, Universal Driver Education, and Advanced Studies and World Languages,” the news site pointed out.
“This budget reflects our plan to succeed,” MPS Superintendent Darienne Driver said earlier this week when she announced the budget, which also includes $12 million in raises, and a $26.6 million increase in “direct spending on students in the classroom,” theJournal Sentinel reports.
“It is a blueprint for building on past accomplishments and funding future achievement,” she said.
And while it’s unclear what exactly MPS plans to do with the half-million it plans to spend on Black Lives Matter, blogger Larry Miller outlined a Black Lives Matter resolution he introduced to the MPS board along with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee professor Robert Smith that would set broad objectives schools should strive for.
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COUNTY EXECUTIVE EXPLAINS PROPOSAL TO USE A PORTION OF THE LOWER FLOOR OF THE LIBRARY FOR SECURE VOTING MACHINE STORAGE
Salisbury, MD … One of the most important constitutional rights in this country is the right to vote. It is a duty of the County to see that this right is protected.
The State of Maryland changed the type of voting machines to a paper ballot system and with that change a secure climate controlled environment for storage of both the machines and ballots is required.
Two years ago, the Library approached the County to request funding for a start-up Entrepreneur Center on the lower floor that had been vacated by the Regional Library. This use is not central to the operation of a Library. The Council approved funding for a year to see if there was a permanent need. The next year requested funding was not approved since Salisbury University now has an Entrepreneur Center.
Executive Culver’s request was to utilize a portion of the lower level space until there is a permanent solution for housing the Board of Elections. In that regard, the County’s Capital Improvement Plan includes $1.1 million for the Board of Elections project.
The Executive believes that utilizing space that the County already owns rent-free is a financially sound decision and in no way interferes with the operation of the Library or the Wor-Wic Continuing Education Center.
It is the hope of Executive Culver that this better explains the misinformation that the Library Board sent out in an email blast this morning.
For more information, contact the County Executive’s Office at 410-548-4801.
The State of Maryland changed the type of voting machines to a paper ballot system and with that change a secure climate controlled environment for storage of both the machines and ballots is required.
Two years ago, the Library approached the County to request funding for a start-up Entrepreneur Center on the lower floor that had been vacated by the Regional Library. This use is not central to the operation of a Library. The Council approved funding for a year to see if there was a permanent need. The next year requested funding was not approved since Salisbury University now has an Entrepreneur Center.
Executive Culver’s request was to utilize a portion of the lower level space until there is a permanent solution for housing the Board of Elections. In that regard, the County’s Capital Improvement Plan includes $1.1 million for the Board of Elections project.
The Executive believes that utilizing space that the County already owns rent-free is a financially sound decision and in no way interferes with the operation of the Library or the Wor-Wic Continuing Education Center.
It is the hope of Executive Culver that this better explains the misinformation that the Library Board sent out in an email blast this morning.
For more information, contact the County Executive’s Office at 410-548-4801.
Pentagon Says China Weaponizing Man-made Islands in South China Sea
A new Pentagon reported released Friday said that China has reclaimed more than 3,200 acres of land in the South China Sea and the country’s focus has shifted to developing and weaponinzing the man-made islands.
The Defense Department said three of the artificial lands in the Spratly Islands sport 10,000-foot runways and large ports in various stages of construction. China has also excavated deep channels, created and dredged harbors, and constructed communications, logistics and intelligence gathering facilities.
The report states that China will enhance its presence in the contested South China Sea with its airfields, ship facilities, surveillance and weapons equipment. And those things don’t give the country any new territorial rights.
"This would improve China's ability to detect and challenge activities by rival claimants or third parties, widen the range of capabilities available to China, and reduce the time required to deploy them," according to the report released Friday.
"China is using coercive tactics short of armed conflict, such as the use of law enforcement vessels to enforce maritime claims, to advance their interests in ways that are calculated to fall below the threshold of provoking conflict," the report adds.
The acre figure only represents the land China reclaimed in the Spratly chain and doesn’t include the building in the Paracels and Woody Island. The Pentagon said China has deployed anti-aircraft missiles to Woody Island.
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The Defense Department said three of the artificial lands in the Spratly Islands sport 10,000-foot runways and large ports in various stages of construction. China has also excavated deep channels, created and dredged harbors, and constructed communications, logistics and intelligence gathering facilities.
The report states that China will enhance its presence in the contested South China Sea with its airfields, ship facilities, surveillance and weapons equipment. And those things don’t give the country any new territorial rights.
"This would improve China's ability to detect and challenge activities by rival claimants or third parties, widen the range of capabilities available to China, and reduce the time required to deploy them," according to the report released Friday.
"China is using coercive tactics short of armed conflict, such as the use of law enforcement vessels to enforce maritime claims, to advance their interests in ways that are calculated to fall below the threshold of provoking conflict," the report adds.
The acre figure only represents the land China reclaimed in the Spratly chain and doesn’t include the building in the Paracels and Woody Island. The Pentagon said China has deployed anti-aircraft missiles to Woody Island.
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Chinese Students Snag Americans' Slots
The number of Chinese students here in the U.S. skyrocketed to 304,040 during the 2014-2015 academic year, according to a new report by the International Institute for Education. Michigan State University alone has 4,400 Chinese students enrolled right now, and University of California-Berkeley has 1,200 (it had 47 Chinese students just 10 years ago). In Boston, a staggering 45,000 Chinese students attend its area colleges.
The influx is shown by the numbers: Of the almost 1 million student visas allowing foreigners to live in the U.S., approximately 360,000 are from China.
As Chinese students flock to U.S. colleges, they’re taking slots that would have gone to American students. A combination of higher-institution greed and top educational opportunities in the U.S. mean that a lot of American students have received rejection letters from American universities — while Chinese students are on their home shores rejoicing over their acceptances.
So what is driving the Chinese influx? Money. Foreign students pay full tuition rates — which can be as much as double what American students would pay. Universities and colleges now roll out the red carpet for prospective Asian students, even hiring Chinese-speaking staff to recruit Chinese students and help them along the way once they're here.
More here
The influx is shown by the numbers: Of the almost 1 million student visas allowing foreigners to live in the U.S., approximately 360,000 are from China.
As Chinese students flock to U.S. colleges, they’re taking slots that would have gone to American students. A combination of higher-institution greed and top educational opportunities in the U.S. mean that a lot of American students have received rejection letters from American universities — while Chinese students are on their home shores rejoicing over their acceptances.
So what is driving the Chinese influx? Money. Foreign students pay full tuition rates — which can be as much as double what American students would pay. Universities and colleges now roll out the red carpet for prospective Asian students, even hiring Chinese-speaking staff to recruit Chinese students and help them along the way once they're here.
More here
Md. students hospitalized after drinking NyQuil mixture at school
WASHINGTON — A noxious mix of medicine and candy sickened six children at a Silver Spring middle school Friday morning where emergency response caused “shelter in place” protocols to be initiated.
A Montgomery County police spokesman said the children ingested a mixture of Sprite, NyQuil and Jolly Ranchers candy at Francis Scott Key Middle School about 10 a.m. A preliminary breath test conducted by a police school resource officer came back negative for alcohol, Officer Rick Goodale said.
The students were taken to a hospital by ambulance. There’s no word about their current conditions, but they are expected to survive.
The children had trouble breathing after drinking the mixture, said Montgomery County Public Schools spokesman Derek Turner. That’s when the school nurse called 911.
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A Montgomery County police spokesman said the children ingested a mixture of Sprite, NyQuil and Jolly Ranchers candy at Francis Scott Key Middle School about 10 a.m. A preliminary breath test conducted by a police school resource officer came back negative for alcohol, Officer Rick Goodale said.
The students were taken to a hospital by ambulance. There’s no word about their current conditions, but they are expected to survive.
The children had trouble breathing after drinking the mixture, said Montgomery County Public Schools spokesman Derek Turner. That’s when the school nurse called 911.
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Ouch! Florida Woman Taken to the Hospital With Shark Still Attached to Her Arm
“I have never seen anything like it. Never even heard of anything like this,” Ocean Rescue Capt. Clint Tracy, who saw the woman and the shark as they were transferred to an ambulance at Red Reef Park, said, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Overall, Tracy said the woman remained calm, adding that there was only a little bit of blood. A splint board was used to support the woman’s arm and the shark as she lay on the ambulance stretcher, he said.
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Chaos Erupts Between Clinton, Sanders Supporters
According to the Las Vegas Sun, Bernie Sanders supporters were angry over a voice vote that employed a set of temporary convention rules as the permanent rules. They were also outraged by the count of delegates attending the convention, which they believed positioned Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton at an advantage.
The proportion of Clinton-to-Sanders supporters in attendance ended up being 1,695 to 1,662.
Though Sanders won an unexpected delegate victory in last month’s county conventions, Clinton, who won the Nevada state primary back in February, enjoyed another win Saturday.
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ILLEGALS FREE TO GET BENEFITS. Lawyer, Shahid Haque-Hausrath Rejoices
According to his website, Shahid Haque-Hausrath dedicates his practice to helping immigrants obtain legal status in the United States and pursue all that the country has to offer. Mr. Haque-Hausrath assists clients with a wide variety of immigration matters, including applications with the consulates abroad and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, representing clients arrested by the Department of Homeland Security, and defending immigrants in removal proceedings in Immigration Court.
You’d think a lawyer would know the difference between an immigrant and an illegal alien? Obviously not. But then again, how can we expect him to do such a thing when the courts in Montana cannot determine the difference between illegal and legal.
Shahid Haque-Hausrath had his paws in this recent case:
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Nursing homes turn to eviction to drop difficult patients
Those targeted for eviction are frequently poor and suffering from dementia, according to residents’ allies. They often put up little fight, their families unsure what to do. Removing them makes room for less labor-intensive and more profitable patients, critics of the tactic say, noting it can be shattering.
“It’s not just losing their home. It’s losing their whole community, it’s losing their familiar caregivers, it’s losing their roommate, it’s losing the people they sit with and have meals with,” said Alison Hirschel, an attorney who directs the Michigan Elder Justice Initiative and has fought evictions. “It’s completely devastating.”
Complaints and lawsuits across the U.S. point to a spike in evictions even as observers note available records only give a glimpse of the problem.
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Forbes: US State, Local Pensions Funded at Half Levels of Other Countries
U.S. state and local government pensions, which operate under the loosest accounting standards in the public pension world, are not nearly as well-funded as most public employee pensions in other developed countries, Forbes.com reported.
“On an apples-to-apples basis, U.S. public employee plans simply set aside substantially less money to fund each dollar of promised benefits than do public employee pensions in other OECD countries,” Forbes.com contributor Andrew Biggs explained. “When the stakes are this high, last isn’t a good place to be,” he said.
Biggs explained that a 2011 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study "showed public employee pensions in other countries use more conservative assumptions and more demanding funding requirements than state and local pensions in the U.S."
The OECD’s 2011 study compared government employee retirement plans in eight countries (the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway and France).
More here
“On an apples-to-apples basis, U.S. public employee plans simply set aside substantially less money to fund each dollar of promised benefits than do public employee pensions in other OECD countries,” Forbes.com contributor Andrew Biggs explained. “When the stakes are this high, last isn’t a good place to be,” he said.
Biggs explained that a 2011 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study "showed public employee pensions in other countries use more conservative assumptions and more demanding funding requirements than state and local pensions in the U.S."
The OECD’s 2011 study compared government employee retirement plans in eight countries (the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway and France).
More here
A Viewer Writes: HB 283
Joe,
I thought this might be of some interest to you and everyone else. People wonder why the states are broke!!!
We are being told that HB 283 will be voted on next Thursday, May 19th in the House of Representatives. It will be an amended version of the original but still include language that allows for Union Only PLA’s on state funded construction projects. ABC is vehemently opposed to this legislation and any amended version. We are asking all construction companies that believe in the free enterprise merit shop business philosophy and their employees to join us in Dover at Legislative Hall next Thursday starting at 12:30 p.m. Here are the details:
HB 283 Opposition Rally:
Date: Thursday, May 19th
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Legislative Hall, Dover Delaware
I thought this might be of some interest to you and everyone else. People wonder why the states are broke!!!
We are being told that HB 283 will be voted on next Thursday, May 19th in the House of Representatives. It will be an amended version of the original but still include language that allows for Union Only PLA’s on state funded construction projects. ABC is vehemently opposed to this legislation and any amended version. We are asking all construction companies that believe in the free enterprise merit shop business philosophy and their employees to join us in Dover at Legislative Hall next Thursday starting at 12:30 p.m. Here are the details:
HB 283 Opposition Rally:
Date: Thursday, May 19th
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Legislative Hall, Dover Delaware
CALIFORNIA BALLOT MEASURE BLAMED FOR SHOPLIFTING JUMP
ROCKLIN, Calif. (AP) -- Perry Lutz says his struggle to survive as a small businessman became a lot harder after California voters reduced theft penalties 1½ years ago.
About a half-dozen times this year, shoplifters have stolen expensive drones or another of the remote-controlled toys he sells in HobbyTown USA, a small shop in Rocklin, northeast of Sacramento. "It's just pretty much open season," Lutz said. "They'll pick the $800 unit and just grab it and run out the door."
Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor - and likely means the thieves face no pursuit and no punishment, say retailers and law enforcement officials. Large retailers including Safeway, Target, Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies say shoplifting increased at least 15 percent, and in some cases, doubled since voters approved Proposition 47 and ended the possibility of charging shoplifting as a felony with the potential for a prison sentence.
Shoplifting reports to the Los Angeles Police Department jumped by a quarter in the first year, according to statistics the department compiled for The Associated Press. The ballot measure also lowered penalties for forgery, fraud, petty theft and drug possession.
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About a half-dozen times this year, shoplifters have stolen expensive drones or another of the remote-controlled toys he sells in HobbyTown USA, a small shop in Rocklin, northeast of Sacramento. "It's just pretty much open season," Lutz said. "They'll pick the $800 unit and just grab it and run out the door."
Anything below $950 keeps the crime a misdemeanor - and likely means the thieves face no pursuit and no punishment, say retailers and law enforcement officials. Large retailers including Safeway, Target, Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies say shoplifting increased at least 15 percent, and in some cases, doubled since voters approved Proposition 47 and ended the possibility of charging shoplifting as a felony with the potential for a prison sentence.
Shoplifting reports to the Los Angeles Police Department jumped by a quarter in the first year, according to statistics the department compiled for The Associated Press. The ballot measure also lowered penalties for forgery, fraud, petty theft and drug possession.
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Here's Exactly What The Administration Is Saying About Transgender Students
The administration argues that Title IX, which outlaws sex discrimination for any school receiving federal funding, covers gender identity.
The letter does not change any existing laws, but provides what is called "significant guidance." It explains exactly what policies the Education and Justice departments consider to be compliant with Title IX.
"There is no room in our schools for discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against transgender students on the basis of their sex," Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch said in a statement. "This guidance gives administrators, teachers, and parents the tools they need to protect transgender students from peer harassment and to identify and address unjust school policies."
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Analysts Weigh In On The Nero Trial
Several criminal defense lawyers and law professors with no connection to any of the cases have sat in the courtroom and watched the trial which began on Thursday.
Many of those attorneys are willing to offer opinions and analysis of the trial to the more than dozen or so reporters who are covering the trial.
Attorney Warren Alperstein notes to prove assault, the prosecution has to prove that there was an "offensive touching." Alperstein notes a 2000 U.S. Supreme Court decision upheld the constitutionality of a suspect chase, search and arrest similar to Gray's.
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New Photos Show The Rapid Pace Of Great Barrier Reef Bleaching
Only 7 percent of the reef has escaped bleaching, according to researchers at the ARC Center of Excellence. Marshall, a professor at the University of Queensland, says the destructive phenomenon is happening in an area the size of Scotland.
"Before this mass bleaching started, we already were at the point of losing 50% of the coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef. This, I think, will probably take another 50% off what was left," Marshall says.
Over the course of the last six months, Marshall and his colleagues with the citizen science project Coral Watch have documented the degradation of reef structures near Lizard Island, one of the worst-hit areas.
They photographed the same formations of coral multiple times, showing clearly the pace of the destruction.
"It was a beautiful, wonderful paradise of reef structure and animals, and it's not there anymore. Or it is — but it's a slime ball, it's a gloomy place," Marshall says.
In this series of photos, you can see first that the coral is healthy – then, bleached. Algae begin to grow on the coral, which later intensifies, eventually resulting in disintegration of the coral and the loss of a habitat.
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Baltimore officers learn history lessons to better police city
BALTIMORE —Baltimore City police officers are learning about different aspects of the city to better police it.
Officers are attending classes through a program called "The History of Baltimore Speakers Series." So far, they have talked about the docks and the LGBT community in town.
Addiction experts and recovering addicts gave Baltimore City police officers an in-depth look at the heroin problem. About 75 officers heard explanations about the history of heroin, how it made its way into society and about the treatment options available to addicts.
"You cannot arrest your way out of this. This is a chronic disease, and by having this kind of seminar with these police officers, it's a good chance for them to understand the history of drug use here, the history of heroin, but also what kind of treatment is available and the fact that it's effective," said Diana Morris, the director of the Open Society Institute of Baltimore, who helped facilitate the class.
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Officers are attending classes through a program called "The History of Baltimore Speakers Series." So far, they have talked about the docks and the LGBT community in town.
Addiction experts and recovering addicts gave Baltimore City police officers an in-depth look at the heroin problem. About 75 officers heard explanations about the history of heroin, how it made its way into society and about the treatment options available to addicts.
"You cannot arrest your way out of this. This is a chronic disease, and by having this kind of seminar with these police officers, it's a good chance for them to understand the history of drug use here, the history of heroin, but also what kind of treatment is available and the fact that it's effective," said Diana Morris, the director of the Open Society Institute of Baltimore, who helped facilitate the class.
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MORE TROUBLING JOBS DATA
INITIAL UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS ON THE RISE …
Looks like there could be more bad news where April’s anemic jobs report came from …
According to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), initial claims for state unemployment benefits unexpectedly shot up from 274,000 to 294,000 – their highest level since late February of last year. Analysts had predicted a modest dip to 270,000, but the sharp uptick revived fears about the fundamental health of the American labor market.
Last week, BLS data showed weaker-than-expected monthly jobs growth – and an uptick in the number of working age Americans not participating in the labor force. Recent consumer comfort data has also slipped, likely in response to deteriorating job prospects.
Additionally, overall economic growth (both actual and projected) continues to underperform.
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Looks like there could be more bad news where April’s anemic jobs report came from …
According to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), initial claims for state unemployment benefits unexpectedly shot up from 274,000 to 294,000 – their highest level since late February of last year. Analysts had predicted a modest dip to 270,000, but the sharp uptick revived fears about the fundamental health of the American labor market.
Last week, BLS data showed weaker-than-expected monthly jobs growth – and an uptick in the number of working age Americans not participating in the labor force. Recent consumer comfort data has also slipped, likely in response to deteriorating job prospects.
Additionally, overall economic growth (both actual and projected) continues to underperform.
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Georgetown scrap yard cited for industrial stormwater violations
GEORGETOWN — State environmental officials have cited Donovan Salvage Works, a recycling and used auto parts business in Georgetown, for stormwater-related violations and evidence that petroleum was leaking at the site.
Violations were discovered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in 2011, 2014 and February 2016 and included failure to maintain a stormwater plan, failure to minimize exposure of industrial materials, failure to perform and record benchmark monitoring and other reports and failure to identify and properly label outfalls. In 2014, an inspection found petroleum leaks and spills that were again observed in 2016.
“Inspectors observed petroleum impacted surface water discharging from a petroleum storage area under a building that takes on surface water drainage from the facility,” the report states. “Petroleum staining was also observed along the building foundation indicating that a release had occurred. In addition, within the building, used petroleum was being stored in large open vats, creating a vapor issue and a health and safety concern due to fire and explosion potential.”
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Violations were discovered by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in 2011, 2014 and February 2016 and included failure to maintain a stormwater plan, failure to minimize exposure of industrial materials, failure to perform and record benchmark monitoring and other reports and failure to identify and properly label outfalls. In 2014, an inspection found petroleum leaks and spills that were again observed in 2016.
“Inspectors observed petroleum impacted surface water discharging from a petroleum storage area under a building that takes on surface water drainage from the facility,” the report states. “Petroleum staining was also observed along the building foundation indicating that a release had occurred. In addition, within the building, used petroleum was being stored in large open vats, creating a vapor issue and a health and safety concern due to fire and explosion potential.”
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GM Stops Sale of SUVs, Mileage Sticker was wrong
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. is telling dealers not to sell about 60,000 SUVs in the U.S. because the gas mileage listed on the window stickers was inadvertently overstated.
The company told dealers that the Environmental Protection Agency-estimated mileage on the stickers is one-to-two miles per gallon too high. GM says it reported the mistake to the EPA as soon as it was discovered.
The problem affects all 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave models, including ones that have already been sold. The Detroit company says it will contact owners to address the problem, but it would not say if they will be compensated for the lower-than-advertised gas mileage.
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The company told dealers that the Environmental Protection Agency-estimated mileage on the stickers is one-to-two miles per gallon too high. GM says it reported the mistake to the EPA as soon as it was discovered.
The problem affects all 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave models, including ones that have already been sold. The Detroit company says it will contact owners to address the problem, but it would not say if they will be compensated for the lower-than-advertised gas mileage.
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$13.7M transformation: RCA turns Maryland estate into addiction treatment center
The site will re-open in July as Recovery Centers of America at Bracebridge Hall, and serve as a treatment site for individuals with drug and alcohol addiction.
Founded last year, RCA of King of Prussia, Pa., is in the process of developing and opening health care facilities with a neighborhood-based treatment model based on research that indicates sustained recovery is more likely when patients stay connected to family and friends during care.
The company, backed by a $231.5 million investment from Deerfield Management Co., opened its first addiction treatment center in Mays Landing, N.J., earlier this year.
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Maryland college changes course after shutting down student who wanted to start conservative club
Hagerstown Community College officials denied student’s application, told her she can’t speak about club in open, outdoor area of campus
BALTIMORE – A Maryland college has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed in February after the college prohibited a student from forming a conservative club on campus. Officials at Hagerstown Community College then also stopped the student, Moriah DeMartino, from asking other students in an open, outdoor area of campus to sign a petition in favor of starting the club.
DeMartino filed the lawsuit DeMartino v. Cushwa with the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in October of last year but later requested ADF attorneys to represent her in the suit. The lawsuit claimed the college unconstitutionally discriminated against DeMartino based on her viewpoint in denying the formation of her club and in requiring her to obtain permission from the school before engaging in protected free speech. As part of the settlement, the college has revised its policies so that officials will no longer be able to discriminate against students and student groups based upon their viewpoint.
“Public colleges are supposed to be a place where ideas are freely shared, not subject to the approval of government officials,” said ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer. “The First Amendment is the only permission slip that a student needs to be able to engage in free speech, and this settlement reflects that. A college short-circuits its own purpose when it places its own restrictive speech rules above the freedoms that the First Amendment guarantees to students and all Americans.”
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Funny How Bassett & Daily Times Get Top Awards
Dan Satterfield from WBOC gets top honors in the state, (allegedly) from yet another group no one has ever heard of. Greg Bassett gets top honors from the left wing Chamber of Commerce.
So here's my message to ALL of the main stream media on the Shore. I'll show you my hits if you'll show me yours.
If ANYONE deserves top honors it should go to the group that is actually garnishing viewers/subscribers. FUNNY, the Metropolitan Magazine REFUSES to put MEDIA in their "Best Of" because each and every one of you knows who would come out on top. Then again, we don't advertise there so I'm sure that would be rigged too.
Greg Bassett got on Facebook and "Liked" the Daily Times award. What an Idiot, suck up.
This picture was taken at the beach in Santa Barbara right next to the Pier
There is a veterans group that started putting a cross and candle for every death in Iraq and Afghanistan.
They put up this graveyard and take it down every weekend.
Guys sleep in the sand next to it and keep watch over it at night so nobody messes with it.
Every cross has the name, rank and D.O.B. and D.O.D. on it.
Very moving, very powerful.
So many young volunteers. So many 30 to 40 year olds as well.
Amazing!
A Letter To The Editor: A CALL FROM KATHY SZELIGA
Occasionally, not often, something happens during your day that is memorable…as a positive memory. That happened recently as I was at my favorite place, in front of my computer; the phone rang. Thinking it was just another “robo” call, I reluctantly reached for it and read, “Kathy Szeliga”…so I answered it.
It was Kathy herself wanting to talk to me…heavens! What on earth for?? For starters she thanked me for our contribution to her campaign, but the main thrust was, “What are your thoughts about the present political climate and likely candidates?”
As Claude Raines said in Casablanca, “I was shocked!, shocked I tell you…”. It wasn’t, as Claude was referring to Ricky’s place having gambling, but that Kathy actually called me in her busy day to thank me for my contribution, and ask my opinion.
From the age of reasoning to old age, we each have an ego; and since I qualify for the latter, Kathy touched my ego. I had already decided that she was my choice for the Senate run, but for her to take time from her busy schedule to call and ask my “opinion”, what else would you expect?
GO KATHY!
It was Kathy herself wanting to talk to me…heavens! What on earth for?? For starters she thanked me for our contribution to her campaign, but the main thrust was, “What are your thoughts about the present political climate and likely candidates?”
As Claude Raines said in Casablanca, “I was shocked!, shocked I tell you…”. It wasn’t, as Claude was referring to Ricky’s place having gambling, but that Kathy actually called me in her busy day to thank me for my contribution, and ask my opinion.
From the age of reasoning to old age, we each have an ego; and since I qualify for the latter, Kathy touched my ego. I had already decided that she was my choice for the Senate run, but for her to take time from her busy schedule to call and ask my “opinion”, what else would you expect?
GO KATHY!
Bonfire Saturday Night
Accident In Pittsville
Double Rainbows In Salisbury
Hey Weather Boys At WMDT,
Are these the kind of pictures you beg for daily?
Not one, but two snaps up.
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