DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Charles County Sheriff's officer charged with possession of child porn
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (ABC7) — A 10-year-veteran Charles County Sheriff's (CCSO) was arrested and charged Monday with possession of child porn, authorities said Tuesday.
Alexander C. Sullivan, 37, has been suspended by the Sheriff's office. Authorities say Sullivan will not receive pay during the suspension and it will last until a verdict in the case is delivered.
The CCSO says they were contacted by representatives at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) after officials there detected someone uploading child porn from a cell phone in Charles County. Once the phone number was turned over to CCSO, officials say they discovered the number belonged to Sullivan.
Authorities say they are continuing to investigate the incident.
Source
Alexander C. Sullivan, 37, has been suspended by the Sheriff's office. Authorities say Sullivan will not receive pay during the suspension and it will last until a verdict in the case is delivered.
The CCSO says they were contacted by representatives at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) after officials there detected someone uploading child porn from a cell phone in Charles County. Once the phone number was turned over to CCSO, officials say they discovered the number belonged to Sullivan.
Authorities say they are continuing to investigate the incident.
Source
How Some States Make Effective Birth Control More Available
During her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2012, Michelle Moniz treated an expectant mother in her early 20s who wanted an intrauterine birth control device surgically inserted immediately after her delivery.
But because the state Medicaid agency didn’t use a separate billing code for the device, commonly known as an IUD, the hospital couldn’t accommodate the woman’s wishes. She would have to wait until her six-week, post-partum checkup to have the procedure to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The woman didn’t show for that appointment. But it was not the last time Moniz saw her. A few months later the woman showed up pregnant again — and not by design.
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But because the state Medicaid agency didn’t use a separate billing code for the device, commonly known as an IUD, the hospital couldn’t accommodate the woman’s wishes. She would have to wait until her six-week, post-partum checkup to have the procedure to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The woman didn’t show for that appointment. But it was not the last time Moniz saw her. A few months later the woman showed up pregnant again — and not by design.
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For Trump and GOP, ‘Obamacare’ Repeal is Complex and Risky
What could go wrong?
With Republicans controlling the White House and Congress in January, they’re faced with delivering on their long-time promise to repeal and replace “Obamacare.” Here are hurdles they’ll face:
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The (Very) Few Places With No Black-White Income Gap
The income gap between black and white households has grown since 2000 and only worsened since the recession.
In 2015, the median income for black households was 59.5 percent of that for whites, or $36,544 to $61,394. That’s a greater gap than at the end of the recession in 2009, when black income was 61.2 percent of white income.
Yet, a tiny number of places exist where black household income is greater than that of whites. Of the 364 large U.S. counties whose populations are at least 5 percent black, there are seven, according to a Stateline analysis of U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data for 2010-14.
Among them: Stafford County, Virginia, an exurban bedroom community of Washington, D.C., and home to military installations, where many black families find contract work or commute to government jobs in the nation’s capital.
The typical black household there earned an average of $105,628 from 2010 through 2014, the highest income of the seven counties. White households earned an average of $99,533 during that time. Washington, D.C., by contrast, had one of the biggest gaps in the nation — black household income was $40,829, little more than a third of the $115,109 for white households.
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In 2015, the median income for black households was 59.5 percent of that for whites, or $36,544 to $61,394. That’s a greater gap than at the end of the recession in 2009, when black income was 61.2 percent of white income.
Yet, a tiny number of places exist where black household income is greater than that of whites. Of the 364 large U.S. counties whose populations are at least 5 percent black, there are seven, according to a Stateline analysis of U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data for 2010-14.
Among them: Stafford County, Virginia, an exurban bedroom community of Washington, D.C., and home to military installations, where many black families find contract work or commute to government jobs in the nation’s capital.
The typical black household there earned an average of $105,628 from 2010 through 2014, the highest income of the seven counties. White households earned an average of $99,533 during that time. Washington, D.C., by contrast, had one of the biggest gaps in the nation — black household income was $40,829, little more than a third of the $115,109 for white households.
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Post-Election, Overwhelmed Facebook Users Unfriend, Cut Back
Rachael Garrity posted a farewell message on Facebook. She told her "friends" — that's how she puts it in an email to NPR, in quotes — that she would delete her account. An email from her son followed: Are you OK?
"I am finding Facebook to have a negative impact on my continuing to keep a positive feeling regarding some of the people I have known longest and cherish most," writes Garrity, who has worked in not-for-profit marketing and publishing since the 1970s.
Garrity was one of more than 150 people who have shared their stories with NPR, recapping how they are recalibrating their attitude toward social media after this year's election. Donald Trump's surprise victory ended an emotional roller-coaster of a presidential race, which has left Facebook, Google and Twitter scrambling to rein in a proliferation of fake news and harassing behavior.
"What was really shocking to me was how many people who I consider to be smart were sharing things that were not so smart, definitely obviously fake but matched whatever viewpoint that they pushed or agreed with," says Michael Lowder. He's Garrity's grandson — and he shared her story with NPR because, true to her word, she has quit Facebook, where NPR posted the call-out.
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"I am finding Facebook to have a negative impact on my continuing to keep a positive feeling regarding some of the people I have known longest and cherish most," writes Garrity, who has worked in not-for-profit marketing and publishing since the 1970s.
Garrity was one of more than 150 people who have shared their stories with NPR, recapping how they are recalibrating their attitude toward social media after this year's election. Donald Trump's surprise victory ended an emotional roller-coaster of a presidential race, which has left Facebook, Google and Twitter scrambling to rein in a proliferation of fake news and harassing behavior.
"What was really shocking to me was how many people who I consider to be smart were sharing things that were not so smart, definitely obviously fake but matched whatever viewpoint that they pushed or agreed with," says Michael Lowder. He's Garrity's grandson — and he shared her story with NPR because, true to her word, she has quit Facebook, where NPR posted the call-out.
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Newtown Holiday House Tour 2016
S. Korean President Named As A Criminal Suspect In Cronyism Scandal
Prosecutors in South Korea will question President Park on allegations of corruption and cronyism. The move comes in the wake of massive protests calling for the president to step down.
A swirling cronyism scandal continues to grip South Korea, where prosecutors announced Sunday that the president is a suspect in a criminal fraud investigation that's already ensnared her close friend and senior aides. President Park Geun-hye makes history, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to be a suspect in a criminal investigation.
Mass demonstrations against the president have continued across the country. For the fourth weekend in a row, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans crowded the streets of central Seoul with a simple demand: Step down.
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A swirling cronyism scandal continues to grip South Korea, where prosecutors announced Sunday that the president is a suspect in a criminal fraud investigation that's already ensnared her close friend and senior aides. President Park Geun-hye makes history, becoming the first sitting South Korean president to be a suspect in a criminal investigation.
Mass demonstrations against the president have continued across the country. For the fourth weekend in a row, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans crowded the streets of central Seoul with a simple demand: Step down.
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The Mainstream Media Are Dead
One of the biggest disappointments of this election season has to be the final unraveling of the mainstream media. As the days pass and the smoke clears a bit after the shocking events, it is hard to grapple with the magnitude of their collapse.
It’s true that their demise has been many years in the making, but what we just witnessed was stunning.
Some in the press have shown a bit of introspection, after reality set in that their political campaign (more on that later) was over and they had lost. But sadly, the soul-searching itself is part of the script. The “we live in a liberal bubble” explanation worked for a while, but it is wholly inadequate to explain 2016.
I hesitate to say it, but for practical purposes, the mainstream media are dead.
They're dead because they cannot be trusted. In 2016, we’ve discovered, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the mainstream media collude with the Democratic Party to advance the careers of liberal politicians. We now know that they colluded to elect Hillary Clinton.
This is more than merely siding with liberal policies or demanding in your official manual that pro-lifers be called “anti-abortion.” That’s plain old liberal bias, and we’re all accustomed to dealing with it. However, this goes well beyond that.
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It’s true that their demise has been many years in the making, but what we just witnessed was stunning.
Some in the press have shown a bit of introspection, after reality set in that their political campaign (more on that later) was over and they had lost. But sadly, the soul-searching itself is part of the script. The “we live in a liberal bubble” explanation worked for a while, but it is wholly inadequate to explain 2016.
I hesitate to say it, but for practical purposes, the mainstream media are dead.
They're dead because they cannot be trusted. In 2016, we’ve discovered, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the mainstream media collude with the Democratic Party to advance the careers of liberal politicians. We now know that they colluded to elect Hillary Clinton.
This is more than merely siding with liberal policies or demanding in your official manual that pro-lifers be called “anti-abortion.” That’s plain old liberal bias, and we’re all accustomed to dealing with it. However, this goes well beyond that.
More
Governor’s Task Force Arrest Two in Heroin Investigation
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| Brandon R. Garrision |
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| Marcos W. Ortlip |
On Monday November 21, 2016 at approximately 5:25 p.m., the Sussex County Governor’s Task Force, along with Probation and Parole Officers from the Georgetown office, responded to the 28000 block of Gum Tree Road in order to conduct an administrative probation search on the residence of Brandon R. Garrison, 33, who is currently on Level 3 probation stemming from a 2015 drug conviction. When troopers and probation officers arrived at the home, Garrison and Marcos W. Ortlip, 24 of Georgetown, were both taken into custody without incident outside the home. A search of the residence revealed 620 bags (9.3 grams) of heroin, drug paraphernalia, and over $6,000.00 in suspected drug proceeds.
Brandon Garrison and Marcos Ortlip were transported back to Troop 4 where they were both charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Tier 5 Quantity (Heroin), Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin, Conspiracy 2nd, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They were both committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $101,500.00 secured bond.
Dems Ask Obama to Pardon Dreamers: ‘Prisoners In Their Own Country’
(CNSNews.com) – House Democrats held a press conference on Thursday to ask President Barack Obama to use his pardon power for the illegal alien youth who came to the United States as children and then were given temporary legal status by Obama through his executive action, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
These illegal aliens, often referred to as “Dreamers” by the administration and liberal media, reportedly fear deportation under President-elect Donald Trump.
“As you have heard from previous speakers, it is by no fault of their own that these Americans are prisoners in their own country, living their daily lives not knowing if they will be deported to a foreign country,” Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) said at the press conference at the Capitol.
Roybal-Allard spoke about two of those Dreamers, one of whom served as an intern in Congress and is set to graduate with a four-year degree from an American college.
“And make no mistake about it,” Roybal-Allard said. “If they are forced to leave the United States, it is our country that is going to be a big loser.”
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These illegal aliens, often referred to as “Dreamers” by the administration and liberal media, reportedly fear deportation under President-elect Donald Trump.
“As you have heard from previous speakers, it is by no fault of their own that these Americans are prisoners in their own country, living their daily lives not knowing if they will be deported to a foreign country,” Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) said at the press conference at the Capitol.
Roybal-Allard spoke about two of those Dreamers, one of whom served as an intern in Congress and is set to graduate with a four-year degree from an American college.
“And make no mistake about it,” Roybal-Allard said. “If they are forced to leave the United States, it is our country that is going to be a big loser.”
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New Texas bill would force school to out gay students to their parents, critics say
State Rep. Konni Burton filed Senate Bill 242 just days after Donald Trump was elected president, amid increasing reports of harassment and violence against minorities across the country.
Elliott Griffin, Burton’s chief of staff, told the Houston Chronicle the bill was “written in response to the Fort Worth school district issuing new guidelines about transgender students.”
The guidelines required schools to recognize students based on their gender of choice while allowing them to use the bathroom of their choice. Griffin said those guidelines also limit parents’ access to information about their children.
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DELAWARE STATE POLICE BEAT / Two charged with horsing around with haul of heroin on U.S. 13
HARRINGTON, DEL.– The Delaware State Police have arrested two Wilmington men for heroin possession after a traffic stop south of Harrington.
Delaware State Police Master Corporal Gary Fournier reports the arrest which included a large amount of heroin occurred around 1:40 p.m. Sunday November 6, 2016, as a trooper was patrolling the area of South DuPont Highway (US13) and Tower Hill Road, and observed a white Honda Sonata traveling above the posted speed limit. A traffic stop was conducted on the car and upon making contact with the operator, Kurtis S. McIntosh, 21 of Wilmington, an odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle.
Both McIntosh and his passenger, Darrell Law, 43 of Wilmington, were asked to exit the vehicle while a search was conducted. Upon conducting the search, a plastic bag under the front passenger’s seat containing 1,833 bags of heroin (27.50 grams) was located.
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Delaware State Police Master Corporal Gary Fournier reports the arrest which included a large amount of heroin occurred around 1:40 p.m. Sunday November 6, 2016, as a trooper was patrolling the area of South DuPont Highway (US13) and Tower Hill Road, and observed a white Honda Sonata traveling above the posted speed limit. A traffic stop was conducted on the car and upon making contact with the operator, Kurtis S. McIntosh, 21 of Wilmington, an odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle.
Both McIntosh and his passenger, Darrell Law, 43 of Wilmington, were asked to exit the vehicle while a search was conducted. Upon conducting the search, a plastic bag under the front passenger’s seat containing 1,833 bags of heroin (27.50 grams) was located.
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Carozza Concerned About Baltimore Canyon Sanctuary Petition Calls on Officials to Review Economic Impact, Oppose Designation
Carozza Concerned About Baltimore Canyon Sanctuary Petition
Calls on Officials to Review Economic Impact, Oppose Designation
OCEAN CITY – Delegate Mary Beth Carozza (District 38C) today called on Maryland and Federal officials to review the economic impact of and oppose the proposed designation of the Baltimore Canyon as the country’s first Urban National Marine Sanctuary.
In a letter to Governor Hogan and Maryland’s federal representatives, Carozza requested that officials review the negative economic impact such a designation would have on local fishing and boating industries and related businesses. Carozza is also concerned about the lack of public input on the petition to designate the Baltimore Canyon as a marine sanctuary, which is being led by representatives from the National Aquarium.
Delegate Carozza’s full letter addressed to Governor Hogan can be found attached to this release. The letter was also sent to Congressman Andy Harris and Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin.
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Click READ MORE below to see the letter sent to Governor Hogan
Unconventional Baltimore school gives students control
Band practice could last all day there, because there is no curriculum. The 59 students at the private school direct their own time.
"The kids create their own structure and that's something that they're going to carry with them throughout their entire life," said Caroline Chavasse, with A.I. Sudbury School.
Chavasse founded the school nine years ago on the Sudbury Valley Model, which calls for schools to operate democratically. Students and staff have an equal vote on everything from spending decisions to hiring, firing and disciplinary action.
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ULTIMATE FAIL COMPILATION: SNL PREDICTS PRESIDENT HILLARY CLINTON
How cocky Saturday Night Live spiked the ball too early
Throughout the 2016 election campaign, no one’s pro-Hillary, anti-Trump bias was more apparent than that of the liberal stooges at Saturday Night Live.
Check out this awesome compilation of all the times SNL tried to condition their audience to accept a Trump defeat and a Hillary Clinton win, edited by the Washington Free Beacon.
Video
Throughout the 2016 election campaign, no one’s pro-Hillary, anti-Trump bias was more apparent than that of the liberal stooges at Saturday Night Live.
Check out this awesome compilation of all the times SNL tried to condition their audience to accept a Trump defeat and a Hillary Clinton win, edited by the Washington Free Beacon.
Video
City to Recognize Local Student for Potter’s Field Cemetery Restoration
City to Recognize Local Student for Potter’s Field Cemetery Restoration
Salisbury – Mayor Jake Day is pleased to announce the public presentation of the recently restored Potter’s Field Cemetery on Commerce St. in Salisbury. A ceremony recognizing the work of Salisbury student Ben Smith who spearheaded the effort will be held on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at the cemetery, located behind the Arby’s.
The name “Potter’s Field” is thought to be Biblical in origin. Meaning “common field,” the term has been used to refer to burial sites for less-fortunate or forgotten people. While Salisbury’s Potter’s Field might not have been completely forgotten, it has been neglected over the past decades. Dating back to the Civil War era, the field became the final resting place for many Union soldiers, and some of the slaves who worked at Poplar Hill Mansion in the 19th Century.An extensive revitalization project was undertaken by Salisbury native Ben Smith, a freshman at Salisbury Christian School, as his Eagle Scout project. After seeing the condition of the cemetery, Ben was determined to make a difference by restoring it to its former beauty. Revitalizing Potter’s Field required a great deal of hard work and dedication, and took months to complete. After fundraising to buy the necessary materials, Ben had to clean and repair gravestones which had deteriorated over time, map and catalog the site, and fill in graves which had settled over the years.
“Ben’s act of servant leadership is truly commendable,” said Mayor Day. “He represents our next generation of leaders, and the future is bright. Through his service to our community, Ben has set an example not just for Salisbury’s youth, but for all of us who serve the community in any capacity. Thanks to the heart and dedication of one student, this important piece of our City’s heritage now looks better than it has in recent memory. It is now our mission to ensure that it remains in a condition worthy of its hallowed history, and is preserved for future generations.”
Citizens and members of the press are encouraged to join the Mayor in recognizing Ben’s hard work. For more information, contact the Mayor’s office at 410-548-3100.
Bus driver asked kids if they were ‘ready to die’ before fatal crash: mom
The driver behind the wheel of a Tennessee school bus that crashed and killed five children asked the kids if they were “ready to die” as he sped along a Chattanooga road, according to a report.
A mom who had three students aboard the bus — one of whom died — told CBS Newsthat Johnthony Walker asked the chilling question seconds before the yellow bus slammed into a telephone pole and a tree.
Walker, 24, was well above the 30-mph speed limit while driving 35 students home from the Woodmore Elementary School on Monday — crashing on a narrow road about a mile from the school, Police Chief Fred Fletcher said.
One student aboard the bus told WDEF-TV that the driver “wasn’t paying attention and was going real fast.”
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A mom who had three students aboard the bus — one of whom died — told CBS Newsthat Johnthony Walker asked the chilling question seconds before the yellow bus slammed into a telephone pole and a tree.
Walker, 24, was well above the 30-mph speed limit while driving 35 students home from the Woodmore Elementary School on Monday — crashing on a narrow road about a mile from the school, Police Chief Fred Fletcher said.
One student aboard the bus told WDEF-TV that the driver “wasn’t paying attention and was going real fast.”
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OBAMA SAYS HE ‘CAN’T PARDON’ SNOWDEN UNLESS WHISTLEBLOWER GOES TO COURT
President Obama gave an interview to German media outlets Spiegel and ARD during his visit to Berlin, in which he discussed divisions in the US, his darkest moments as president, and whether Edward Snowden would be pardoned.
Reflecting on Trump’s victory, Obama pointed to an “underlying division” in the US that has to do with economic growth, stagnation, and cultural and demographic issues – anxieties that Trump tapped into.
“I mean, there were probably millions of voters who voted for me and supported me and this time also voted for Donald Trump, and it just indicates that some of this is less ideological and more just an impulse towards some sort of change,” he told Spiegel.
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Carson Calls on Media to Hold National Summit On How to Provide Fair Coverage
Former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson has called on the mainstream media to hold a national summit to discuss how to provide fair coverage.
Carson told Fox News that “the media is the only business that is protected by our constitution. They are supposed to be on the side of the people, they are not supposed to be distorting the information that they give in order to put forth a particular view point or an ideology and that is what they are doing.”
Carson emphasized that the purpose of the summit should be “to come up with some rules. And they need to abide by those rules. And we need to make those rules public, because I think most of them don't even know the rules any more. And that's why they act the way they do.”
He reiterated that he would be happy to work with media, explaining that already, “Every time I see a young journalist anywhere, I talk to them about the role of the media. And I say, maybe you can be the new wave. You can bring some integrity back to honorable profession and it can be done and it must be done. Because it is essential to the well-being of our country.”
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Carson told Fox News that “the media is the only business that is protected by our constitution. They are supposed to be on the side of the people, they are not supposed to be distorting the information that they give in order to put forth a particular view point or an ideology and that is what they are doing.”
Carson emphasized that the purpose of the summit should be “to come up with some rules. And they need to abide by those rules. And we need to make those rules public, because I think most of them don't even know the rules any more. And that's why they act the way they do.”
He reiterated that he would be happy to work with media, explaining that already, “Every time I see a young journalist anywhere, I talk to them about the role of the media. And I say, maybe you can be the new wave. You can bring some integrity back to honorable profession and it can be done and it must be done. Because it is essential to the well-being of our country.”
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#TrumpCup
Republicans are ordering their coffee and stating their name is 'Trump' so baristas will have to shout the last name of the president-elect when their drink is ready.
The protest is allegedly against people 'discriminating against Republicans' and was started by Trump supporter and actor Scott Baio, according to Yahoo News.
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Pennsylvania Leads Way In Visitor Zip Codes, Survey Confirms
OCEAN CITY — Tourism officials this month reviewed the results of the zip code collection efforts conducted to determine where the resorts visitors are coming from and the report contained no real surprises.
The Tourism Committee, as it does annually, reviewed the results of a summer-long survey of a large segment of the visitors to the resort, providing a snapshot of pertinent information including how often they come, how long they stay and perhaps more importantly where they are coming from. Throughout last summer, visitors were asked to submit their home zip code information at various locations including the Visitors Center, the Chamber of Commerce, the convention center, Boardwalk kiosks and one rental company that agreed to participate.
The results were not surprising, but rather predictable, revealing most visitors continue to come from areas closest to Ocean City. For example, among those who participated in the zip code collection, 38 percent came from Pennsylvania, while 35 percent came from Maryland. The next largest segments in descending order were Virginia, New York, New Jersey Delaware and Ohio.
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The Tourism Committee, as it does annually, reviewed the results of a summer-long survey of a large segment of the visitors to the resort, providing a snapshot of pertinent information including how often they come, how long they stay and perhaps more importantly where they are coming from. Throughout last summer, visitors were asked to submit their home zip code information at various locations including the Visitors Center, the Chamber of Commerce, the convention center, Boardwalk kiosks and one rental company that agreed to participate.
The results were not surprising, but rather predictable, revealing most visitors continue to come from areas closest to Ocean City. For example, among those who participated in the zip code collection, 38 percent came from Pennsylvania, while 35 percent came from Maryland. The next largest segments in descending order were Virginia, New York, New Jersey Delaware and Ohio.
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The West Is Finally Fighting Back against Militant Islam
General Michael Flynn has been offered the post of national security adviser in Donald Trump’s administration. Flynn is a senior intelligence officer and during the election campaign he was vociferous in his denunciation of Hillary Clinton, even leading the chants for her to be locked up.
He is also a long-standing critic of Obama’s military policies – or what he regards as the lack of them. In particular he has called for a fiercer response to Islamic State.
He is on record as having said, “It’s rational to fear Muslims.” On the BBC’s Today Programme, the presenter Nick Robinson described Flynn’s statement as “controversial.”
So that’s the BBC’s assessment of what counts as controversial!
How so when for decades Muslims have been shooting, bombing, dispossessing and otherwise terrorising people in large numbers on three continents?
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He is also a long-standing critic of Obama’s military policies – or what he regards as the lack of them. In particular he has called for a fiercer response to Islamic State.
He is on record as having said, “It’s rational to fear Muslims.” On the BBC’s Today Programme, the presenter Nick Robinson described Flynn’s statement as “controversial.”
So that’s the BBC’s assessment of what counts as controversial!
How so when for decades Muslims have been shooting, bombing, dispossessing and otherwise terrorising people in large numbers on three continents?
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Kissinger: Don't Nail Trump to His Campaign Promises
The U.S. and the world's situations are fluid and President-elect Donald Trump's positions policies will similarly be, too — so do not expect him to stick unilaterally to his campaign promises, Henry Kissinger, 93, said Sunday.
One should not insist on nailing [Trump] into positions that he had taken in the campaign, Kissinger, who won the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Vietnam War, told CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS."
Kissinger met with President-elect Trump on Thursday and said he came away seeing Trump differently than the campaign coverage which might have painted him as obtuse.
"It was of a determined president, a president-elect, who is making the transition from being a campaigner to being a national strategist and was trying to inform himself on the various aspects of the current situation," Kissinger told Zakaria of his Trump impressions from the meeting.
"We should give him an opportunity to develop the positive objectives that he may have and to discuss those," Kissing added.
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[ Dr. Kissinger served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as United States Secretary of State in the administrations of presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. --Editor]
One should not insist on nailing [Trump] into positions that he had taken in the campaign, Kissinger, who won the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Vietnam War, told CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS."
Kissinger met with President-elect Trump on Thursday and said he came away seeing Trump differently than the campaign coverage which might have painted him as obtuse.
"It was of a determined president, a president-elect, who is making the transition from being a campaigner to being a national strategist and was trying to inform himself on the various aspects of the current situation," Kissinger told Zakaria of his Trump impressions from the meeting.
"We should give him an opportunity to develop the positive objectives that he may have and to discuss those," Kissing added.
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[ Dr. Kissinger served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as United States Secretary of State in the administrations of presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. --Editor]
Norway Slashes Clinton Foundation Donations By 87% As Political Clout Dries Up
For months we've been told that the Clinton Foundation, and it's various subsidiaries, were simple, innocent "charitable" organizations, despite the mountain of WikiLeaks evidence to the contrary. Well, if that is, in fact, true perhaps the Clintons could explain why wealthy foreign governments, like Norway, are suddenly slashing their contributions now that Hillary's political clout has been erased?
As the Norwegian newspaper Hegnar points out, Norway is expected to slash their contributions to the Clinton Foundation by 87% now that Hillary has lost the presidency. After contributing roughly $5mm per year to the Clinton Foundation between 2007 - 2013, the Norwegian government decided to boost their donations to ~$15mm and ~$21mm in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Ironically, that boost in contributions corresponded with Hillary's decision to run for President in 2016...but we're sure it's just a coincidence. That said, it is fairly interesting that, since Hillary's loss, Norway has decided to scale back their contributions by 87% in 2017...hmmm.
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As the Norwegian newspaper Hegnar points out, Norway is expected to slash their contributions to the Clinton Foundation by 87% now that Hillary has lost the presidency. After contributing roughly $5mm per year to the Clinton Foundation between 2007 - 2013, the Norwegian government decided to boost their donations to ~$15mm and ~$21mm in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Ironically, that boost in contributions corresponded with Hillary's decision to run for President in 2016...but we're sure it's just a coincidence. That said, it is fairly interesting that, since Hillary's loss, Norway has decided to scale back their contributions by 87% in 2017...hmmm.
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COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCES AIRPORT MANAGER TO RETIRE
Mr. Culver commented, “I am appreciative of the service rendered by Bob to the citizens of Wicomico County and wish him well in his retirement.”
Pearl Harbor survivor recalls bombers ‘smiling and waving’ from planes
Donald Stratton was an 18-year-old from Red Cloud, Neb., when he joined the Navy in 1940 — and found himself on the front lines of history.
Hours after dawn, on Dec. 7, 1941, Seaman 1st Class Stratton stood aboard the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor, off the coast of Honolulu, Hawaii, when Japan launched its aerial attack. He was just 500 feet away from where a bomb hit the ship.
So relentless was the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor that in just two hours 2,403 Americans were killed. Stratton would have been among the 1,177 USS Arizona shipmates — out of 1,511 aboard — who perished if not for a nail-biting escape to a neighboring ship.
Now 94, he resides in Colorado Springs, Colo., with his wife of 66 years (they have five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren).
As the 75th anniversary of the bombing nears, Stratton tells his epic story in the memoir “All the Gallant Men” (William Morrow, out Tuesday) — and shares it with The Post’s Michael Kaplan.
The morning of Dec. 7, 1941, seemed like any other. We worked out a little bit and ate chow. I grabbed a few oranges to bring to a buddy of mine who was in the sick bay. Then I walked out onto the deck and saw some sailors congregating on the ship’s starboard side. They were looking across the water at Ford Island, an islet in the center of Pearl Harbor, and they were hollering — planes with the Japanese Zero insignia were banking through the sky.
“Oh, hell, it’s the Japanese!” somebody shouted. “They’re bombing the water tower on Ford Island.”
We watched the tower fall and planes on the runway over there burst into flames.
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Hours after dawn, on Dec. 7, 1941, Seaman 1st Class Stratton stood aboard the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor, off the coast of Honolulu, Hawaii, when Japan launched its aerial attack. He was just 500 feet away from where a bomb hit the ship.
So relentless was the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor that in just two hours 2,403 Americans were killed. Stratton would have been among the 1,177 USS Arizona shipmates — out of 1,511 aboard — who perished if not for a nail-biting escape to a neighboring ship.
Now 94, he resides in Colorado Springs, Colo., with his wife of 66 years (they have five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren).
As the 75th anniversary of the bombing nears, Stratton tells his epic story in the memoir “All the Gallant Men” (William Morrow, out Tuesday) — and shares it with The Post’s Michael Kaplan.
The morning of Dec. 7, 1941, seemed like any other. We worked out a little bit and ate chow. I grabbed a few oranges to bring to a buddy of mine who was in the sick bay. Then I walked out onto the deck and saw some sailors congregating on the ship’s starboard side. They were looking across the water at Ford Island, an islet in the center of Pearl Harbor, and they were hollering — planes with the Japanese Zero insignia were banking through the sky.
“Oh, hell, it’s the Japanese!” somebody shouted. “They’re bombing the water tower on Ford Island.”
We watched the tower fall and planes on the runway over there burst into flames.
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Women Driving Gun Sales to New Highs
Background checks indicate retail gun sales have been on a record pace for the past 18 months, and gun store owners say women are a driving force behind the surging sales.
Self-defense sales boosted handgun sales during the past two-and-a-half decades, only to transition from pure self-defense to self-defense for women who find themselves in the home alone or to grandmothers who want a means to protect themselves and their grandchildren during a day at the park.
KPLR 11 quotes Steve King, owner of St. Louis’ Metro Shooting Supply, saying, “If I could open a new store it would cater to women and self-defense.” He said the last five years of his business has been driven by women with self-defense concerns.
King said his store offers shooting lessons every day, and “not only are the classes full, but women make up 80 percent of the class.” He added, “The more single household families we have where women are the head of the household, you have them realizing that not only are they only the provider financially and emotionally for children, but also the physical provider as well.”
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Self-defense sales boosted handgun sales during the past two-and-a-half decades, only to transition from pure self-defense to self-defense for women who find themselves in the home alone or to grandmothers who want a means to protect themselves and their grandchildren during a day at the park.
KPLR 11 quotes Steve King, owner of St. Louis’ Metro Shooting Supply, saying, “If I could open a new store it would cater to women and self-defense.” He said the last five years of his business has been driven by women with self-defense concerns.
King said his store offers shooting lessons every day, and “not only are the classes full, but women make up 80 percent of the class.” He added, “The more single household families we have where women are the head of the household, you have them realizing that not only are they only the provider financially and emotionally for children, but also the physical provider as well.”
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HAHA! Obama Claims Electoral System Rigged in Favor of Republicans
President Barack Obama is complaining about aspects of the country’s electoral system that he says favored Republicans in 2016.
“As long as Wyoming gets the same number of senators as California, there’s going to be some tilt towards Republicans when it comes to congressional races,” he explained, pointing out that most Democratic voters were “bunched up in big cities.”
He cited “bad luck” as the reason Republicans swept back into power in 2010, blaming the economic downturn he inherited from former president Bush and not having enough time for his policies to take root.
More here
“As long as Wyoming gets the same number of senators as California, there’s going to be some tilt towards Republicans when it comes to congressional races,” he explained, pointing out that most Democratic voters were “bunched up in big cities.”
He cited “bad luck” as the reason Republicans swept back into power in 2010, blaming the economic downturn he inherited from former president Bush and not having enough time for his policies to take root.
More here
Lost Dog 11-22-16: UPDATE
My very dear Aunt lost her dog when it jumped out of her car at Donald A. Ball's Farm at 3271 Meadow Bridge Road in Eden, MD (on the Fruitland side of Eden).
The Humane Society suggested contacting you to see if you would put this on your blog. The dog is a fluffy white poodle and she answers to the name Bella. Just like any pet owner, this dog is very important to her and she is a wonderful lady who doesn't need this worry.
If you can put this on your blog it would be greatly appreciated. If "Bella" is found, please call me at 443-783-5531.
Judge urges new citizens to leave US if they can't accept Donald Trump
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Primono's comments were reported by KENS-TV in San Antonio, which covered the naturalization ceremony at which 500 immigrants took the oath of U.S. citizenship at the Institutes of Texan Cultures on Thursday.
"I can assure you that whether you voted for him or you did not vote for him," the television report quoted him as saying of the president-elect, "if you are a citizen of the United States, he is your president. He will be your president, and if you do not like that, you need to go to another country."
He later told the station and the San Antonio Express-News that he meant his words to be unifying and respectful of the president's office, not political, and added that he did not vote for Trump for president.
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Love Trumps Hate: Pence Says No Need for Apology After ‘Hamilton’ Jeers, Lecture
Vice President-elect Mike Pence spoke publicly Sunday for the first time about the mixed reception he received while attending a performance of the musical “Hamilton,” saying he doesn’t want an apology from the Broadway cast and that the audience’s boos and cheers “is what freedom sounds like.”
Pence, a Republican, attended the show Friday night. Actor Brandon Dixon afterward delivered a 'lecture' on behalf of the cast that in part said, “We truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us."
Pence on Sunday said he, his daughter and her cousins “enjoyed the show” and that he “reminded them this is what freedom sounds like.”
Pence said he wasn’t offended and that he didn’t want an apology.
“I’ll leave it to others to decide if [the stage] was the appropriate venue,” he said.
Pence also said that he wants to “reassure” Americans that President-elect Donald Trump will be fulfilling the promise he made in his victory speech to create a government that is for “all people of the United States.”
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Pence, a Republican, attended the show Friday night. Actor Brandon Dixon afterward delivered a 'lecture' on behalf of the cast that in part said, “We truly hope this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us. All of us."
Pence on Sunday said he, his daughter and her cousins “enjoyed the show” and that he “reminded them this is what freedom sounds like.”
Pence said he wasn’t offended and that he didn’t want an apology.
“I’ll leave it to others to decide if [the stage] was the appropriate venue,” he said.
Pence also said that he wants to “reassure” Americans that President-elect Donald Trump will be fulfilling the promise he made in his victory speech to create a government that is for “all people of the United States.”
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AGITATOR-IN-CHIEF: Obama wouldn't advise anti-Trump protesters 'to be silent'
On his way out the door, President Obama is embracing his street organizer roots and encouraging protesters against Donald Trump’s presidency to not be silent.
Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Obama said, “One of the great things about our democracy is it expresses itself in all sorts of ways. And that includes people protesting.
“I’ve been the subject of protests during the course of my eight years. And I suspect that there’s not a president in our history that at some point hasn’t been subject to these protests.
“So I would not advise people would feel strongly or are concerned about some of the issues that have been raised during the course of the campaign, I wouldn’t advise them to be silent. What I would advise, what I advised before the election and what I will continue to advise after the election is that elections matter.”
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Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Obama said, “One of the great things about our democracy is it expresses itself in all sorts of ways. And that includes people protesting.
“I’ve been the subject of protests during the course of my eight years. And I suspect that there’s not a president in our history that at some point hasn’t been subject to these protests.
“So I would not advise people would feel strongly or are concerned about some of the issues that have been raised during the course of the campaign, I wouldn’t advise them to be silent. What I would advise, what I advised before the election and what I will continue to advise after the election is that elections matter.”
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Using Saul Alinsky's Rules For Radicals Against Liberals
Saul Alinsky was a brilliant man. Evil, but brilliant.
Unfortunately, whether we like it or not, everyone on the Left from the President on down is playing by his rules in the political arena. Not all liberals have read his book or know his name, but his tactics have become universal.
Sadly for conservatives, when two evenly matched forces go head-to-head outside of a fairy tale, the side that tries to play nice usually ends up with its head in a box. So, don't lie or become an evil person like Alinsky, but learn from what he wrote and give the Left a taste of its own medicine.
For example-- Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. Conservatives have a tendency to try to win every debate with logic and recitations of facts which, all too often, fail to get the job done because emotions and mockery [used by the left] are often just as effective as reason. The good news is that liberals almost never have logic on their side; so they're incapable of rationally making the case for their policies while conservatives can become considerably more effective debaters by simply adding some emotion-based arguments and sheer scorn to their discourse.
There's much more here..
Unfortunately, whether we like it or not, everyone on the Left from the President on down is playing by his rules in the political arena. Not all liberals have read his book or know his name, but his tactics have become universal.
Sadly for conservatives, when two evenly matched forces go head-to-head outside of a fairy tale, the side that tries to play nice usually ends up with its head in a box. So, don't lie or become an evil person like Alinsky, but learn from what he wrote and give the Left a taste of its own medicine.
For example-- Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon. Conservatives have a tendency to try to win every debate with logic and recitations of facts which, all too often, fail to get the job done because emotions and mockery [used by the left] are often just as effective as reason. The good news is that liberals almost never have logic on their side; so they're incapable of rationally making the case for their policies while conservatives can become considerably more effective debaters by simply adding some emotion-based arguments and sheer scorn to their discourse.
There's much more here..
Salisbury Police Officer Shot Someone Last Night, Where's The Press Release?
New York Governor Unveils Hate-Crime Unit, Plans Taxpayer-Funded Defense Of Criminal Illegal Immigrants
It seems that even the Governor of the great state of New York is incapable of discerning 'real' from 'fake' news when it doesn't fit his narrative. Proclaiming that "if there is a move to deport immigrants then I say start with me," Andrew Cuomo appears to have missed Trump's proposal focused on ridding America of 'criminal illegal immigrants' and plans "toprovide immigrants who can't afford their own defense the legal assistance they need.. because in New York, we believe in justice for all."
Before his address today, Cuomo tweeted...
Apparently under the belief that committing crimes is part of the American ideal? Because no immigrants are being expelled unless they are criminal AND illegal (which seems fair to many). As Trump explained...
“What we are going to do is get the people that are criminal
and have criminal records, gang members, drug dealers, where a lot of
these people, probably two million, it could be even three million, we
are getting them out of our country or we are going to incarcerate,” the president-elect said in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" to air Sunday evening. “But we’re getting them out of our country, they’re here illegally.”After the border is "secure," Trump said, his administration will
begin to make a "determination" about what to do with the remaining
undocumented immigrants in the U.S.“After the border is secure and after everything gets normalized,
we’re going to make a determination on the people that they’re talking
about who are terrific people, they’re terrific people but we are gonna
make a determination at that,” he said. “But before we make that determination...it’s very important, we are going to secure our border.”
But don't let facts get in the way of a good divisive narrative...
Hogan suggests Maryland take 'deep breath' after election
The Republican governor said he would not comment on the president-elect's staff appointments, which have been criticized by senior Maryland Democrats as "deeply troubling."
He addressed what Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh called an "upwelling" of hate crimes by acknowledging "some things are happening across the state."
But he also said the Maryland State Police have received no reports about such incidents.
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5 Times When The Mainstream Media "Created Fake News"... And People Died As A Result
While the powers that be are determining the fate of alternative media voices that are now branded under the dubious label “fake news” and blacked out from online search results, it is worth keeping in mind all the disinformation and downright lies that have been perpetrated by the corporate news media – typically hand in hand with a political agenda.
Whether it is lies that took us to war, or the perception that a deadly attack was carried out by a certain group, the impressions they create play a significant role in determining world events. Often times, that role is one of deception, ensnaring people into supporting deadly and costly actions – in spite of the true facts.
These misleaders are the fake news, and the fake news problem has helped to ruin this country.
5 Times Corporate Media Got Caught Publishing Fake News Causing the Death & Suffering of Millions
Authored by Claire Bernish and originally published at The Free Thought Project.
A now-notorious list of ostensibly “fake” news sites — created by a liberal professor, seemingly out of thin air — spread like wildfire online in the past two days and was eagerly reprinted by corporate media presstitutes hoping to vindicate their own failed reporting on the 2016 election.
But branding perfectly legitimate outlets with the same scarlet letter as those devoid of integrity deemed the professor’s list a spurious attempt to defame alternative and independent media — anyone dissenting from the left’s mainstream narrative — as a whole.
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Whether it is lies that took us to war, or the perception that a deadly attack was carried out by a certain group, the impressions they create play a significant role in determining world events. Often times, that role is one of deception, ensnaring people into supporting deadly and costly actions – in spite of the true facts.
These misleaders are the fake news, and the fake news problem has helped to ruin this country.
5 Times Corporate Media Got Caught Publishing Fake News Causing the Death & Suffering of Millions
Authored by Claire Bernish and originally published at The Free Thought Project.
A now-notorious list of ostensibly “fake” news sites — created by a liberal professor, seemingly out of thin air — spread like wildfire online in the past two days and was eagerly reprinted by corporate media presstitutes hoping to vindicate their own failed reporting on the 2016 election.
But branding perfectly legitimate outlets with the same scarlet letter as those devoid of integrity deemed the professor’s list a spurious attempt to defame alternative and independent media — anyone dissenting from the left’s mainstream narrative — as a whole.
More
America Called 'Bullsh*t' on the Cult of Clinton
Trump’s win shows a willingness among Americans to blaspheme against 'saints' and reject the religion of hollow progressiveness.
If you want to see politics based on emotionalism over reason and a borderline-religious devotion to an iconic figure, forget the Trump Army; look instead to the Cult of Clinton.
Ever since Donald Trump won the presidential election, all eyes, and wringing hands, have been on the white blob who voted for him. These "loud, illiterate and credulous people," as a sap at Salon brands them, think on an "emotional level." Bill Moyers warned that ours is a "dark age of unreason," in which "low information" folks are lining up behind "The Trump Emotion Machine." Andrew Sullivan said Trump supporters relate to him as a "cult leader fused with the idea of the nation."
What's funny about this is not simply that it's the biggest chattering-class hissy fit of the 21st century so far — and chattering-class hissy fits are always funny. It's that whatever you think of Trump (I'm not a fan) or his supporters (I think they're mostly normal, good people), the fact is they've got nothing on the Clinton cult when it comes to creepy, pious worship of a politician.
By the Cult of Hillary Clinton, I don't mean the nearly 62 million Americans who voted for her. I have not one doubt that they are as mixed and normal a bag of people as the Trumpites are. No, I mean the Hillary machine—the celebs and activists and hacks who were so devoted to getting her elected and who have spent the past week sobbing and moaning over her loss. These people exhibit cult-like behavior far more than any Trump cheerer I've come across.
As with all saints and prophets, all human manifestations of light itself, the problem is never with them, but with us. We mortals are not worthy of Hillary. "Hillary didn't fail us, we failed her," asserted a writer for the Guardian. The press, and by extension the rest of us, "crucified her," claimed someone at Bustle. We always do that to messiahs, assholes that we are..
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If you want to see politics based on emotionalism over reason and a borderline-religious devotion to an iconic figure, forget the Trump Army; look instead to the Cult of Clinton.
Ever since Donald Trump won the presidential election, all eyes, and wringing hands, have been on the white blob who voted for him. These "loud, illiterate and credulous people," as a sap at Salon brands them, think on an "emotional level." Bill Moyers warned that ours is a "dark age of unreason," in which "low information" folks are lining up behind "The Trump Emotion Machine." Andrew Sullivan said Trump supporters relate to him as a "cult leader fused with the idea of the nation."
What's funny about this is not simply that it's the biggest chattering-class hissy fit of the 21st century so far — and chattering-class hissy fits are always funny. It's that whatever you think of Trump (I'm not a fan) or his supporters (I think they're mostly normal, good people), the fact is they've got nothing on the Clinton cult when it comes to creepy, pious worship of a politician.
By the Cult of Hillary Clinton, I don't mean the nearly 62 million Americans who voted for her. I have not one doubt that they are as mixed and normal a bag of people as the Trumpites are. No, I mean the Hillary machine—the celebs and activists and hacks who were so devoted to getting her elected and who have spent the past week sobbing and moaning over her loss. These people exhibit cult-like behavior far more than any Trump cheerer I've come across.
As with all saints and prophets, all human manifestations of light itself, the problem is never with them, but with us. We mortals are not worthy of Hillary. "Hillary didn't fail us, we failed her," asserted a writer for the Guardian. The press, and by extension the rest of us, "crucified her," claimed someone at Bustle. We always do that to messiahs, assholes that we are..
More
Outgoing President Shuts Down Border Aerial Surveillance Program
DHS officials quietly shutdown the military aerial support program known as Operation Phalanx, Watchdog.org reported. The program was created by President Obama in 2010 to provide National Guard resources to monitor drug smuggling operations and illegal border crossings by immigrants and human smugglers.
Despite the fact that the program was fully funded for FY 2017 by Congress, the DHS began scaling back the program in January, Breitbart Texas reported. The move prompted an objection from Texas Governor Greg Abbott and U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX). “Any decrease in aerial observation is not only imprudent, but contradicts the very mission of border security enforcement,” Abbott and Cuellar wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson.
Governor Abbott also responded to the report by Watchdog.org with a message on Twitter. “Obama is doing everything he can to open the border,” the governor tweeted. “January 20th can’t come soon enough.” He added that his deployment of Texas National Guard members will continue.
More here
Dykes Road Closed
THOMAS PAINE-TRUMP'S CHOICE FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Dear Reader,
President-Elect Donald J Trump has a history of promoting the right people when he is directly involved. After all, he turned a $1 million dollar loan into $10 Billion. That's a 10,000% increase. Bet you wish your broker was so skilled. At any rate, he strikes again showing his brilliance in recruiting with tapping Marine General Mad Dog Mattis for our Secretary of Defense. Mattis has a history as a fighter. Just Trump's kind. What I will share with you about a marine's thoughts on Mattis remains anonymous as to the respondent, but know this, he is quite qualified to speak about the issue. He had 3 tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is now a retired USMC Lt. Colonel who is highly decorated and most importantly, a thinker as well as a doer. Not much of that around these days.
Here's our text messages on the subject today.
Thomas: What do you think about Mad Dog Mattis for SECDEF?
Colonel: I think he will focus on improving our war fighting capabilities and less on social issues like women in the infantry and transgender facilities. I've met him several times. The first time was in Iraq, 2004 when he was the 1st Marine Division's general. He is very much a warrior general and is highly regarded among the Marines.
Thomas: I like that. My only thought is a military SECDEF instead of civilian, but I've wondered if it might be better to have a military SecDef.
Colonel: I personally think he would do a great job in restoring our military readiness. He understand the shortfalls that the military is facing, not just the Marine Corps but all the services. He understands where we need to focus our efforts to be prepared for the next war.
Thomas: That is key. What I like is he'll give Trump reasoned and experienced advice. I like that he's a Marine with all that entails. I like that his nickname is Mad Dog...which will give our adversaries pause.
Colonel: I don't know who gave him that nickname but for most of the time his nickname was Chaos.
Thomas: Poor leader?
Colonel: No. HIs nickname was Chaos because he would embrace the chaos. He was given that nickname in reverence.
Keep in mind that the Marine I've been in contact with came back to DC to work on readiness. He was troubled by the FACT that our equipment, Humvees, Tanks, Personnel Carriers, etc., were used up by the sand. He was concerned that the readiness was reduced as a result of repairs and refitting not being done. This would have compromised our troops in the event of deployment.
He also pointed out that Mad Dog's old nickname of Chaos came from Mattis embracing chaos. Little on the battlefield goes as planned and when fighting insurgencies, you rarely have military order as we'd define it coming from our enemies. Consequently embracing Chaos reduced the chaos on the battlefield. When the head of division isn't flustered, the troops have more confidence and we lose fewer men and women.
Of course DC could as easily stand for Distinct Chaos as opposed to District of Columbia, so he will fare well there. He might even show enough grit to stand up to the fraidycat liberal left. You know, the ones who hate police until they are robbed or assaulted. On Capital Hill, we need a warrior general to handle the lunatic left in the Houose and Senate.
So what do you think of General Mattis now? Reply with your comments below.
"He who dares not offend, cannot be honest."
Yours in the Constitution,
Thomas Paine
President-Elect Donald J Trump has a history of promoting the right people when he is directly involved. After all, he turned a $1 million dollar loan into $10 Billion. That's a 10,000% increase. Bet you wish your broker was so skilled. At any rate, he strikes again showing his brilliance in recruiting with tapping Marine General Mad Dog Mattis for our Secretary of Defense. Mattis has a history as a fighter. Just Trump's kind. What I will share with you about a marine's thoughts on Mattis remains anonymous as to the respondent, but know this, he is quite qualified to speak about the issue. He had 3 tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is now a retired USMC Lt. Colonel who is highly decorated and most importantly, a thinker as well as a doer. Not much of that around these days.
Here's our text messages on the subject today.
Thomas: What do you think about Mad Dog Mattis for SECDEF?
Colonel: I think he will focus on improving our war fighting capabilities and less on social issues like women in the infantry and transgender facilities. I've met him several times. The first time was in Iraq, 2004 when he was the 1st Marine Division's general. He is very much a warrior general and is highly regarded among the Marines.
Thomas: I like that. My only thought is a military SECDEF instead of civilian, but I've wondered if it might be better to have a military SecDef.
Colonel: I personally think he would do a great job in restoring our military readiness. He understand the shortfalls that the military is facing, not just the Marine Corps but all the services. He understands where we need to focus our efforts to be prepared for the next war.
Thomas: That is key. What I like is he'll give Trump reasoned and experienced advice. I like that he's a Marine with all that entails. I like that his nickname is Mad Dog...which will give our adversaries pause.
Colonel: I don't know who gave him that nickname but for most of the time his nickname was Chaos.
Thomas: Poor leader?
Colonel: No. HIs nickname was Chaos because he would embrace the chaos. He was given that nickname in reverence.
Keep in mind that the Marine I've been in contact with came back to DC to work on readiness. He was troubled by the FACT that our equipment, Humvees, Tanks, Personnel Carriers, etc., were used up by the sand. He was concerned that the readiness was reduced as a result of repairs and refitting not being done. This would have compromised our troops in the event of deployment.
He also pointed out that Mad Dog's old nickname of Chaos came from Mattis embracing chaos. Little on the battlefield goes as planned and when fighting insurgencies, you rarely have military order as we'd define it coming from our enemies. Consequently embracing Chaos reduced the chaos on the battlefield. When the head of division isn't flustered, the troops have more confidence and we lose fewer men and women.
Of course DC could as easily stand for Distinct Chaos as opposed to District of Columbia, so he will fare well there. He might even show enough grit to stand up to the fraidycat liberal left. You know, the ones who hate police until they are robbed or assaulted. On Capital Hill, we need a warrior general to handle the lunatic left in the Houose and Senate.
So what do you think of General Mattis now? Reply with your comments below.
"He who dares not offend, cannot be honest."
Yours in the Constitution,
Thomas Paine
Tom Hanks Hopes to Vote For Trump in Four Years
Whether the actor agrees with something or not, Hanks always keeps an open mind no matter the topic.
On Tuesday, Hanks was honored at the Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) 9th annual Film Benefit in New York.
While Hanks willingly accepted the honor, he wasn’t so quick to dismiss President-elect Trump. As usual, Hanks kept it upbeat, saying, “We are going to be all right.”
Hanks continued:
America has been in worse places than we are at right now. In my own lifetime, our streets were in chaos, our generations were fighting each other tooth and nail.. That’s all right.
We have this magnificent thing that is in place. It’s a magnificent document and it starts off with the phrases that, if you’re smart enough, you’ve memorized in school or just read enough to that you could put it by heart, or you watched those things on ABC where they taught you a little song in order to sing. And the song goes, 'We the people, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare,' and it goes on and on. That document is going to protect us over and over again, whether or not our neighbors preserve, protect and defend it themselves..
More here
The Hillary Clinton Defeat Party?
MEDIA GATHER IN WASHINGTON D.C. TO CONGRATULATE THEMSELVES ON 2016 “COVERAGE …”
Whatever happens in America moving forward, 2016 will forever be remembered as the year objective journalism died. Seriously, whether you liked or disliked GOP presidential nominee (now president-elect) Donald Trump – there can be no denying his candidacy for the White House was subjected to harshly one-sided, overtly biased, overwhelmingly negative media coverage.
For months on end …
Oh, and before anyone plays the “Trump got tons of free advertising in the primary” card – don’t forget a lot of that “free advertising” was a well-organized corporate media attempt to destroy his candidacy.
Anyway, many of the mainstream media outlets that were roped in line behind failed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will gather in Washington, D.C. this week for “A Toast to the Political Press Corps.”
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Whatever happens in America moving forward, 2016 will forever be remembered as the year objective journalism died. Seriously, whether you liked or disliked GOP presidential nominee (now president-elect) Donald Trump – there can be no denying his candidacy for the White House was subjected to harshly one-sided, overtly biased, overwhelmingly negative media coverage.
For months on end …
Oh, and before anyone plays the “Trump got tons of free advertising in the primary” card – don’t forget a lot of that “free advertising” was a well-organized corporate media attempt to destroy his candidacy.
Anyway, many of the mainstream media outlets that were roped in line behind failed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will gather in Washington, D.C. this week for “A Toast to the Political Press Corps.”
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A message From Sheriff Reggie Mason.
There will be Off-Duty Deputy Sheriff's during The Holiday Season at Walmart and Tanger Outlets . I want all of our County Residents and Visitors to know that we will do everything possible to make your shopping a safe one. This service is being paid by these two business, with no expense to our taxpayers. Regular patrols will be checking other businesses as well . My job as Your Sheriff, is to see that you are safe as possible and this is just one way I feel we can make 2016 a safe and enjoyable time to close out the year.
Snopes says fake news isn't the problem — the media is
The day after the election, news began swirling around social media that New York Timescolumnist David Brooks had called for President-elect Donald Trump’s assassination. Snopes managing editor Brooke Binkowski had a feeling it was fake. Because, come on now, would a prominent columnist for a reputable news outlet really make that kind of comment?
Snopes has made its business out of correcting the misunderstood satire, malicious falsehoods, and poorly informed gossip that echoes across the internet — and that business is booming. Traffic jumped 85 percent over the past year to 13.6 million unique visitors in October, according to comScore. The site supports itself through advertising, and in the last three years it has made enough money to quadruple the size of its staff.
Sure enough, a bit of Snopes reporting revealed that Brooks had written a column saying Trump would likely resign or be impeached within a year. A news item published on The Rightists claimed Brooks had then said in an interview for KYRQ Radio New York that Trump should be killed. Snopes found The Rightists doesn’t even pretend to traffic in truth. In the site’s “about” section, it describes itself this way: “This is HYBRID site of news and satire. part [sic] of our stories already happens, part, not yet. NOT all of our stories are true!” What’s more, the story’s facts didn’t add up. For example, the site claimed Brooks had made the comments on a radio station — KYRQ — that didn’t exist.
Verdict: FALSE.
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Snopes has made its business out of correcting the misunderstood satire, malicious falsehoods, and poorly informed gossip that echoes across the internet — and that business is booming. Traffic jumped 85 percent over the past year to 13.6 million unique visitors in October, according to comScore. The site supports itself through advertising, and in the last three years it has made enough money to quadruple the size of its staff.
Sure enough, a bit of Snopes reporting revealed that Brooks had written a column saying Trump would likely resign or be impeached within a year. A news item published on The Rightists claimed Brooks had then said in an interview for KYRQ Radio New York that Trump should be killed. Snopes found The Rightists doesn’t even pretend to traffic in truth. In the site’s “about” section, it describes itself this way: “This is HYBRID site of news and satire. part [sic] of our stories already happens, part, not yet. NOT all of our stories are true!” What’s more, the story’s facts didn’t add up. For example, the site claimed Brooks had made the comments on a radio station — KYRQ — that didn’t exist.
Verdict: FALSE.
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NBC News under fire for misleading tweets about Trump chief of staff's answer on Muslim registry
NBC News came under fire Sunday morning for a pair of tweets that removed context from an answer Reince Priebus, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for White House chief of staff, offered on the idea of a Muslim registry.
Priebus appeared “Meet the Press” and was asked by host Chuck Todd if he could rule out the idea of placing Muslims on a registry.
Here was the exchange:
TODD: Can you equivocally rule out a registry for Muslims?
PRIEBUS: Look, I’m not going to rule out anything. But, we are not going to have a registry based on religion.
The public relations account for NBC News tweeted out the exchange twice, but left out the second part of Priebus’ response:
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Priebus appeared “Meet the Press” and was asked by host Chuck Todd if he could rule out the idea of placing Muslims on a registry.
Here was the exchange:
TODD: Can you equivocally rule out a registry for Muslims?
PRIEBUS: Look, I’m not going to rule out anything. But, we are not going to have a registry based on religion.
The public relations account for NBC News tweeted out the exchange twice, but left out the second part of Priebus’ response:
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Official: 6 dead in Chattanooga elementary school bus crash
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Bloodied students lay on stretchers, while other children walked away dazed with their parents after an elementary school bus crash that killed six Monday in Chattanooga.
Chattanooga police Chief Fred Fletcher said the crash was “every public safety professional’s worst nightmare.”
The bus was carrying 35 children from Woodmore Elementary, students in kindergarten through fifth grade, when it crashed about 3:30 p.m., turned on its side and wrapped around a tree.
Fletcher said police were interviewing the bus driver to determine what happened and told reporters later that investigators were looking at speed “very, very strongly” as a factor. The bus was the only vehicle involved but the crash scene covers a significant area, he said.
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