DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, December 09, 2016
'Thousands' of geese die in toxic Montana pit mine
Thousands of migrating snow geese died after landing in contaminated pit mine waters in Montana, mine officials have said.
Officials estimate that as many as 25,000 birds landed in the Berkeley Pit last week, and since then have been seen dropping dead in the area.
Mine workers tried to prevent the birds from landing in the acidic wastewater, but were overwhelmed by their number.
Each year several birds are found floating dead there, but never so many.
"I can't underscore enough how many birds were in the Butte area that night," said Mark Thompson, an environmental affairs manager for Montana Resources, which controls the pit mine along with Atlantic Richfield.
More
Officials estimate that as many as 25,000 birds landed in the Berkeley Pit last week, and since then have been seen dropping dead in the area.
Mine workers tried to prevent the birds from landing in the acidic wastewater, but were overwhelmed by their number.
Each year several birds are found floating dead there, but never so many.
"I can't underscore enough how many birds were in the Butte area that night," said Mark Thompson, an environmental affairs manager for Montana Resources, which controls the pit mine along with Atlantic Richfield.
More
Traffic Stop Results in Two Criminal Arrests After Interstate Pursuit
The suspects are identified as Aaron Logan Jordan, 27, of Easton and Daniel Dylan Hicks, 23, of St. Michaels. After consultation with the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, both were charged with second degree burglary, theft over $1,000, motor vehicle theft, fleeing and eluding, and other pending criminal and traffic charges. Both are currently at the Glen Burnie Barrack waiting to be seen by a court commissioner.
At 2:45 a.m. this morning, a trooper from the Glen Burnie Barrack initiated a traffic stop for a speed violation on a white 1996 Dodge Ram pickup truck traveling northbound on Route 10 at Route 170. As the trooper exited his patrol car and approached the truck, the driver accelerated and fled the scene. The trooper ran back to his vehicle and a police pursuit ensued.
Hicks, the alleged driver of the truck, continued northbound on Route 10 to northbound I-695 and attempted to take the ramp to northbound Route 295, but swerved on the approach. The truck hit the guardrail, flipped and came to rest on it’s roof. Moments later, the two occupants escaped and continued to flee on foot in two different directions.
Troopers were able to apprehend both occupants a short distance away from the crash. They were transported by ambulance: one occupant was transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and the other was transported to Baltimore Washington Medical Center. Both were examined and released and transported to the Glen Burnie Barrack for processing.
Troopers on the scene noticed a large number of power tools and farm equipment that was ejected from the truck as a result of the crash. Items included chain and circular saws, nail guns, a sander and an air compressor, among other tools and equipment.
A cooperative investigation between the Criminal Enforcement Division in Easton and troopers from the Glen Burnie and Easton Barracks, led to the identification of the truck’s owner which Hicks and Jordan were driving at the time of the crash. The truck was registered to an owner in St. Michaels, Maryland.
When investigators from the Easton Barrack attempted to locate the owner at his home in the 9,000 block of North Claiborne Road in St. Michaels, they noticed his detached garage appeared to have been burglarized. Crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensics Division immediately responded to process the scene for evidence.
Once the owner was contacted by investigators, he advised the items found at the crash scene were stored in his detached garage and in his truck. The owner advised police he had not known his truck had been stolen nor his garage burglarized.
No police officers or other citizens were injured during the incident. The investigation continues.
Life Expectancy In U.S. Drops For First Time In Decades, Report Finds
One of the fundamental ways scientists measure the well-being of a nation is tracking the rate at which its citizens die and how long they can be expected to live.
So the news out of the federal government Thursday is disturbing: The overall U.S. death rate has increased for the first time in a decade, according to an analysis of the latest data. And that led to a drop in overall life expectancy for the first time since 1993, particularly among people younger than 65.
"This is a big deal," says Philip Morgan, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the new analysis.
"There's not a better indicator of well-being than life expectancy," he says. "The fact that it's leveling off in the U.S. is a striking finding."
More
So the news out of the federal government Thursday is disturbing: The overall U.S. death rate has increased for the first time in a decade, according to an analysis of the latest data. And that led to a drop in overall life expectancy for the first time since 1993, particularly among people younger than 65.
"This is a big deal," says Philip Morgan, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the new analysis.
"There's not a better indicator of well-being than life expectancy," he says. "The fact that it's leveling off in the U.S. is a striking finding."
More
A secret to sustainable development might be right before our eyes
George Washington had Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson had Monticello.
Now President-elect Donald Trump has his eponymous Manhattan skyscraper, Trump Tower.
Our first and third presidents saw their plantations as both productive and symbolic of American identity that was rooted in the land itself.
President-elect Trump looks out from his tower onto a dense, dynamic cityscape that represents American capitalism.
Washington lavished huge amounts of attention and money on building and furnishing Mount Vernon. Jefferson spent practically his entire adult life constructing, expanding and renovating Monticello. Trump Tower is loaded with polished metal and stone and clad in reflective glass.
Will it stand just for the questionable taste of the one percent, or could it stimulate more creative, sustainable approaches to urban development?
Initially, this might sound far-fetched. After all, Donald Trump, during the recent presidential campaign, refuted many of the environmental movement’s tenets, most notably climate change. Commentators have worried that he will, at best, fail to provide leadership on environmental issues and, at worst, embolden polluters and climate change deniers.
But especially now that we know that Trump’s wife and son, Barron, will continue to reside in Manhattan, the president-elect is at least bringing attention to the urban tower as a residential building type. And some architects and urbanists believe that the skyscraper offers one important solution to climate issues.
Yes, building and operating tall buildings require massive amounts of energy. But skyscrapers can also provide adequate housing in high-demand areas, reduce energy use and pollution when built over transportation hubs and preserve green space and agricultural land through their relatively small footprints.
More
Now President-elect Donald Trump has his eponymous Manhattan skyscraper, Trump Tower.
Our first and third presidents saw their plantations as both productive and symbolic of American identity that was rooted in the land itself.
President-elect Trump looks out from his tower onto a dense, dynamic cityscape that represents American capitalism.
Washington lavished huge amounts of attention and money on building and furnishing Mount Vernon. Jefferson spent practically his entire adult life constructing, expanding and renovating Monticello. Trump Tower is loaded with polished metal and stone and clad in reflective glass.
Will it stand just for the questionable taste of the one percent, or could it stimulate more creative, sustainable approaches to urban development?
Initially, this might sound far-fetched. After all, Donald Trump, during the recent presidential campaign, refuted many of the environmental movement’s tenets, most notably climate change. Commentators have worried that he will, at best, fail to provide leadership on environmental issues and, at worst, embolden polluters and climate change deniers.
But especially now that we know that Trump’s wife and son, Barron, will continue to reside in Manhattan, the president-elect is at least bringing attention to the urban tower as a residential building type. And some architects and urbanists believe that the skyscraper offers one important solution to climate issues.
Yes, building and operating tall buildings require massive amounts of energy. But skyscrapers can also provide adequate housing in high-demand areas, reduce energy use and pollution when built over transportation hubs and preserve green space and agricultural land through their relatively small footprints.
More
Prince George's liquor chair gets DUI on MGM casino opening night
Prince George’s County police responded to a report of an accident around 11:40 p.m. When they arrived, officers found Charles W Caldwell, III, behind the wheel with a “strong odor” of alcohol. Caldwell, 72, refused to take a breathalyzer test and police said he failed a field sobriety test.
He was arrested and charged with DUI and was released a few hours later.
More
Michael Jordan just won a landmark case over Chinese copycats
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's highest court has ruled in favor of former basketball star Michael Jordan in a long-running trademark case relating to a local sportswear firm using the Chinese version of his name, overturning earlier rulings against the athlete.
The former Chicago Bulls player sued Qiaodan Sports in 2012, saying the company located in southern Fujian province had built its business around his Chinese name and famous jersey number "23" without his permission.
In 2015 a court ruled in favor of Qiaodan Sports over the trademark dispute, a ruling which was then upheld by the Beijing Municipal High People's Court. After that ruling Jordan's legal team said they would take the case to China's top court.
The Chinese characters for Jordan's name read as "Qiaodan" in basketball-mad China, which also has a homegrown superstar in former Houston Rockets player Yao Ming.
On Thursday, China's Supreme People's Court overturned earlier rulings in favor of Qiaodan Sports using the characters for Jordan's Chinese name, although upheld a ruling allowing the firm to use the Romanized version "Qiaodan".
More
The former Chicago Bulls player sued Qiaodan Sports in 2012, saying the company located in southern Fujian province had built its business around his Chinese name and famous jersey number "23" without his permission.
In 2015 a court ruled in favor of Qiaodan Sports over the trademark dispute, a ruling which was then upheld by the Beijing Municipal High People's Court. After that ruling Jordan's legal team said they would take the case to China's top court.
The Chinese characters for Jordan's name read as "Qiaodan" in basketball-mad China, which also has a homegrown superstar in former Houston Rockets player Yao Ming.
On Thursday, China's Supreme People's Court overturned earlier rulings in favor of Qiaodan Sports using the characters for Jordan's Chinese name, although upheld a ruling allowing the firm to use the Romanized version "Qiaodan".
More
Life Sentence For Nephew’s Death
On Saturday, May 2, 2015, a Virginia couple dropped off their son at the Pocomoke home of Kevin M. Sewell, then 27, and his wife. Sewell was the child’s uncle and the couple had dropped the 3-year-old off at his house for an overnight visit. When the child was returned to the couple the following day at their home in Accomack County, he had suffered severe trauma to his head and abdomen along with other injuries. The child was taken to Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter in Norfolk where he died of injuries sustained while in his uncle’s care.
More
Giraffes are facing extinction after a devastating 40% drop in population
Giraffes are at risk of becoming extinct after numbers have plummeted by up to 40 per cent in 30 years, conservationists have warned.
The global population of the world’s tallest mammal has declined from more than 150,000 in the 1980s to less than 100,000 in 2015.
Growing human population, loss of habitat through agriculture and mining, illegal hunting and human conflict in the Africancountries they habituate are all taking their toll on the animal.
Now the species has been classed as “vulnerable to extinction” on the latest global Red List of Threatened Species.
The assessment, done by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also revealed a worsening situation for African grey parrots.
More
The global population of the world’s tallest mammal has declined from more than 150,000 in the 1980s to less than 100,000 in 2015.
Growing human population, loss of habitat through agriculture and mining, illegal hunting and human conflict in the Africancountries they habituate are all taking their toll on the animal.
Now the species has been classed as “vulnerable to extinction” on the latest global Red List of Threatened Species.
The assessment, done by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), also revealed a worsening situation for African grey parrots.
More
Lawsuits against JC Penney, Sears, Kohl's, Macy's claim retailers duped customers
The separate lawsuits alleging deceptive advertising were filed against J.C. Penney, Sears, Kohl's and Macy's, according to the Los Angeles city attorney's office.
"Customers have the right to be told the truth about the prices they're paying — and to know if a bargain is really a bargain," Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a statement.
Feuer said the retailers falsely advertised higher regular prices for merchandise so customers believed they were getting bigger bargains.
More
Why you should take advantage of this widely ignored part of Amazon to save money
Whether you're a geek or not, you have to admit there's something satisfying about buying something that's brand new. Even if it's something that millions of people own, like a smartphone or TV, this one is yours.
It was for that reason, and a couple of others, that I was always wary of buying refurbished or open-box products — especially tech.
Refurbished means it was broken, right? Isn't it just going to break again? Ditto for open-box products; if someone bought something and didn't like it, why should I?
Those questions, and the last one in particular started to become more flimsy the more I started thinking about them. Yes, something may have been broken once, but would a manufacturer go through the process of fixing and recertifying it just to have it returned again? If someone I've never met and will never know returned a product, how could I know why they did it?
For example, I don't like bass-heavy headphones. If you do and bought a more neutral-sounding pair, you might return them because they don't work for you. If I picked up the same pair you returned as an open-box item, I might be perfectly happy with them, and save some money. Money-saving became a big reason I started to think about buying used, refurbished, and open-box products, especially after realizing my arguments against them didn't hold up.
It also helped when I realized that retailers like Best Buy and Amazon sell open-box and refurbished items with the same return policy as their normal products. That means I wouldn't have a fight ahead of me if my former fears about used tech came true.
More
It was for that reason, and a couple of others, that I was always wary of buying refurbished or open-box products — especially tech.
Refurbished means it was broken, right? Isn't it just going to break again? Ditto for open-box products; if someone bought something and didn't like it, why should I?
Those questions, and the last one in particular started to become more flimsy the more I started thinking about them. Yes, something may have been broken once, but would a manufacturer go through the process of fixing and recertifying it just to have it returned again? If someone I've never met and will never know returned a product, how could I know why they did it?
For example, I don't like bass-heavy headphones. If you do and bought a more neutral-sounding pair, you might return them because they don't work for you. If I picked up the same pair you returned as an open-box item, I might be perfectly happy with them, and save some money. Money-saving became a big reason I started to think about buying used, refurbished, and open-box products, especially after realizing my arguments against them didn't hold up.
It also helped when I realized that retailers like Best Buy and Amazon sell open-box and refurbished items with the same return policy as their normal products. That means I wouldn't have a fight ahead of me if my former fears about used tech came true.
More
Commission puts $3B price tag on improving public education in Maryland
Nearly four months into a new academic year and money is still a very important topic of conversation in the schoolhouse , and among members of a newly-appointed Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education.
The group, appointed by the governor and top lawmakers, now has a pretty good idea of the price tag for improving Maryland schools.
The group is led by retired University System of Maryland Chancellor Dr. William Kirwan. The group got its first official report from a Denver-based consulting firm. The firm said it'll take close to an extra $3 billion to begin the process of improving public education.
"It's not just about money. It's how you spend the money, and we'll be very focused on that as we go forward with our work because that's how we are going to make a difference in the kids," said Dr. William Kirwan, chairman on the commission.
More
The group, appointed by the governor and top lawmakers, now has a pretty good idea of the price tag for improving Maryland schools.
The group is led by retired University System of Maryland Chancellor Dr. William Kirwan. The group got its first official report from a Denver-based consulting firm. The firm said it'll take close to an extra $3 billion to begin the process of improving public education.
"It's not just about money. It's how you spend the money, and we'll be very focused on that as we go forward with our work because that's how we are going to make a difference in the kids," said Dr. William Kirwan, chairman on the commission.
More
Accident At Sixty Foot Road
It's becoming less and less likely that Sears can save itself
Sears reported its 20th straight quarterly decline on Thursday and acknowledged that the company has "fallen short" of expectations for a recovery.
The company said revenue fell 12.5% to $5 billion in the third quarter.
Same-store sales dropped 7.4%, including a 10% decrease at Sears stores and a 4.4% decrease at Kmart stores.
Sears' cash and equivalents fell 12% to $258 million in the period.
The company said it will continue to accelerate store closures to help stop the bleeding.
Sears is shutting down 64 Kmart stores this month, following the closure of nearly 80 Sears and Kmart stores in July.
"We understand the concerns related to our operating performance," Sears Chief Financial Officer Jason Hollar said in a pre-recorded conference call. "We have fallen short on our own time-table for achieving the profitability that we believe the company is capable of generating. With that said, the team remains fully committed to restoring profitability to our company and creating meaningful value."
Addressing widespread speculation about a potential Sears bankruptcy, Hollar reiterated that the company has a "rich asset base" to draw from in order to stay in operation.
"We believe that our liquidity needs will be satisfied through the foreseeable future using the levers available to us through our portfolio of assets," Hollar said.
More
The company said revenue fell 12.5% to $5 billion in the third quarter.
Same-store sales dropped 7.4%, including a 10% decrease at Sears stores and a 4.4% decrease at Kmart stores.
Sears' cash and equivalents fell 12% to $258 million in the period.
The company said it will continue to accelerate store closures to help stop the bleeding.
Sears is shutting down 64 Kmart stores this month, following the closure of nearly 80 Sears and Kmart stores in July.
"We understand the concerns related to our operating performance," Sears Chief Financial Officer Jason Hollar said in a pre-recorded conference call. "We have fallen short on our own time-table for achieving the profitability that we believe the company is capable of generating. With that said, the team remains fully committed to restoring profitability to our company and creating meaningful value."
Addressing widespread speculation about a potential Sears bankruptcy, Hollar reiterated that the company has a "rich asset base" to draw from in order to stay in operation.
"We believe that our liquidity needs will be satisfied through the foreseeable future using the levers available to us through our portfolio of assets," Hollar said.
More
Ohio lawmakers pass Republican 20-week abortion ban proposal
Abortions would be banned after 20 weeks under a bill Republican lawmakers passed Thursday, adding to legislation already on its way to Republican Gov. John Kasich that would prohibit abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
The House voted 64-29 to pass the bill already approved by the Senate.
During early debate the House rejected a Democratic proposal to add rape and incest to exceptions in the bill.
More
The House voted 64-29 to pass the bill already approved by the Senate.
During early debate the House rejected a Democratic proposal to add rape and incest to exceptions in the bill.
More
Mexican Cartel Manufactured Grenades in Texas, Say Police
McALLEN, Texas — Federal authorities have arrested five Texas men and one Mexican national for their alleged roles in the manufacturing of grenades destined for Mexican drug cartels.
On Tuesday, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 40-year-old Pedro Vega, 24-year-old Alfredo Rivera, 23-year-old Celin Javier Montoya, 20-year-old Anthony Ozuna, and 19-year-old Noe Gonzalez, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed. Authorities also arrested 19-year-old Jonathan Sanchez Torres, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico.
The arrests come after an undercover investigation where BATFE and HSI agents posed as buyers for dozens of homemade grenades. The explosives were made after the group allegedly spent six months purchasing various items to complete the order from local stores and online merchants, information from the DOJ revealed. The items reportedly purchased included grenade hulls, spring kits, fuses, and black powder.
More
On Tuesday, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 40-year-old Pedro Vega, 24-year-old Alfredo Rivera, 23-year-old Celin Javier Montoya, 20-year-old Anthony Ozuna, and 19-year-old Noe Gonzalez, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed. Authorities also arrested 19-year-old Jonathan Sanchez Torres, a 19-year-old illegal alien from Mexico.
The arrests come after an undercover investigation where BATFE and HSI agents posed as buyers for dozens of homemade grenades. The explosives were made after the group allegedly spent six months purchasing various items to complete the order from local stores and online merchants, information from the DOJ revealed. The items reportedly purchased included grenade hulls, spring kits, fuses, and black powder.
More
Drought persisting across Maryland despite recent rain
A burst of wet weather to end November did not ease a drought that continues to develop across Maryland.
About 42 percent of the state is in a moderate drought, according to an update posted Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The drought stretches from Prince George's County to the south, Washington County to the west and Cecil County to the east. That includes Baltimore City, all of Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties and the northern half of Anne Arundel County.
More
About 42 percent of the state is in a moderate drought, according to an update posted Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The drought stretches from Prince George's County to the south, Washington County to the west and Cecil County to the east. That includes Baltimore City, all of Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties and the northern half of Anne Arundel County.
More
Report: Advisers Working On Mid-January ‘Farewell Tour’ for Obama
On Wednesday’s broadcast of “Fox & Friends,” Fox News Chief National Correspondent reported, “I’m hearing this morning that, quietly behind the scenes, advisers to President Obama are working on sort of a farewell tour in mid-January.”
Henry said, “I’m hearing this morning that, quietly behind the scenes, advisers to President Obama are working on sort of a farewell tour in mid-January. I’m told there’s at least three cities, that President Obama will be giving major speeches in arenas. one of them is Chicago, his sort of adopted hometown. they’re looking at the United Center there, where the Chicago Bulls play.”
More
Henry said, “I’m hearing this morning that, quietly behind the scenes, advisers to President Obama are working on sort of a farewell tour in mid-January. I’m told there’s at least three cities, that President Obama will be giving major speeches in arenas. one of them is Chicago, his sort of adopted hometown. they’re looking at the United Center there, where the Chicago Bulls play.”
More
Evergreen won’t renew individual health benefit policies
 Important Announcement about Evergreen Health Cooperative Inc. | |
|
Baltimore — Evergreen Health Cooperative Inc. (“Evergreen” or “company”) will not be issuing or renewing individual health benefit policies, both on and off Maryland Health Connection (“Exchange”).
“After many months of working closely with Evergreen management, leadership at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and outside investors to find a workable solution, we have run out of time to meet the deadline for a January 1 effective date. We remain committed to a viable, competitive insurance industry in Maryland,” said Commissioner Al Redmer, Jr.
Evergreen is a start-up health maintenance organization (HMO) organized as a not-for-profit Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (“CO-OP”) under the Affordable Care Act and was licensed by the Maryland Insurance Administration on March 28, 2013. CO-OPs were sponsored by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to increase competition among insurance companies.
This means that Evergreen Health plans are not available on Maryland Health Connection for the 2017 plan year (for policies effective January 1, 2017). |
Federal defense bill has $83 million for Dover base
DOVER — The National Defense Authorization Act passed by the Senate Thursday includes $83 million for Dover Air Force Base.
The bill, which passed the House of Representatives last week, is expected to be signed into law soon.
The measure allocates $39 million for a new hangar that can fit an entire plane and $41.1 million to replace Welsh Elementary School and Dover Middle School, both of which are located on Dover Air Force Base’s grounds.
More
Woman Gives FBI Novel Excuse for Child Porn on Her Cell Phone
A woman arrested for having child porn on her cell phone gave the FBI a unique excuse for collecting the images. It was, she allegedly said, a “coping mechanism.”
Imperial, Pennsylvania, resident Kaitlin Plascjak, 28, was arrested after the FBI received a tip about what they might find on her phone and home computers, according to PennLive.com.
But upon her arrest, Plascjak had a ready excuse for officials. She reportedly said she began to view and collect child porn in 2006 as a way to cope because she was molested as a child.According to a police report, Plascjak said that she “has no children and viewing child pornography is a coping mechanism for her because she was molested when she was younger.”
The criminal complaint says that chat application Skype reported that child porn images were transmitted to a device linked to an IP address at the home in which Plascjak was living. An investigation revealed several other instances, as well.
More
Imperial, Pennsylvania, resident Kaitlin Plascjak, 28, was arrested after the FBI received a tip about what they might find on her phone and home computers, according to PennLive.com.
But upon her arrest, Plascjak had a ready excuse for officials. She reportedly said she began to view and collect child porn in 2006 as a way to cope because she was molested as a child.According to a police report, Plascjak said that she “has no children and viewing child pornography is a coping mechanism for her because she was molested when she was younger.”
The criminal complaint says that chat application Skype reported that child porn images were transmitted to a device linked to an IP address at the home in which Plascjak was living. An investigation revealed several other instances, as well.
More
News Alert: Senate overwhelmingly passes $619 billion defense policy bill
The fiscal year 2017 defense policy bill is heading to President Obama's desk after the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill on Thursday.
The Senate easily passed the National Defense Authorization Act, in a 92-7 vote, which would authorize $618.7 billion in the military spending in the current fiscal year. That includes $67.8 billion in an overseas contingency operations account meant to pay for wartime operations abroad.
That top line is $3.2 billion more than what the president asked for in fiscal year 2017, which could be an issue for the White House since there is no comparable increase in spending on non-defense. A boost in defense spending without spending more on non-defense was what prompted President Obama's veto of the defense policy bill in 2016.
But Democrats in the House and Senate did not see the funding issue as enough of a reason to not support the bill this year. The House passed it last week by a 375-34 vote, more than enough to override a presidential veto if needed.
More
The Senate easily passed the National Defense Authorization Act, in a 92-7 vote, which would authorize $618.7 billion in the military spending in the current fiscal year. That includes $67.8 billion in an overseas contingency operations account meant to pay for wartime operations abroad.
That top line is $3.2 billion more than what the president asked for in fiscal year 2017, which could be an issue for the White House since there is no comparable increase in spending on non-defense. A boost in defense spending without spending more on non-defense was what prompted President Obama's veto of the defense policy bill in 2016.
But Democrats in the House and Senate did not see the funding issue as enough of a reason to not support the bill this year. The House passed it last week by a 375-34 vote, more than enough to override a presidential veto if needed.
More
Washington Post Still Beating The “The Electoral College Can Do Something” Drum
Another day, another hissy fit from a Leftist at the Washington Post
Democrats can stop Trump via the electoral college. But not how you think.
Hillary Clinton should free her electors to throw their support behind another Republican.
The only way Democrats stand any chance of persuading Republican electors to abandon Trump is with a dramatic gesture of true bipartisanship. If all 232 Democratic electors pledge to reach across the aisle and vote for a Republican alternative to Trump, it would take just 38 GOP electors to make that person the next president.
If Clinton announced she is releasing “her” electors and asked them to vote for a credible Republican alternative, she could plausibly deliver all 232 Democratic electors. She might even secure similar pledges from House Democrats in the event the election went to the House.
They just can’t help themselves. If we survived 2 terms of Obama without riots in the streets, Liberals can take 4-8 years of Trump. They should just go to their safe spaces and we’ll have food delivered.
And, had Hillary won, they would have been telling us to just move on and suck it up.
More
Democrats can stop Trump via the electoral college. But not how you think.
Hillary Clinton should free her electors to throw their support behind another Republican.
The only way Democrats stand any chance of persuading Republican electors to abandon Trump is with a dramatic gesture of true bipartisanship. If all 232 Democratic electors pledge to reach across the aisle and vote for a Republican alternative to Trump, it would take just 38 GOP electors to make that person the next president.
If Clinton announced she is releasing “her” electors and asked them to vote for a credible Republican alternative, she could plausibly deliver all 232 Democratic electors. She might even secure similar pledges from House Democrats in the event the election went to the House.
They just can’t help themselves. If we survived 2 terms of Obama without riots in the streets, Liberals can take 4-8 years of Trump. They should just go to their safe spaces and we’ll have food delivered.
And, had Hillary won, they would have been telling us to just move on and suck it up.
More
Judge Napolitano Dissects The Sanctuary Cities Legal Issue
Last week, President-elect Donald Trump re-emphasized the approach he will take in enforcing the nation’s immigration laws, which is much different from the manner of enforcement utilized by President Barack Obama. The latter pointedly declined to deport the 5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States who are the parents of children born here -- children who, by virtue of birth, are American citizens. Trump has made known his intention to deport all undocumented people, irrespective of family relationships, starting with those who have committed crimes.
In response to Trump’s stated intentions, many cities -- including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco -- have offered sanctuary to those whose presence has been jeopardized by the president-elect’s plan. Can they do this?
Here is the back story.
Under the Constitution, the president is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the land. Though the president’s job is to enforce all federal laws, as a practical matter, the federal government lacks the resources to do that. As well, the president is vested with what is known as prosecutorial discretion. That enables him to place priority on the enforcement of certain federal laws and put the enforcement of others on the back burner.
Over time -- and with more than 4,000 criminal laws in the United States Code -- Congress and the courts have simply deferred to the president and permitted him to enforce what he wants and not enforce what he doesn't want. Until now.
Earlier this year, two federal courts enjoined President Obama -- and the Supreme Court, in a tie vote, declined to interfere with those injunctions -- from establishing a formal program whereby undocumented people who are the parents of natural-born citizens may lawfully remain here. It is one thing, the courts ruled, for the president to prioritize federal law enforcement; it is quite another for him to attempt to rewrite the laws and put them at odds with what Congress has written. It is one thing for the president, for humanitarian reasons or because of a lack of resources, to look the other way in the face of unenforced federal law. It is another for him to claim that by doing so, he may constitutionally change federal law.
This is fully explained here..
In response to Trump’s stated intentions, many cities -- including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco -- have offered sanctuary to those whose presence has been jeopardized by the president-elect’s plan. Can they do this?
Here is the back story.
Under the Constitution, the president is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the land. Though the president’s job is to enforce all federal laws, as a practical matter, the federal government lacks the resources to do that. As well, the president is vested with what is known as prosecutorial discretion. That enables him to place priority on the enforcement of certain federal laws and put the enforcement of others on the back burner.
Over time -- and with more than 4,000 criminal laws in the United States Code -- Congress and the courts have simply deferred to the president and permitted him to enforce what he wants and not enforce what he doesn't want. Until now.
Earlier this year, two federal courts enjoined President Obama -- and the Supreme Court, in a tie vote, declined to interfere with those injunctions -- from establishing a formal program whereby undocumented people who are the parents of natural-born citizens may lawfully remain here. It is one thing, the courts ruled, for the president to prioritize federal law enforcement; it is quite another for him to attempt to rewrite the laws and put them at odds with what Congress has written. It is one thing for the president, for humanitarian reasons or because of a lack of resources, to look the other way in the face of unenforced federal law. It is another for him to claim that by doing so, he may constitutionally change federal law.
This is fully explained here..
Rising Price of Opioid Antidote Could Cost Lives
Escalating prices of the drug naloxone may threaten efforts to reduce opioid-related deaths across America, a team from Yale University and the Mayo Clinic warns.
Naloxone is a drug given to people who overdose on prescription opioids and heroin. If administered in time, it can reverse the toxic and potentially deadly effects of "opioid intoxication."
The research team called attention to skyrocketing prices for the lifesaving antidote, noting:
Hospira (a Pfizer Inc. company) charges $142 for a 10-pack of naloxone -- up 129 percent since 2012.
Amphastar's 1 milligram version of naloxone is used off-label as a nasal spray. It's priced around $40 -- a 95 percent increase since September 2014.
Newer, easier-to-use formulations are even more expensive -- a two-dose package of Evzio (naloxone) costs $4,500, an increase of more than 500 percent over two years.
Naloxone is part of a wave of precipitous price hikes affecting old and new medicines. These drugs include Mylan's EpiPen injectors for life-threatening allergic reactions; Turing Pharmaceuticals' Sovaldi for hepatitis C; and insulin for diabetes made by Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi U.S.
"The challenge is as the price goes up for naloxone, it becomes less accessible for patients," said Ravi Gupta, the study's lead author.
Hospital emergency departments remain the largest users of naloxone. But, in recent years, local health departments, emergency medical services and community-based organizations have been acquiring the drug to use at the scene of overdoses or to hand out to people at risk, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
More
Naloxone is a drug given to people who overdose on prescription opioids and heroin. If administered in time, it can reverse the toxic and potentially deadly effects of "opioid intoxication."
The research team called attention to skyrocketing prices for the lifesaving antidote, noting:
Hospira (a Pfizer Inc. company) charges $142 for a 10-pack of naloxone -- up 129 percent since 2012.
Amphastar's 1 milligram version of naloxone is used off-label as a nasal spray. It's priced around $40 -- a 95 percent increase since September 2014.
Newer, easier-to-use formulations are even more expensive -- a two-dose package of Evzio (naloxone) costs $4,500, an increase of more than 500 percent over two years.
Naloxone is part of a wave of precipitous price hikes affecting old and new medicines. These drugs include Mylan's EpiPen injectors for life-threatening allergic reactions; Turing Pharmaceuticals' Sovaldi for hepatitis C; and insulin for diabetes made by Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi U.S.
"The challenge is as the price goes up for naloxone, it becomes less accessible for patients," said Ravi Gupta, the study's lead author.
Hospital emergency departments remain the largest users of naloxone. But, in recent years, local health departments, emergency medical services and community-based organizations have been acquiring the drug to use at the scene of overdoses or to hand out to people at risk, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
More
Van Jones’ PR Firm Working With Republican Electors Voting Against Trump
The CNN contributor's firm represents at least two Republican defectors
A progressive public relations firm founded by environmentalist and CNN political contributor Van Jones is representing “a number” of Republican electors who plan on voting against President-elect Donald Trump.
Chris Suprun, a Republican presidential elector from Texas, garnered media attention on Monday after having an opinion piece published in the New York Times explaining why he plans to defect from Trump with his Electoral College vote on Dec. 19.
“The election of the next president is not yet a done deal. Electors of conscience can still do the right thing for the good of the country,” Suprun wrote. “Presidential electors have the legal right and a constitutional duty to vote their conscience. I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be.”
More
A progressive public relations firm founded by environmentalist and CNN political contributor Van Jones is representing “a number” of Republican electors who plan on voting against President-elect Donald Trump.
Chris Suprun, a Republican presidential elector from Texas, garnered media attention on Monday after having an opinion piece published in the New York Times explaining why he plans to defect from Trump with his Electoral College vote on Dec. 19.
“The election of the next president is not yet a done deal. Electors of conscience can still do the right thing for the good of the country,” Suprun wrote. “Presidential electors have the legal right and a constitutional duty to vote their conscience. I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio. I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be.”
More
Julian Assange defies Swedish prosecutors by releasing rape statement
WikiLeaks founder publishes answers he gave during questioning in Ecuador’s London embassy over rape allegation
Julian Assange has thumbed his nose at Swedish investigators, who he says have robbed him of his freedom for six years, by releasing the answers he gave to them under questioning in Ecuador’s London embassy last month.
The decision to issue the statement, which contains for the first time a detailed account by the WikiLeaks founder of his encounter with a woman in August 2010 who made rape allegations against him, marks a fresh twist in a case in which Assange claims an early leak of information from the Swedish police has shaped opinion.
The transcript of a police interview with the woman was leaked to media in December 2010, which the Australian, who has not been charged with any crime, says helped to establish an aura of guilt around him.
More
Julian Assange has thumbed his nose at Swedish investigators, who he says have robbed him of his freedom for six years, by releasing the answers he gave to them under questioning in Ecuador’s London embassy last month.
The decision to issue the statement, which contains for the first time a detailed account by the WikiLeaks founder of his encounter with a woman in August 2010 who made rape allegations against him, marks a fresh twist in a case in which Assange claims an early leak of information from the Swedish police has shaped opinion.
The transcript of a police interview with the woman was leaked to media in December 2010, which the Australian, who has not been charged with any crime, says helped to establish an aura of guilt around him.
More
Report: Costly wind turbines projected to yield $1.39 in daily savings
A small Washington state city spent more than $100,000 on three “windmill-like turbines” – but any hopes for big savings appear to be blowing in the wind.
The Peninsula Daily News reported that the Port Angeles turbines, which haven’t yet been turned on, are expected to generate $1.39 per day in electricity, or roughly $42 per month.
The turbines were meant to help illuminate a local park. Now, some city council members are having second thoughts about their unanimous approval for the project.
“I did not realize they would produce so little energy. I wouldn’t have voted for it knowing it was that little,” City Councilwoman Sissi Bruch told The Peninsula Daily News.
“I did not realize they would produce so little energy. I wouldn’t have voted for it knowing it was that little,” City Councilwoman Sissi Bruch told The Peninsula Daily News.
More
The Peninsula Daily News reported that the Port Angeles turbines, which haven’t yet been turned on, are expected to generate $1.39 per day in electricity, or roughly $42 per month.
The turbines were meant to help illuminate a local park. Now, some city council members are having second thoughts about their unanimous approval for the project.
“I did not realize they would produce so little energy. I wouldn’t have voted for it knowing it was that little,” City Councilwoman Sissi Bruch told The Peninsula Daily News.
“I did not realize they would produce so little energy. I wouldn’t have voted for it knowing it was that little,” City Councilwoman Sissi Bruch told The Peninsula Daily News.
More
Water tank removal impacts resort’s internet connections
Before Ocean City can consider demolishing the two aging water tanks on Worcester Avenue and 15th Street, it needs to decide how to maintain the Internet connection that both towers provide.
Currently, city government’s network travels through a wireless connection provided by antennas on the water tanks. The 15th Street water tower, which juts out of the Ocean City Fire Department headquarters, is the access point of City Hall’s backup Internet connection. The Beach Patrol’s office and the Dorchester fire station link to the tank on Worcester Street.
For years, the resort has been looking to replace those 50-year-old tanks with the beach ball water tower on First Street. But before the tower started to take shape, City Engineer Terry McGean began planning to ensure critical city facilities were still online. At his request, the council last April agreed to set aside $135,000 in the fiscal year 2017 budget for this project.
Ocean City had solicited requests for proposals, which asks companies to pitch how they would complete the job and what the cost would be. During the Nov. 29 work session, the council accepted seven proposals and remanded them to staff for review.
More
Currently, city government’s network travels through a wireless connection provided by antennas on the water tanks. The 15th Street water tower, which juts out of the Ocean City Fire Department headquarters, is the access point of City Hall’s backup Internet connection. The Beach Patrol’s office and the Dorchester fire station link to the tank on Worcester Street.
For years, the resort has been looking to replace those 50-year-old tanks with the beach ball water tower on First Street. But before the tower started to take shape, City Engineer Terry McGean began planning to ensure critical city facilities were still online. At his request, the council last April agreed to set aside $135,000 in the fiscal year 2017 budget for this project.
Ocean City had solicited requests for proposals, which asks companies to pitch how they would complete the job and what the cost would be. During the Nov. 29 work session, the council accepted seven proposals and remanded them to staff for review.
More
FAKE: Viewers Stunned as NBC Runs 2015 Baltimore Footage While Reporting Present-Day Case
On Tuesday, a mistrial was declared in the shooting of Walter Scott by former police officer Michael Slager in North Charleston, South Carolina, according to The Charleston Post and Courier.
That news may be either welcome or unwelcome depending on your opinion on the case, but everyone is united on one front — NBC’s coverage of community reaction to the court proceedings was laughable.
According to The Post and Courier, during an episode of the “Today” show Matt Lauer was giving the NBC audience an update on the trial, noting that “the mayor of Charleston, community leaders and South Carolina’s governor, are urging a calm response to that ruling.”
As he said that, NBC showed a picture of a large crowd standing together in angry protest, shown below … but there was something very, very wrong with the photo.
Namely, the photo is from 2015 protest in Baltimore concerning Freddie Gray. NBC didn’t even have the state or the year right.
More
That news may be either welcome or unwelcome depending on your opinion on the case, but everyone is united on one front — NBC’s coverage of community reaction to the court proceedings was laughable.
According to The Post and Courier, during an episode of the “Today” show Matt Lauer was giving the NBC audience an update on the trial, noting that “the mayor of Charleston, community leaders and South Carolina’s governor, are urging a calm response to that ruling.”
As he said that, NBC showed a picture of a large crowd standing together in angry protest, shown below … but there was something very, very wrong with the photo.
More
BREAKING: Germany Officially Calls for BURKA BAN
Well, this is unexpected. Angela Merkel, the Angela Merkel who welcomed Muslim refugees with open arms and has all but turned her back on the suffering of her own people because of her decision, has come out with a pretty stunning change of heart.
The woman is calling for a full burka BAN. She has gone from tirelessly pushing her open-door migration policies to doubling down on the the burka. Has she seen the light? Or rather the darkness that is plaguing her country because of her blind leadership?
Merkel came out with her shock news at a Christian Democratic Union conference she had recently attended.
It’s just so surprising really. Unless you connect to dots with the other piece of news she had shared at this conference soon after her announcement on the burka ban.
She declared that she will be seeking re-election.
Surprise, surprise…she hasn’t seen the light, she’s seen opportunity. For herself.
Her tune has changed and it’s changed to one that the people have been singing for ages…
“The full veil must be banned wherever it is legally possible,” she said to a large round of applause.
More
The woman is calling for a full burka BAN. She has gone from tirelessly pushing her open-door migration policies to doubling down on the the burka. Has she seen the light? Or rather the darkness that is plaguing her country because of her blind leadership?
Merkel came out with her shock news at a Christian Democratic Union conference she had recently attended.
It’s just so surprising really. Unless you connect to dots with the other piece of news she had shared at this conference soon after her announcement on the burka ban.
She declared that she will be seeking re-election.
Surprise, surprise…she hasn’t seen the light, she’s seen opportunity. For herself.
Her tune has changed and it’s changed to one that the people have been singing for ages…
“The full veil must be banned wherever it is legally possible,” she said to a large round of applause.
More
Baltimore City Council Takes Action Against President-Elect Trump
The same day they were sworn in, the new City Council sparks controversy. Their first official act — unanimously condemning the rhetoric of President-Elect Donald Trump.
“I’m very proud that we’re one of the very first city councils in the United States of America to push back and say time for respect,” said City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke.
The move comes just days before the president-elect visits Baltimore for the Army-Navy football game.
More
U.S. accepted as intervenor in Pocomoke civil rights case
Federal District Court Judge J. Frederick Motz recently ruled the United States Department of Justice can intervene as a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by three former Pocomoke City Police officers who allege that they were subjected to discrimination in violation of the Civil Rights Act.
The complaint filed by the United States on Dec. 1 is similar to the one already filed by former officers Franklin Savage and Lynell Green and former Pocomoke City Police Chief Kelvin Sewell. The defense has already filed a motion to dismiss the new claim on similar grounds as the original claim, but a judge has yet to rule on the issue.
The basis of the complaint starts with Savage, who claims he was subjected to a hostile work environment by the Sheriff’s Office, and by extension, the state, while he was assigned to a joint task force.
More
The complaint filed by the United States on Dec. 1 is similar to the one already filed by former officers Franklin Savage and Lynell Green and former Pocomoke City Police Chief Kelvin Sewell. The defense has already filed a motion to dismiss the new claim on similar grounds as the original claim, but a judge has yet to rule on the issue.
The basis of the complaint starts with Savage, who claims he was subjected to a hostile work environment by the Sheriff’s Office, and by extension, the state, while he was assigned to a joint task force.
More
Hillary Fundraiser: How I Ended Up In A Psych Ward On Election Night Because Trump Won
I’d like to start this out by saying that I do not mock legitimate mental illness in my writings. It’s a very personal subject and I tend to shy away from anything regarding that content.
That being said, after reading through this piece, I feel like this is more in the vein of attention seeking and not being able to handle a loss very well than actual mental illness. Of course, I’m not nearly qualified to make that kind of medical diagnosis and wouldn’t dare.
Benjamin Ryan took to The Huffington Post to write about the election night and why he felt the need to check himself into a mental hospital to keep from committing suicide upon seeing the election go for Trump.
More
That being said, after reading through this piece, I feel like this is more in the vein of attention seeking and not being able to handle a loss very well than actual mental illness. Of course, I’m not nearly qualified to make that kind of medical diagnosis and wouldn’t dare.
Benjamin Ryan took to The Huffington Post to write about the election night and why he felt the need to check himself into a mental hospital to keep from committing suicide upon seeing the election go for Trump.
More
Want to Define Poverty? Consider More Than Just Income, Study Says
We're used to thinking about poverty as a measure of income: poor people make very little money, and as a result, they're unable to afford to buy the basics like food, housing, and health care. The U.S. Census Bureau decides each year what the income threshold is going to be to define the federal poverty line; in 2016, that threshold is around $16,000 per year for a family of two, and a little over $24,000 for a family of four.
But is income the only data point we should collect when we're trying to learn about poverty in America? Other countries like Bhutan, Colombia, Chile, Malaysia and Mexico all measure poverty with a multidimensional index — Mexico, for instance, looks at income alongside education, housing, health, social cohesion, and access to food. But every country is different, and a multidimensional poverty index should look different in a country where living in a house without electricity, a permanent floor or sanitation facilities isn't all that uncommon, compared to the United States, where many people in poverty have those things that in other places might be considered luxuries.
More
But is income the only data point we should collect when we're trying to learn about poverty in America? Other countries like Bhutan, Colombia, Chile, Malaysia and Mexico all measure poverty with a multidimensional index — Mexico, for instance, looks at income alongside education, housing, health, social cohesion, and access to food. But every country is different, and a multidimensional poverty index should look different in a country where living in a house without electricity, a permanent floor or sanitation facilities isn't all that uncommon, compared to the United States, where many people in poverty have those things that in other places might be considered luxuries.
More
Lib woman: It’s the fault of Republicans that I got pregnant because they didn’t give me the pill
Can I be totally real with you for a second? This open-letter to Tom Price (new cabinet pick from Donald Trump) broke my heart. It broke my heart for so many reasons.
This woman uses her personal experiences as fundamental proof that her opinion is more valid than anyone else’s opinion. It is well-written, eloquent and (in my opinion), so disturbingly off-base.
As a Republican woman, I am tired of being labeled “racist” for my moral and religious beliefs. When it comes to abortion, I have been called sexist, a sell-out and ignorant. But this is the first time I have been called racist for opposing abortion. And that is exactly what this woman does. Hold on though, because it gets worse.
It starts as a discussion about race. I read this article. I tried to understand her point of view. I really did. In other words, while reading this the first time, I just listened. I tried to just listen to her feelings and not object or oppose. Just listen.
But I genuinely cannot wrap my head around how lack of government funded abortion and birth control is targeting black women. She starts with this:
As a Black woman, I am distraught that your opposition to the Affordable Care Act will leave many of my sisters without basic health care.
More
This woman uses her personal experiences as fundamental proof that her opinion is more valid than anyone else’s opinion. It is well-written, eloquent and (in my opinion), so disturbingly off-base.
As a Republican woman, I am tired of being labeled “racist” for my moral and religious beliefs. When it comes to abortion, I have been called sexist, a sell-out and ignorant. But this is the first time I have been called racist for opposing abortion. And that is exactly what this woman does. Hold on though, because it gets worse.
It starts as a discussion about race. I read this article. I tried to understand her point of view. I really did. In other words, while reading this the first time, I just listened. I tried to just listen to her feelings and not object or oppose. Just listen.
But I genuinely cannot wrap my head around how lack of government funded abortion and birth control is targeting black women. She starts with this:
As a Black woman, I am distraught that your opposition to the Affordable Care Act will leave many of my sisters without basic health care.
More
Byron York: The law already allows Donald Trump to build the wall
There's no shortage of people telling Donald Trump he can't build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. And maybe, in the end, he won't do it. But at the moment Trump takes office, he will have the legal authority and the money he needs to get started on the wall. Yes, there will be obstacles — what's the over/under on the number of lawsuits that will be filed trying to stop it? — but the fact is, the law is already in place that will allow Trump to go forward.
As in other areas of immigration enforcement, Trump will be able to effect radical change simply by following the law. In this case, it is the Secure Fence Act, passed in 2006 with bipartisan support — 283 votes in the House and 80 in the Senate, including then-Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The law ordered the Secretary of Homeland Security, within 18 months of passage, to "take all actions the secretary determines necessary and appropriate to achieve and maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States."
More
As in other areas of immigration enforcement, Trump will be able to effect radical change simply by following the law. In this case, it is the Secure Fence Act, passed in 2006 with bipartisan support — 283 votes in the House and 80 in the Senate, including then-Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The law ordered the Secretary of Homeland Security, within 18 months of passage, to "take all actions the secretary determines necessary and appropriate to achieve and maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States."
More
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan: Mike Pence 'one of my closest friends' among governors
The conversation took place at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Florida, Hogan said. It included Pence, the governor of Indiana, and Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey on the week after the election.
"Mike Pence and Chris Christie are probably the two guys I'm closest to among the Republican governors," Hogan said Wednesday.
More
Why 'Time' Named Donald Trump 'Person of the Year'
Time magazine named President-elect Donald Trump "Person of the Year" on Wednesday. Trump is Time's 16th "Person of the Year" since 1999, when the magazine changed the title from "Man of the Year," a title it started bestowing on historic figures in 1927. Trump is the 79th person to be given the title, and 2016 is the 90th time Time bestowed the year's mantle on one person or group of people.
While Time admitted that Trump essentially defined the 2016 election, it did not treat him kindly. "The revolution he stirred feels fully American, with its echoes of populists pasts, of Andrew Jackson and Huey Long and, at its most sinister, Joe McCarthy and Charles Coughlin," wrote Nancy Gibbs. "Trump's assault on truth and logic, far from hurting him, made him stronger."
Gibbs described his appeal as "part hope, part snarl," even while admitting that it "dissolved party lines and dispatched the two reigning dynasties of U.S. politics." She also acknowledged that "his victory mirrors the ascent of nationalists across the world, from Britain to the Philippines, and taps forces far more powerful than one man's message."
More
While Time admitted that Trump essentially defined the 2016 election, it did not treat him kindly. "The revolution he stirred feels fully American, with its echoes of populists pasts, of Andrew Jackson and Huey Long and, at its most sinister, Joe McCarthy and Charles Coughlin," wrote Nancy Gibbs. "Trump's assault on truth and logic, far from hurting him, made him stronger."
Gibbs described his appeal as "part hope, part snarl," even while admitting that it "dissolved party lines and dispatched the two reigning dynasties of U.S. politics." She also acknowledged that "his victory mirrors the ascent of nationalists across the world, from Britain to the Philippines, and taps forces far more powerful than one man's message."
More
Michelle Obama Breaks Her Silence About Trump Victory
Nearly a month after the election has come and gone and Trump was crowned the President-elect, Michelle Obama is coming out and telling us her thoughts and actions on the night she learned her candidate lost.
According to Daily Mail:
Unlike many of her friends, apparently, Michelle Obama didn’t lose any sleep that night. She revealed in an interview with People magazine that she did with her husband that she didn’t stay up to even hear the election results.
‘I went to bed. I don’t like to watch the political discourse; I never have. I barely did with him,’ Mrs Obama said, sending the president into a fit of laughter.
After the Obamas had campaigned so hard and so focused for Hillary Clinton in the race, they have admitted that after their loss they are now focused on just doing their best to make the transition to a Republican White house as bumpy free as possible.
‘Anything that I felt about the election I said and I stand by,’ Mrs Obama said. ‘Once you do what you can do, then the rest is easy. It was in the hands of the American people.’
More
According to Daily Mail:
Unlike many of her friends, apparently, Michelle Obama didn’t lose any sleep that night. She revealed in an interview with People magazine that she did with her husband that she didn’t stay up to even hear the election results.
‘I went to bed. I don’t like to watch the political discourse; I never have. I barely did with him,’ Mrs Obama said, sending the president into a fit of laughter.
After the Obamas had campaigned so hard and so focused for Hillary Clinton in the race, they have admitted that after their loss they are now focused on just doing their best to make the transition to a Republican White house as bumpy free as possible.
‘Anything that I felt about the election I said and I stand by,’ Mrs Obama said. ‘Once you do what you can do, then the rest is easy. It was in the hands of the American people.’
More
A Terrifying Superbug Just Showed Up on a US Farm for the First Time
The bacteria found in a hog operation is resistant even to some of our most powerful antibiotics.
More than 70 percent of the antibiotics consumed in the United States go to livestock farms, one of the main triggers driving a rising crisis of antibiotic resistance in human medicine.
On Tuesday, researchers from Ohio State University published an alarming finding in a peer-reviewed journal: On a US hog farm, they found bacteria that can withstand a crucial family of antibiotics. Carbapenems, as they are known, are a "last line of defense" against bacterial pathogens that can resist other antibiotics, the paper notes. Worse still, the gene that allowed the bacteria to resist carbapenems turned up in a plasmid—small chunks of DNA found in bacterial cells. Plasmid-carried genes bounce easily from one bacterial strain to another, meaning that carbapenem resistance is highly mobile—making it more likely to find its way into bacterial pathogens that infect people.
More
More than 70 percent of the antibiotics consumed in the United States go to livestock farms, one of the main triggers driving a rising crisis of antibiotic resistance in human medicine.
On Tuesday, researchers from Ohio State University published an alarming finding in a peer-reviewed journal: On a US hog farm, they found bacteria that can withstand a crucial family of antibiotics. Carbapenems, as they are known, are a "last line of defense" against bacterial pathogens that can resist other antibiotics, the paper notes. Worse still, the gene that allowed the bacteria to resist carbapenems turned up in a plasmid—small chunks of DNA found in bacterial cells. Plasmid-carried genes bounce easily from one bacterial strain to another, meaning that carbapenem resistance is highly mobile—making it more likely to find its way into bacterial pathogens that infect people.
More
CNN Scoured Out The ONE Disgruntled ‘CARRIER’ Employee To BASH Trump ON AIR
While reading this story, you should bear in mind the phrase: “You can’t please everybody,” because that’s exactly what Trump is contending with here.
CNN is so shameless that they felt the need to not only overlook Trump’s actions in helping save jobs in Indiana, they jumped straight to someone who got their feelings hurt by the deal.
TJ Bray, a Carrier employee, claims that Donald Trump intentionally lied about the number of jobs he saved, adding in a large number of jobs that were already “slated to stay” in Indiana.
“Yeah, uh, you know, President-elect Trump came in and said it was 1,100 jobs. Uhm, we find out – sat with the company, uh, day before yesterday – and we find out it’s actually only 750 actually union production jobs that will be staying. Uhm, so Trump kinda added in the 400 R&D and engineering jobs that were already slated to stay, so uh, we’re kinda disappointed that we’re losing 550 actual union jobs.”
More
CNN is so shameless that they felt the need to not only overlook Trump’s actions in helping save jobs in Indiana, they jumped straight to someone who got their feelings hurt by the deal.
TJ Bray, a Carrier employee, claims that Donald Trump intentionally lied about the number of jobs he saved, adding in a large number of jobs that were already “slated to stay” in Indiana.
“Yeah, uh, you know, President-elect Trump came in and said it was 1,100 jobs. Uhm, we find out – sat with the company, uh, day before yesterday – and we find out it’s actually only 750 actually union production jobs that will be staying. Uhm, so Trump kinda added in the 400 R&D and engineering jobs that were already slated to stay, so uh, we’re kinda disappointed that we’re losing 550 actual union jobs.”
More
New York Appellate Court Fails Test: Horrible Decision Allow Teacher Ericka Bolt to Get Job Back After She Was Fired for Helping Students Cheat on State Exams
Once again we have teaching moment on how Liberal attitudes lead to the most horrible conclusions. A teacher was rightly fired from her job for helping students cheat on an exam. However, the court somehow came to a decision that said the firing was excessive punishment and that said teacher deserves her job back.
What!
So the court is sending a message to teachers that it’s okay to help students cheat because at worst you’ll be suspended or receive a lesser punishment because termination is taken off the table. This is absolutely insane. How can we trust test scores on state exams ever again if we have this wink, wink atmosphere that tacitly permits this type of behavior? What message are we sending to students that integrity doesn’t really mean anything? On so many levels this decision is horrendous and these judges should be ashamed to show their faces in public! Disgraceful!
More
What!
So the court is sending a message to teachers that it’s okay to help students cheat because at worst you’ll be suspended or receive a lesser punishment because termination is taken off the table. This is absolutely insane. How can we trust test scores on state exams ever again if we have this wink, wink atmosphere that tacitly permits this type of behavior? What message are we sending to students that integrity doesn’t really mean anything? On so many levels this decision is horrendous and these judges should be ashamed to show their faces in public! Disgraceful!
More
What Former Employees Say ITT Tech Did To Scam Its Students
When he first moved to Miami, Waltter Teruel says working as a recruiter for ITT Technical Institute was a welcome change from his life in New York where he was selling antiques and life insurance.
As a recruiter, Teruel says ITT Tech took care of the pitch to potential students for you. Recruiters used scripts set out in detailed Powerpoint presentations and got long lists of prospective students to call. But soon the welcome change faded. "Most of these students, they were looking for a job," not more school, says Teruel.
When ITT Technical Institute closed, employees began to share tightly-designed sales tools, like those Powerpoints, that offered a glimpse into the strategy that helped the company grow to more than 130 campuses across the country.
But those same tactics ultimately contributed to the company's downfall when the Department of Education ruled, in part because of its aggressive recruiting, ITT could no longer enroll new students using federal loans.
More
As a recruiter, Teruel says ITT Tech took care of the pitch to potential students for you. Recruiters used scripts set out in detailed Powerpoint presentations and got long lists of prospective students to call. But soon the welcome change faded. "Most of these students, they were looking for a job," not more school, says Teruel.
When ITT Technical Institute closed, employees began to share tightly-designed sales tools, like those Powerpoints, that offered a glimpse into the strategy that helped the company grow to more than 130 campuses across the country.
But those same tactics ultimately contributed to the company's downfall when the Department of Education ruled, in part because of its aggressive recruiting, ITT could no longer enroll new students using federal loans.
More
Android Phone Maker Accused Of Knowingly Selling Phones Loaded With Spyware
Some especially sneaky spyware, which takes all of a user’s messages and browsing data and quietly ships it to servers in China, was recently discovered on some inexpensive Android devices sold in this country. Two customers who own the offending phones have filed a class action against the company that sold them here in the United States, on behalf of the buyers of at least 120,000 devices.
Audi Launches Red Light-Sensing Car Technology In Las Vegas
Back in August, Audi announced that it was working on technology that would let cars communicate with traffic lights so drivers know when the lights will turn from red to green. The carmaker is now ready to roll that tech out onto real streets, starting in Las Vegas.
Instead of having to sit and wait and wonder when the light will change, U.S. drivers will be able to chill out a bit more, an Audi executive explained to reporters (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal).
“A lot of the behavior in the car changes to a more relaxed form of driving,” Anupam Malhotra, director of connected vehicles for Audi America, said during a demonstration of the company’s “vehicle to infrastructure service” (V2I). “There are a lot of things that you could be doing while knowing fully that you’re not really taking your attention away from the road. That’s because the display is counting down right in front of you, showing the seconds until you need to go.”
More
Instead of having to sit and wait and wonder when the light will change, U.S. drivers will be able to chill out a bit more, an Audi executive explained to reporters (via the Las Vegas Review-Journal).
“A lot of the behavior in the car changes to a more relaxed form of driving,” Anupam Malhotra, director of connected vehicles for Audi America, said during a demonstration of the company’s “vehicle to infrastructure service” (V2I). “There are a lot of things that you could be doing while knowing fully that you’re not really taking your attention away from the road. That’s because the display is counting down right in front of you, showing the seconds until you need to go.”
More
Court: NCAA Athletes Are Not Employees, Not Entitled To Minimum Wage
Even though collegiate athletes brings in untold fortunes for schools, TV networks, merchandise makers, ticket vendors, and the hospitality and travel industries, they are not — according to a federal appeals court — employees of their schools and are therefore not entitled to be paid anything.
In Oct. 2014, a class action lawsuit [PDF] filed against the NCAA and its many Division I member schools alleged that student athletes at these colleges are, in fact, unpaid employees. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees are to be paid at least the federal minimum wage.
The plaintiffs argued that schools pay students in the work-study program at least minimum wage, while student-athletes are expected to give up significant chunks of their time training and competing for schools that benefit greatly from the students’ work but pay them nothing.
More
In Oct. 2014, a class action lawsuit [PDF] filed against the NCAA and its many Division I member schools alleged that student athletes at these colleges are, in fact, unpaid employees. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employees are to be paid at least the federal minimum wage.
The plaintiffs argued that schools pay students in the work-study program at least minimum wage, while student-athletes are expected to give up significant chunks of their time training and competing for schools that benefit greatly from the students’ work but pay them nothing.
More
Wells Fargo Already Playing Its ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ Card To Avoid Lawsuits Over Fake Accounts
Wells Fargo is facing multiple lawsuits from customers and employees over the long-running fake account fiasco that saw more than two million bogus, unauthorized accounts being opened in customers’ names. Even though lawmakers and consumer advocates have repeatedly asked the bank to not sidestep its liability by using an often-ignored clause in its customer agreement, lawyers for Wells Fargo have already begun to play that “get out of jail free” card.
Hollywood PR Firm Sunshine Sachs Cancels Christmas Parties Because Trump Won
Hollywood publicity powerhouse Sunshine Sachs has cancelled its glitzy, star-studded annual holiday celebrations in solidarity with those whom its chief executive says are people who feel targeted by Donald Trump.
“We’ve been talking a lot about how to protect the things we care about, post-election,” Sunshine Sachs CEO Shawn Sachs told industry outlet TheWrap on Tuesday.
“I felt the morning after was nothing compared to how I felt talking to people in this office, those who felt their citizenship — in a matter of moments — was gone or had been lessened,” Sachs said of the election. “Being the diverse workplace we are, many of us felt under assault.”
More
“We’ve been talking a lot about how to protect the things we care about, post-election,” Sunshine Sachs CEO Shawn Sachs told industry outlet TheWrap on Tuesday.
“I felt the morning after was nothing compared to how I felt talking to people in this office, those who felt their citizenship — in a matter of moments — was gone or had been lessened,” Sachs said of the election. “Being the diverse workplace we are, many of us felt under assault.”
More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)