For the 15th straight month, US Industrial Production has decline YoY (by 0.6%). This is the longest streak in US history without a recession.
IP decline 0.4% MoM in November (the biggest drop since March) and missed expectations... despite a surge in surveys proclaiming manufacturing picking up?
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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 16, 2016
'Russian Hacking' a "Disinformation Campaign" Against Trump, Says Congressman
Intelligence agencies are refusing to brief members of Congress on claims that Russia hacked the U.S. presidential election, as Rep. Peter King charged that false information is being leaked to the media as part of a disinformation campaign to discredit Donald Trump.
Labeling the move “absolutely disgraceful,” Congressman Peter King told Megyn Kelly there was no evidence that Russia directly intervened to help Trump and no proof that this has changed since DNI director James Clapper’s conclusion on November 17th that Russia had no role in the release of the DNC or Podesta emails before the election.
“There is no consensus opinion, and yet we find it in the New York Times and the Washington Post and yet the House Committee on Intelligence was told nothing about this,” said King.
More/Video
Labeling the move “absolutely disgraceful,” Congressman Peter King told Megyn Kelly there was no evidence that Russia directly intervened to help Trump and no proof that this has changed since DNI director James Clapper’s conclusion on November 17th that Russia had no role in the release of the DNC or Podesta emails before the election.
“There is no consensus opinion, and yet we find it in the New York Times and the Washington Post and yet the House Committee on Intelligence was told nothing about this,” said King.
More/Video
'Whatever It Takes': Michelle Malkin Tells Curt Schilling Mitt Romney Should Be Told 'NeverTrump Means Never Hired'
Conservative columnist Michelle Malkin told Curt Schilling, the host ofWhatever It Takes, she was stunned to hear that Mitt Romney is still a candidate to lead Donald Trump’s State Department.
“I want him to have nothing to do with our political system going forward,” said the mighty right-hander, whose show is broadcast daily from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern online at Breitbart.com.
Malkin told Schilling that the joke she heard repeatedly from inside the Trump inner circle that she thought should be the ruling policy is “NeverTrump means never hired.” It would be a good rule to follow, she said.
Schilling told Malkin he saw mayors of sanctuary cities on television pledging to defy the incoming Trump administration.
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“I want him to have nothing to do with our political system going forward,” said the mighty right-hander, whose show is broadcast daily from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern online at Breitbart.com.
Malkin told Schilling that the joke she heard repeatedly from inside the Trump inner circle that she thought should be the ruling policy is “NeverTrump means never hired.” It would be a good rule to follow, she said.
Schilling told Malkin he saw mayors of sanctuary cities on television pledging to defy the incoming Trump administration.
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Cracks appear in CIA Russian-hack scenario
'If they have proof they should cough it up'
The election didn’t work out for Hillary Clinton, nor did a campaign for recounts, with some results showed Donald Trump gaining votes. Now, claims that the Kremlin hacked the U.S. election to hand the Oval Office to Trump are falling apart, too.
As one commenter to WND said, “What is next … blame Bigfoot, blame aliens, divine intervention, George Bush, global warming?”
“The bottom line is: Trump won!! Get over it!!”
Writer Matthew Vadum at Canada Free Press speculated, after the CIA declined to provide evidence of a Russian hack to Congress: “Could it be the CIA – which employs more than a few Trump haters – doesn’t actually have any evidence? If they have proof they should cough it up. But they refuse.
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The election didn’t work out for Hillary Clinton, nor did a campaign for recounts, with some results showed Donald Trump gaining votes. Now, claims that the Kremlin hacked the U.S. election to hand the Oval Office to Trump are falling apart, too.
As one commenter to WND said, “What is next … blame Bigfoot, blame aliens, divine intervention, George Bush, global warming?”
“The bottom line is: Trump won!! Get over it!!”
Writer Matthew Vadum at Canada Free Press speculated, after the CIA declined to provide evidence of a Russian hack to Congress: “Could it be the CIA – which employs more than a few Trump haters – doesn’t actually have any evidence? If they have proof they should cough it up. But they refuse.
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Ashley Madison’s Penalty For Exposing Details On 36 Million Users? About $.04 Per Person
In 2015, a major data breach at AshleyMadison.com — the dating site targeted at cheaters — exposed information for some 36 million accounts. The company has now entered into a deal that settles federal and state charges that Ashley Madison: misled users about data security and failed to protect user information; charged users to delete profiles (but didn’t); and used fake profiles to lure in customers. While the settlement has a price tag of $8.75 million, Ashley Madison will actually pay significantly less than that.
Court Officials Who Jailed a Veteran for Living Off-Grid Were "Just Doing Their Jobs"
Here’s an entry for the “Job-Doing Hall of Fame.”
What if your job meant that you had to go arrest a guy who just wanted to live off the grid on his own land? What if that guy was a veteran? What if his only crime was refusing a service that he was supposed to pay for, like public water or utilities?
Is it actually acceptable to go to his place, kidnap him, and hold him against his will for that?
If YOU are the person who takes any of those actions, are you to blame if you’re “just doing your job?”
Meet Tyler Truitt
Tyler Truitt is a veteran who owns two acres of land in Madison County, Alabama. He and his girlfriend live off-grid. They have a clean, well-cared-for home with solar panels and a rainwater collection system. They don’t have loud parties, deal drugs, or do anything else that could be deemed anti-social.
Well, except refusing to tie into the grid.
And the government can’t have that.
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What if your job meant that you had to go arrest a guy who just wanted to live off the grid on his own land? What if that guy was a veteran? What if his only crime was refusing a service that he was supposed to pay for, like public water or utilities?
Is it actually acceptable to go to his place, kidnap him, and hold him against his will for that?
If YOU are the person who takes any of those actions, are you to blame if you’re “just doing your job?”
Meet Tyler Truitt
Tyler Truitt is a veteran who owns two acres of land in Madison County, Alabama. He and his girlfriend live off-grid. They have a clean, well-cared-for home with solar panels and a rainwater collection system. They don’t have loud parties, deal drugs, or do anything else that could be deemed anti-social.
Well, except refusing to tie into the grid.
And the government can’t have that.
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The High Price of Resisting Shoplifters of Color
Business owners had better let shoplifting by Criminals of Color slide. Otherwise, they could end up like Gibson’s Bakery in Oberlin, Ohio.
Last month shop employee Allyn Gibson caught an Oberlin College student stealing two bottles of wine…
Allyn Gibson attempted to stop the alleged thief, Jonathan Aladin, from leaving the store and tried to take a photo him as he bolted. Gibson got whacked in the face with his own phone. Aladin then reportedly ran while throwing the two bottles of wine on the floor, becoming “violent” and “grabbing and hitting Allyn.” Aladin ran out with two females who were with him in the store. Gibson followed and tried to detain the alleged shoplifter again on the street.
Police arrived to find Gibson on his back in the street, being beaten by several individuals who put up resistance when authorities tried to gain control of the situation. Gibson’s assailants included Endia Lawrence and Cecelia Whettstone, who had accompanied Aladin in the store. They were charged with assault. But Gibson’s Bakery did not escape punishment either.
Aladin, who is black, became the new poster boy of institutional racism and oppression. Students organized protests and shrieked about “racial profiling,” claiming that the bakery had a history of discriminating against customers “of color.”
It gets worse. Leading the charge in the latest War on Small-Biz Bakeries is the Oberlin College dean of students, Meredith Raimondo, who joined the baying mob in bullying the Gibson family. She disseminated flyers libelously asserting that Gibson’s is a “racist establishment with a long account of racial profiling and discrimination.” Convicted in the crazy Oberlin College court of public opinion, the school refused to renew its longstanding daily order of donuts and bagels. For a small business with razor-thin margins, losing that order could be devastating.
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Last month shop employee Allyn Gibson caught an Oberlin College student stealing two bottles of wine…
Allyn Gibson attempted to stop the alleged thief, Jonathan Aladin, from leaving the store and tried to take a photo him as he bolted. Gibson got whacked in the face with his own phone. Aladin then reportedly ran while throwing the two bottles of wine on the floor, becoming “violent” and “grabbing and hitting Allyn.” Aladin ran out with two females who were with him in the store. Gibson followed and tried to detain the alleged shoplifter again on the street.
Police arrived to find Gibson on his back in the street, being beaten by several individuals who put up resistance when authorities tried to gain control of the situation. Gibson’s assailants included Endia Lawrence and Cecelia Whettstone, who had accompanied Aladin in the store. They were charged with assault. But Gibson’s Bakery did not escape punishment either.
Aladin, who is black, became the new poster boy of institutional racism and oppression. Students organized protests and shrieked about “racial profiling,” claiming that the bakery had a history of discriminating against customers “of color.”
It gets worse. Leading the charge in the latest War on Small-Biz Bakeries is the Oberlin College dean of students, Meredith Raimondo, who joined the baying mob in bullying the Gibson family. She disseminated flyers libelously asserting that Gibson’s is a “racist establishment with a long account of racial profiling and discrimination.” Convicted in the crazy Oberlin College court of public opinion, the school refused to renew its longstanding daily order of donuts and bagels. For a small business with razor-thin margins, losing that order could be devastating.
More
Revealed: Who Gave Democratic Emails to Wikileaks
While all of the mainstream media and anonymous CIA sources claim that Russia was behind the hacks of the emails from the Democratic National Committee and top Clinton aide John Podesta, the truth has been revealed to be completely different.
By way of background, top American intelligence veterans say that it was a leak, not a hack. And see this.
Even the head of U.S. intelligence - James Clapper - testified on Monday that the connection between Russia and Wikileaks is weak. And U.S. intelligence agencies are now refusing to brief the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on whether or not Russia was actually the source of the Wikileaks documents.
And the NSA executive who created the agency’s mass surveillance program for digital information, who served as the senior technical director within the agency, who managed six thousand NSA employees, the 36-year NSA veteran widely regarded as a “legend” within the agency and the NSA’s best-ever analyst and code-breaker, who mapped out the Soviet command-and-control structure before anyone else knew how, and so predicted Soviet invasions before they happened (“in the 1970s, he decrypted the Soviet Union’s command system, which provided the US and its allies with real-time surveillance of all Soviet troop movements and Russian atomic weapons”) – told Washington’s Blog that the Democratic emails were leaked by either NSA insiders or DNC insiders.
The former intelligence analyst, British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and chancellor of the University of Dundee (Craig Murray) revealedearlier this week that the Podesta leak and the DNC leak were leaked by two different insiders, that both of the leakers were Americans with no ties to Russia, and that one was from the American intelligence services.
Subsequently, Murray revealed further details on the leaks.
More
By way of background, top American intelligence veterans say that it was a leak, not a hack. And see this.
Even the head of U.S. intelligence - James Clapper - testified on Monday that the connection between Russia and Wikileaks is weak. And U.S. intelligence agencies are now refusing to brief the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on whether or not Russia was actually the source of the Wikileaks documents.
And the NSA executive who created the agency’s mass surveillance program for digital information, who served as the senior technical director within the agency, who managed six thousand NSA employees, the 36-year NSA veteran widely regarded as a “legend” within the agency and the NSA’s best-ever analyst and code-breaker, who mapped out the Soviet command-and-control structure before anyone else knew how, and so predicted Soviet invasions before they happened (“in the 1970s, he decrypted the Soviet Union’s command system, which provided the US and its allies with real-time surveillance of all Soviet troop movements and Russian atomic weapons”) – told Washington’s Blog that the Democratic emails were leaked by either NSA insiders or DNC insiders.
The former intelligence analyst, British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and chancellor of the University of Dundee (Craig Murray) revealedearlier this week that the Podesta leak and the DNC leak were leaked by two different insiders, that both of the leakers were Americans with no ties to Russia, and that one was from the American intelligence services.
Subsequently, Murray revealed further details on the leaks.
More
BuzzFeed Is Recruiting an Islamophobia Reporter
Lately liberal media outlets have been pushing the contrived narrative that “fake news” is a crisis that must be addressed, yet they don’t seem concerned about shoring up their own crumbling credibility. BuzzFeed is even hiring an Islamophobia reporter:
In the eyes of ultra-liberal website BuzzFeed, Islamophobia in America is a legitimate beat that needs covering, and they are ready to hire a journalist dedicated solely to making sure the plight of marginalized Muslims is reported. The site recently posted a job listing for “someone to join our ambitious national news team to cover Muslim life and Islamophobia in America.”
Examples of “Islamophobia” almost invariably fall into one of three categories: (1) resistance of any kind to the agenda of expansionist Islam, (2) absurd microaggressions that no reasonable person would take seriously, and (3) hate hoaxes. BuzzFeed’s reporting is likely to be heavy on the last two.
Expect continued rapid growth of the Hate Hoax List.
In the eyes of ultra-liberal website BuzzFeed, Islamophobia in America is a legitimate beat that needs covering, and they are ready to hire a journalist dedicated solely to making sure the plight of marginalized Muslims is reported. The site recently posted a job listing for “someone to join our ambitious national news team to cover Muslim life and Islamophobia in America.”
Examples of “Islamophobia” almost invariably fall into one of three categories: (1) resistance of any kind to the agenda of expansionist Islam, (2) absurd microaggressions that no reasonable person would take seriously, and (3) hate hoaxes. BuzzFeed’s reporting is likely to be heavy on the last two.
Expect continued rapid growth of the Hate Hoax List.
Chris Wallace on Trump: 'He Is Kind of the Commander-in-Chief Already'
Friday on Fox News Channel’s “Shepard Smith Reports,” “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace previewed his upcoming interview with President-elect Donald Trump scheduled for Sunday.
During that preview, he discussed Trump as president-elect, which he said he was acting as if he were already commander-in-chief.
“I heard you on the other side of the break talking about the fact that I’ve been covering presidential transitions since Ronald Reagan in 1980. I have. And this is just as different,” Wallace said. “In fact we’ll call the program ‘The Trump Way’ because he is doing things differently than any president-elect I can remember. In a sense, he is almost more the president than the president is.
More/Video
During that preview, he discussed Trump as president-elect, which he said he was acting as if he were already commander-in-chief.
“I heard you on the other side of the break talking about the fact that I’ve been covering presidential transitions since Ronald Reagan in 1980. I have. And this is just as different,” Wallace said. “In fact we’ll call the program ‘The Trump Way’ because he is doing things differently than any president-elect I can remember. In a sense, he is almost more the president than the president is.
More/Video
The Trump Administration — A Reagan Revival
There have been two amazing political surprises since Tuesday, November 8th.
The first, of course, was that Donald Trump defeated Barack Obama’s error apparent, Hillary Clinton. Despite how the mainstream media frames that victory, it was not Trump who carried down-ballot candidates but grassroots Americans who handed an up-ballot victory to Trump. The MSM are still trying to figure out who those elusive “grassroots” voters are and from what planet they came.
Nobody was more surprised by the Trump victory than Donald Trump himself, except for Clinton and her legions of lamenting leftist lemmings, who went scurrying for their cupcake safe spaces. One only hopes that they all stay put with their Play-Doh, coloring books and hot cocoa for years to come!
When I endorsed Donald Trump for president, I wrote to my conservative colleagues, particularly Christians struggling with Trump’s considerable moral indiscretions, “Those who choose to sit this election out or ‘choose neither’ are making a choice — to undermine the best prospect to advance Liberty. … If you’re reluctant to vote for Trump, at least cast your vote for the Supreme Court.”
Fortunately, by a popular state-by-state margin sufficient to provide Trump a substantial Electoral College victory, our Constitution has been rescued from the incessant Obama assault of the last eight years — an assault that would most assuredly have continued for at least the next four years had Clinton been victorious.
However, given the popular vote totals, my more liberal (and therefore more “enlightened”) colleagues continually ask me, with predictably arrogant and disapproving airs, “Well, who won the popular vote?” My standard reply leaves them looking like a deer in the headlights: “The Supreme Court and our Rule of Law won!”
Indeed, this promises to be a new dawn for Liberty.
But the second post-election surprise has been almost as astounding as the first.
The first, of course, was that Donald Trump defeated Barack Obama’s error apparent, Hillary Clinton. Despite how the mainstream media frames that victory, it was not Trump who carried down-ballot candidates but grassroots Americans who handed an up-ballot victory to Trump. The MSM are still trying to figure out who those elusive “grassroots” voters are and from what planet they came.
Nobody was more surprised by the Trump victory than Donald Trump himself, except for Clinton and her legions of lamenting leftist lemmings, who went scurrying for their cupcake safe spaces. One only hopes that they all stay put with their Play-Doh, coloring books and hot cocoa for years to come!
When I endorsed Donald Trump for president, I wrote to my conservative colleagues, particularly Christians struggling with Trump’s considerable moral indiscretions, “Those who choose to sit this election out or ‘choose neither’ are making a choice — to undermine the best prospect to advance Liberty. … If you’re reluctant to vote for Trump, at least cast your vote for the Supreme Court.”
Fortunately, by a popular state-by-state margin sufficient to provide Trump a substantial Electoral College victory, our Constitution has been rescued from the incessant Obama assault of the last eight years — an assault that would most assuredly have continued for at least the next four years had Clinton been victorious.
However, given the popular vote totals, my more liberal (and therefore more “enlightened”) colleagues continually ask me, with predictably arrogant and disapproving airs, “Well, who won the popular vote?” My standard reply leaves them looking like a deer in the headlights: “The Supreme Court and our Rule of Law won!”
Indeed, this promises to be a new dawn for Liberty.
But the second post-election surprise has been almost as astounding as the first.
East Bound Rt. 50 Accident
British Muslims Gather in Show of Strength to Demand Caliphate
More than 1000 Muslims took to the streets of London last night chanting Allahu Akbar and demanding an Islamic caliphate.
The street outside the empty embassy in Belgrave Square, London, was closed off as it filled with protestors and Islamic leaders chanting loudly and calling for America to be punished over Aleppo.
The demonstration became an alternative to an official rally calling for an end to the bloodshed in Syria outside Downing Street.
During the speeches which lasted almost an hour the crowd chanted Allahu Akbar 'God is the greatest' and cheered for those calling for a global caliphate.
The crowd, mostly drawn from mosques across London, was largely self-segregated with many of the women wearing Islamic clothing. It soon grew to block off the entire road, with many in the crowd waving what looked to be the Taliban flag, while others were handed placards made by Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, which calls for the re-establishment of a caliphate. It is not clear who organised the demonstration.
More
The street outside the empty embassy in Belgrave Square, London, was closed off as it filled with protestors and Islamic leaders chanting loudly and calling for America to be punished over Aleppo.
The demonstration became an alternative to an official rally calling for an end to the bloodshed in Syria outside Downing Street.
During the speeches which lasted almost an hour the crowd chanted Allahu Akbar 'God is the greatest' and cheered for those calling for a global caliphate.
The crowd, mostly drawn from mosques across London, was largely self-segregated with many of the women wearing Islamic clothing. It soon grew to block off the entire road, with many in the crowd waving what looked to be the Taliban flag, while others were handed placards made by Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, which calls for the re-establishment of a caliphate. It is not clear who organised the demonstration.
More
Whoopi Goldberg Compares ‘Celebrating Christmas’ To Getting An ‘Abortion’ – Guess Who’s Ticked About It
Christmas means a lot to my family. We do the typical Christmas things. We celebrate the birth of Christ. We put out nativity scenes. We read the Christmas story from the bible. We pray.
To me, it is a sacred holiday. Because my faith is important to me.
That same faith has led me to believe that abortion is wrong. It has taught me to love life and to treasure it. Christmas is about the coming of a perfect Being into the world, a Savior. A Savior who saved all life regardless of age, gender, race, faith, or political opinion. He died for them. Christmas has taught me that every life regardless of where that life falls on the timeline of conception to birth is worth saving, becuase it was worth dying for.
Maybe you agree. Maybe you do not.
That is not the point. The point is that is that I live in a country that protects my right to both of those opinions. I have been allowed the God-given right to worship as I please. And I am grateful for all the religions that benefit from this.
And for me, that makes these following comments even more heinous.
“You cannot pretend that Christmas doesn’t start with the birth of Christ!” Goldberg said. “Listen, I’m not, wait, wait, wait, don’t do it, don’t do it because I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to disappoint you. I’m not a religious person, OK? I’m not a religious person but I do know that Christmas starts with the word Christ! It’s about the birth of Christ.”
“So you can’t, you can’t erase that! And if you don’t believe in it, if you don’t believe in it, then you got Santa Claus. Santa Claus is not a religious thing.”
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To me, it is a sacred holiday. Because my faith is important to me.
That same faith has led me to believe that abortion is wrong. It has taught me to love life and to treasure it. Christmas is about the coming of a perfect Being into the world, a Savior. A Savior who saved all life regardless of age, gender, race, faith, or political opinion. He died for them. Christmas has taught me that every life regardless of where that life falls on the timeline of conception to birth is worth saving, becuase it was worth dying for.
Maybe you agree. Maybe you do not.
That is not the point. The point is that is that I live in a country that protects my right to both of those opinions. I have been allowed the God-given right to worship as I please. And I am grateful for all the religions that benefit from this.
And for me, that makes these following comments even more heinous.
“You cannot pretend that Christmas doesn’t start with the birth of Christ!” Goldberg said. “Listen, I’m not, wait, wait, wait, don’t do it, don’t do it because I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to disappoint you. I’m not a religious person, OK? I’m not a religious person but I do know that Christmas starts with the word Christ! It’s about the birth of Christ.”
“So you can’t, you can’t erase that! And if you don’t believe in it, if you don’t believe in it, then you got Santa Claus. Santa Claus is not a religious thing.”
More
Soros-Backed Group Leads Charge Against Tillerson From the Left
As soon as President-elect Donald Trump made official his nomination of Exxon Mobil CEO Ken Tillerson to be secretary of state, U.S. senators of both parties began to voice strongly worded concerns about the nominee's ties to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin.
But Tillerson, 64, will face his most spirited opposition from a decidedly left-of-center group funded in large part by George Soros, the Hungarian-born billionaire known as "the paymaster" of leftist organizations.
Global Witness, which styles itself as an environmental watchdog group, charged Monday that under Tillerson's watch, Exxon Mobil has been a part of "misleading the public about what it knew of the threat from climate change, for which it's now under investigation by the New York Attorney General."
More here
But Tillerson, 64, will face his most spirited opposition from a decidedly left-of-center group funded in large part by George Soros, the Hungarian-born billionaire known as "the paymaster" of leftist organizations.
Global Witness, which styles itself as an environmental watchdog group, charged Monday that under Tillerson's watch, Exxon Mobil has been a part of "misleading the public about what it knew of the threat from climate change, for which it's now under investigation by the New York Attorney General."
More here
MSEA Statement on Gov. Hogan's Private School Voucher Proposal
Annapolis, Maryland — This afternoon, Gov. Hogan proposed doubling funding for the BOOST program, his Trump-like initiative that sends taxpayer money from public schools to private schools.
MSEA President Betty Weller, a middle school science teacher, released the following statement:
"According to independent experts, Maryland’s public schools currently have $2.9 billion less than what they need to help every child succeed. Our kids rely on strong neighborhood public schools to prepare them for a college education and stable career—and we have a moral obligation to fill those equity gaps.
"That’s why Maryland educators are deeply frustrated by Gov. Hogan’s proposal to drain twice as many resources from our public schools to subsidize private schools. The governor’s alliance with President-elect Donald Trump—who has proposed the idea of using $20 billion in taxpayer money for private school vouchers—on privatizing our public schools should be alarming to every Marylander who believes in the importance of public education.
"We urge the General Assembly to eliminate the wasteful BOOST program—which has already taken $5 million from public schools to subsidize private religious schools—and stand squarely on the side of our public schools.”
'Center for American Progress' focuses on anti-Trump efforts
Looking to build itself into a nerve center for the anti-Donald Trump resistance, the liberal Center for American Progress think tank is relaunching its advocacy-focused arm Thursday and bringing on a longtime senior aide to Sen. Harry Reid to help lead the charge.
Adam Jentleson, Reid’s deputy chief of staff, will work to steer the new war room at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which its leaders hope will provide Democrats with a centralized resource to oppose the president-elect’s moves — starting with his Cabinet nominations.
The re-orientation comes at a difficult inflection point not only for Democrats, but for the constellation of left-leaning organizations that pepper the Washington landscape and that fully expected to be advising Hillary Clinton’s White House transition team at this point. CAP’s move, landing Thursday to mark the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights, is one of the most significant in a series of pushes into a world where Democrats are once again the opposition.
“Our goal is to be the central hub of the Trump resistance, to hold Trump accountable for the promises he made,” said CAP president and CEO Neera Tanden, a confidant of Clinton’s, her campaign policy director in 2008, and a member of her 2016 transition team.
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Adam Jentleson, Reid’s deputy chief of staff, will work to steer the new war room at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which its leaders hope will provide Democrats with a centralized resource to oppose the president-elect’s moves — starting with his Cabinet nominations.
The re-orientation comes at a difficult inflection point not only for Democrats, but for the constellation of left-leaning organizations that pepper the Washington landscape and that fully expected to be advising Hillary Clinton’s White House transition team at this point. CAP’s move, landing Thursday to mark the 225th anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights, is one of the most significant in a series of pushes into a world where Democrats are once again the opposition.
“Our goal is to be the central hub of the Trump resistance, to hold Trump accountable for the promises he made,” said CAP president and CEO Neera Tanden, a confidant of Clinton’s, her campaign policy director in 2008, and a member of her 2016 transition team.
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GLEAMING GUARDIAN OF CHESAPEAKE BAY
Lighthouses are built to endure the often brutal natural environments they are intended to mark, but over time take a beating from the elements. Maintaining these structures has in many instances become a shared responsibility, incorporating planning, funding and effort from various levels of government, private organizations and individuals. At a unique site, located at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a current preservation effort at the New Cape Henry Lighthouse reflects the U.S. Coast Guard’s responsibility for maintaining the structure. A paint job and other improvements should enhance the aesthetic appeal of the site adjacent to the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse that draws approximately 80,000 visitors annually.
The preservation project includes major maintenance and repair of several structures at the site, including three Coast Guard-owned housing units and six auxiliary buildings in addition to the actual lighthouse.
Construction specific to the New Cape Henry Lighthouse replaced and repaired historic wood, cast iron and masonry elements to improve structural integrity, and provided new finishes to restore the lighthouse to its former glory.
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Ohio Millionaire Indicted on Food Stamp Fraud Charges
An Ohio millionaire has been indicted on charges that he illegally received food stamps and Medicaid assistance.
Ali Pascal Mahvi is facing four felony counts, which could put him in jail for more than four years if convicted, WKYC reported.
Prosecutors say Mahvi illegally collected $45,000 in Medicaid benefits and about $8,400 in food stamps, although Mahvi maintains his innocence.
Investigators raided Mahvi’s home in September for evidence that he collected food stamps and received Medicaid benefits while having millions of dollars in his bank account.
Mahvi, who claims that he has ties to Iranian royalty and owns 70 percent of a resort in St. Lucia, estimates his worth at about $120 million.
His $800,000 home features five bedrooms and five bathrooms, an in-ground swimming pool, a stable with horses, and sports cars parked in the four-car garage.
More here
Ali Pascal Mahvi is facing four felony counts, which could put him in jail for more than four years if convicted, WKYC reported.
Prosecutors say Mahvi illegally collected $45,000 in Medicaid benefits and about $8,400 in food stamps, although Mahvi maintains his innocence.
Investigators raided Mahvi’s home in September for evidence that he collected food stamps and received Medicaid benefits while having millions of dollars in his bank account.
Mahvi, who claims that he has ties to Iranian royalty and owns 70 percent of a resort in St. Lucia, estimates his worth at about $120 million.
His $800,000 home features five bedrooms and five bathrooms, an in-ground swimming pool, a stable with horses, and sports cars parked in the four-car garage.
More here
"Bullet In The Mouth" - Trump Electors Flooded With Death Threats
Electors around the country are being harassed with a barrage of emails, phone calls, letters and even death threats, in an effort to block Donald Trump from being voted in as president by the Electoral College on Monday. Of course, with the mainstream media and democrats pushing the dangerous narrative that Putin basically usurped our democracy, it's no wonder that disaffected Hillary snowflakes are growing more "triggered" with each passing day.
According to a report from the New York Post, one Republican elector in Michigan has even received death threats after he refused to change his vote.
For Michael Banerian, a senior at Oakland University in Michigan and a Republican elector, the harassment comes with a dark side.
He said he’s been getting death threats via email, snail mail, Twitter and Facebook.
“Somebody threatened to put a bullet in the back of my mouth,” Banerian, 22, told The Post on Wednesday.
Republican electors from all over the country are being inundated with emails, phone calls and letters on a daily basis, from angry democrats, urging them to switch their votes. One Republican elector in Arizona estimated that she had received 50,000 emails since election day.
The bullying is overwhelming Sharon Geise’s tech devices, but not her resolve to support Trump.
The Mesa, Arizona, grandmother woke up Wednesday morning to more than 1,500 emails demanding she not carry out her legal duty to vote for the president-elect.
“They just keep coming and coming,” Geise told The Post, estimating she’s received more than 50,000 emails since the election. “They’re overpowering my iPad.”
Her answer: mass delete.
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According to a report from the New York Post, one Republican elector in Michigan has even received death threats after he refused to change his vote.
For Michael Banerian, a senior at Oakland University in Michigan and a Republican elector, the harassment comes with a dark side.
He said he’s been getting death threats via email, snail mail, Twitter and Facebook.
“Somebody threatened to put a bullet in the back of my mouth,” Banerian, 22, told The Post on Wednesday.
Republican electors from all over the country are being inundated with emails, phone calls and letters on a daily basis, from angry democrats, urging them to switch their votes. One Republican elector in Arizona estimated that she had received 50,000 emails since election day.
The bullying is overwhelming Sharon Geise’s tech devices, but not her resolve to support Trump.
The Mesa, Arizona, grandmother woke up Wednesday morning to more than 1,500 emails demanding she not carry out her legal duty to vote for the president-elect.
“They just keep coming and coming,” Geise told The Post, estimating she’s received more than 50,000 emails since the election. “They’re overpowering my iPad.”
Her answer: mass delete.
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AG Lynch: It's Up To Baltimore Officials To Get Consent Decree Done
"state taxpayers need to help foot the bill"
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said it's all up to Baltimore City officials to get the consent decree done to mandate reforms for the Baltimore Police Department.
The process has taken on a sense of urgency to get it done before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.
The 11 News I-Team has learned that city officials have everything they need to get the deal done.
Lynch plans to travel to Baltimore in early January in hopes of signing the consent decree to enforce reform of the Police Department.
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Sharyl Attkisson: ‘Fake News’ Is A ‘Propaganda Campaign’ Started By the Left
Wednesday on Newsmax TV’s “The Steve Malzberg Show,” while discussing the 2016 presidential election’s fake new controversy, “Full Measure” host Sharyl Attkisson said fake news is a “propaganda campaign” to censor truth started by politicians like President Barack Obama and Clinton ally the founder of Media Matters Democratic operative David Brock.
Attkisson said, “Before about September 13, if you searched the news you won’t find many or any mentions of fake news. But as soon as there was, in my view, a propaganda campaign to put this on the plate of the American public, the news media and politicians including President Obama went hog wild with the term and it started making headlines every day. It wasn’t a new invention.”
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Attkisson said, “Before about September 13, if you searched the news you won’t find many or any mentions of fake news. But as soon as there was, in my view, a propaganda campaign to put this on the plate of the American public, the news media and politicians including President Obama went hog wild with the term and it started making headlines every day. It wasn’t a new invention.”
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Obama mandates state funding for Planned Parenthood
President Obama is delivering a generous parting gift to Planned Parenthood in the form of a rule prohibiting states from divesting millions of dollars from the nation’s largest abortion provider.
The final version of the rule, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, requires states to distribute dollars from Title X of the Public Health Service Act without taking into account whether recipient clinics perform abortions.
The edict is set to go into effect Jan. 18, two days before the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump.
Rep. Diane Black, a Tennessee Republican who sits on the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives, said the Obama administration “will not have the last word” on the rule.
“We should not be surprised that his administration would lash out with this eleventh hour power grab on the way out the door, but I am certain this rule will not stand for long,” Ms. Black said in a statement.
More here
The final version of the rule, issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, requires states to distribute dollars from Title X of the Public Health Service Act without taking into account whether recipient clinics perform abortions.
The edict is set to go into effect Jan. 18, two days before the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump.
Rep. Diane Black, a Tennessee Republican who sits on the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives, said the Obama administration “will not have the last word” on the rule.
“We should not be surprised that his administration would lash out with this eleventh hour power grab on the way out the door, but I am certain this rule will not stand for long,” Ms. Black said in a statement.
More here
Britain Mulls Calls for Mandatory Voter ID
London (CNSNews.com) – After a government report this summer recommended that British voters be required to provide identification, parliament will consider such a law early in the coming year.
A Labour Party critic attributed the proposed legislation to the influence of Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Under a bill introduced by Chris Green, a Conservative MP from the northwestern city of Bolton, all British voters would have to show a photo ID document at polling stations.
Green told the House of Commons in late November that as society changes, so traditional standards of trust have to be reassessed.
He said the level of voter impersonation at polling stations is by its very nature difficult to gauge, but it appeared to be on the increase, particularly in areas with large, transient populations.
“We have all heard the phrase ‘vote early and vote often,’ but it appears that that is increasingly happening,” Green said.
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A Labour Party critic attributed the proposed legislation to the influence of Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Under a bill introduced by Chris Green, a Conservative MP from the northwestern city of Bolton, all British voters would have to show a photo ID document at polling stations.
Green told the House of Commons in late November that as society changes, so traditional standards of trust have to be reassessed.
He said the level of voter impersonation at polling stations is by its very nature difficult to gauge, but it appeared to be on the increase, particularly in areas with large, transient populations.
“We have all heard the phrase ‘vote early and vote often,’ but it appears that that is increasingly happening,” Green said.
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Kellyanne Conway: I could work outside administration to ‘haunt’ Trump opponents
Kellyanne Conway, President-elect Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, said on Thursday that she would soon either be working in the new administration or be on the outside to “haunt” lawmakers who try to get in Mr. Trump’s way.
“I’m going to support him. I’m either going to go outside and build this surround sound superstructure so that every time somebody tries to get in his way with legislation he wants to pass, I will be there to haunt them,” she said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“Including the 10 Democrats that are up in 2018 in seats that he just won, and the additional five or six that are in states … that he came close to winning,” she said. “That’s very important. I want this guy to have 60 or 61 senators after 2018. Or I’ll go inside.”
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“I’m going to support him. I’m either going to go outside and build this surround sound superstructure so that every time somebody tries to get in his way with legislation he wants to pass, I will be there to haunt them,” she said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“Including the 10 Democrats that are up in 2018 in seats that he just won, and the additional five or six that are in states … that he came close to winning,” she said. “That’s very important. I want this guy to have 60 or 61 senators after 2018. Or I’ll go inside.”
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Why We Desperately Need To Bring Back Vocational Training In Schools
Throughout most of U.S. history, American high school students were routinely taught vocational and job-ready skills along with the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic. Indeed readers of a certain age are likely to have fond memories of huddling over wooden workbenches learning a craft such as woodwork or maybe metal work, or any one of the hands-on projects that characterized the once-ubiquitous shop class.
But in the 1950s, a different philosophy emerged: the theory that students should follow separate educational tracks according to ability. The idea was that the college-bound would take traditional academic courses (Latin, creative writing, science, math) and received no vocational training. Those students not headed for college would take basic academic courses, along with vocational training, or “shop.”
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But in the 1950s, a different philosophy emerged: the theory that students should follow separate educational tracks according to ability. The idea was that the college-bound would take traditional academic courses (Latin, creative writing, science, math) and received no vocational training. Those students not headed for college would take basic academic courses, along with vocational training, or “shop.”
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WCSO CID Press Release - Dec. 16, 16
Date of Incident: 12/15/16
Location: Civic Ave @ Old Ocean City Road Salisbury, MD 21804
Suspect: Kimberly K. Naggy, 54 years old female, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 12/15/16 members of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team (CAT) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Civic Ave and Old Ocean City Road Salisbury, Maryland. During the course of the traffic stop, Deputies developed information that lead them to believe the driver was involved in criminal activity. A K-9 Unit from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and conducted a drug scan of the vehicle. The scan resulted in a positive alert from the K-9. Deputies searched the vehicle and located crack cocaine inside. The driver, Kimberly Naggy, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Bond information for Naggy was not available at the time of this press release.
Charges: Possession of CDS : Not Marijuana
Comey to Trump: The Russians Did NOT Influence the Election
In telephone conversations with Donald Trump, FBI Director James Comey assured the president-elect there was no credible evidence that Russia influenced the outcome of the recent U.S. presidential election by hacking the Democratic National Committee and the emails of John Podesta, the chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
What’s more, Comey told Trump that James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, agreed with this FBI assessment.
The only member of the U.S. intelligence community who was ready to assert that the Russians sanctioned the hacking was John Brennan, the director of the CIA, according to sources who were briefed on Comey’s conversations with Trump.
"And Brennan takes his marching orders from President Obama," the sources quoted Comey as saying.
More here
What’s more, Comey told Trump that James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, agreed with this FBI assessment.
The only member of the U.S. intelligence community who was ready to assert that the Russians sanctioned the hacking was John Brennan, the director of the CIA, according to sources who were briefed on Comey’s conversations with Trump.
"And Brennan takes his marching orders from President Obama," the sources quoted Comey as saying.
More here
Julian Assange: 'Our Source Is Not the Russian Government'
Thursday on the Sean Hannity’s radio show, editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks Julian Assange said the Russian government was not his source for the hacked emails they released from both the Democratic National Committee and the chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign John Podesta.
Assange said, “Our source is not the Russian government.”
Hannity asked, “In other words, let me be clear, Russia did not give you the Podesta documents or anything from the DNC?
Assange replied, “That’s correct.”
Source
Assange said, “Our source is not the Russian government.”
Hannity asked, “In other words, let me be clear, Russia did not give you the Podesta documents or anything from the DNC?
Assange replied, “That’s correct.”
Source
Pete King: Russian Hacking Claims 'Creating Uncertainty' Without Proof
Some people in the media, intelligence community, and even politics are "doing the work of the Russians" by spreading news America's Cold War foe influenced the U.S. election, Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., said Thursday.
According to the Washington Examiner, King, who has a seat on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, was at Trump Tower and talked to the media Thursday about allegations Russia meddled with U.S. affairs by computer hacks and fake news.
"There is no CIA conclusion," King said, refuting the claim the CIA officially believes Russia was behind attempts to help President-elect Donald Trump win the election. "The CIA has repeatedly told us that they have no idea what the intent was. They think if there is an intent, it is to disrupt the election, to create confusion, and cast a cloud over the winner.
"And right now, certain elements of the media, certain elements of the intelligence community, and certain politicians are really doing the work of the Russians. They're creating this uncertainty over the election, this is several days before the Electoral College."
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According to the Washington Examiner, King, who has a seat on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, was at Trump Tower and talked to the media Thursday about allegations Russia meddled with U.S. affairs by computer hacks and fake news.
"There is no CIA conclusion," King said, refuting the claim the CIA officially believes Russia was behind attempts to help President-elect Donald Trump win the election. "The CIA has repeatedly told us that they have no idea what the intent was. They think if there is an intent, it is to disrupt the election, to create confusion, and cast a cloud over the winner.
"And right now, certain elements of the media, certain elements of the intelligence community, and certain politicians are really doing the work of the Russians. They're creating this uncertainty over the election, this is several days before the Electoral College."
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NY FBI Office Probes Clinton Foundation
Officials at FBI headquarters instructed its New York field office to continue its corruption investigation into the Clinton Foundation following the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump, according to a former senior law enforcement official.
The instructions ordered agents to “go forward” with their ongoing inquiry into the Clinton Foundation which is focusing on issues of corruption and money laundering, according to the source.
“There were no instructions to shut it down, to discontinue or to stand down on the investigation, but to continue its work,” the former official told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an interview.
He said he received this information about a week ago and that the order originated from the bureau’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. well after the November 8 election. He did not know who at FBI Headquarters issued the order.
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The instructions ordered agents to “go forward” with their ongoing inquiry into the Clinton Foundation which is focusing on issues of corruption and money laundering, according to the source.
“There were no instructions to shut it down, to discontinue or to stand down on the investigation, but to continue its work,” the former official told the Daily Caller News Foundation in an interview.
He said he received this information about a week ago and that the order originated from the bureau’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. well after the November 8 election. He did not know who at FBI Headquarters issued the order.
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Generation New Firefighter – The 2/20 Syndrome
Every department has at least one person, if not more, that has been on the job for two years and they think and act like they have been on the job for 20 years (thus, 2/20). Take it a step further; many departments also have 3/30 personnel, 4/40 personnel, etc. It is not too difficult to spot those folks; they are the ones that think they know it all and their way is the best way. One of the firefighters I work with coined that phrase after seeing an inordinate number of firefighters fresh off of probation walking around the fire station like they were veteran firefighters that had “been there, done that, and got the t-shirt.”
I guess we can blame part of this problem on the current generations of firefighters, but it doesn’t mean we have to tolerate or accept a 2/20 or 3/30 person. Nothing is farther from the truth. We need to acknowledge those folks and get them back on the right track.
Characteristics of a 2/20 (or 3/30, 4/40, etc.) firefighter:
1. Has been on the job for two years and think they have been there for at least 20 years.
2. Has “been there, done that.”
3. Does not show respect for the department, the rich traditions of the fire service, the veterans (of any rank), or their company officers and chief officers.
4. Thinks they know it all, and don’t need any further training or education.
5. Does not understand the concept of seniority and rank, or chain of command.
6. Is not open-minded when it comes to new ideas.
7. Does not know when to speak and when to shut up.
8. Thinks they are at the top of their game, and that the veteran firefighters are out of touch or uneducated.
What can you do to not let yourself fall into this trap? Here is my 11-step program to not let yourself become a 2/20 firefighter:
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I guess we can blame part of this problem on the current generations of firefighters, but it doesn’t mean we have to tolerate or accept a 2/20 or 3/30 person. Nothing is farther from the truth. We need to acknowledge those folks and get them back on the right track.
Characteristics of a 2/20 (or 3/30, 4/40, etc.) firefighter:
1. Has been on the job for two years and think they have been there for at least 20 years.
2. Has “been there, done that.”
3. Does not show respect for the department, the rich traditions of the fire service, the veterans (of any rank), or their company officers and chief officers.
4. Thinks they know it all, and don’t need any further training or education.
5. Does not understand the concept of seniority and rank, or chain of command.
6. Is not open-minded when it comes to new ideas.
7. Does not know when to speak and when to shut up.
8. Thinks they are at the top of their game, and that the veteran firefighters are out of touch or uneducated.
What can you do to not let yourself fall into this trap? Here is my 11-step program to not let yourself become a 2/20 firefighter:
More
Trump is turning the GOP into the Workers’ party
After striking a Carrier deal to preserve about 800 jobs, the president-elect slapped the Indiana company Rexnord on Twitter for “rather viciously firing” its workers and then went after Boeing for ripping off the public on a $3 billion Air Force One deal.
Just like that, and in less than 280 characters, Trump had established more distance from big business than the GOP had in a generation. In his frenetic way, he’s forcing a reorientation of the Republican Party’s economics, a change that is welcome in its broad contours, even if his methods are dubious and the potential pitfalls considerable.
Gone is the vaguely Randian emphasis on “makers vs. takers,” with anyone who doesn’t earn enough to make a net contribution to the funding of the federal government considered a parasite on the body politic.
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Just like that, and in less than 280 characters, Trump had established more distance from big business than the GOP had in a generation. In his frenetic way, he’s forcing a reorientation of the Republican Party’s economics, a change that is welcome in its broad contours, even if his methods are dubious and the potential pitfalls considerable.
Gone is the vaguely Randian emphasis on “makers vs. takers,” with anyone who doesn’t earn enough to make a net contribution to the funding of the federal government considered a parasite on the body politic.
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Japan Overtakes China as Largest Holder of U.S. Treasuries
China’s holdings of U.S. Treasuries declined to the lowest in more than six years as the world’s second-largest economy uses its currency reserves to support the yuan. Japan overtook China as America’s top foreign creditor, as its holdings edged down at a slower pace.
A monthly Treasury Department report showed China held $1.12 trillion in U.S. government bonds, notes and bills in October, down $41.3 billion from the prior month and the lowest investment since July 2010. The portfolio of Japan decreased for third month, falling by $4.5 billion to $1.13 trillion, according to the data. Collectively, the two nations account for about 37 percent of America’s foreign debt holdings.
China’s foreign reserves, the world’s largest stockpile, declined for the fifth straight month in November to $3.05 trillion -- the lowest since March 2011 -- amid support for the sliding currency. That stockpile has fallen from a record $4 trillion in June 2015.
The report, which also contains data on international capital flows, showed net foreign buying of long-term securities totaling $9.4 billion in October.
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A monthly Treasury Department report showed China held $1.12 trillion in U.S. government bonds, notes and bills in October, down $41.3 billion from the prior month and the lowest investment since July 2010. The portfolio of Japan decreased for third month, falling by $4.5 billion to $1.13 trillion, according to the data. Collectively, the two nations account for about 37 percent of America’s foreign debt holdings.
China’s foreign reserves, the world’s largest stockpile, declined for the fifth straight month in November to $3.05 trillion -- the lowest since March 2011 -- amid support for the sliding currency. That stockpile has fallen from a record $4 trillion in June 2015.
The report, which also contains data on international capital flows, showed net foreign buying of long-term securities totaling $9.4 billion in October.
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Study: Premium hikes add $10B to taxpayers' health law tab
WASHINGTON (AP) — Taxpayers will fork over nearly $10 billion more next year to cover double-digit premium hikes for subsidized health insurance under President Barack Obama’s law, according to a study being released Thursday.
The analysis from the Center for Health and Economy comes as the Republican-led Congress is preparing to repeal “Obamacare” and replace it with a GOP alternative whose details have yet to be worked out. With incoming President Donald Trump likely to sign such legislation, historic coverage gains under the 2010 health law are at stake.
The study estimates that the cost of premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act will increase by $9.8 billion next year, rising from $32.8 billion currently to $42.6 billion.
The average monthly subsidy will increase by $76, or 26 percent, from $291 currently to $367 in 2017.
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The analysis from the Center for Health and Economy comes as the Republican-led Congress is preparing to repeal “Obamacare” and replace it with a GOP alternative whose details have yet to be worked out. With incoming President Donald Trump likely to sign such legislation, historic coverage gains under the 2010 health law are at stake.
The study estimates that the cost of premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act will increase by $9.8 billion next year, rising from $32.8 billion currently to $42.6 billion.
The average monthly subsidy will increase by $76, or 26 percent, from $291 currently to $367 in 2017.
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Ex-NFL star Burgess Owens: The 2016 liberation of the black community
November 9, 2016 was a special day for this proud American. My eyes opened that morning with an immediate thought that “We the People” had witnessed --and taken part in -- A Miracle.
There are millions of Americans who have yet to recognize the miracle of November 9th. They remain angry, shocked and saddened that our nation has elected to our highest office someone whom their trusted leaders had promised was “unelectable.” With a national mandate granted to the Republican Party, i.e. sweeping control of both Houses, State Governorships, Presidency and the Supreme Court, these Americans will have the opportunity to finally see the promises of “unfettered” Conservatism. With the passing of policies designed to increase opportunities for all to procure the American Dream, many will come to recognize what has been chronically missing with their decades-long loyalty to the Democratic Party…..HOPE!
November 9, 2016 over the years will come to represent the renaissance of HOPE for millions of Americans from all races, colors, creeds and neighborhoods. It will be seen as the day that “We the People” chose to begin our racial healing after years of purposeful divisiveness. It will be noted as the day when the American people chose to return to its optimistic ways…always its driving force. It will be known for..
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There are millions of Americans who have yet to recognize the miracle of November 9th. They remain angry, shocked and saddened that our nation has elected to our highest office someone whom their trusted leaders had promised was “unelectable.” With a national mandate granted to the Republican Party, i.e. sweeping control of both Houses, State Governorships, Presidency and the Supreme Court, these Americans will have the opportunity to finally see the promises of “unfettered” Conservatism. With the passing of policies designed to increase opportunities for all to procure the American Dream, many will come to recognize what has been chronically missing with their decades-long loyalty to the Democratic Party…..HOPE!
November 9, 2016 over the years will come to represent the renaissance of HOPE for millions of Americans from all races, colors, creeds and neighborhoods. It will be seen as the day that “We the People” chose to begin our racial healing after years of purposeful divisiveness. It will be noted as the day when the American people chose to return to its optimistic ways…always its driving force. It will be known for..
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'We Are Losing Control of Our Streets': Bavaria Home Minister Calls For Migrant Deportations After Cologne, Murders
After 12 months of migrant attacks which saw mass sex assaults in western cityCologne and the rape-murder of teenager Maria Ladenburger, Bavaria’s finance minister has warned the nation faces a homeland security crisis and is losing control of its streets.
Speaking as Germany approaches the anniversary of the migrant sex attacks which saw over 1,000 victims, hundreds of sex attack victims, and dozens of rapes, the foreign minister of Germany’s conservatively minded Bavarian region has called for the government to act with resolve to solve the immigrant problem.
Germany’s best-selling broadsheet Welt reports the comments of State Minister for Finance, Regional Development and Home Affairs Markus Söder Thursday when he said the security situation in the country was deteriorating and mass migration was to blame. Remarking “Our wives and daughters are increasingly afraid of sexual assaults”, Söder called for more police power and deportations for migrants.
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Speaking as Germany approaches the anniversary of the migrant sex attacks which saw over 1,000 victims, hundreds of sex attack victims, and dozens of rapes, the foreign minister of Germany’s conservatively minded Bavarian region has called for the government to act with resolve to solve the immigrant problem.
Germany’s best-selling broadsheet Welt reports the comments of State Minister for Finance, Regional Development and Home Affairs Markus Söder Thursday when he said the security situation in the country was deteriorating and mass migration was to blame. Remarking “Our wives and daughters are increasingly afraid of sexual assaults”, Söder called for more police power and deportations for migrants.
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School district votes for armed teachers
Trained staff, faculty members will be permitted to concealed carry
A school board in rural Colorado has voted to allow faculty and staff members who are licensed for concealed carry in the state to do so on campus to protect students in a region where law enforcement officers can be 45 minutes away in an emergency.
The 3-2 vote Wednesday by the board in the Hanover School District 28 was reported by the Colorado Springs Gazette.
The state has a history of school shootings, including the 1999 Columbine shooting, in which two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, shot and killed 12 other students and one teacher. They also wounded 21 others before they killed themselves.
In 2013, a student at Arapahoe High School shot and killed another student before killing himself.
There also have been shootings at churches and church facilities, and at least one mass shooting at a restaurant in the state.
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A school board in rural Colorado has voted to allow faculty and staff members who are licensed for concealed carry in the state to do so on campus to protect students in a region where law enforcement officers can be 45 minutes away in an emergency.
The 3-2 vote Wednesday by the board in the Hanover School District 28 was reported by the Colorado Springs Gazette.
The state has a history of school shootings, including the 1999 Columbine shooting, in which two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, shot and killed 12 other students and one teacher. They also wounded 21 others before they killed themselves.
In 2013, a student at Arapahoe High School shot and killed another student before killing himself.
There also have been shootings at churches and church facilities, and at least one mass shooting at a restaurant in the state.
More
Cops to Trump: Save us
Exclusive: Jeff Roorda calls on new president to combat false narratives about police
Now that the dust has settled on the 2016 presidential election, it’s time to think about what the next four years will look like. As a former cop and current police spokesman, I’m particularly concerned about what the immediate future holds for the brave men and women in blue who patrol the increasingly dangerous streets of America.
After suffering through eight years of an administration at war with law enforcement, we need a president who understands that cops do a difficult, important job that keeps us all safe. Too many have forgotten that or devalued the job police do.
Or worse.
Police killings are up over 70 percent in 2016, and fatal ambushes are up by over 150 percent. A downward trend in fatal assaults of peace officers ended in 2013. That’s because murders of police have been up every year since Michael Brown died trying to disarm a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer in 2014. It has resulted in the “Ferguson Effect,” responsible for a sharp increase in violent crime, murder and attacks on cops coupled with a general tendency toward lawlessness in our urban centers. America is a considerably less safe place because of it, and policing is more hazardous than ever. Our hometown heroes, it seems, need a hero of their own.
This is where you come in, President-elect Trump.
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Now that the dust has settled on the 2016 presidential election, it’s time to think about what the next four years will look like. As a former cop and current police spokesman, I’m particularly concerned about what the immediate future holds for the brave men and women in blue who patrol the increasingly dangerous streets of America.
After suffering through eight years of an administration at war with law enforcement, we need a president who understands that cops do a difficult, important job that keeps us all safe. Too many have forgotten that or devalued the job police do.
Or worse.
Police killings are up over 70 percent in 2016, and fatal ambushes are up by over 150 percent. A downward trend in fatal assaults of peace officers ended in 2013. That’s because murders of police have been up every year since Michael Brown died trying to disarm a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer in 2014. It has resulted in the “Ferguson Effect,” responsible for a sharp increase in violent crime, murder and attacks on cops coupled with a general tendency toward lawlessness in our urban centers. America is a considerably less safe place because of it, and policing is more hazardous than ever. Our hometown heroes, it seems, need a hero of their own.
This is where you come in, President-elect Trump.
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Wicomico County Mannequin Challenge
Wicomico County employees from various departments participate in the Mannequin Challenge during County Executive Bob Culver's Holiday Drop-In.
Rand Paul: Restore the Bill of Rights
Two hundred and twenty-five years ago today, a young nation made ten additions to its already revolutionary Constitution.
These amendments – this “Bill of Rights” – said we could speak our minds, worship freely, defend ourselves, be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, and expect to be treated fairly if accused of a crime.
In contrast to almost all of the legislation Congress passes today, the Bill of Rights is full of language such as “Congress shall make no law” and “The right of the people… shall not be violated,” along with a guarantee that non-delegated powers or those not specifically denied the states “are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
With this document, the Founders drew a line in the sand a few inches from the government’s feet.
Not all of these 225 years have been kind to the Bill of Rights, though. It’s been challenged, debated, and far too often just ignored.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this would have surprised the Founders.
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These amendments – this “Bill of Rights” – said we could speak our minds, worship freely, defend ourselves, be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, and expect to be treated fairly if accused of a crime.
In contrast to almost all of the legislation Congress passes today, the Bill of Rights is full of language such as “Congress shall make no law” and “The right of the people… shall not be violated,” along with a guarantee that non-delegated powers or those not specifically denied the states “are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
With this document, the Founders drew a line in the sand a few inches from the government’s feet.
Not all of these 225 years have been kind to the Bill of Rights, though. It’s been challenged, debated, and far too often just ignored.
Don’t be fooled into thinking this would have surprised the Founders.
More
Politics and temptation: The Willie Cochran indictment
Former Prince George's County executive Jack Johnson has been released from federal prison after serving prison time on corruption charges, News4 has learned.
Johnson has been transferred to a federal halfway house in the Baltimore area, a public posting by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirms. His projected release date is June 2017.
Johnson pleaded guilty in May 2011 to two charges of corruption stemming from his actions as the county's chief elected official. He was sentenced to seven years behind bars.
The scheme, which captured nationwide attention, later also led to the imprisonment of Johnson's wife, Leslie. The former county executive was heard on a recorded phone call instructing his wife on how to hide evidence, including cash and a $100,000 check, as investigators were coming through the front door in November 2010.
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Johnson has been transferred to a federal halfway house in the Baltimore area, a public posting by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirms. His projected release date is June 2017.
Johnson pleaded guilty in May 2011 to two charges of corruption stemming from his actions as the county's chief elected official. He was sentenced to seven years behind bars.
The scheme, which captured nationwide attention, later also led to the imprisonment of Johnson's wife, Leslie. The former county executive was heard on a recorded phone call instructing his wife on how to hide evidence, including cash and a $100,000 check, as investigators were coming through the front door in November 2010.
More/Video
Pete King: Russian Hacking Claims 'Creating Uncertainty' Without Proof
Some people in the media, intelligence community, and even politics are "doing the work of the Russians" by spreading news America's Cold War foe influenced the U.S. election, Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., said Thursday.
According to the Washington Examiner, King, who has a seat on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, was at Trump Tower and talked to the media Thursday about allegations Russia meddled with U.S. affairs by computer hacks and fake news.
"There is no CIA conclusion," King said, refuting the claim the CIA officially believes Russia was behind attempts to help President-elect Donald Trump win the election. "The CIA has repeatedly told us that they have no idea what the intent was. They think if there is an intent, it is to disrupt the election, to create confusion, and cast a cloud over the winner.
"And right now, certain elements of the media, certain elements of the intelligence community, and certain politicians are really doing the work of the Russians. They're creating this uncertainty over the election, this is several days before the Electoral College."
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According to the Washington Examiner, King, who has a seat on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, was at Trump Tower and talked to the media Thursday about allegations Russia meddled with U.S. affairs by computer hacks and fake news.
"There is no CIA conclusion," King said, refuting the claim the CIA officially believes Russia was behind attempts to help President-elect Donald Trump win the election. "The CIA has repeatedly told us that they have no idea what the intent was. They think if there is an intent, it is to disrupt the election, to create confusion, and cast a cloud over the winner.
"And right now, certain elements of the media, certain elements of the intelligence community, and certain politicians are really doing the work of the Russians. They're creating this uncertainty over the election, this is several days before the Electoral College."
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Sheriff Joe Arpaio: Obama's Birth Certificate a Forgery
Arpaio said he received information in 2011 that indicated the certificate could have been forged, and he consulted forensic experts from around the world who agree it is not authentic.
Arpaio and his team are not claiming that Obama was not born in Hawaii, but only that the long form birth certificate is not authentic. So-called "birthers" have questioned Obama's place-of-birth, saying he was born in Kenya, which they say disqualifies him to serve as president of the United States. Obama says he was born in Hawaii.
"We had to follow the evidence," Arpaio said before turning the briefing over to lead investigator Mike Zullo.
Zullo showed video of Obama's birth certificate alongside one of a person named Johanna Ah'Nee...
More here
Masters of Universe Decree: We Decide What’s ‘Fake News’
Facebook has announced it will introduce warning labels on stories they deem to be “fake news,” with the help of partisan “fact checking” organisations such as Snopes and PolitiFact.
Stories deemed to be false will now be “flagged” by Facebook, with an accompanying red label claiming the story is “disputed by 3rd Party Fact-Checkers.”
Users will then have the option to “learn why this is disputed” to receive an explanation as to why Facebook believes the story is false.
“We’ll use the reports from our community, along with other signals, to send stories to these organizations,” Facebook VP Adam Mosseri wrote in the Facebook news blog. “If the fact checking organizations identify a story as fake, it will get flagged as disputed and there will be a link to the corresponding article explaining why.”
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Stories deemed to be false will now be “flagged” by Facebook, with an accompanying red label claiming the story is “disputed by 3rd Party Fact-Checkers.”
Users will then have the option to “learn why this is disputed” to receive an explanation as to why Facebook believes the story is false.
“We’ll use the reports from our community, along with other signals, to send stories to these organizations,” Facebook VP Adam Mosseri wrote in the Facebook news blog. “If the fact checking organizations identify a story as fake, it will get flagged as disputed and there will be a link to the corresponding article explaining why.”
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WCSO CID Press Release 12-15-16 (PNC Attempted Robbery)
Date of Incident: 12/15/16
Location: PNC BANK, 1512 S. Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury, Maryland
Narrative: On November 15, 2016 at approximately 9:47AM, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to the PNC Bank parking lot, located at 1512 S. Salisbury Blvd, Salisbury, in reference to an attempted robbery of a Loomis armored vehicle. The victim who is a Loomis guard, stated he was confronted by two males wearing masks, in the front parking lot of the business. The victim was able to flee into the bank and notify bank employees. The suspects fled the area in a two door, dark colored vehicle. The suspects were unsuccessful in their robbery attempt.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division responded to the scene. Anyone with information are urged to call Detective Wilson at (410) 548-4898 or Crime Solvers at (410) 548-1776.
Suspect #1: Black male, dark colored clothing.
Suspect #2: Black male, late 20’s to early 30’s age range, dark colored clothing.
Target Employee Arrested for Allegedly Recording Boy in Store Restroom
The arrest came after the boy’s mother called police in November to report that her son had seen someone’s hand, holding a cell phone, appear underneath his stall in the store, ABC noted.
Police reportedly reviewed store surveillance footage and found that Target employee Matthew Lively, 31, had entered the store’s restroom after the child went in and did not emerge until after the boy left.
Police say that upon questioning, Lively not only confessed to recording the boy, but said that he had recorded other customers in the store restroom, as well.
Police confiscated the employee’s phone and found recordings of others whom they are now attempting to identify.
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DC Public Schools Spokeswoman Wants To ‘Get Rid Of’ All White Men
A spokeswoman for Washington, D.C.’s public school system tweeted Tuesday about her desire to “abolish” all white men.
The declaration by Hilary Tone, who works a day job as communications director for D.C. Public Schools, was prompted by president-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy. Pointing towards Perry’s stated desire to abolish the department he’s been tapped to lead, Tone quipped that she would personally like to lead (and presumably also eliminate) the “Department of White Men.”
For good measure, Tone made a similar comment on her Facebook page, suggesting she wanted to “get rid of” all white men.
Thirteen percent of DCPS’s students are white. Assuming half of those white students are male, then DCPS is educating approximately 3,150 white men right now.
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The declaration by Hilary Tone, who works a day job as communications director for D.C. Public Schools, was prompted by president-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy. Pointing towards Perry’s stated desire to abolish the department he’s been tapped to lead, Tone quipped that she would personally like to lead (and presumably also eliminate) the “Department of White Men.”
For good measure, Tone made a similar comment on her Facebook page, suggesting she wanted to “get rid of” all white men.
Thirteen percent of DCPS’s students are white. Assuming half of those white students are male, then DCPS is educating approximately 3,150 white men right now.
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Barbara Walters Says ABC Has ‘Ruined’ Legacy of ‘The View’
Veteran journalist Barbara Walters feels ABC News executives have tarnished the legacy of “The View” and fears the daytime talk show will be remembered for its backstage catfights and constantly rotating lineup of hosts.
Walters “feels they’ve ruined the franchise that she and Bill Geddie built,” Page Sixreported Saturday, citing a source.
“Instead of focusing on smart, educated women with strong talent, they cast uninformed child actors on the show,” a source told the New York-based outlet. “The legacy has been compromised because of poor casting and bad leadership under ABC News.”
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Walters “feels they’ve ruined the franchise that she and Bill Geddie built,” Page Sixreported Saturday, citing a source.
“Instead of focusing on smart, educated women with strong talent, they cast uninformed child actors on the show,” a source told the New York-based outlet. “The legacy has been compromised because of poor casting and bad leadership under ABC News.”
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Only 50% of Children Entering Labor Force Today Earn More Than Their Parents
For young individuals entering the labor market today, only about half of them are earning more than their parents, according to a report produced by economists from Stanford, Harvard, and the University of California.
These economists created a project called “The Equality of Opportunity,” where they track upward mobility over decades, evaluating the ability of young individuals to move up the economic ladder and achieve the “American Dream.”
The economists say that one of the defining measures of the “American Dream” is being able to achieve a higher standard of living than one’s parents were able to achieve.
The report finds that the percentage of children who are able to achieve this definition of the “American Dream” has fallen from 90 percent for those who were born in 1940 to 50 percent for children who were born in the 1980s.
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These economists created a project called “The Equality of Opportunity,” where they track upward mobility over decades, evaluating the ability of young individuals to move up the economic ladder and achieve the “American Dream.”
The economists say that one of the defining measures of the “American Dream” is being able to achieve a higher standard of living than one’s parents were able to achieve.
The report finds that the percentage of children who are able to achieve this definition of the “American Dream” has fallen from 90 percent for those who were born in 1940 to 50 percent for children who were born in the 1980s.
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Iran Stages Massive War Drills In Show of ‘Supremacy’
Iran has been conducting a series of massive war-drills meant to demonstrate the Islamic Republic’s “supremacy” and show Western forces that the country is prepared to attack forces stationed in the Persian Gulf region, according to Iranian military leaders and reports in the country’s state-run media.
The war drills, which began on Sunday in southeastern Iran and continued into Monday, include ground and air forces as well as unmanned drones.
The war games coincided with the public release by Iran of a new unmanned drone, the latest in a series of such aircraft publicly flown by Tehran in recent months.
Iran military leaders warned the United States against taking any provocative action in the region and promised a swift military response, according to comments over the weekend as the war drills began.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s military forces enjoy supremacy over the Persian Gulf region more than any other time,” Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri, the deputy chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, was quoted as saying over the weekend. “The military and security conditions of the Persian Gulf are in a way that the enemy’s forces and equipment are fully within the range of the Iranian military men.”
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The war drills, which began on Sunday in southeastern Iran and continued into Monday, include ground and air forces as well as unmanned drones.
The war games coincided with the public release by Iran of a new unmanned drone, the latest in a series of such aircraft publicly flown by Tehran in recent months.
Iran military leaders warned the United States against taking any provocative action in the region and promised a swift military response, according to comments over the weekend as the war drills began.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s military forces enjoy supremacy over the Persian Gulf region more than any other time,” Brigadier General Massoud Jazzayeri, the deputy chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, was quoted as saying over the weekend. “The military and security conditions of the Persian Gulf are in a way that the enemy’s forces and equipment are fully within the range of the Iranian military men.”
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Old Farts
I never really liked the terminology "Old Farts" but this makes me feel better about it.
And if you aren't one, I'll bet you know one!
I got this from an "Old Fart" friend of mine!
OLD FART PRIDE
Old Farts are easy to spot at sporting events; during the playing of the National Anthem, Old Farts remove their caps and stand at attention and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and believe in them.
· Old Farts remember World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy, and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War, The Cold War, the Jet Age, and the Moon Landing. They remember the 50-plus Peacekeeping Missions from 1945 to 2005, not to mention Vietnam.
· If you bump into an Old Fart on the sidewalk he will apologize. If you pass an Old Fart on the street, he will nod or tip his cap to a lady. Old Farts trust strangers and are polite, particularly to women.
· Old Farts hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection.
· Old Farts get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children and they don't like any filth or dirty language on TV or in movies.
· Old Farts have moral courage and personal integrity. They seldom brag unless it's about their children or grandchildren.
· It's the Old Farts who know our great country is protected, not by politicians, but by the young men and women in the Air Force, Army, Navy, and MC, serving their country.
This country needs Old Farts with their work ethic, sense of responsibility, pride in their country, and decent values.
We need them now more than ever.
Thank Goodness for Old Farts !
And if you aren't one, I'll bet you know one!
I got this from an "Old Fart" friend of mine!
OLD FART PRIDE
Old Farts are easy to spot at sporting events; during the playing of the National Anthem, Old Farts remove their caps and stand at attention and sing without embarrassment. They know the words and believe in them.
· Old Farts remember World War II, Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Normandy, and Hitler. They remember the Atomic Age, the Korean War, The Cold War, the Jet Age, and the Moon Landing. They remember the 50-plus Peacekeeping Missions from 1945 to 2005, not to mention Vietnam.
· If you bump into an Old Fart on the sidewalk he will apologize. If you pass an Old Fart on the street, he will nod or tip his cap to a lady. Old Farts trust strangers and are polite, particularly to women.
· Old Farts hold the door for the next person and always, when walking, make certain the lady is on the inside for protection.
· Old Farts get embarrassed if someone curses in front of women and children and they don't like any filth or dirty language on TV or in movies.
· Old Farts have moral courage and personal integrity. They seldom brag unless it's about their children or grandchildren.
· It's the Old Farts who know our great country is protected, not by politicians, but by the young men and women in the Air Force, Army, Navy, and MC, serving their country.
This country needs Old Farts with their work ethic, sense of responsibility, pride in their country, and decent values.
We need them now more than ever.
Thank Goodness for Old Farts !
China Installs Weapons Systems on Artificial Islands
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China appears to have installed weapons, including anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems, on all seven of the artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea, a U.S. think tank reported on Wednesday, citing new satellite imagery.
The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said its findings come despite statements by the Chinese leadership that Beijing has no intention to militarize the islands in the strategic trade route, where territory is claimed by several countries.
AMTI said it had been tracking construction of hexagonal structures on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi reefs in the Spratly Islands since June and July. China has already built military length airstrips on these islands.
“It now seems that these structures are an evolution of point-defense fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron reefs,” it said citing images taken in November and made available to Reuters.
“This model has gone through another evolution at [the] much-larger bases on Fiery Cross, Subi, and Mischief reefs.”
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The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said its findings come despite statements by the Chinese leadership that Beijing has no intention to militarize the islands in the strategic trade route, where territory is claimed by several countries.
AMTI said it had been tracking construction of hexagonal structures on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi reefs in the Spratly Islands since June and July. China has already built military length airstrips on these islands.
“It now seems that these structures are an evolution of point-defense fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron reefs,” it said citing images taken in November and made available to Reuters.
“This model has gone through another evolution at [the] much-larger bases on Fiery Cross, Subi, and Mischief reefs.”
More
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