From today's dumb legislation file comes a bill that's a lot less clever than it tries to be, from Texas Democratic state Rep. Jessica Farrar who appears to be a lot less clever than she thinks she is:
A female politician in Texas is taking an unusual swipe at what she sees as restrictive abortion laws by targeting men - more precisely male masturbation.
Her unlikely draft law has a simple aim, she says - to protect unborn children everywhere. Which is why it wants all "emissions outside of a woman's vagina, or created outside of a health or medical facility" to carry a $100 (¢81) fine. If a man made such an emission it would "be considered an act against an unborn child."...
[S]he argues it is no more extreme than the restrictions put on women by the state of Texas when it comes to choosing whether or not to end their pregnancy.
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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
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Young doctors can work 28 Hours Straight under New Rules
Despite concerns from the public about safety, the private group that oversees physician training voted to allow young doctors to work shifts as long as 28 hours.
The new rules, which begin on July 1, relax work restrictions put in place in 2011, when mounting evidence showed that exhausted residents — the term for doctors in training — were endangering both patients and themselves. Currently, first-year residents are restricted to 16-hour shifts.
Leaders of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education said the work limits for first-year residents, known as interns, needed to be extended to match the 28-hour shifts now allowed for more experienced trainees. They said it was harming interns’ education by reducing their time in the hospital.
Surgeons had been especially critical of the 16-hour limits, saying that at times interns were forced to leave the surgical team during an operation to avoid breaking the rules.
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The new rules, which begin on July 1, relax work restrictions put in place in 2011, when mounting evidence showed that exhausted residents — the term for doctors in training — were endangering both patients and themselves. Currently, first-year residents are restricted to 16-hour shifts.
Leaders of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education said the work limits for first-year residents, known as interns, needed to be extended to match the 28-hour shifts now allowed for more experienced trainees. They said it was harming interns’ education by reducing their time in the hospital.
Surgeons had been especially critical of the 16-hour limits, saying that at times interns were forced to leave the surgical team during an operation to avoid breaking the rules.
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Former Davos insider: Globalism still a problem
'I would argue it is the culture war of our times'
You can count billionaire investor Peter Thiel among those who believe globalization is on the decline in the age of Donald Trump and Brexit.
Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and a Trump supporter, said Trump’s victory demonstrated how dissatisfied people have become with a global system that hasn’t worked well for them.
“I think the tide on globalization is just going out,” Thiel said in a Tuesday appearance at the CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference in Houston.
Ted Malloch, chairman and CEO of the Roosevelt Group and the man believed to be President Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the European Union, said he agrees with Thiel’s take.
“He is correct to suggest that the tide is ebbing on globalization as nations move to do more within their own borders,” Malloch, author of “Hired: An Insider’s Look at the Trump Victory,” told WND. “Security becomes a focus. Immigration and free movement of people comes into question. The statistics prove the case and people like New York Times loudmouth and flat-worlder Tom Freidman are just plain wrong and yesterday.”
However, Malloch, who spent decades working in the global economy, wished to make a caveat.
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You can count billionaire investor Peter Thiel among those who believe globalization is on the decline in the age of Donald Trump and Brexit.
Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and a Trump supporter, said Trump’s victory demonstrated how dissatisfied people have become with a global system that hasn’t worked well for them.
“I think the tide on globalization is just going out,” Thiel said in a Tuesday appearance at the CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference in Houston.
Ted Malloch, chairman and CEO of the Roosevelt Group and the man believed to be President Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the European Union, said he agrees with Thiel’s take.
“He is correct to suggest that the tide is ebbing on globalization as nations move to do more within their own borders,” Malloch, author of “Hired: An Insider’s Look at the Trump Victory,” told WND. “Security becomes a focus. Immigration and free movement of people comes into question. The statistics prove the case and people like New York Times loudmouth and flat-worlder Tom Freidman are just plain wrong and yesterday.”
However, Malloch, who spent decades working in the global economy, wished to make a caveat.
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Week Nine: Highways and High Schools
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Snow Emergency Plans Being Implemented In Some Counties Ahead Of Storm
(PIKESVILLE, MD) – As part of the state’s coordinated response to the impending snowstorm, Maryland State Police are implementing the snow emergency plans in several counties ahead of the storm to enable immediate removal of abandoned vehicles from state roads and highways.
At 3:00 p.m. today, the snow emergency plan is being implemented in the following counties: Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Harford, Cecil, Frederick and Washington. The snow emergency plan applies to any state highway designated by the MDOT State Highway Administration as a ‘snow emergency route.’
Declaration of a snow emergency means a person may not park a vehicle on any snow emergency route. Any vehicle parked along a snow emergency route may be removed by police or state highway personnel immediately.
At 3:00 p.m. today, the snow emergency plan is being implemented in the following counties: Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Harford, Cecil, Frederick and Washington. The snow emergency plan applies to any state highway designated by the MDOT State Highway Administration as a ‘snow emergency route.’
Declaration of a snow emergency means a person may not park a vehicle on any snow emergency route. Any vehicle parked along a snow emergency route may be removed by police or state highway personnel immediately.
Governor Larry Hogan Signs Executive Order Declaring State of Emergency in Maryland in Anticipation of Snowstorm
Measure Allows Coordination and Activation of Resources
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in Maryland, beginning Monday, March 13 at 9:00 PM, in response to the winter storm which could bring significant amounts of snow to areas across the state.
“Our state is taking every precaution and coordinating all available resources to respond to this winter storm,” said Governor Hogan. “We urge all Marylanders to use common sense and to stay indoors and off the roads. Now is the time to remain alert and regularly check for updated weather forecasts as conditions change.”
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will continue coordinating with all state agencies throughout the duration of this storm.
Residents can go to MEMA’s website, mema.maryland.gov, for more preparedness information and can follow MEMA’s Twitter feed, @MDMEMA, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MDMEMA, for up-to-date information.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in Maryland, beginning Monday, March 13 at 9:00 PM, in response to the winter storm which could bring significant amounts of snow to areas across the state.
“Our state is taking every precaution and coordinating all available resources to respond to this winter storm,” said Governor Hogan. “We urge all Marylanders to use common sense and to stay indoors and off the roads. Now is the time to remain alert and regularly check for updated weather forecasts as conditions change.”
The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will continue coordinating with all state agencies throughout the duration of this storm.
Residents can go to MEMA’s website, mema.maryland.gov, for more preparedness information and can follow MEMA’s Twitter feed, @MDMEMA, and Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MDMEMA, for up-to-date information.
A Viewer Writes The Daily Times: 90% Cut to Bay Funds Proposed
Hi Jeremy
I read your article and this should not come as a surprise to you or anyone else. For YEARS - I have been trying to bring - environmental over-regulation - to the forefront - as MD regulations have all but made it impossible for businesses to co-exist. And the business exodus speaks volumes - as our tri-county area has DOCUMENTED well over 100 renown businesses that have fled our area. Many moguls like Halliburton, Campbell's Soup, Chesapeake Bay Plywood, Grumman, Mrs. Paul's kitchen - shoot - these are just a few of hordes of businesses that have fled our region because of over-regulation. Even now - as I write you there is an effort underway in Annapolis to further hamstring the construction industry with even more draconian environmental laws.
And I blame allot of the exodus on none other than The Daily Times - for trying to mask the exorbitant numbers of business closures. Your paper has played a complicit role in this economic catastrophe.
As draconian as slashing the clean-up budget may seem - it is necessary to help put some of residents back to work.
I read your article and this should not come as a surprise to you or anyone else. For YEARS - I have been trying to bring - environmental over-regulation - to the forefront - as MD regulations have all but made it impossible for businesses to co-exist. And the business exodus speaks volumes - as our tri-county area has DOCUMENTED well over 100 renown businesses that have fled our area. Many moguls like Halliburton, Campbell's Soup, Chesapeake Bay Plywood, Grumman, Mrs. Paul's kitchen - shoot - these are just a few of hordes of businesses that have fled our region because of over-regulation. Even now - as I write you there is an effort underway in Annapolis to further hamstring the construction industry with even more draconian environmental laws.
And I blame allot of the exodus on none other than The Daily Times - for trying to mask the exorbitant numbers of business closures. Your paper has played a complicit role in this economic catastrophe.
As draconian as slashing the clean-up budget may seem - it is necessary to help put some of residents back to work.
Come hear Michael Steele & Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo discuss issues for the new administration
Join us on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 7 pm to hear Michael Steele & Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo discuss issues for the new administration.
Michael Steele is a former Maryland Lieutenant Governor and Chair of the RNC, an accomplished author and an inspiring speaker. Expect to leave 
encouraged, invigorated and expecting great things over the next four years.
encouraged, invigorated and expecting great things over the next four years.
Ivan Garcia-Hidalgo is the Chairman of the Hispanic Leadership Council, Commentator on CNNEE, Telemundo, NTN24 as well as contributor for The Hill and will be discussing issues and challenges facing the Trump administration and what we can expect in the future.
Admission is free
Pizza and soft drinks are available for purchase
Towson American Legion Post 22, 125 York Rd, Towson, MD 21204
Sponsored by the Greater Towson Republican Club | Club Conservative |Reagan Republican Club | Republican Women of Baltimore County | Northwest Republican Club | Baltimore Area Young Republicans
Look for the EVENT signs at the entrance to Post 22
Former SDHS teacher acquitted
Judge D. William Simpson ruled based on a case out of Wicomico County where it was established that, reprehensible as the acts may be, they occurred outside of the teacher-student relationship, and therefore could not used as evidence of sex abuse.
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Report: 17-year-olds voted illegally in Wisconsin primary
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Dozens of 17-year-olds voted illegally across Wisconsin during last spring’s intense presidential primary, apparently wrongly believing they could cast ballots if they turned 18 ahead of the November general election, according to a new state report.
Wisconsin Elections Commission staff examined voter fraud referrals municipal clerks said they made to prosecutors following the 2016 spring primary and general elections. The commission is set to approve the findings during a meeting Tuesday and forward a report to the Legislature.
President Donald Trump has called for a “major investigation” into voter fraud and alleged that 3 million to 5 million people may have voted illegally in the November general election, a widely debunked claim. The report lists no instances of underage voters casting ballots in the general election.
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Maryland, Virginia add nearly 100K jobs in last year
The unemployment rate in Maryland in January was 4.2 percent, unchanged from December and down from 4.6 percent a year earlier, according to the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Virginia’s unemployment rate in January was 4.0 percent, unchanged from both December and January 2016.
Virginia has added 56,000 jobs in the past 12 months, a growth rate of 1.4 percent, while Maryland has added 40,000 jobs, a growth rate of 1.5 percent.
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Judicial Watch Demanding State Ask DOJ to Pursue Clinton Emails
(Washington DC) – Judicial Watch announced that a hearing will be held on Monday, March 13, 2017, regarding Judicial Watch’s lawsuit that seeks to force Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to take steps to “recover emails of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton” and other U.S. Department of State employees (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Rex Tillerson (No. 1:15-cv-00785)). The lawsuit was originally filed against then-Secretary of State John Kerry.
The hearing will focus on the next steps in light of the recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that required Secretary of State John Kerry (now Secretary Rex Tillerson) to seek the help of the attorney general in recovering additional Hillary Clinton emails.
The Federal Records Act states that an agency head “shall” initiate an action through the Attorney General when he becomes aware of any unlawful removal of agency records. The Obama State Department refused to do this. The Trump State Department apparently intends to do the same.
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The hearing will focus on the next steps in light of the recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that required Secretary of State John Kerry (now Secretary Rex Tillerson) to seek the help of the attorney general in recovering additional Hillary Clinton emails.
The Federal Records Act states that an agency head “shall” initiate an action through the Attorney General when he becomes aware of any unlawful removal of agency records. The Obama State Department refused to do this. The Trump State Department apparently intends to do the same.
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Exclusive — Sarah Palin on Paul Ryan’s ‘RINO-Care’: ‘Socialized Medicine’; President Trump Will ‘Step In and Fix It’
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and the first major GOP figure to endorse President Donald Trump, is calling out House Speaker Paul Ryan for what she says is “RINO-Care.”
Ryan introduced what he calls the “American Health Care Act,” a bill that does not repeal Obamacare but only amends it. For the last several days, senior Republicans ranging from members of the House Freedom Caucus to other House Republicans to Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and more have raised serious concerns with the bill. Some call it Obamacare 2.0, others call it Obamacare Lite or Ryan-care, and now Palin—in her first interview on the topic, coming on Breitbart News Saturday on SiriusXM 125 the Patriot Channel this weekend—calls it “RINO-Care.”
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Ryan introduced what he calls the “American Health Care Act,” a bill that does not repeal Obamacare but only amends it. For the last several days, senior Republicans ranging from members of the House Freedom Caucus to other House Republicans to Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and more have raised serious concerns with the bill. Some call it Obamacare 2.0, others call it Obamacare Lite or Ryan-care, and now Palin—in her first interview on the topic, coming on Breitbart News Saturday on SiriusXM 125 the Patriot Channel this weekend—calls it “RINO-Care.”
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WCSO Press Release - Mar.14, 2016
Incident: AssaultDate of Incident: 13 March 2017
Location: 400 block of Oriole Place, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Donald Lee Smullen, 57, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 13 March 2017 at 9:23 AM, a deputy was in the process of conducting an eviction in the 400 block of Oriole Place in Salisbury when the soon to be evicted tenant, Donald Smullen, began displaying signs of dissatisfaction with the process. Smullen appeared upset, began yelling disparaging profanity laced comments about his landlord and said that he was not leaving. During the commotion caused by Smullen, he threw hot coffee on the deputy.
The deputy informed Smullen that he was under arrest to which Smullen informed the deputy that was incorrect, that Smullen was not under arrest as Smullen attempted to pull away from the deputy.
The deputy assisted Smullen onto the hood of the patrol vehicle at which point he was placed in handcuffs.
Smullen was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Smullen was initially detained on a temporary commitment due to being recalcitrant.
The eviction was successfully completed following Smullen’s arrest.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree and Disturbing the Peace
Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 10 March 2017
Location: 200 block of Harford Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Hunter William Davis, 29, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 10 March 2017 at 9:25 AM, a deputy responded to a reported domestic related disturbance at a residence in the 200 block of Harford Road in Salisbury. Upon arrival, the deputy met with a visibly upset female subject who informed that deputy that she was embroiled with Hunter Davis in an argument over a pack of cigarettes and that argument escalated to a physical confrontation. According to the victim Hunter Davis assaulted her during the argument. The deputy observed indications of injury to the victim that corroborated her account.
The deputy placed Davis under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Davis in the Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond.
Charge: Assault 2nd Degree
Date of Incident: 10 March 2017
Location: 6000 block of Diamondback Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Jeffrey Michael Carbone, 43, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 10 March 2017 at 3:39 PM a deputy responded to a residence in the 6000 block of Diamondback Drive for a reported domestic related altercation. According to the victim in this case, she engaged in an argument with Jeffrey Carbone after she found him passed out from apparent inebriation when he was supposed to be watching their child. The victim stated that Carbone pushed her down and away from the door when she tried to leave with the child. Carbone then allegedly grabbed the victim’s car keys and threw them at her, striking her in the head.
After seeing signs of injury that corroborated the victim’s account, the deputy placed Carbone under arrest. Carbone was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Carbone in the Detention Center in lieu of $5,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree and False Imprisonment
Date of Incident: 10 March 2017
Location: 6000 block of Friendship Road, Pittsville, MD
Suspect: Tiffany Leigh Abitua, 27, Pittsville, MD
Narrative: On 10 March 2017 at 7:56 PM a deputy responded to a residence in the 6000 block of Friendship Road for the purpose of locating a wanted subject, Tiffany Abitua who was supposed to be there. Upon knocking on the door, the deputy was initially informed that Abitua was not there. The deputy was able to refute that since he had already seen Abitua through a window sitting in a recliner watching television.
Abitua was wanted on two bench warrants that were issued after she failure to appear for a CDS and a Prostitution case.
The deputy placed Abitua under arrest and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Abitua on Personal Recognizance.
Charge: Failure to Appear
Personal Protection For Emergencies
I suggested a 9mm, a couple of clips, and a box of shells.
A few days later he sent me this picture and asked me how to make it all work.
He voted for Obama -- twice.
We've Created A Monster - Ron Paul Says It's "Fantastic" That WikiLeaks Exposed The CIA
Ron Paul, the prominent libertarian communicator and three-time US presidential candidate, declared this week in a Fox Business interview that it is “fantastic” that WikiLeaks revealed on Tuesday thousands of US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) documents and files.
Speaking with host Kennedy, Paul further says that the information exposed "indicates that liberty is in big trouble" and states his concern about there having been insufficient media coverage of the information and outlines the potential dangers related to technology...
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Speaking with host Kennedy, Paul further says that the information exposed "indicates that liberty is in big trouble" and states his concern about there having been insufficient media coverage of the information and outlines the potential dangers related to technology...
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Exclusive-Rep. Dave Brat: RyanCare a Perverse Economic System
Virginia Republican congressman Dave Brat toldBreitbart News Saturdayradio host Matt Boyle that the American Health Care Act bill written by Speaker Paul Ryan (R.-Wis.) is designed to save the insurance companies, not return health insurance and health care delivery to the free market.
Brat said the speaker is worried about the insurance companies, who backed the 2010Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, because the system they created cannot be sustained because of its perverse incentives, regulations, and costs.
In addition to the flaws in the Obamacare legislation and buildout, the congressman said it is foolish to attempt a political solution to an economic problem that forces you to accommodate the needs and values of 300 million Americans — such as people in both California and Texas — at the same time.
The RyanCare bill is not connected to the promises President Donald Trump made on the campaign trail, said the former head of the economic department at Randolph-Macon College.
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Brat said the speaker is worried about the insurance companies, who backed the 2010Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, because the system they created cannot be sustained because of its perverse incentives, regulations, and costs.
In addition to the flaws in the Obamacare legislation and buildout, the congressman said it is foolish to attempt a political solution to an economic problem that forces you to accommodate the needs and values of 300 million Americans — such as people in both California and Texas — at the same time.
The RyanCare bill is not connected to the promises President Donald Trump made on the campaign trail, said the former head of the economic department at Randolph-Macon College.
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Restaurant Sales And Traffic Tumble
There appeared to be a glimmer of hope for the restaurant industry last month, when BlackBox Intelligence's TDn2K titled its most recent Restaurant Industry Snapshot: “Flat Sales, Welcome Change for Restaurant Industry in January.” In the report, it said that "while same-store sales growth was flat (zero percent) in January, it represented a welcome break from the ten consecutive months of negative sales growth experienced by the industry through the end of last year." That finding, however, was refuted by a recent Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll which found that one-third of the 4,200 adult respondents said they were eating in restaurants less often than three months ago. The poll was conducted in the second half of January. Of them, 62% cited cost as the primary reason.
The modest recovery was also denied by the most recent Restaurant Performance Index report by the National Restaurant Association, which lamented that “same-store sales and customer traffic levels remained soft” in January, which kept the Current Situation Index (tracking same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures) at 98.6 in January, the fourth consecutive month of contraction, and tied for the worst print in four years.
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The modest recovery was also denied by the most recent Restaurant Performance Index report by the National Restaurant Association, which lamented that “same-store sales and customer traffic levels remained soft” in January, which kept the Current Situation Index (tracking same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures) at 98.6 in January, the fourth consecutive month of contraction, and tied for the worst print in four years.
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Mumps outbreaks are being reported across the country
USA Today reports that from January 1 through March 4, there have been 1,242 reported cases of mumps. There have been upticks in cases in Washington state, Illinois, and Oklahoma, though some of the cases are holdovers from the end of 2016. Last year, there were 5,311 cases of mumps, which was the highest number in 10 years.
Usually, cases of mumps can go up or down depending on the year, but health officials say they're worried about the high number of cases so early in the year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that mumps outbreaks can happen at any time of the year, but risk factors include being in a crowded environment like a sports event, dorm, or classroom, or exchanging saliva through kissing or sharing utensils.
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Maryland Fire Marshall Press Release (3 Dwelling/Outbuilding Fires In Wicomico County) 3-14-17
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
Date: March 13, 2017
Time: 7:31 p.m.
Location / Address: 305 Highland Ave., Delmar, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: Two story wood framed single family dwelling
Owner / Occupants: Jay Winik (Owner) Kenneth Towns (Occupant)
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $120,000 Contents: $10,000
Smoke Alarm Status: Present and operating
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Delmar
# of Alarms: 2 # Of Firefighters: 30
Time to Control: 1 ½ hours
Discovered By: Occupant
Area of Origin: Bedroom
Preliminary Cause: Accidental, overloaded extension cord
Additional Information:
FBI Used Best Buy Repair Technicians as Secret Agents
Recently unsealed records reveal a much more extensive secret relationship than previously known between the FBI and Best Buy's Geek Squad, including evidence the agency trained company technicians on law-enforcement operational tactics, shared lists of targeted citizens and, to covertly increase surveillance of the public, encouraged searches of computers even when unrelated to a customer's request for repairs.
To sidestep the U.S. Constitution's prohibition against warrantless invasions of private property, federal prosecutors and FBI officials have argued that Geek Squad employees accidentally find and report, for example, potential child pornography on customers' computers without any prodding by the government. Assistant United States Attorney M. Anthony Brown last year labeled allegations of a hidden partnership as "wild speculation." But more than a dozen summaries of FBI memoranda filed inside Orange County's Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse this month in USA v. Mark Rettenmaier contradict the official line.
One agency communication about Geek Squad supervisor Justin Meade noted, "Agent assignments have been reviewed and are appropriate for operation of this source," that the paid informant "continues to provide valuable information on [child pornography] matters" and has "value due to his unique or potential access to FBI priority targets or intelligence responsive to FBI national and/or local collection."
Other records show how Meade's job gave him "excellent and frequent" access for "several years" to computers belonging to unwitting Best Buy customers, though agents considered him "underutilized" and wanted him "tasked" to search devices "on a more consistent basis."
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To sidestep the U.S. Constitution's prohibition against warrantless invasions of private property, federal prosecutors and FBI officials have argued that Geek Squad employees accidentally find and report, for example, potential child pornography on customers' computers without any prodding by the government. Assistant United States Attorney M. Anthony Brown last year labeled allegations of a hidden partnership as "wild speculation." But more than a dozen summaries of FBI memoranda filed inside Orange County's Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse this month in USA v. Mark Rettenmaier contradict the official line.
One agency communication about Geek Squad supervisor Justin Meade noted, "Agent assignments have been reviewed and are appropriate for operation of this source," that the paid informant "continues to provide valuable information on [child pornography] matters" and has "value due to his unique or potential access to FBI priority targets or intelligence responsive to FBI national and/or local collection."
Other records show how Meade's job gave him "excellent and frequent" access for "several years" to computers belonging to unwitting Best Buy customers, though agents considered him "underutilized" and wanted him "tasked" to search devices "on a more consistent basis."
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Sessions Considering "Outside Special Counsel" To Review "Highly Politicized" Actions Of Obama DOJ
Even though Obama spent the waning days of his administration boasting about how he had managed to spend 8 years in the White House without a single 'scandal', current Attorney General Jeff Sessions seems to have a slightly different view of how to define 'scandal'.
But perhaps Obama just "did not recall" some of the highly controversial efforts of his administration including the intentional IRS targeting of conservative political groups, Eric Holder's "Fast and Furious" gun running program which ultimately resulted in him being held in contempt of Congress and, of course, that infamous meeting between Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch on the tarmac in Phoenix just as the DOJ and FBI were contemplating whether or not to press charges against Hillary Clinton over her email scandal.
Appearing on the air with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Sessions was asked if he would consider designating an outside counsel "not connected to politics" to take a second look at Justice Department actions that provoked Republican ire over the last eight years. Hewitt contended during his radio interview that the department had become "highly politicized" during the Obama administration and floated the idea of a special review by an attorney with the authority to bring criminal charges and "just generally to look at how the Department of Justice operated."
While Sessions was somewhat noncommittal, he did leave the door open, saying he would do everything he could to "restore the independence and professionalism of the Department of Justice." According to the AP, Sessions said that "generally, a good review of that internally is the first step before any such decision is made" but continued on to say that he "would have to consider whether or not some outside special counsel is needed."
Hewitt: Now let me switch to the Department itself, Mr. Attorney General. It has a bad eight years. I'm a proud veteran of the Department of Justice as you are, but the IRS case, the Fast and Furious case, Secretary Clinton's server. The Department of Justice came under great criticism. How about an outside counsel, not connected to politics, to review the DOJ's actions in those matters with authority to bring charges if underlying crimes are uncovered in the course of the investigation, and just generally to look at how the DOJ operated in the highly politicized Holder-Lynch years.
Sessions: Well, I'm going to do everything I possibly can to restore independence and professionalism of the DOJ, so we're going to have to consider whether or not some outside special counsel is needed. Generally, a good review of that internally is the first step before any such decision is made.
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But perhaps Obama just "did not recall" some of the highly controversial efforts of his administration including the intentional IRS targeting of conservative political groups, Eric Holder's "Fast and Furious" gun running program which ultimately resulted in him being held in contempt of Congress and, of course, that infamous meeting between Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch on the tarmac in Phoenix just as the DOJ and FBI were contemplating whether or not to press charges against Hillary Clinton over her email scandal.
Appearing on the air with radio host Hugh Hewitt, Sessions was asked if he would consider designating an outside counsel "not connected to politics" to take a second look at Justice Department actions that provoked Republican ire over the last eight years. Hewitt contended during his radio interview that the department had become "highly politicized" during the Obama administration and floated the idea of a special review by an attorney with the authority to bring criminal charges and "just generally to look at how the Department of Justice operated."
While Sessions was somewhat noncommittal, he did leave the door open, saying he would do everything he could to "restore the independence and professionalism of the Department of Justice." According to the AP, Sessions said that "generally, a good review of that internally is the first step before any such decision is made" but continued on to say that he "would have to consider whether or not some outside special counsel is needed."
Hewitt: Now let me switch to the Department itself, Mr. Attorney General. It has a bad eight years. I'm a proud veteran of the Department of Justice as you are, but the IRS case, the Fast and Furious case, Secretary Clinton's server. The Department of Justice came under great criticism. How about an outside counsel, not connected to politics, to review the DOJ's actions in those matters with authority to bring charges if underlying crimes are uncovered in the course of the investigation, and just generally to look at how the DOJ operated in the highly politicized Holder-Lynch years.
Sessions: Well, I'm going to do everything I possibly can to restore independence and professionalism of the DOJ, so we're going to have to consider whether or not some outside special counsel is needed. Generally, a good review of that internally is the first step before any such decision is made.
More/Video
Top Marine Asks Women to 'Trust Us' in Nude Photo Inquiry
Fewer than 10 women victims have come forward so far in the investigation into nude photos of female service members that were posted online without their permission, the top Marine Corps general said Friday. He pleaded with female Marines to "trust us" and reach out to make complaints or seek help.
"I need their help," said Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine commandant. "I'm going to ask them to trust us. I understand why that might be a bit of a reach for them right now. But I can't fix this.... The only way there is going to be accountability in this is somebody comes forward and tells us what happened to them."
Former and current female Marines have said their photographs and those of women in other services were shared on social media without their consent. The other military services say that they are now looking into the matter to see if their service members are involved, but they say so far no other victims have come forward.
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"I need their help," said Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine commandant. "I'm going to ask them to trust us. I understand why that might be a bit of a reach for them right now. But I can't fix this.... The only way there is going to be accountability in this is somebody comes forward and tells us what happened to them."
Former and current female Marines have said their photographs and those of women in other services were shared on social media without their consent. The other military services say that they are now looking into the matter to see if their service members are involved, but they say so far no other victims have come forward.
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3rd Woman to Attempt Air Force Battlefield Training
ORLANDO, Florida -- An enlisted woman in basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, plans to begin tactical air control party, or TACP, training in the next few months, the head of Air Education and Training Command said Friday.
"So when she graduates BMT, she'll start training right away for that," Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson told reporters during a media roundtable at the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium here.
Since the Defense Department opened battle career fields to women last year, two female airmen have qualified and entered TACP training. But neither completed the program. One sustained an injury; the other determined the career field wasn't the path for her, the general said.
TACPs perform a critical job on the battlefield, with airmen assigned to infantry units to coordinate Air Force fixed-wing aircraft in close-air support against enemy targets.
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"So when she graduates BMT, she'll start training right away for that," Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson told reporters during a media roundtable at the Air Force Association's Air Warfare Symposium here.
Since the Defense Department opened battle career fields to women last year, two female airmen have qualified and entered TACP training. But neither completed the program. One sustained an injury; the other determined the career field wasn't the path for her, the general said.
TACPs perform a critical job on the battlefield, with airmen assigned to infantry units to coordinate Air Force fixed-wing aircraft in close-air support against enemy targets.
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NO GO On This Year’s LA Gay Pride Parade… It Will Be Replaced By This
The arrangers of the annual Los Angeles gay pride have proclaimed that this year’s march will be scrapped for a protest against President Donald Trump instead.
Sorry gays. It seems you’ve been put on the back burner or the sake of politics…You might want new representatives to represent your interests a little better.
A news outlet in Hollywood has released that “the annual pride parade has been canceled, ceding to the nationwide LGBT Resist March that is scheduled in many U.S. cities for Sunday, June 11, the day the Los Angeles pride parade would normally occur.”
It’s not being junked totally, though. There will still be a much smaller “Pride Festival,” but for non-political reasons: You see, West Hollywood Park, were the parade usually is held, is currently under construction.
In a press release, Christopher Street West, the social group that stages L.A. Pride Parade and Festival, said:
“Given the current political climate where divisiveness and discrimination continue to be part of mainstream dialogue, CSW is determined to make the LA Pride brand a unifying force for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies across all of Los Angeles. ”
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Sorry gays. It seems you’ve been put on the back burner or the sake of politics…You might want new representatives to represent your interests a little better.
A news outlet in Hollywood has released that “the annual pride parade has been canceled, ceding to the nationwide LGBT Resist March that is scheduled in many U.S. cities for Sunday, June 11, the day the Los Angeles pride parade would normally occur.”
It’s not being junked totally, though. There will still be a much smaller “Pride Festival,” but for non-political reasons: You see, West Hollywood Park, were the parade usually is held, is currently under construction.
In a press release, Christopher Street West, the social group that stages L.A. Pride Parade and Festival, said:
“Given the current political climate where divisiveness and discrimination continue to be part of mainstream dialogue, CSW is determined to make the LA Pride brand a unifying force for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies across all of Los Angeles. ”
More
Jury for Cosby trial will be chosen from Pittsburgh area
The panel will be chosen in Allegheny County. Pittsburgh, the county seat, is nearly a 300-mile drive from the Montgomery County courthouse, where the trial is set to start by early June. The jury will be sequestered.
The decision comes after the comedian's lawyers asked for outside jurors because of ongoing publicity.
They suggested a large, diverse jury pool from either Philadelphia or the Pittsburgh area. Defense lawyer Brian McMonagle said he has no immediate comment on the decision from the state Supreme Court.
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Old-Style Chemo Is Still A Mainstay In The Age Of Targeted Cancer Therapy
Chemotherapy remains one of the mainstays of cancer treatment, but these harsh drugs are slowly being edged aside in medical research, as new treatments, like immunotherapy, grab the spotlight.
Still, this is not the end of the road for chemotherapy. For one thing, doctors are coming to realize that some of these drugs are useful for more than just killing cancer cells.
Dr. Robert Comis, a professor and oncologist at Drexel University, had the first inkling of this phenomenon 30 years ago, after he ran a test involving radiation therapy along with just two cycles of chemotherapy — far too few cycles to be truly effective. Even so, the patients did much better than he'd expected.
"The only explanation was there was this large effect that involved the whole body," says Comis, who also co-leads the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group in Philadelphia. Chemotherapy wasn't simply killing cancer cells, he realized; apparently it was stimulating the immune system, too.
And that meant these old-fashioned drugs could play a new role.
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Still, this is not the end of the road for chemotherapy. For one thing, doctors are coming to realize that some of these drugs are useful for more than just killing cancer cells.
Dr. Robert Comis, a professor and oncologist at Drexel University, had the first inkling of this phenomenon 30 years ago, after he ran a test involving radiation therapy along with just two cycles of chemotherapy — far too few cycles to be truly effective. Even so, the patients did much better than he'd expected.
"The only explanation was there was this large effect that involved the whole body," says Comis, who also co-leads the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group in Philadelphia. Chemotherapy wasn't simply killing cancer cells, he realized; apparently it was stimulating the immune system, too.
And that meant these old-fashioned drugs could play a new role.
More
Cotton to House: 'Do Not Walk the Plank and Vote for a Bill that Cannot Pass the Senate'
Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” while discussing the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) warned GOP House members “Do not walk the plank and vote for a bill that cannot pass the Senate and then have to face the consequences of that vote.”
He added, “The bill probably can be fixed, but it’s going to take a lot of carpentry on that framework.”
Video
He added, “The bill probably can be fixed, but it’s going to take a lot of carpentry on that framework.”
Video
Why Amazon’s Alexa Can’t Tell You If It’s Connected To The CIA
Is your Amazon Echo device — and its virtual assistant Alexa — somehow connected to the CIA? A video of one Echo refusing to answer that question both amused and alarmed (but mostly amused) viewers, but Amazon is now chalking it up to a glitch that has since been fixed.
You may have seen the video circulating in the past few days; the original has been taken down but the AV Club still has a copy hosted if you want to watch.
But the recording is only 44 seconds long, and very straightforward. A woman, off-camera, asks Amazon’s Alexa — via an Echo Dot — if it will lie to her. Alexa responds in the negative — “I’m not always right, but I would never intentionally lie.” Then she asks Alexa to define the CIA for her, which Alexa does. Then it gets suspicious:
Speaker: “Alexa, are you connected to the CIA?”
Echo: [light blinks briefly, unit goes silent]
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You may have seen the video circulating in the past few days; the original has been taken down but the AV Club still has a copy hosted if you want to watch.
But the recording is only 44 seconds long, and very straightforward. A woman, off-camera, asks Amazon’s Alexa — via an Echo Dot — if it will lie to her. Alexa responds in the negative — “I’m not always right, but I would never intentionally lie.” Then she asks Alexa to define the CIA for her, which Alexa does. Then it gets suspicious:
Speaker: “Alexa, are you connected to the CIA?”
Echo: [light blinks briefly, unit goes silent]
More
Conway Suggests Surveillance of Trump Went Beyond Phones
Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway is suggesting that alleged government surveillance of Donald Trump during his campaign may have gone beyond the president's accusation that former President Barack Obama had his phones tapped.
Conway tells The Record of northern New Jersey (http://usat.ly/2midV4y) "there are many ways to surveil each other." She says "you can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets — any number of ways." Conway didn't offer any evidence for the remark.
It follows Trump's claim that Obama had Trump's "wires tapped" at Trump Tower before the election. Trump hasn't provided evidence and Obama has denied the charge.
FBI director James Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Trump's claim but has not come forward to do so himself.
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Conway tells The Record of northern New Jersey (http://usat.ly/2midV4y) "there are many ways to surveil each other." She says "you can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets — any number of ways." Conway didn't offer any evidence for the remark.
It follows Trump's claim that Obama had Trump's "wires tapped" at Trump Tower before the election. Trump hasn't provided evidence and Obama has denied the charge.
FBI director James Comey has privately urged the Justice Department to dispute Trump's claim but has not come forward to do so himself.
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Did LBJ Murder JFK?
I’ve been following this JFK assassination from day one. And I like many Americans my responses evolved from shocked, to relieved (when they found the “assassin”), to shocked and relieved (when they killed the “assassin”), to dismayed when the Warren Report was issued, to outraged when the mysterious deaths of witnesses occurred, and when the lies and deceptions began to gather like flies on a corpse.
But, I always ignored the obvious:cui bono. Believing that LBJ was the chief conspirator was just too simple an explanation. Everyone knew he was obnoxious, kinky and hinky, but believing that he would kill his boss to assume the presidency seemed a stretch. Surely someone in the vast army of print, radio and television reporters would have investigated this possibility. And of course, considering the importance of the crime, our congressmen and senators would have checked this out. They did run a committee in 1978 which did determine a probable JFK conspiracy without mention of LBJ. But alas, no one in a position of power could find the bloody dots or connect them. Historically, LBJ was just an All-American rascal who crawled his way to the top, became a civil rights hero, enabled and inflamed that “silly Asian war”, and ultimately left office as sort of a tragic flawed and wounded man.
There were those who tried to expose LBJ: J. Evetts Haley 1964 book: A Texan Looks at Lyndon; Newcomb and Adams 1974 manuscript: Murder from Within; and more recently Mark North’s: Betrayal in Dallas; Phil Nelson’s: LBJ. The Mastermind of the JFK Assassination. All these books are credible and well written, but again, there was no reaction from the news media or congress.
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But, I always ignored the obvious:cui bono. Believing that LBJ was the chief conspirator was just too simple an explanation. Everyone knew he was obnoxious, kinky and hinky, but believing that he would kill his boss to assume the presidency seemed a stretch. Surely someone in the vast army of print, radio and television reporters would have investigated this possibility. And of course, considering the importance of the crime, our congressmen and senators would have checked this out. They did run a committee in 1978 which did determine a probable JFK conspiracy without mention of LBJ. But alas, no one in a position of power could find the bloody dots or connect them. Historically, LBJ was just an All-American rascal who crawled his way to the top, became a civil rights hero, enabled and inflamed that “silly Asian war”, and ultimately left office as sort of a tragic flawed and wounded man.
There were those who tried to expose LBJ: J. Evetts Haley 1964 book: A Texan Looks at Lyndon; Newcomb and Adams 1974 manuscript: Murder from Within; and more recently Mark North’s: Betrayal in Dallas; Phil Nelson’s: LBJ. The Mastermind of the JFK Assassination. All these books are credible and well written, but again, there was no reaction from the news media or congress.
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Authorities Question CIA Contractors Over Wikileaks
Digital trail has pointed investigators to a team of developers working with CIA’s Engineering Development Group
Investigators probing who may have provided WikiLeaks with classified information about the Central Intelligence Agency’s purported computer-hacking techniques are zeroing in on a small number of contractors who have worked for the agency and may have been disgruntled over recent job losses, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Authorities on Thursday questioned a handful of contractors working in at least two locations in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., these people said. Law-enforcement officials said no arrests had been made, but one person familiar with the investigation said it was “rapidly unfolding.”
This person added that a digital trail has pointed authorities, at least initially, to a team of software developers working with the CIA’s Engineering Development Group. The group designs tools that, according to the documents released this week by WikiLeaks, the CIA uses to break into smartphones, personal computers and televisions connected to the internet. The more than 8,000 pages of documents that WikiLeaks disclosed appear to have been taken last December from a server that the Engineering Development Group uses, this person said, and that “only a few contractors would have access to.”
More here
Investigators probing who may have provided WikiLeaks with classified information about the Central Intelligence Agency’s purported computer-hacking techniques are zeroing in on a small number of contractors who have worked for the agency and may have been disgruntled over recent job losses, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Authorities on Thursday questioned a handful of contractors working in at least two locations in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., these people said. Law-enforcement officials said no arrests had been made, but one person familiar with the investigation said it was “rapidly unfolding.”
This person added that a digital trail has pointed authorities, at least initially, to a team of software developers working with the CIA’s Engineering Development Group. The group designs tools that, according to the documents released this week by WikiLeaks, the CIA uses to break into smartphones, personal computers and televisions connected to the internet. The more than 8,000 pages of documents that WikiLeaks disclosed appear to have been taken last December from a server that the Engineering Development Group uses, this person said, and that “only a few contractors would have access to.”
More here
Archeologists in Egypt discover massive statue of pharaoh Ramses II in Cairo slum
Renowned archaeologist Zahi Hawass confirmed Friday that the enormous statue unearthed in Cairo this week depicts the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II.
"In view of the hugeness of the statue, I confirm it belongs to King Ramses and not to any other ancient king," Hawass, Egypt's former antiquities minister, said.
The 8-meter (26-foot) structure was found submerged in groundwater in the ancient city of Heliopolis where excavators had previously found the ruins of a King Ramses temple.
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PROOF: Hillary Clinton Ran The MOST DEPLORABLE Presidential Campaign In Modern History
A new academic study analyzing the 2016 presidential election has determined that Hillary Clinton and her multitude of handlers ran a deplorably awful campaign that was probably the worst campaign for national office in the modern political era.
The study — entitled “Political Advertising in 2016: The Presidential Election as Outlier?” — suggests that the biggest reason Clinton lost was because she decided she did not need to advertise in several critically important states and that, when she did advertise, her ads failed to address substantive political issues.
The trio of political science researchers behind the study — Erika Franklin Fowler, Michael M. Franz, and Travis N. Ridout — observe that Clinton did not run a significant number of advertisements in three key states — Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan — until the very last, waning days of her 2016 campaign.
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The study — entitled “Political Advertising in 2016: The Presidential Election as Outlier?” — suggests that the biggest reason Clinton lost was because she decided she did not need to advertise in several critically important states and that, when she did advertise, her ads failed to address substantive political issues.
The trio of political science researchers behind the study — Erika Franklin Fowler, Michael M. Franz, and Travis N. Ridout — observe that Clinton did not run a significant number of advertisements in three key states — Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan — until the very last, waning days of her 2016 campaign.
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White House demands deep cuts to State, UN funds
The dramatic cuts, which include a 37%, or $20 billion, slash in funding for the State Department and the US Agency for International Development, reflect a desire by the Trump administration to reduce US commitments to international organizations.
Foreign Policy first reported the details of the White House's proposal to dramatically reduce spending on foreign aid.
US diplomats in New York had warned their UN counterparts about the likely "steep" cuts to US funding for the UN, one Western diplomat said, but not provided any details.
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Harvard library circulating 'fake news' list, which, of course, includes just about every conservative news site
A few conservative critics predicted early on that the recent obsession with fake news would lead eventually to right-of-center newsrooms being lumped with the bad actors.
It looks increasingly likely that those critics were onto something.
Harvard University's library website currently features a page titled, "Fake News, Misinformation, and Propaganda."
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It looks increasingly likely that those critics were onto something.
Harvard University's library website currently features a page titled, "Fake News, Misinformation, and Propaganda."
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Trump's repeal of Clean Power Plan could mean billions in savings
No one government agency should have so much control over the economy, Donald Trump argued on the campaign trail. Now in the White House, the clock is ticking and the president is counting down the hours until the end of the Clean Power Plan.
Next week, President Trump plans to repeal the sweeping environmental regulation by executive order, and he doesn't plan on replacing it. For business, that's great news.
Drawn up by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Power Plan represented the heart of President Barack Obama's climate agenda. It would've set limits on carbon emissions and imposed thousands of new regulations at a significant cost to the American economy. Once it's gone, the fossil fuel industry can let out a collective sigh of relief.
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Next week, President Trump plans to repeal the sweeping environmental regulation by executive order, and he doesn't plan on replacing it. For business, that's great news.
Drawn up by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Power Plan represented the heart of President Barack Obama's climate agenda. It would've set limits on carbon emissions and imposed thousands of new regulations at a significant cost to the American economy. Once it's gone, the fossil fuel industry can let out a collective sigh of relief.
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Five takeaways from the Marines' deployment to Syria
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that U.S. Marines of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are now deployed in northern Syria to fight the Islamic State. They are likely proximate to the U.S. rebel ally-held town of Ayn Issa, about 50 kilometers north of the Islamic State capital, Raqqah. This is significant news for five reasons.
First, it shows the final battle for Raqqah is imminent. This deployment is too large to mean nothing. With more than 2,100 Marines in complement, each MEU is also endowed with tanks, around 20 helicopters (including Ospreys), close air support jets, and armored assault vehicles. An MEU, in short, really packs a punch. The Pentagon would never amass such military power unless for something significant. That something, as I noted recently, is the seizure of Raqqa.
Second, It shows Trump believes boots on the ground can be positive. Until now, Trump has railed against significant U.S. military ground force actions in the Middle East. This action suggests he has changed his mind. Requesting Trump's authority to send the Marines ashore, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the regional CENTCOM commander, General Votel, would have made clear the risks.
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First, it shows the final battle for Raqqah is imminent. This deployment is too large to mean nothing. With more than 2,100 Marines in complement, each MEU is also endowed with tanks, around 20 helicopters (including Ospreys), close air support jets, and armored assault vehicles. An MEU, in short, really packs a punch. The Pentagon would never amass such military power unless for something significant. That something, as I noted recently, is the seizure of Raqqa.
Second, It shows Trump believes boots on the ground can be positive. Until now, Trump has railed against significant U.S. military ground force actions in the Middle East. This action suggests he has changed his mind. Requesting Trump's authority to send the Marines ashore, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the regional CENTCOM commander, General Votel, would have made clear the risks.
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Untangling media's coverage of the pope's latest remarks on marriage and priests
A few newsrooms bungled their reporting this week on Pope Francis' recent remarks on priesthood and marriage, but media's overall coverage was mostly accurate.
That's a nice change of pace for an industry that regularly misconstruesand misrepresents the Roman pontiff.
Francis said this week that the Church is looking for ways to address the crisis of declining vocations. The scarcity of priests has become a real problem in certain areas, especially in South America, but the solution isn't to rewrite the traditions of the priesthood, he said.
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That's a nice change of pace for an industry that regularly misconstruesand misrepresents the Roman pontiff.
Francis said this week that the Church is looking for ways to address the crisis of declining vocations. The scarcity of priests has become a real problem in certain areas, especially in South America, but the solution isn't to rewrite the traditions of the priesthood, he said.
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Critical Nationwide Network for First Responders Continues to Be Delayed
Federal efforts to build a nationwide broadband network for police officers and firefighters continue to be delayed 15 years after initial calls for the project, disappointing and potentially endangering the nation's first responders.
Conceived out of the recommendations from the 9/11 Commission, the government is still working through how to build the network, called FirstNet, which would allow law enforcement and other first responders to coordinate using high quality data and voice communications across jurisdictions with a range of compatible devices.
While the ruling on a lawsuit over a bidding war for the federal contract to deploy and operate FirstNet is currently pending, for the past several years the program has also been beset with accusations of intrigue and growing technological obsolescence.
"Under the thumb of ‘minders,' mostly second tier politicos in the Commerce Department, the FirstNet Board drifted away from being an advocate and planner for vital public safety communications in times of national emergency," said Jim Pasco, senior adviser to the president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest police union.
More here
Conceived out of the recommendations from the 9/11 Commission, the government is still working through how to build the network, called FirstNet, which would allow law enforcement and other first responders to coordinate using high quality data and voice communications across jurisdictions with a range of compatible devices.
While the ruling on a lawsuit over a bidding war for the federal contract to deploy and operate FirstNet is currently pending, for the past several years the program has also been beset with accusations of intrigue and growing technological obsolescence.
"Under the thumb of ‘minders,' mostly second tier politicos in the Commerce Department, the FirstNet Board drifted away from being an advocate and planner for vital public safety communications in times of national emergency," said Jim Pasco, senior adviser to the president of the National Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest police union.
More here
Deadly fungal infection that doctors have been fearing now reported in U.S.
Nearly three dozen people in the United States have been diagnosed with a deadly and highly drug-resistant fungal infection since federal health officials first warned U.S. clinicians last June to be on the lookout for the emerging pathogen that has been spreading around the world.
The fungus, a strain of a kind of yeast known as Candida auris, has been reported in a dozen countries on five continents starting in 2009, where it was first found in an ear infection in a patient in Japan. Since then, the fungus has been reported in Colombia, India, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Pakistan, South Korea, Venezuela and the United Kingdom.
Unlike garden variety yeast infections, this one causes serious bloodstream infections, spreads easily from person to person in health-care settings, and survives for months on skin and for weeks on bed rails, chairs and other hospital equipment. Some strains are resistant to all three major classes of antifungal drugs. Based on information from a limited number of patients, up to 60 percent of people with these infection have died. Many of them also had other serious underlying illnesses.
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The fungus, a strain of a kind of yeast known as Candida auris, has been reported in a dozen countries on five continents starting in 2009, where it was first found in an ear infection in a patient in Japan. Since then, the fungus has been reported in Colombia, India, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Pakistan, South Korea, Venezuela and the United Kingdom.
Unlike garden variety yeast infections, this one causes serious bloodstream infections, spreads easily from person to person in health-care settings, and survives for months on skin and for weeks on bed rails, chairs and other hospital equipment. Some strains are resistant to all three major classes of antifungal drugs. Based on information from a limited number of patients, up to 60 percent of people with these infection have died. Many of them also had other serious underlying illnesses.
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A Day Without Idiots
Democrats are taking to the streets…in waves. First it was women (the day after the inauguration), then it was immigrants (conflating legal and illegal aliens in the hope of making people think they are one in the same), then it was women again (because, presumably, someone ordered too many crocheted vagina hats the first time around and needed to unload them). Which group will be next? Allow me to offer some help.
Should they go back to immigrants? No, no one cared last time. They can’t repeat women after having just done women. Besides, like with immigrants, no one outside of newsrooms gave a damn or really noticed.
How about LGBTQ? “ A Day Without A Gay”? It does have a certain ring to it. But again, the problem is who is going to notice? Americans don’t run around spotting gay people and attempting to “otherize” them, as leftists like to say. And the crocheted design, not to mention the sales or the cost of extra yarn, might leave something to be desired.
There is, however, one group of people the political left has a stranglehold on which is large enough to be noticed by all, though perhaps not missed, if they were to “strike” for one day: idiots.
Might I suggest the next “A Day Without” protest be “A Day Without Idiots.”
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Should they go back to immigrants? No, no one cared last time. They can’t repeat women after having just done women. Besides, like with immigrants, no one outside of newsrooms gave a damn or really noticed.
How about LGBTQ? “ A Day Without A Gay”? It does have a certain ring to it. But again, the problem is who is going to notice? Americans don’t run around spotting gay people and attempting to “otherize” them, as leftists like to say. And the crocheted design, not to mention the sales or the cost of extra yarn, might leave something to be desired.
There is, however, one group of people the political left has a stranglehold on which is large enough to be noticed by all, though perhaps not missed, if they were to “strike” for one day: idiots.
Might I suggest the next “A Day Without” protest be “A Day Without Idiots.”
More