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Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Shepherd: ‘Universities Have Lost Sight of Their Purpose

In an op-ed published in the National Post on Monday, embattled Wilfrid Laurier teaching assistant Lindsay Shepherd argued that universities are losing sight of their purpose.

“I am a teaching assistant for Communication Studies 101,” Shepherd began. “Last month, I showed my students a clip from TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin, which showed University of Toronto professors Jordan Peterson and Nicholas Matte debating the contentious issue of gender pronouns.”

“I mentioned to my class that watching debates such as the one we were about to view is a great way to break out of communication bubbles and decide for oneself whether an argument is valid or not,” she explained. “I emphasized that watching ideas being debated in action is how a ‘marketplace of ideas’ is formed (a concept that is studied in the very course in which I was censured, ironically enough).”

Shepherd’s story exploded into the national press after she leaked an audio recording of an interrogation that took place during the investigation over her showing the video to students. In the recording, Shepherd was dressed down by professor Nathan Rambukkana, professor Herbert Pimlott, and staffer Adria Joel. Due to the recording’s publication, Wilfrid Laurier was forced to apologize to Shepherd.

“I was told that playing the TVO clip was tantamount to violence, and that I had created a toxic climate and unsafe learning environment,” Shepherd continued. “I was also told that I had violated everything from the university’s Gendered Violence and Sexual Assault Policy to the Ontario Human Rights Code to Bill C-16.”

Read more here

Steelers-Bengals was a violent mess and ‘terrible for the NFL’

Ben Roethlisberger shrugged off a particularly violent Steelers 23-20 victory over the Bengals on Monday night that left some feeling queasy over the sport.

“This game is hard to watch for a number of reasons…terrible for the NFL and the game of football overall,” Cowboys great and Fox analyst Troy Aikman tweeted.
“The Steelers & Bengals do everything they can to be as combative as possible…it’s beyond football. This isn’t what competition is about,” Vikings Hall of Famer Cris Carter said on “First Things First” Tuesday morning.

Opposing linebackers were the victims of the two most brutal moments.

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Senate Altered Tax Reform to Help Illegal Aliens Claim Child Tax Credit

Evidence emerged Monday, as Republicans celebrated the Senate’s passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, that small changes were made in the Senate to the bill’s language, which would allow illegal aliens to continue to claim the child tax credit.

Preventing the use of this important credit by illegals was a priority for some of the Republican tax reform plan’s most ardent supporters. Under existing law, one does not need a Social Security Number (SSN) to claim the benefit but can substitute an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), as illegal aliens frequently do.

Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) made sure that a fix to this long-standing discrepancy was included in the House version of the tax bill. When the bill came out of chairman Kevin Brady’s (R-TX) House Ways and Means Committee, it included the language Messer originally inserted, demanding a credit claimant include “the taxpayer’s Social Security number on the return of tax for such taxable year.” This language would have blocked illegal aliens, who lack real SSNs, from claiming the lucrative benefit.

Yet when the Senate marked up the bill, the language was tweaked..

More details here

Congressman Wants Clinton Investigation

GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida will call Wednesday morning for an investigation into the FBI’s alleged “special” treatment of its investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s handling of her private email servers.

“ANNOUNCEMENT: Holding a Press Conference tomorrow, alongside 8 Congressmen, calling for Investigation on @FBI’s “Special” Treatment of@HillaryClinton. Joining: @Jim_Jordan @RepMarkMeadows @RepDeSantis@RepTedYoho @RepScottPerry @CongressmanHice @RepAndyBiggsAZ@replouiegohmert,” Gaetz tweeted Tuesday evening.

Gaetz will make his announcement Wednesday alongside many members of the House Freedom Caucus, including Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mark Meadows of North Carolina, Ron Desantis of Florida, Ted Yoho of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Jody Hice of Georgia, Andy Biggz of Arizona and Louie Gohmert of Texas.

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Mueller deputy praised DOJ official after she defied Trump travel ban order

A top prosecutor who is now a deputy for Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe praised then-acting Attorney General Sally Yates after she was fired in January by President Trump for refusing to defend his controversial travel ban.

The email, obtained by Judicial Watch through a federal lawsuit, shows that on the night of Jan. 30, Andrew Weissmann wrote to Yates under the subject line, “I am so proud.”

He continued, “And in awe. Thank you so much. All my deepest respects.”

The disclosure follows confirmation that another Mueller investigator, FBI official Peter Strzok, was fired over the summer after allegedly sending anti-Trump texts to an FBI lawyer with whom he was romantically involved.

His alleged actions revived concerns about the objectivity of the FBI probes of both Hillary Clinton’s email setup and Russia election meddling.

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WH Mulling Private Network to Counter the Deep State

President Donald Trump and his CIA director are mulling a pitch to create a private global spy network, accountable only to them, in order to counter the activities of "Deep State" enemies, The Intercept reported.

The proposal's authors — former Blackwater founder Erik Prince, Iran-Contra provocateur Oliver North, and former CIA operative John Maguire, who also served on Trump's transition team, The Intercept reports.

The report comes on the heels of a separate but similar Buzzfeed report that Trump and CIA Director Mike Pompeo are considering private spies to run counterintelligence and covert and propaganda efforts around the world.

Further, The Intercept reported that some involved with the proposal have even reached out to major Trump donors to seek financing for the private operations.

"Pompeo can't trust the CIA bureaucracy, so we need to create this thing that reports just directly to him," a former senior intelligence official told The Intercept. "It is a direct-action arm, totally off the books. The whole point is this is supposed to report to the president and Pompeo directly."

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Is This a 'Political Kingdom?'

Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) announced today he will retire and endorsed his son, John Conyers III, to take his place.

The news broke on "America's Newsroom" after 88-year-old Conyers was interviewed on a Detroit radio show, where he continued to deny sexual misconduct allegations.

"I am retiring today," said Conyers, who has been hospitalized since last week due to a stress-related condition.

"My legacy will continue through my children," he said.

Conyers' great nephew, Democratic State Sen. Ian Conyers, was also reportedly expected to run for the U.S. House seat, which Conyers has held since 1964.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) reacted to the news this morning, expressing concern about the seat being 'handed down' to a member of Conyers' family.

"What is this? A political kingdom?" he asked, adding that elected offices are not "heirlooms" to be passed down within a family.

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DHS Announces Progress in Enforcing Immigration Laws, Protecting Americans

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its end-of-year immigration enforcement numbers, the results of a year-long return to enforcing the law, upholding the integrity of our lawful immigration system, and keeping America safe. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 310,531 apprehensions nationwide, 303,916 of which were along the Southwest border, underscoring the need for a physical barrier at the border. Additionally, in FY 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations (ERO) conducted 143,470 arrests and 226,119 removals. Read the full press release

Judge Napolitano: FBI Questioned Flynn in Order to Trap Him

Judge Andrew Napolitano Tuesday questioned why the FBI took time to interrogate former national security adviser Michael Flynn, when it already had transcripts of all of his conversations with a Russian ambassador, saying it was obvious the federal agency wanted to "trap him."

"When the FBI interrogated Gen. Flynn in the White House on Jan. 24, it already had transcripts of every one of the general's conversations with Ambassador [Sergey] Kislyak, of which we now know there five, from between the day of the election and the day of the inauguration," the Fox News senior judicial analyst said on the "Fox & Friends" program.

"So, if they had the transcripts of those conversations, what was the purpose of interrogating the general?" he continued, "To trap him, which they succeeded in doing."

Flynn has pleaded guilty to one count of lying to the FBI, and Napolitano said he believes the FBI was wrong for trapping the retired general with its tactics.

"The government should not be in the business of trapping people," Napolitano said. "The Supreme Court says it's okay, and the government does it all the time. Why would they do this to the president's principal foreign policy adviser?"

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Millennials now biggest voting group in U.S., 2-1 Democratic

A new Harvard University poll Tuesday is blaring a loud danger signal to the Republican Party after finding that millennials are now the largest generation of voters and they are overwhelmingly Democratic, by a two-to-one margin.

The latest youth poll from Harvard’s influential Institute of Politics found that America’s 18-29-year-olds prefer Democrats 65 percent to 33 percent, in part because they don’t like President Trump and are “fearful” about the future.

Also driving their concern is a worry that blacks and Hispanics “feel significantly under attack” in the U.S., and that issues younger voters care about such as global warming and gun control are being ignored in Washington.

“American political institutions are at a tipping point,” said John Della Volpe, polling director at Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics. “Millennials are now the largest generation in the electorate.

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State Police Investigate Crash That Injures 9-Year Old Pedestrian In Caroline County

(DENTON, MD) – Troopers from the Easton Barrack are investigating a single vehicle crash that injured a 9 year old pedestrian in Caroline County this morning.

The boy was flown by Maryland State Police medevac to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury after the incident. He was being watched by his mother when the incident occurred.

The driver of the only vehicle involved in the incident is identified as Craig Bazemore, 47, of Baltimore. Bazemore was driving a 2005 Kenwood flatbed truck. He was uninjured in the crash. No charges have been filed at this time.

Bazemore was traveling northbound on Greensboro Road in the area of Burrsville Road in Denton. The preliminary investigation indicates that shortly before 8:30 a.m. this morning the boy attempted to retrieve mail from the mailbox located on the northbound side of Greensboro Road. The boy’s mother was standing nearby.

For unknown reasons at this time, police were informed the boy darted across the street into oncoming traffic. Police believe as Bazemore swerved on to the shoulder to avoid the crash, the boy was struck.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have information relevant to this case, to please contact Easton Barrack at 410-822-3101. The investigation remains active and ongoing.

FBI agent sent anti-Trump texts interviewed Flynn and Huma

The FBI agent who was dismissed from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe for sending his lover anti-Trump text messages is turning into a Forrest Gump character who figured in a number of key moments in the Bureau's recent history.

Peter Strzok was reassigned to the FBI's human resources department after the text messages between him and FBI lawyer Lisa Page were uncovered. He was already known to be the agent who who edited then-Director James Comey's reprimand of Hillary Clinton for using an unsecured private email server for classified messages.

Strzok, among the top officials investigating Clinton, changed Comey's description of her conduct from 'grossly negligent' – language that mirrors the criminal code – to the softer words 'extremely careless.'

His photograph was revealed by Fox News.

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Buchanan: Is Flynn's Defection A Death Blow?

Why did Gen. Mike Flynn lie to the FBI about his December 2016 conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak? Why did he not tell the FBI the truth?

As national security adviser to the president-elect, Flynn had called the ambassador.

Message: Tell President Putin not to overreact to President Obama’s expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats. Trump will be president in three weeks, and we are committed to a new relationship.

Not only was this initiative defensible, it proved successful.

Putin accepted the loss of his diplomats and country houses on Long lsland and the Eastern Shore. Rather than expel U.S. diplomats in retaliation, he invited them and their families to the Kremlin’s New Year’s parties.

“Great move…(by V. Putin),” tweeted Trump, “I always knew he was very smart.”

This columnist concurred: “Among our Russophobes, one can hear the gnashing of teeth.

“Clearly, Putin believes the Trump presidency offers Russia the prospect of a better relationship with the United States. He appears to want this, and most Americans seem to want the same. After all, Hillary Clinton, who accused Trump of being ‘Putin’s puppet,’ lost.”

Flynn, it now appears, was not freelancing, but following instructions. His deputy, K. T. McFarland, sent an email to six Trump advisers saying that Obama, by expelling the Russians, was trying to “box Trump in diplomatically.”

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John Conyers Retires And Endorses Son - Who Once Tweeted 'My Dad Is A F*cking Player' After Infidelity

Congressman John Conyers - who retired today after sexual-misconduct allegations surfaced last month - has endorsed his son, John Conyers III, for the seat he's held for over 50 years.

“I’m retiring today,” the 88-year-old Michigan Democrat told a local radio station from a Detroit hospital. “I want everyone to know how much I appreciate [their] support.”

Except, kids say the darndest things...

In a now deleted tweet, the younger Conyers - who has since deleted his Twitter account - bragged about his father's infidelity with a woman who was also married - stating "My dad is a f*cking player and reckless as hell! He just got at this doods wife super low key"

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Lost Dog 11-27-17: UPDATE, LOCATED

This dog was spooked on Morris Leonard possibly heading west toward Zion Church and has been missing since 8 am this morning.
Please call, 410-251-3065

Retired CIA Agent Working With Blackwater Founder Claims H.R. McMaster Approved NSA Spy Job On Trump Family

A retired CIA officer reportedly working with Blackwater founder Erik Prince to pitch the White House on a global, private spy networkwhich as we reported yesterday would allow the White House to circumvent and counter "deep state enemies" within U.S. intelligence agencies, is said to have made the stunning claim that National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster worked with the NSA to perform surveillance on Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Steve Bannon and others, according to a report in The Intercept.

The former CIA agent, John R. Maguire - a Trump transition team member who works for intelligence contractor Amyntor Group, spent over two decades as a paramilitary officer - including tours in Central America working with the Contras. After retiring, Maguire hooked up with Blackwater founder Erik Prince in what has been a long and fruitful professional relationship.

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'Do Not Talk to Me About Honor and Integrity!' Steve Bannon Savages Entire Romney Clan After Mitt's Insult to Vietnam Vet Roy Moore

Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon unleashed a stream of indignation at failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney after Romney impugned West Point-grad and Vietnam veteran Roy Moore’s “honor and integrity” Tuesday.

“What did [Mitt Romney] say yesterday? … That judge Moore lacked honor and integrity and that’s why he couldn’t vote for him?” Bannon asked the audience in a packed Fairhope, Alabama barn who had come to support Judge Moore’s U.S. Senate bid.

Despite currently holding no elected office or position in the Republican Party, Romney jumped into the Alabama U.S. Senate race Monday to undermine Moore’s campaign, tweeting, “Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity.”

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Report: Top Hillary Clinton Aides Faced No Charges for False Statements to FBI Agent Peter Strzok

FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was dismissed from FBI Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe for sending anti-Trump texts, conducted interviews with two top Hillary Clinton aides — who did not face consequences for reportedly making misleading statements during the interviews.

The Daily Caller reports that Clinton aides Cheryl Mills and Huma Abedin were interviewed by Strzok and said they were not aware of Clinton’s use of a private email server until after Clinton left the State Department.

“Mills did not learn Clinton was using a private server until after Clinton’s [Department of State] tenure,” notes from Mills’ April 9, 2016 interview say, according to the Caller. “Mills stated she was not even sure she knew what a server was at the time.”

Abedin also denied knowing about the server until 2013, but those denials were contradicted by email exchanges in which both aides discuss the Clinton server. In a 2010 email, Mills asks Abedin and another aide if the “server [is] ok?” after Clinton’s emails apparently went down. They were also included in an August 2011 email wherein a State Department official told them that Clinton’s “email server is down.”

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Wicomico County announces partnership with Wicomico Farm and Home Show

SALISBURY, Md. – Wicomico County and the Wicomico Farm and Home Show are joining forces for the Wicomico County Fair.

The partnership announcement was made Dec. 6 at a news conference outside the Carriage House building at WinterPlace Park. Officials also signed documents formalizing the alliance.

Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver said he is excited about the partnership and sharing in the growth of the Wicomico County Fair.

“We will make this one of the biggest highlights on the Eastern Shore,” Culver said.

Zach Evans, president of the Wicomico Farm and Home Show and chairman for the Wicomico County Fair, said since the Wicomico Farm and Home Show was rebranded as the Wicomico County Fair for the 2015 event, the fair has grown in attendance, surpassing 15,000 attendees in the most recent year.

The Wicomico County Fair is a nonprofit with an all-volunteer board, and Evans is glad to bring in Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism’s resources and staff.

“They are experts in event planning; they do a great job with community events, so we are going to take advantage of that and we’re going to make a promise to continue providing comprehensive programming and building an event that will draw a large audience,” Evans said.

Steve Miller, director of Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism, said at the news conference that Pork in the Park has been discontinued.

“We’re redirecting those resources now to fully invest in the County Fair to continue to make this bigger and better for the citizens of our community,” Miller said.

The 2018 Wicomico County Fair is Aug. 17-19 at WinterPlace Park. Admission is free. For more information, seewww.wicomicofair.com.

Photo Caption: Officials signed documents to formalize the partnership between Wicomico County and the Wicomico Farm & Home Show on Dec. 6 outside the Carriage House at WinterPlace Park. From left to right are Wayne Strausburg, Wicomico County director of administration; Bob Culver, Wicomico County executive; Steve Miller, director of Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism; and Zach Evans, president of the Wicomico Farm and Home Show and chairman for the Wicomico County Fair

"Astonishing And Disturbing" Email Exposes Mueller Deputy As Anti-Trumper

The rumblings that Special Counsel Mueller's Russia investigation is perilously compromised by political bias are about to grow a whole lot louder.

Just a couple of days after it was revealed that FBI veteran, Peter Strzok, was removed from Mueller's team due to the discovery of anti-Trump text messages exchanged with a colleague (whom he happened to be having an extra-marital affair with), and hours after the WSJ editorial board called for Mueller to step down for being "too conflicted", Judicial Watch has released emails obtained via FOIA that reveal another agent and a Mueller deputy, Andrew Weissmann, praising former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates' efforts to defy a direct order from President Trump on the enforcement of his travel ban executive order.

"I am so proud. And in awe. Thank you so much. All my deepest respects."

The email from Weissmann came exactly 1 hour after Yates was relieved of her duties with the Department of Justice by President Trump for refusing to enforce his travel ban executive order. Here was our summary of the firing and the White House's official statement on Yates' dismissal:

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WSJ: It's Time for Mueller to Step Down

The Wall Street Journal is urging special counsel Robert Mueller to resign.

In an editorial, the newspaper cited "troubling questions" about Mueller and the FBI.

"The Washington Post and The New York Times reported Saturday that a lead FBI investigator on the Mueller probe, Peter Strzok, was demoted this summer after it was discovered he'd sent anti-Trump texts to a mistress," the Journal said.

"As troubling, Mr. Mueller and the Justice Department kept this information from House investigators, despite Intelligence Committee subpoenas that would have exposed those texts. They also refused to answer questions about Mr. Strzok's dismissal and refused to make him available for an interview."

And it said Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is taking on a questionable role of resisting congressional oversight.

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This City Hall, brought to you by Amazon

A review of some of the bids to woo Amazon’s HQ2 to other cities and states shows it’s not all about the money. In some cases democracy itself is a bargaining chip.

There’s rising worry that corporations are taking over America. But after reviewing a slew of the bids by cities and states wooing Amazon’s massive second headquarters, I don’t think “takeover” quite captures what’s going on.

More like “surrender.”

Last month Amazon announced it got 238 offers for its new, proposed 50,000-employee HQ2. I set out to see what’s in them, but only about 30 have been released so far under public-record acts.

Those 30, though, amply demonstrate our capitulation to corporate influence in politics. There’s a new wave, in which some City Halls seem willing to go beyond just throwing money at Amazon. They’re turning over the keys to the democracy.

Last month Amazon announced it got 238 offers for its new, proposed 50,000-employee HQ2. I set out to see what’s in them, but only about 30 have been released so far under public-record acts.

Those 30, though, amply demonstrate our capitulation to corporate influence in politics. There’s a new wave, in which some City Halls seem willing to go beyond just throwing money at Amazon. They’re turning over the keys to the democracy.

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Conyers Retires, Family Feud Ensues

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the longest serving member of the House of Representatives and the subject of a flurry of sexual-misconduct allegations in the last few weeks, said he was "retiring today" during a radio interview Tuesday.

"I'm in the process of putting my retirement plans together and I'll have more of that very soon," Conyers said in an interview with the station, Praise 102.7.

No sooner had he announced plans to vacate his seat, however, than an intra-family feud erupted into public view over who would take it over.

The embattled Michigan Democrat said on Tuesday that he wanted his son, John Conyers III, to replace him when he departs. But earlier in the morning, Conyers' nephew, Ian Conyers, said that he would be seeking the seat.

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USA Today Misleads on FBI Gun Retrieval Requests

In a story that USA Today described as an "exclusive" piece of "breaking news," the publication misled readers about the timing of FBI gun retrieval requests.

Despite the breaking news and exclusive designations, the information revealed in the report was taken from a seven-month-old public document and does not indicate any new action from the FBI. Instead, the 2016 National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Operations Report, which the USA Today story is based on, indicates that over the course of the entire year the agency sent 4,170 requests to the ATF for firearms to be retrieved from those who failed a background check but only after the three-day delay period had expired. The same report summarizing the background check system's functioning has been released near the beginning of the following year since the system was implemented in 1998 when the FBI sent 3,849 firearms retrieval requests to the ATF.

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Fired FBI official at center of Flynn, Clinton, dossier controversies revealed

Peter Strzok, the longtime FBI deputy fired by Special Counsel Robert Mueller over his bias against President Trump. Strzok (pronounced "Struck"), was sacked by Mueller after electronic messages he reportedly sent to a colleague emerged, but not before he played key roles in the probes swirling around Trump.

Strzok, a former deputy to the assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, oversaw the bureau’s interviews of ousted National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, changed former FBI Director James Comey’s early draft language about Hillary Clinton’s actions regarding her private email server from “grossly negligent” to “extremely careless,” conducted the FBI interview of Clinton and reportedly helped push the largely unverified dossier on Trump that was initially prepared by Fusion GPS for the Clinton campaign's opposition research.

Strzok's bias has made him a poster child for Trump and his supporters, who believe the Mueller probe into alleged campaign collusion with Russia is biased.

Strzok's messages were reportedly not only anti-Trump, but also pro-Hillary. That has raised the ire of critics because, prior to joining Mueller's probe, he made edits to Comey's speech exonerating Hillary Clinton.

The language being edited was important because classified material that’s been mishandled for “gross negligence” calls for criminal consequences, analysts point out.

Strzok is being reviewed by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General for the role he played in the Clinton email investigation.

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Heavy marijuana users showing up at the ER 'scromiting'

Chronic cannabis users are at risk of experiencing a horrifying new condition that is being reported at hospitals across the United States where marijuana is legal.

'Scromiting,' doctors say, is becoming an all-too-familiar site at emergency rooms, with patients 'screaming and vomiting' as they turn up for help.

The condition, called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), is not properly understood but medical experts believe the symptoms appear from individuals using or consuming heavy amounts of marijuana over a long period of time.

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Breaking News: "Enough is enough." Several Democratic women in the Senate called on Senator Al Franken to resign over sexual misconduct accusations.

A half dozen Senate Democratic women called for Senator Al Franken to resign Tuesday as a sixth woman came forward to charge that the Minnesota Democrat had made an improper advance on her.

Another Democrat Used Secret Congressional 'Slush Fund' to Settle Sexual Harassment Allegations

Evidence reveals that another Democrat used a secret congressional “slush fund” to settle sexual harassment allegations, according to a report.

Although Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) was not accused of sexual harassment himself, a former staffer accused him of firing her in 2006 for reporting alleged sexual harassment by someone who worked for one of Meeks’s donors.

Andrea Payne, who worked out of the New York Democrat’s district office in Queens, sued Meeks after she said she was fired for filing a complaint with the Office of Compliance.

The agency within Congress has drawn bipartisan criticism for using taxpayer funds to settle sexual harassment, discrimination, and other workplace violations during the past two decades.

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Get Government Out Of The Welfare Business

Fighting poverty is a favorite pastime of government because politicians get to portray themselves as champions of the poor. However, the unfortunate few tend to be far fewer in number when aid is extended privately instead of through tax funded programs.
Government Bureaucracies Benefit from Welfare Programs

Coercion is used to acquire the revenue (taxes) to finance welfare programs. As evidenced by the commission it retains prior to redistributing this wealth, government bureaucracies are one of the beneficiaries of these programs, and thus highly incentivized to claim a perpetual need for the programs. I live in Canada, where the number of federal government welfare program employees increased by 43% between 2006 and 2012. Clearly, it serves the interests of politicians and bureaucrats to create (impose) a culture of dependency. As Murray Rothbard wrote in For a New Liberty:

Since welfare families are paid proportionately to the number of their children, the system provides an important subsidy for the production or more children. Furthermore, the people being induced to have more children are precisely those who can afford it least; the result can only be to perpetuate their dependence on welfare, and, in fact, to develop generations who are permanently dependent on the welfare dole.

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Wisconsin closer to drug-testing adults applying for food stamps

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is pushing a plan to make his state the first to drug-test adults applying for food stamps, a plan that courts have shot down as unconstitutional, according to a report Tuesday.

Walker, a Republican, has resurrected a measure approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature two years ago but has sat dormant because it violates federal rules about imposing extra eligibility requirements for food stamps recipients, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

A federal appeals court in 2014 shot down Florida’s attempt to drug-test recipients, saying it violates the constitutional protections against unreasonable searches.

Walker, a presidential candidate in 2016, approved a rule change to implement the testing and forwarded it to the Legislature for review, the newspaper reported.

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Sen. Fake Sends $100 Check to Doug Jones' Campaign

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., delivered a shot to his own party by announcing he has donated to Democrat Doug Jones' campaign in the contentious Alabama Senate race.

Flake said in early November he would back a Democrat over Moore "for sure" after the allegations against Moore began to surface.

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Walker Moving Ahead with Plan to Drug Test Food Stamp Users

Gov. Scott Walker moved ahead Monday with his plans to make Wisconsin the first state to drug test able-bodied adults applying for food stamps, a move blocked by the federal government or found to be unconstitutional when other states have tried.

Wisconsin's plan was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature more than two years ago, but it languished because it conflicts with federal rules prohibiting states from imposing additional eligibility criteria on food stamp recipients.

Florida had a drug test requirement for food stamp recipients that a federal appeals court blocked in 2014, finding it violated constitutional protections against unreasonable searches. Walker filed a federal lawsuit in 2015 seeking approval to test food stamp applicants, but it was rejected because then-President Barack Obama's administration had not yet formally rejected the state's request to do the testing.

Walker asked then-President elect Donald Trump's administration in December 2016 to make clear that drug screening is permissible, but it has not taken action and now Walker is moving ahead anyway.

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DC has highest percentage of heavy drinkers

Compared to states, the District ranks No. 2 for the percentage of adults who consume alcohol and No. 1 for the percentage of heavy drinkers, according to Detox.net, an online resource for alcohol abuse treatment programs.

According to the study, 65.9 percent of adults in D.C. have had at least one drink in the past month, second only to Wisconsin’s 67.3 percent. The study was based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which collects health-related data from phone interviews.

The study also says 11.1 percent of D.C. adults are what it labels heavy drinkers, consuming more than two drinks daily for men and more than one drink daily for women.

The District also topped the list for the highest percentage of binge drinkers..

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'They all knew': Media elites roared in laughter at obscene 2008 'roast' sending up Matt Lauer's office sexcapades

Warning: This article contains graphic language and content.

Embattled NBC executives have been falling over themselves insisting they had no idea about Matt Lauer’s pervy past. But if anyone doubts that New York’s media elite was aware of Lauer’s reputation, they should look no further than a top-secret “roast” of Lauer that took place in October 2008.

The notorious event -- now legendary in New York media circles -- pushed the outer limits of sexist, racist, homophobic and obscene jokes -- and left little doubt that Lauer’s colleagues knew NBC’s biggest star had a troubled marriage and a wandering eye.

Last week, NBC’s own Joe Scarborough, who attended the roast but said he left early, feeling uncomfortable, brought it up on “Morning Joe.” Lauer’s peccadillos, he said, were not just known about. At the roast, they were celebrated.

“The whole theme was that he does the show and then he has sex with people, with employees,” Scarborough said. “So was this whispered behind closed doors? No. It was shouted from the mountaintops and everybody laughed about it.”

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http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/12/05/media-elite-laughed-at-2008-roast-sending-up-matt-lauer-s-pervy-behavior.html

If Anyone Obstructed Justice It Was James Comey’s FBI

Let’s get this straight: The agent who led the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s potentially illegal use of a private email server turns out to be an ardent supporter of hers who opposed Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election? And yet the mainstream liberal media, which foams at the mouth at any whiff of scandal involving Republicans and frequently publishes bogus anti-Trump news, is essentially sweeping this obvious conflict of interest under the rug? How on earth can they all get away with this?

The suppressed scandal involving a tainted FBI investigation — and the liberal media’s apparent collusion in trying to bury it as a one-day story — is outrageous, and proves that President Trump was right all along about the“fake news” complex and the “rigged” nature of the FBI’s Clinton investigation.

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Liquor store owners arrested on charges of transporting beverages in attempt to avoid taxes

Two liquor store owners were arrested on charges that including transporting beverages to Delaware in an attempt to evade taxes. More than $100,000 was found at the home of one of the suspects.

The Delaware Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (DATE) received information that alcoholic beverages were being illegally transported from Maryland into Delaware in order to avoid state excise taxes, a release stated.

On Dec. 1st, agents set up surveillance near the state line with assistance from officers of the Maryland State Comptroller’s Office. The liquor was transported into Delaware and unloaded at a residence on the 100 block of Labrador Lane, Bear. The driver of the vehicle, Robert Connell Jr., 58, of Galena, MD, was arrested by DATE agents and his vehicle was seized.Connell is an owner of Pips Liquors of Chestertown, MD.

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Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barracks November DUI Arrests

The following persons were arrested by Troopers assigned to the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barracks and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the month of November 2017:

Cody Lee Boswell, 25 YOA, Crisfield, MD
Toni Liesa Miles, 51 YOA, Princess Anne, MD
Mario Antonio Salazar, 43 YOA, Brawley, CA
Ronnie Lee Payne, 36 YOA, Princess Anne, MD
Kathy Marie Cropper, 40 YOA, Salisbury, MD
Marco Phillip Lee, 37 YOA, Quantico, MD
Jordan Alan Hitchens, 31 YOA, Huntingtown, MD

Pizza Hut will now Deliver Cold Beer / Wine w your Pizza

Pizza Hut customers can now get cold beer delivered alongside their food order. TheYum Brands company started Tuesday testing beer delivery in Phoenix.

The company told Fortune it plans to expand that into wine delivery—single servings and full bottles—in January. The beer and wine will be delivered in a custom cooler to ensure those six packs are ready to drink.

While beer and wine delivery pilot is beginning with just one downtown Phoenix location. But it has aspirations to expand quickly to other markets.

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A Comment Worthy Of A Post 12-6-17

Interesting, so Dealers just sold the Truitt st building to Devreco, now the City is paying for the lease and upgrades, how convenient. I was wondering why I saw Day on this side of town at that building a month or two ago, this explains it. Don't get me started on the whole Choices Academy fiasco. Dig into that cesspool drain on city taxpayers. So glad I can now gladly say I no longer own property in the City of Salisbury.

Salisbury Bypass At A Stand Still

A viewer called in and said they tried to get on the Bypass at Snow Hill Road heading north and the traffic is horrible. Be patient or take another route.

DHS Announces Progress in Enforcing Immigration Laws, Protecting Americans

Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its end-of-year immigration enforcement numbers, the results of a year-long return to enforcing the law, upholding the integrity of our lawful immigration system, and keeping America safe. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported 310,531 apprehensions nationwide, 303,916 of which were along the Southwest border, underscoring the need for a physical barrier at the border. Additionally, in FY 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations (ERO) conducted 143,470 arrests and 226,119 removals. 

When Text Messages Suck!

Hi, Fred, this is Alan next door. I have a confession to make. I have been riddled with guilt these past few months and have been trying to get up the courage to tell you face-to-face, but I am at least telling you in text as I cannot live with myself a moment longer without you knowing.

The truth is I have been sharing your wife, day and night when you're not around. In fact, probably more than you.

I haven't been getting it at home recently, but I know that's no excuse. The temptation was just too great. I can no longer live with the guilt and hope that you will accept my sincerest apologies, and forgive me. It won't happen again. Please suggest a fee for usage, and I'll pay you.

Regards, Alan.

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Fred, feeling so angered and betrayed he grabbed his gun...and shot his neighbor dead.

He returned home, poured himself a stiff drink and sat down on the sofa.

He took out his phone where he saw a second message from his neighbor, Alan:

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Hi, Fred, this is Alan next door, again.

Sorry about the typo on my last text. I expected that you figured it out anyway, and noticed that darned Auto-Correct changed "wi-fi" to "wife." That's today's technology for you, hey!

Regards, Alan

NOI 12/4/17 Wicomico Dwelling Fire Dawn Court

Date:   December 4, 2017
Time:   1:33 p.m.
Location / Address:  607 Dawn Court, Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident:  Fire
Description of Structure / Property:  One story wood frame single family dwelling
Owner / Occupants:  Robany Pittman
Injuries or Deaths:  None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure:  $30,000                      Contents: $20,000
Smoke Alarm Status:  Present and activated
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status:  n/a
Arrests(s):  None
Primary Responding Fire Department:  Salisbury
# of Alarms:  1    # Of Firefighters:  20
Time to Control:  30 minutes
Discovered By:  Passerby
Area of Origin:   Living room
Preliminary Cause:  Incendiary

Governor Larry Hogan Announces Statewide Violent Crime Initiatives

Includes Targeted Assistance for Baltimore City, Truth-in-Sentencing Legislation, Intelligence Sharing to Combat Gangs and Criminal Networks Across Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD –
Governor Larry Hogan today joined with federal, state, and local law enforcement officers and officials to announce a series of initiatives to combat criminal gang enterprises and repeat violent offenders responsible for terrorizing Baltimore City and participating in violent crime throughout the state. The governor’s announcements include state and federal law enforcement assistance targeting the violent crime ravaging Baltimore City; legislation to ensure that violent criminals serve their full prison sentence; and a new, collaborative data-sharing network to help prosecutors and law enforcement bring down criminal networks across the state.

Joining the governor to make the announcement were Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford; Johnny Hughes, U.S. Marshal for Maryland; Colonel William “Bill” Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Colonel Woodrow “Jerry” Jones, Chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police; Colonel Robert “Ken” Ziegler, Superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police; Colonel Mike Wilson, Chief of the Department of General Services, Maryland Capitol Police; Colonel John Gavrilis, Chief of the Maryland Transit Administration Police; Glenn Fueston, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention; Walter “Pete” Landon, Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security; Chris Shank, Chief Legislative Officer; and Keiffer Mitchell, Senior Advisor to the Governor. Representatives of several federal law enforcement partners also attended, including Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms Dan Board; Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Don Hibbert; and Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore Field Office Andre Watson.

“Let me be crystal clear – I have absolutely no tolerance whatsoever for these repeat violent offenders or these criminal gangs causing lawlessness in our streets,” said Governor Hogan. “Our focus is to give law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges the tools they need to get these violent criminals off the streets and into prison.”

Will Rogers Was Right

Things haven't changed much in 80 odd years.