DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, December 23, 2017
THE YEAR WAS 1917
The year is 1917 "One hundred years ago." Anniversary of WW One
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1917:
The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.
A dentist $2,500 per year.
A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year.
And, a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which
were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month,
And, used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into
their country for any reason.
The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars ...
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores.
Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives
buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!" (Shocking?)
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or
domestic help...
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !
Without retyping, this message will be forwarded to others in a matter of seconds... IF you are old enough to appreciate that marvel, you will agree that it's impossible to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years!!!
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1917:
The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.
Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour.
The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year.
A dentist $2,500 per year.
A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year.
And, a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.
Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!
Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which
were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month,
And, used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into
their country for any reason.
The Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars ...
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.
And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at local corner drugstores.
Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives
buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!" (Shocking?)
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or
domestic help...
There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !
Without retyping, this message will be forwarded to others in a matter of seconds... IF you are old enough to appreciate that marvel, you will agree that it's impossible to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years!!!
ZAR Tumbles As South Africa's ANC "Decides" To Nationalize Central Bank, Confiscate Land
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress gushed a double whammy of capital-flight-creating rulings this afternoon. The Rand is tumbling on Bloomberg headlines that the ANC is said to seek constitutional changes for land expropriation (from whites) without compensation, but perhaps even more worrisome, the ruling party has decided that the Reserve Bank must be wholly owned by the state:
SOUTH AFRICA'S ANC ECONOMIC COMMITTEE CHAIR GODONGWANA SPEAKS
S.AFRICA ANC SEEKS CONSTITUTION CHANGES FOR LAND EXPROPRIATION
S. AFRICA'S ANC SAYS LAND EXPROPRIATION MUSTN'T HURT ECONOMY
S. AFRICA'S ANC SAID TO DECIDE CENTRAL BANK MUST BE STATE-OWNED
Enoch Godongwana, head of the party’s economic transformation committee, told reporters that ANC’s National Executive Committee will seek an amendment to the constitution to allow for land expropriation, noting that the confiscation must be sustainable and mustn’t damage economy and food production.
South Africa’s ruling party has also accepted a proposal that the central bank should be wholly state-owned rather than an institution with private shareholders, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Delegates at the African National Congress’ elective conference in Johannesburg decided 100 percent of the Reserve Bank should belong to the government, said the people who asked not to be identified because it hasn’t been made public yet.
It appears investors are sellers of this renewed nationalism...We last saw these headlines in the summer - sparking a ZAR selloff of over 3.0%.
More
SOUTH AFRICA'S ANC ECONOMIC COMMITTEE CHAIR GODONGWANA SPEAKS
S.AFRICA ANC SEEKS CONSTITUTION CHANGES FOR LAND EXPROPRIATION
S. AFRICA'S ANC SAYS LAND EXPROPRIATION MUSTN'T HURT ECONOMY
S. AFRICA'S ANC SAID TO DECIDE CENTRAL BANK MUST BE STATE-OWNED
Enoch Godongwana, head of the party’s economic transformation committee, told reporters that ANC’s National Executive Committee will seek an amendment to the constitution to allow for land expropriation, noting that the confiscation must be sustainable and mustn’t damage economy and food production.
South Africa’s ruling party has also accepted a proposal that the central bank should be wholly state-owned rather than an institution with private shareholders, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Delegates at the African National Congress’ elective conference in Johannesburg decided 100 percent of the Reserve Bank should belong to the government, said the people who asked not to be identified because it hasn’t been made public yet.
It appears investors are sellers of this renewed nationalism...We last saw these headlines in the summer - sparking a ZAR selloff of over 3.0%.
More
Robot taught itself never seen before chess moves in hours
Will robots one day destroy us? It’s a question that increasingly preoccupies many of our most brilliant scientists and tech entrepreneurs.
For developments in artificial intelligence (AI) — machines programmed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence — are poised to reshape our workplace and leisure time dramatically.
This year, a leading Oxford academic, Professor Michael Wooldridge, warned MPs that AI could go ‘rogue’, that machines might become so complex that the engineers who create them will no longer understand them or be able to predict how they function.
More
For developments in artificial intelligence (AI) — machines programmed to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence — are poised to reshape our workplace and leisure time dramatically.
This year, a leading Oxford academic, Professor Michael Wooldridge, warned MPs that AI could go ‘rogue’, that machines might become so complex that the engineers who create them will no longer understand them or be able to predict how they function.
More
De'von Hall found mentally incompetent to stand trial
A former NFL player, who was charged earlier this year for killing his mother, has been found mentally incompetent to stand trial.
De'von Hall, 30, has been told to reside in a state hospital, according to an order filed Tuesday in the L.A. County Superior Court, KTLA reports.
He was charged by prosecutors for murdering his mother, Alecia Benson, on April 24 this year.
A witness claimed they heard Hall tell Benson 'I'm going to kill you,' the L.A. County Sheriff's Department heard.
Prosecutors decided Hall, who played with the Vikings, Colts and Tampa Bay, killed Benson following a disagreement at her Los Angeles home in the Windsor Hills neighborhood.
More
De'von Hall, 30, has been told to reside in a state hospital, according to an order filed Tuesday in the L.A. County Superior Court, KTLA reports.
He was charged by prosecutors for murdering his mother, Alecia Benson, on April 24 this year.
A witness claimed they heard Hall tell Benson 'I'm going to kill you,' the L.A. County Sheriff's Department heard.
Prosecutors decided Hall, who played with the Vikings, Colts and Tampa Bay, killed Benson following a disagreement at her Los Angeles home in the Windsor Hills neighborhood.
More
Clinton Appointee Tosses Lawsuit Claiming Trump Violated Constitution’s Anti-Corruption Provisions
A federal court in New York City has dismissed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump that alleged his failure to divest from the Trump business empire violated anti-corruption provisions of the Constitution.
U.S. District Judge George Daniels, a Clinton administration appointee, ruled Thursday that the case could not proceed because the plaintiffs could not prove that Trump’s actions tangibly harmed their businesses.
The lawsuit was brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), an anti-Trump watchdog group formerly led by Clinton ally David Brock. A number of accomplished lawyers and legal scholars participated in the effort, including Professor Laurence Tribe of Harvard Law School, Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the law school at the University of California, Berkeley, and Richard Painter, an ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush White House.
More
U.S. District Judge George Daniels, a Clinton administration appointee, ruled Thursday that the case could not proceed because the plaintiffs could not prove that Trump’s actions tangibly harmed their businesses.
The lawsuit was brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), an anti-Trump watchdog group formerly led by Clinton ally David Brock. A number of accomplished lawyers and legal scholars participated in the effort, including Professor Laurence Tribe of Harvard Law School, Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the law school at the University of California, Berkeley, and Richard Painter, an ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush White House.
More
Trump: $7 Trillion ‘Foolishly Spent in the Middle East
The Times of Israel reports: US President Donald Trump said Friday it was time to focus funds on the US rather than foreign spending, tweeting: “After having foolishly spent $7 trillion in the Middle East, it is time to start rebuilding our country!”
The tweet came a day after Trump suffered a defeat at the United Nations General Assembly, which easily passed a resolution condemning his administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Trump had warned before the vote that the US could punish recipients of foreign aid who voted against the US at the General Assembly. On Wednesday he said countries “take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us.
Read more here.
Trump had warned before the vote that the US could punish recipients of foreign aid who voted against the US at the General Assembly. On Wednesday he said countries “take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us.
Read more here.
Study supports freeway removal as best option
A tunnel would cost nearly three times as much as converting the aging I-81 in Syracuse to a boulevard—as suggested by CNU's Freeways Without Futures report.
A new study shows that building a tunnel to carry Interstate 81 traffic through Syracuse, NY, would cost billions more dollars and take a decade to complete. The wisdom of transforming the aging elevated highway to a surface boulevard, as suggested by CNU's Freeways Without Futures 2017 list, is reinforced by the study.
The tunnel is nearly three times as costly as tearing down the elevated highway and restoring a street grid, while sending through traffic around the city center on I-481. A third option, rebuilding the Viaduct—which is nearing the end of its useful life—would cost only $400 million more than the boulevard, and the surface street would support far more economic development. The Syracuse Viaduct is one of 10 projects on CNU's Freeways Without Futures list.
For over 50 years, the elevated 1.4-mile stretch of Interstate 81 known as The Viaduct has cut like a knife through the heart of Syracuse, New York. For the urban neighborhoods in its path, I-81 has had the same effect as most urban interstates: it destroyed a historic African-American community, disrupted the flow of city streets, and paved over countless historic homes and sites.
More
A new study shows that building a tunnel to carry Interstate 81 traffic through Syracuse, NY, would cost billions more dollars and take a decade to complete. The wisdom of transforming the aging elevated highway to a surface boulevard, as suggested by CNU's Freeways Without Futures 2017 list, is reinforced by the study.
The tunnel is nearly three times as costly as tearing down the elevated highway and restoring a street grid, while sending through traffic around the city center on I-481. A third option, rebuilding the Viaduct—which is nearing the end of its useful life—would cost only $400 million more than the boulevard, and the surface street would support far more economic development. The Syracuse Viaduct is one of 10 projects on CNU's Freeways Without Futures list.
For over 50 years, the elevated 1.4-mile stretch of Interstate 81 known as The Viaduct has cut like a knife through the heart of Syracuse, New York. For the urban neighborhoods in its path, I-81 has had the same effect as most urban interstates: it destroyed a historic African-American community, disrupted the flow of city streets, and paved over countless historic homes and sites.
More
ICE removes MS-13 gang member wanted for involvement in 8 murders
Man is No. 6 on El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted
BOSTON — A 24-year-old MS-13 gang member wanted in El Salvador for his involvement in eight aggravated murders was removed Friday and turned over to Salvadoran authorities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO).
According to Salvadoran authorities, Leandro Cruz aka Jose Artro Gonzalez Martinez, was involved with the murders of eight, which prompted law enforcement officials there to list him as one El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted. Cruz, identified as No. 6, is listed as Martinez or “Gasper” on the Salvadoran Los 100 Mas Buscados list.
He was removed via ICE Air under escort by ERO deportation officers, before being handed over to Salvadoran authorities without incident.
“Transnational gangs like MS-13 are an insidious source of violence and many forms of other criminal activity in far too communities here and abroad,” said C.M. Cronen, ERO Boston field office director. “Mr. Cruz will now face justice in his home country for the horrendous crimes for which he stands accused.”
Cruz has previous convictions in Massachusetts for assault and battery. He was turned over to ICE Nov. 16, after serving a sentence in the Suffolk County House of Corrections, where ICE had an active detainer in place. On Nov. 30, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the U.S., paving the way for his repatriation to Salvadoran authorities to face the pending murder charges.
Cruz is the latest removal to El Salvador as part of ERO’s Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Initiative. The SAFE Initiative is geared toward the identification of foreign fugitives who are wanted abroad and removable under US immigration law. Those removed as part of the SAFE Initiative have been deemed ineligible to remain in the United States and were all wanted by the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC). To date, the ERO Office in El Salvador, through the SAFE Initiative, has removed and facilitated the PNC’s ability to arrest more than 800 criminal fugitives to El Salvador.
SAFE aligns with ERO’s public safety priorities and eliminates the need for formal extradition requests.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In fiscal year 2016, ICE conducted 240,255 removals nationwide. Ninety-two percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.
BOSTON — A 24-year-old MS-13 gang member wanted in El Salvador for his involvement in eight aggravated murders was removed Friday and turned over to Salvadoran authorities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO).
According to Salvadoran authorities, Leandro Cruz aka Jose Artro Gonzalez Martinez, was involved with the murders of eight, which prompted law enforcement officials there to list him as one El Salvador’s 100 Most Wanted. Cruz, identified as No. 6, is listed as Martinez or “Gasper” on the Salvadoran Los 100 Mas Buscados list.
He was removed via ICE Air under escort by ERO deportation officers, before being handed over to Salvadoran authorities without incident.
“Transnational gangs like MS-13 are an insidious source of violence and many forms of other criminal activity in far too communities here and abroad,” said C.M. Cronen, ERO Boston field office director. “Mr. Cruz will now face justice in his home country for the horrendous crimes for which he stands accused.”
Cruz has previous convictions in Massachusetts for assault and battery. He was turned over to ICE Nov. 16, after serving a sentence in the Suffolk County House of Corrections, where ICE had an active detainer in place. On Nov. 30, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the U.S., paving the way for his repatriation to Salvadoran authorities to face the pending murder charges.
Cruz is the latest removal to El Salvador as part of ERO’s Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement (SAFE) Initiative. The SAFE Initiative is geared toward the identification of foreign fugitives who are wanted abroad and removable under US immigration law. Those removed as part of the SAFE Initiative have been deemed ineligible to remain in the United States and were all wanted by the Policia Nacional Civil (PNC). To date, the ERO Office in El Salvador, through the SAFE Initiative, has removed and facilitated the PNC’s ability to arrest more than 800 criminal fugitives to El Salvador.
SAFE aligns with ERO’s public safety priorities and eliminates the need for formal extradition requests.
Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 1,700 foreign fugitives from the United States who were sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. In fiscal year 2016, ICE conducted 240,255 removals nationwide. Ninety-two percent of individuals removed from the interior of the United States had previously been convicted of a criminal offense.
Deputies shoot dead a six-year-old at Texas trailer park
This is the six-year-old boy who was killed after being shot in the abdomen by a stray bullet when Texas cops opened fire.
A GoFundMe has been established for Kameron Prescott, six, who was killed when Bexar County deputies tried to stop a woman who was trying to break into a home at a San Antonio trailer park.
Mercedes Warneke, who claims to be Kameron's aunt, created the page to help cover funeral expenses which has raised more than $4,000 of its $10,000 goal as of Friday afternoon.
More
A GoFundMe has been established for Kameron Prescott, six, who was killed when Bexar County deputies tried to stop a woman who was trying to break into a home at a San Antonio trailer park.
Mercedes Warneke, who claims to be Kameron's aunt, created the page to help cover funeral expenses which has raised more than $4,000 of its $10,000 goal as of Friday afternoon.
More
SCOTUS Impatient With Anti-Trump Judges
In recent weeks the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly chided lower courts that issued rulings unfavorable to the Trump administration, suggesting at least some of the justices believe the judiciary is not treating the Trump administration fairly.
Though such a conclusion can only be reached by inference, the justices have issued several fairly extraordinary orders in cases involving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the latest iteration of the travel ban, which deals rather harshly with trial courts in California, Hawaii and Maryland.
The latest signal came in a Wednesday order concerning the number of documents the government must release in connection with a lawsuit challenging the termination of DACA, an Obama-era amnesty initiative that extends temporary legal status to foreign nationals who came to the United States as children. A federal court in California ordered the Trump administration to release all documents relating to its decision to terminate the program. The government counters that it need not publicize its sensitive internal deliberations.
The order appears to be the product of a compromise, as the justices split five to four along ideological lines on Dec. 8 over the same issue. This time, however, it appears all the justices agreed that the California court’s order was “overly broad,” and that the breadth of the order warrants a slight rapping on the knuckles.
More
Though such a conclusion can only be reached by inference, the justices have issued several fairly extraordinary orders in cases involving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the latest iteration of the travel ban, which deals rather harshly with trial courts in California, Hawaii and Maryland.
The latest signal came in a Wednesday order concerning the number of documents the government must release in connection with a lawsuit challenging the termination of DACA, an Obama-era amnesty initiative that extends temporary legal status to foreign nationals who came to the United States as children. A federal court in California ordered the Trump administration to release all documents relating to its decision to terminate the program. The government counters that it need not publicize its sensitive internal deliberations.
The order appears to be the product of a compromise, as the justices split five to four along ideological lines on Dec. 8 over the same issue. This time, however, it appears all the justices agreed that the California court’s order was “overly broad,” and that the breadth of the order warrants a slight rapping on the knuckles.
More
Ohio Catholic priest under investigation kills himself
A Catholic priest in Ohio under investigation for 'questionable' communications with a minor and misuse of church funds killed himself Wednesday.
The Catholic Diocese of Columbus said in a statement Thursday that Reverend James Csaszar killed himself while visiting Chicago.
He threw himself from the 82-story Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel hotel.
Csaszar was pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in the Columbus suburb of New Albany.
The diocese's statement says Csaszar was placed on administrative leave November 7 when officials learned of 'excessive and questionable' text and phone communications with a minor.
It's not clear the age of the minor or if they were male or female.
Officials also learned that he may have misused funds while pastor at St Rose of Lima Parish in New Lexington.
More
The Catholic Diocese of Columbus said in a statement Thursday that Reverend James Csaszar killed himself while visiting Chicago.
He threw himself from the 82-story Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel hotel.
Csaszar was pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in the Columbus suburb of New Albany.
The diocese's statement says Csaszar was placed on administrative leave November 7 when officials learned of 'excessive and questionable' text and phone communications with a minor.
It's not clear the age of the minor or if they were male or female.
Officials also learned that he may have misused funds while pastor at St Rose of Lima Parish in New Lexington.
More
A Viewer Writes: All I want for Christmas...
At this time of year, we take many things for granted. We overindulge, spoil our kids, spend way too much money, etc.
Let's not forget what Christmas is all about and not forget the kids - especially the ones who believe in Santa - so that they can get some things under their trees on Christmas morning. Keep in mind that it's not their fault that Santa skipped their house. They don't understand, they think they were bad, etc.
Let's help them all out by donating toys, coats, blankets, shoes, and any of the basics you might put into your own kids' stockings. Salvation Army, Christian Shelter, Carriage House, area elementary schools, all need help and will find a home for your donations.
And, get your kids involved, too. Every year, on Christmas eve after Mass, we would all go to Walmart and buy things for the kids who were in the hospital. (I called that day, and the nurse would ask their parents' what the kids might like because they probably didn't have time to leave the hospital for gifts.) After shopping, we would run home, wrap and label and rush over to the pediatric ward and put them under the beds. (can't do that anymore) My kids learned that Christmas was NOT about getting but about giving and that there were always kids out there who needed things a lot more than they did. It was a great lesson about being a good person and a good Christian.
Now that my kids are grown, i still do the same. I buy toys, bikes, anything that a little kid would want for Christmas and do my own Santa thing. Most of the time it's anonymous but i know the kids appreciate getting a little something on Christmas. You can give to other charities any other time of the year, but you can help make Christmas morning magical only once a year.
Here's a little feel-good story to share about someone else who made a difference:
http://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/2017/12/18/girl-asks-santa-for-blanket-food-in-heartbreaking-letter-to-santa.html
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Thieves steal from program serving underprivileged kids in east Baltimore
BALTIMORE — An after-school program serving underprivileged kids in east Baltimore was hit by thieves Monday. Christmas gifts for more than 90 students are gone.
Kenny Orsot had just left The Club at Collington Monday morning before the robbers came in.
"The thieves busted through the back door in the kitchen around 10 a.m. Monday morning. They had masks on their face and they made their way through the building and into the room where the gifts were stored," Orsot said.
Orsot, a teacher in the after-school program, said that two men stole food, clothes, coats, toys and whatever else they could fit in their arms. When they ran into the director, they busted her lip and pushed her down.
"I'm just happy that she's OK. She's a little shaken up, but she's strong, and she's with us here today," Orsot said.
More/Video
Kenny Orsot had just left The Club at Collington Monday morning before the robbers came in.
"The thieves busted through the back door in the kitchen around 10 a.m. Monday morning. They had masks on their face and they made their way through the building and into the room where the gifts were stored," Orsot said.
Orsot, a teacher in the after-school program, said that two men stole food, clothes, coats, toys and whatever else they could fit in their arms. When they ran into the director, they busted her lip and pushed her down.
"I'm just happy that she's OK. She's a little shaken up, but she's strong, and she's with us here today," Orsot said.
More/Video
Bureau of Prisons: 1 in 5 Inmates Is Foreign-Born
About 1 in 5 inmates in Bureau of Prisons (BOP) custody is foreign-born, a Department of Justice (DOJ) report reveals.
A new report from Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ DOJ showed that out of the 185,507 inmates currently in BOP custody, 39,455 of the inmates — or about 21 percent — were foreign-born who either entered the U.S. illegally or legally.
According to the newly released data, 51 percent of the 39,455 foreign-born inmates in BOP custody are illegal aliens who are subject to final deportation orders. Another 38 percent of the foreign-born inmate population remain under investigation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
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A new report from Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ DOJ showed that out of the 185,507 inmates currently in BOP custody, 39,455 of the inmates — or about 21 percent — were foreign-born who either entered the U.S. illegally or legally.
According to the newly released data, 51 percent of the 39,455 foreign-born inmates in BOP custody are illegal aliens who are subject to final deportation orders. Another 38 percent of the foreign-born inmate population remain under investigation by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
More
Head of Congressional Ethics Office Sued for Abusing Position, Accused of Assaulting Women
A key official involved in House investigations faces a federal lawsuit alleging misconduct.
A top congressional ethics official who oversees investigations into misconduct by lawmakers is accused in a federal lawsuit of verbally abusing and physically assaulting women and using his federal position to influence local law enforcement, according to a complaint filed in a federal court in Pennsylvania last month.
The ongoing lawsuit against Omar Ashmawy, staff director and chief counsel of the Office of Congressional Ethics, stems from his involvement in a late-night brawl in 2015 in Milford, Pennsylvania, and includes a range of allegations relating to his behavior that evening and in the following two-and-half years.
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A top congressional ethics official who oversees investigations into misconduct by lawmakers is accused in a federal lawsuit of verbally abusing and physically assaulting women and using his federal position to influence local law enforcement, according to a complaint filed in a federal court in Pennsylvania last month.
The ongoing lawsuit against Omar Ashmawy, staff director and chief counsel of the Office of Congressional Ethics, stems from his involvement in a late-night brawl in 2015 in Milford, Pennsylvania, and includes a range of allegations relating to his behavior that evening and in the following two-and-half years.
More
FBI Fires Suspected Leaker And Comey Ally James Baker
As the Washington Post reported, the FBI’s top lawyer, James Baker, is being reassigned. WaPo says Baker’s removal is part of Wray’s effort to assemble his own team of senior advisers while he tries to defuse allegations of partisanship that have plagued the bureau in recent months.
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OSFM and State Farm Insurance Assist Family During Holiday Season
The family was beginning to prepare for the Christmas Season when this fire occurred and lost all of their personal possessions as a result of the fire. The single mother and two children have been devastated by this event of which they had no control over. The fire investigation determined that someone had unlawfully entered the home, ransacked the interior, stole property and set the house on fire to conceal the crime.
Through working on the fire case and in constant contact with the family it was clearly evident that this family needed holiday blessings. The Office of the State Fire Marshal quickly deemed it appropriate to assist this family and a Grant was provided by the State Farm Insurance Company.
Members of the Lower Eastern Region Office have been shopping and have delivered their Holiday cheer to the family. Items given include a Christmas Tree with decorations, Television and DVD player, laptop computer, a platform hitch for Ms. Pittman’s vehicle which will enable her to transport her disabled son’s wheelchair as well as fire safety items including 10 year smoke alarms and a portable fire extinguisher. Also in conjunction with these efforts a Christmas Eve dinner will be delivered by Lower Eastern Regional staff.
The Pittman family is expected to be out of their home for several months while repairs are being made. The Office of the State Fire Marshal is saddened by the events which forced this family from their home and would like to give this deserving family the nicest holiday season possible.
Breaking News: Groping, unwanted kisses, propositions for sex: At Vice, a hard-partying, boundary-pushing culture created a degrading workplace for women.
Who Is Getting Screwed The Hardest?
The first half of the chart shows the bottom 50% of Western European’s national income, which has stayed relatively the same for the past 30-years.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the bottom 50% of Americans have been royally screwed of the course of 30-years.
Corporations, Fed, and Politicians have not allowed the middle class to collect their fair share of earnings.
For that very reason, has the collapse of middle America been done on purpose?
More/Video
Trump Administration: Abortion for Raped Illegal Immigrant Teen-Ager Would Be 'Further Violence'
Federal officials believe a rapist impregnated a teen-age illegal alien in her home country, but Trump Administration officials won’t let her have an abortion because they argue “further violence” won’t solve the problem.
The girl, whose name and age are being withheld by federal officials, was about 22 weeks pregnant as of earlier this month. That would require an abortionist to dismember the fetus in the girl’s womb.
Scott Lloyd, director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, says in a letter unsealed Thursday that it is “understandable” why a woman might want to abort a child conceived in rape and that he would not judge a woman who does so.
“But I cannot authorize our program to participate in the abortion requested here, even in this most difficult case. Here, where the pregnancy has advanced to such a stage, we have in stark relief … violence that has the ultimate destruction of another human being as its goal,” Lloyd wrote in the letter, dated December 6.
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The girl, whose name and age are being withheld by federal officials, was about 22 weeks pregnant as of earlier this month. That would require an abortionist to dismember the fetus in the girl’s womb.
Scott Lloyd, director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, says in a letter unsealed Thursday that it is “understandable” why a woman might want to abort a child conceived in rape and that he would not judge a woman who does so.
“But I cannot authorize our program to participate in the abortion requested here, even in this most difficult case. Here, where the pregnancy has advanced to such a stage, we have in stark relief … violence that has the ultimate destruction of another human being as its goal,” Lloyd wrote in the letter, dated December 6.
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Final Tax Bill Keeps Senate’s Loophole for Illegals
The final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed Wednesday by the House and headed to President Donald Trump’s desk, will still allow illegal aliens to claim a lucrative child tax credit.
After immigration hawks in the House included a provision to require Social Security numbers (SSNs) for tax filers claiming the Additional Child Tax Credit, the language was significantly watered down in the Senate. The final version appears to allow even more illegal aliens to claim credits. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, however, still represents a major improvement over the current tax code, which allowed full utilization of child tax credits by illegals, even for children who were themselves illegal aliens.
The credit is now more valuable than ever because, at Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) insistence, the maximum refundable credit will increase from $1,000 per child to $1,100 per child in 2018 and then rise to $1,400.
More here
After immigration hawks in the House included a provision to require Social Security numbers (SSNs) for tax filers claiming the Additional Child Tax Credit, the language was significantly watered down in the Senate. The final version appears to allow even more illegal aliens to claim credits. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, however, still represents a major improvement over the current tax code, which allowed full utilization of child tax credits by illegals, even for children who were themselves illegal aliens.
The credit is now more valuable than ever because, at Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) insistence, the maximum refundable credit will increase from $1,000 per child to $1,100 per child in 2018 and then rise to $1,400.
More here
House Republicans Secretly Gathering Evidence To Launch Case Against DOJ and FBI: Report
According to Politico, a group of frustrated Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee led by Devin Nunes (R-CA) have been gathering in secret for several weeks to build a case against senior leaders of the Justice Department and the FBI for what they say is "improper" and perhaps criminal mishandling of the salacious and unproven 34-page Trump-Russia dossier, according to four sources familiar with their plans.
A subset of the Republican members of the House intelligence committee, led by Chairman Devin Nunes of California, has been quietly working parallel to the committee’s high-profile inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. […]
The people familiar with Nunes’ plans said the goal is to highlight what some committee Republicans see as corruption and conspiracy in the upper ranks of federal law enforcement. The group hopes to release a report early next year detailing their concerns about the DOJ and FBI, and they might seek congressional votes to declassify elements of their evidence. -Politico
When pressed for details, Reps Mike Conway (R-TX) and Peter King (R-NY) were mum, with Conway telling POLITICO, "I don't want talk about what we do behind closed doors."
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A subset of the Republican members of the House intelligence committee, led by Chairman Devin Nunes of California, has been quietly working parallel to the committee’s high-profile inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. […]
The people familiar with Nunes’ plans said the goal is to highlight what some committee Republicans see as corruption and conspiracy in the upper ranks of federal law enforcement. The group hopes to release a report early next year detailing their concerns about the DOJ and FBI, and they might seek congressional votes to declassify elements of their evidence. -Politico
When pressed for details, Reps Mike Conway (R-TX) and Peter King (R-NY) were mum, with Conway telling POLITICO, "I don't want talk about what we do behind closed doors."
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The Iran Echo Chamber Smears Politico Magazine
Nothing has been more tedious over the last year than the constant reminders that good journalism is "now more important than ever." The implication, of course, is that solid, groundbreaking reporting was not as essential so long as a liberal Democrat was in power. I've long assumed that the factotums mouthing such clichés lack the self-awareness to understand the true import of their words. But maybe I've been wrong. Recent days brought evidence that, no, liberals really mean it: the only meaningful investigative work is that which reflects poorly on Republicans.
Earlier this week, for example, Politico Magazine published a story by Josh Meyer headlined "The secret backstory of how Obama let Hezbollah off the hook." This epic and copiously sourced piece relates how, "in its determination to secure a nuclear deal with Iran, the Obama administration derailed an ambitious law enforcement campaign targeting drug trafficking by the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, even as it [Hezbollah, not the Obama administration] was funneling cocaine into the United States."
Read more here
Earlier this week, for example, Politico Magazine published a story by Josh Meyer headlined "The secret backstory of how Obama let Hezbollah off the hook." This epic and copiously sourced piece relates how, "in its determination to secure a nuclear deal with Iran, the Obama administration derailed an ambitious law enforcement campaign targeting drug trafficking by the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, even as it [Hezbollah, not the Obama administration] was funneling cocaine into the United States."
Read more here
Winning: Department Of Justice Opens Probe Into Bundy Prosecutors Who Hid Evidence
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened a probe into federal prosecutors of the recent trial of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, E&E News reports.
Bundy faced criminal charges related to a 2014 standoff with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) agents. After the prosecutions numerous missteps and “willful” withholding of evidence that would aid the Bundy’s defense, the judge ruled a mistrial Wednesday, The Oregonian reports.
The DOJ did not say whether it would pursue another trial against Cliven Bundy and others involved in the 2014 standoff, according to E&E News.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions “personally directed that an expert in the department’s discovery obligations be deployed to examine the case and advise as to next steps,” DOJ deputy director of public affairs Ian Prior told The Oregonian.
“This is every prosecutor’s nightmare,” retired federal prosecutor Kent Robinson said.
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Bundy faced criminal charges related to a 2014 standoff with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) agents. After the prosecutions numerous missteps and “willful” withholding of evidence that would aid the Bundy’s defense, the judge ruled a mistrial Wednesday, The Oregonian reports.
The DOJ did not say whether it would pursue another trial against Cliven Bundy and others involved in the 2014 standoff, according to E&E News.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions “personally directed that an expert in the department’s discovery obligations be deployed to examine the case and advise as to next steps,” DOJ deputy director of public affairs Ian Prior told The Oregonian.
“This is every prosecutor’s nightmare,” retired federal prosecutor Kent Robinson said.
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Election Group to Help Nevada Defend Recall Elections
An election integrity group was granted permission to intervene and help the state of Nevada defend against efforts by Hillary Clinton's former top campaign lawyer to halt recall elections that could potentially flip party control of the senate in the state.
The United States District Court of Nevada granted the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) the right to intervene in a complaint filed by Marc Elias, a partner at the D.C. law office of Perkins Coie and former top lawyer to Hillary Clinton's campaign who represents a number of Democratic politicians.
Elias filed the lawsuit in October seeking to halt efforts backed by Republicans to recall three Nevada state senators, two Democrats and one Independent. The Nevada state senate is currently made up of ten Democrats, nine Republicans, and an Independent.
Elias argues that the recall election would "undermine a republican form of government by threatening to upend the undisputed results of legitimate and regularly scheduled election."
More here
The United States District Court of Nevada granted the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) the right to intervene in a complaint filed by Marc Elias, a partner at the D.C. law office of Perkins Coie and former top lawyer to Hillary Clinton's campaign who represents a number of Democratic politicians.
Elias filed the lawsuit in October seeking to halt efforts backed by Republicans to recall three Nevada state senators, two Democrats and one Independent. The Nevada state senate is currently made up of ten Democrats, nine Republicans, and an Independent.
Elias argues that the recall election would "undermine a republican form of government by threatening to upend the undisputed results of legitimate and regularly scheduled election."
More here
FCC proposes record $13.4 million fine on Sinclair
The Federal Communications Commission has proposed to fine the Sinclair Broadcast Group $13.4 million for airing sponsored programming without disclosing its funders — the largest such fine the agency has ever issued.
The proposed fine comes more than a year after an anonymous tipster told the FCC that Sinclair-owned stations had been airing segments about the Huntsman Cancer Institute without disclosing that the group had been paying for the programming.
The cancer research center was founded by Jon Huntsman Sr., a billionaire businessman and the father of U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr.
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The proposed fine comes more than a year after an anonymous tipster told the FCC that Sinclair-owned stations had been airing segments about the Huntsman Cancer Institute without disclosing that the group had been paying for the programming.
The cancer research center was founded by Jon Huntsman Sr., a billionaire businessman and the father of U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman Jr.
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Revealed: Bogus 'Trump Banned Words at the CDC' Story Was Rooted in Suggested Guidelines From Liberal Bureaucrats
If you're just joining this flap, here's a short recap: Late last week, it was reported that Trump administration officials at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) had sought to "ban" words they deemed to be controversial, including "transgender" and "fetus." This sparked an immediate outcry, as Orwellian censorship rarely plays well with the American people. The Trump-hostile media were in full throat, pounding the table against this anti-science outrage. The original story("forbidden words") appeared in the Washington Post, then spread like wildfire. Here isCNN's framing of it:
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the very agency tasked with saving and protecting the lives of the most vulnerable, are now under order by the Trump administration to stop using words including "vulnerable" in 2018 budget documents, according to The Washington Post. In a 90-minute briefing on Thursday, policy analysts at the nation's leading public health institute were presented with the menu ofseven banned words, an analyst told the paper. On the list: "diversity," "fetus," "transgender," "vulnerable," "entitlement," "science-based" and "evidence-based."...As news of the word ban spreads at the CDC, the analyst expects growing backlash. "Our subject matter experts will not lay down quietly," the unnamed source said. "This hasn't trickled down to them yet."
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Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the very agency tasked with saving and protecting the lives of the most vulnerable, are now under order by the Trump administration to stop using words including "vulnerable" in 2018 budget documents, according to The Washington Post. In a 90-minute briefing on Thursday, policy analysts at the nation's leading public health institute were presented with the menu ofseven banned words, an analyst told the paper. On the list: "diversity," "fetus," "transgender," "vulnerable," "entitlement," "science-based" and "evidence-based."...As news of the word ban spreads at the CDC, the analyst expects growing backlash. "Our subject matter experts will not lay down quietly," the unnamed source said. "This hasn't trickled down to them yet."
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Remember Safety First When Your Vehicle Breaks Down On The Road
(PIKESVILLE, Md.) – With more than two million Marylanders expected to travel by automobile for the year-end holiday period, the issue of disabled vehicles on the road becomes more prevalent.
With at least four pedestrians killed in recent months in crashes that involved disabled vehicles, Maryland State Police is urging motorists and pedestrians to use extra caution when traveling on busy roads. Just consider the following incidents:
On Dec. 11, Chaz Joseph Wilson, 28, of Cambridge, Maryland, died after he was struck while getting out of his disabled vehicle to greet a tow truck operator on Rt. 392 in Linkwood Drive in East New Market.
On Dec. 8, Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Sander B. Cohen, 33, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent Carlos Wolff, 36, died after being struck by a car on I-270 in Montgomery County. Cohen had pulled over to assist Wolff, who had been in a single-vehicle crash moments before Cohen arrived.
On Nov. 6, Josue Exsau Vasquez, of Washington, D.C., was injured when a tractor-trailer drove onto the right shoulder and struck the rear driver side portion of the victim’s vehicle. The vehicle struck Vasquez as he was standing on the right shoulder near his disabled vehicle.
On Oct. 12, Nancy Carter, 53, of New Freedom, Pa., was fatally struck in a hit-and-run on I-83 South in the area of Western Run Road in Cockeysville. According to investigators, the red Suzuki passenger vehicle she was traveling in became disabled and parked along the right shoulder due to possible mechanical issues. At that time, the victim, exited her vehicle and stood by the driver side door. Moments later, she was struck by what is believed to be a tractor-trailer and dragged for approximately 500 feet.
According to the Maryland Highway Safety Office, at least 97 pedestrians have been fatally struck on roads throughout Maryland so far in 2017. These figures include all pedestrian-related deaths and not just those who were struck when dealing with a disabled vehicle.
Here are some safety tips for pedestrians should your vehicle break down on a highway or another busy road. These are just suggestions as every situation is unique:
With at least four pedestrians killed in recent months in crashes that involved disabled vehicles, Maryland State Police is urging motorists and pedestrians to use extra caution when traveling on busy roads. Just consider the following incidents:
On Dec. 11, Chaz Joseph Wilson, 28, of Cambridge, Maryland, died after he was struck while getting out of his disabled vehicle to greet a tow truck operator on Rt. 392 in Linkwood Drive in East New Market.
On Dec. 8, Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Sander B. Cohen, 33, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent Carlos Wolff, 36, died after being struck by a car on I-270 in Montgomery County. Cohen had pulled over to assist Wolff, who had been in a single-vehicle crash moments before Cohen arrived.
On Nov. 6, Josue Exsau Vasquez, of Washington, D.C., was injured when a tractor-trailer drove onto the right shoulder and struck the rear driver side portion of the victim’s vehicle. The vehicle struck Vasquez as he was standing on the right shoulder near his disabled vehicle.
On Oct. 12, Nancy Carter, 53, of New Freedom, Pa., was fatally struck in a hit-and-run on I-83 South in the area of Western Run Road in Cockeysville. According to investigators, the red Suzuki passenger vehicle she was traveling in became disabled and parked along the right shoulder due to possible mechanical issues. At that time, the victim, exited her vehicle and stood by the driver side door. Moments later, she was struck by what is believed to be a tractor-trailer and dragged for approximately 500 feet.
According to the Maryland Highway Safety Office, at least 97 pedestrians have been fatally struck on roads throughout Maryland so far in 2017. These figures include all pedestrian-related deaths and not just those who were struck when dealing with a disabled vehicle.
Here are some safety tips for pedestrians should your vehicle break down on a highway or another busy road. These are just suggestions as every situation is unique:
Elderly couple claims marijuana was for Christmas presents
YORK – Approximately 60 pounds of high grade marijuana were found Tuesday, Dec. 19, during a traffic stop initiated by the York County Sheriff’s Department on Interstate 80 – and the elderly couple transporting it claimed they intended to give it away as Christmas gifts.
Lt. Paul Vrbka with the sheriff’s department said deputies initiated a traffic stop in the Bradshaw area after they saw a Toyota Tacoma driving over the center line and the driver failing to signal.
When they stopped the vehicle, he said, deputies could immediately smell the strong odor of raw marijuana.
Vrbka said the county’s canine unit alerted to the presence of a controlled substance and a probable cause search was conducted of the vehicle.
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Lt. Paul Vrbka with the sheriff’s department said deputies initiated a traffic stop in the Bradshaw area after they saw a Toyota Tacoma driving over the center line and the driver failing to signal.
When they stopped the vehicle, he said, deputies could immediately smell the strong odor of raw marijuana.
Vrbka said the county’s canine unit alerted to the presence of a controlled substance and a probable cause search was conducted of the vehicle.
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"I'm Truly Starting To Fear The Worst For The US Car Industry..."
I love selling cars, the industry gave me a purpose after the shitty experience of being a corporate cog. But I’m truly starting to fear the worst for the American car industry.
The industry has shown growth since the dark days of the recession but the business model morphed into an ugly free for all.
Automotive credit has become easier in the last few years, and manufacturers are still seeking whatever growth they can come up with in our market at any cost.
People are buying cars they can't afford or shouldn't even have been able to buy. Used car depreciation is at an all time high for many cars and yet everyday more and more people are trading them in.
This whole scenario has a bleak end that became evident when I went to my buddy Paris’ repo lot. He called me to check out a 2016 BMW 435i he jacked for BMW Financial Services. It was a beautiful Estoril Blue M-Sport car with just under eight thousand miles on the clock. I could only imagine the circumstances where someone let go of a year old BMW, but as we walked through I noticed all of the cars seemed to be nearly new. Paris confirmed my fears when he told my about nine-out-of-ten vehicles he’s repossessed in the last few months were model year 2016 or newer. To make matters worse Paris only does work for prime and a few captive lenders, meaning a majority of these cars went out to consumers with good credit.
On the other end, every time I look up from my desk there is a customer who is absolutely drowned in their vehicle. Six thousand dollars in negative equity is the norm, but I’ve witnessed numbers as high as twenty thousand in the last year. Customers are always astounded by how their car has lost so much of its value so quickly. What they fail to realise is their car was worthless from the beginning. Rebates and incentives are at an all time high at many manufacturers, J.D. Power quoted an average around four thousand dollars earlier this year, and I’m sure that number has risen since then. The problem with high rebate numbers is it absolutely kills the resale value of a car.
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The industry has shown growth since the dark days of the recession but the business model morphed into an ugly free for all.
Automotive credit has become easier in the last few years, and manufacturers are still seeking whatever growth they can come up with in our market at any cost.
People are buying cars they can't afford or shouldn't even have been able to buy. Used car depreciation is at an all time high for many cars and yet everyday more and more people are trading them in.
This whole scenario has a bleak end that became evident when I went to my buddy Paris’ repo lot. He called me to check out a 2016 BMW 435i he jacked for BMW Financial Services. It was a beautiful Estoril Blue M-Sport car with just under eight thousand miles on the clock. I could only imagine the circumstances where someone let go of a year old BMW, but as we walked through I noticed all of the cars seemed to be nearly new. Paris confirmed my fears when he told my about nine-out-of-ten vehicles he’s repossessed in the last few months were model year 2016 or newer. To make matters worse Paris only does work for prime and a few captive lenders, meaning a majority of these cars went out to consumers with good credit.
On the other end, every time I look up from my desk there is a customer who is absolutely drowned in their vehicle. Six thousand dollars in negative equity is the norm, but I’ve witnessed numbers as high as twenty thousand in the last year. Customers are always astounded by how their car has lost so much of its value so quickly. What they fail to realise is their car was worthless from the beginning. Rebates and incentives are at an all time high at many manufacturers, J.D. Power quoted an average around four thousand dollars earlier this year, and I’m sure that number has risen since then. The problem with high rebate numbers is it absolutely kills the resale value of a car.
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Nightmare Before Christmas: Trump Re-Nominates Architect of Obama’s LGBT Agenda
President Donald Trump has re-nominated radical sexual identity activist Chai Feldblum, the architect of former President Barack Obama’s LGBT agenda, to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Feldblum is a nightmare of a nominee for those who value religious freedom, private property rights, and the science-based standard that there are two sexes – male and female. As Obama’s most liberal gender ideology activist, Feldblum has said that whenever LGBT issues conflict with religious liberty and private property rights, religious liberty and private rights should lose.
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Feldblum is a nightmare of a nominee for those who value religious freedom, private property rights, and the science-based standard that there are two sexes – male and female. As Obama’s most liberal gender ideology activist, Feldblum has said that whenever LGBT issues conflict with religious liberty and private property rights, religious liberty and private rights should lose.
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D.C. Official Arrested For DUI Allegedly Urinates On Police Station Floor And Tells Cops To Clean It Up
A public official in Washington D.C. beclowned himself after he was arrested for driving under the influence, allegedly using the “n-word” to vilify police officers and urinating on the police station floor while telling officers to clean it up, and reportedly threatening police by boasting that they “didn’t know who he was.”
Paul Trantham, who serves as a D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner T Ward 8B, which used to be represented by former D.C. mayor and convicted criminal felon, Marion Barry, was allegedly swerving in his vehicle around Oxon Hill, Maryland, around midnight, when he was pulled over by Prince George’s County police. According to the police, Trantham’s car reeked of alcohol, and he reportedly behaved aggressively when stopped.
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Paul Trantham, who serves as a D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner T Ward 8B, which used to be represented by former D.C. mayor and convicted criminal felon, Marion Barry, was allegedly swerving in his vehicle around Oxon Hill, Maryland, around midnight, when he was pulled over by Prince George’s County police. According to the police, Trantham’s car reeked of alcohol, and he reportedly behaved aggressively when stopped.
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BAYEFSKY: Nikki Haley Nailed It: President Trump, Make the UN Pay
For decades, the United Nations has spit in the face of the United States. The demonization of the Jewish state – modern antisemitism – has been one of many UN policy priorities totally antithetical to American values and interests.
The General Assembly vote on December 21 condemning President Donald Trump’s implementation of American law recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ought to be the last time America takes it lying down.
Let’s be clear about how we got here. Thursday’s meeting was the seventeenth time the UN General Assembly has convened the so-called “tenth” emergency special session on Israel since 1997. That’s because the “tenth” session is effectively permanent. At the end of the meeting, the President of the General Assembly stressed that the session was merely “adjourned.”
What such 'UN-speak' means for real people is this:
The General Assembly vote on December 21 condemning President Donald Trump’s implementation of American law recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ought to be the last time America takes it lying down.
Let’s be clear about how we got here. Thursday’s meeting was the seventeenth time the UN General Assembly has convened the so-called “tenth” emergency special session on Israel since 1997. That’s because the “tenth” session is effectively permanent. At the end of the meeting, the President of the General Assembly stressed that the session was merely “adjourned.”
What such 'UN-speak' means for real people is this:
The #MeToo Tipping Point
The cultural and overall societal impact of the deluge of sexual assault and harassment accusations has only just begun to be realized. Already, careful observers – both men and women alike – are noting that the broad and fuzzy definition of "harassment" can encompass behaviors previously considered routine flirtation and will obliterate the good manners of gentlemen who compliment women. This new spate of redefining acceptable behavior continues to complicate relationships between men and women during an era when the uncertainties and overturning of tradition have already made male-female interactions not just problematic, but precarious. Dating is increasingly rare – almost nonexistent – anymore, and men are left bewildered about how or whether to express interest in any woman for fear of offending her. Employers are wondering whether it is worth the risk to hire women for high-level positions, for which daily consultations and occasional out-of-town travel are de rigueur.
The inescapable conclusion is that women are going to be the losers big-time in this cultural transformation. Feminism promised women that adopting the behaviors of men (good, bad, and ugly) would yield an equal playing field. Instead, in the workplace women shed their true feminine power to reach for the brass ring, only to discover that this new world reduced them to mere sexual objects who had to "play along" to get in the door of top-floor suites. On campus, they gave up courtship and romance only to discover that they were viewed, in the words of Tom Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simons, as sexual "dumpsters." Now marriage rates are abysmally low, and young women who cohabit give up their best years to guys who are happy to have them foot the bills and do the chores before ending up, after several years of sexual and financial freeloading, marrying someone younger and "hotter."
Many of us are wondering if this sexual climate will lead to a new Victorian era, where chaperones will be necessary to protect women from male predators and immunize men from female predators. When the pendulum has swung so far, it must swing back. It remains to be seen just how far it will travel towards stricter rules and more traditional standards of male-female interaction.
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The inescapable conclusion is that women are going to be the losers big-time in this cultural transformation. Feminism promised women that adopting the behaviors of men (good, bad, and ugly) would yield an equal playing field. Instead, in the workplace women shed their true feminine power to reach for the brass ring, only to discover that this new world reduced them to mere sexual objects who had to "play along" to get in the door of top-floor suites. On campus, they gave up courtship and romance only to discover that they were viewed, in the words of Tom Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simons, as sexual "dumpsters." Now marriage rates are abysmally low, and young women who cohabit give up their best years to guys who are happy to have them foot the bills and do the chores before ending up, after several years of sexual and financial freeloading, marrying someone younger and "hotter."
Many of us are wondering if this sexual climate will lead to a new Victorian era, where chaperones will be necessary to protect women from male predators and immunize men from female predators. When the pendulum has swung so far, it must swing back. It remains to be seen just how far it will travel towards stricter rules and more traditional standards of male-female interaction.
More
Facebook scraps ‘disputed’ tags after fake news crackdown backfires
Facebook is scrapping its “disputed” tags on potentially fake news stories after finding that the system may have actually further entrenched people’s beliefs, the company said Thursday.
Facebook product designer Jeff Smith, user experience researcher Grace Jackson and content strategist Seetha Raj wrote in a Medium post that after a year of testing the “disputed” flagging system, which was determined by third-party fact-checkers, Facebook decided that including a list of related fact-checking articles on potentially fake news posts was a more effective way of cracking down on the spread of misinformation.
“We learned that dispelling misinformation is challenging,” they wrote. “Just because something is marked as ‘false’ or ‘disputed’ doesn’t necessarily mean we will be able to change someone’s opinion about its accuracy. In fact, some research suggests that strong language or visualizations (like a bright red flag) can backfire and further entrench someone’s beliefs.”
More here
Facebook product designer Jeff Smith, user experience researcher Grace Jackson and content strategist Seetha Raj wrote in a Medium post that after a year of testing the “disputed” flagging system, which was determined by third-party fact-checkers, Facebook decided that including a list of related fact-checking articles on potentially fake news posts was a more effective way of cracking down on the spread of misinformation.
“We learned that dispelling misinformation is challenging,” they wrote. “Just because something is marked as ‘false’ or ‘disputed’ doesn’t necessarily mean we will be able to change someone’s opinion about its accuracy. In fact, some research suggests that strong language or visualizations (like a bright red flag) can backfire and further entrench someone’s beliefs.”
More here
New Smoke Alarm Law Reminder
Why is a sealed-in battery important? Nationally, two-thirds of all home fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarm or no working smoke alarm, mainly due to missing or disconnected batteries. By sealing the battery inside the alarm, the unit becomes tamper resistant and removes the burden from consumers to remember to change batteries, which in turn, will save lives. These sealed-in, long-life battery smoke alarms provide continuous protection for a decade, and national fire experts with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) recommend their use.
The new Maryland Smoke Alarm Law, Public Safety Article Sections 9-101 through 9-109 requires the replacement of smoke alarms when they are ten years old; (ten years from the date of manufacture). This replacement requirement is already in the adopted State Fire Code, reference to the 2013 edition of NFPA 72, Paragraph 14.4.7. It is envisioned that adding the wording in State Law and publicizing the requirement will hopefully result in the widespread replacement of older nonfunctioning or unreliable smoke alarms. The date of manufacture, while sometimes hard to locate, should be printed on the back of the smoke alarm. If no manufacture date can be located, it is clearly time to replace the smoke alarm.
WICOMICO COUNTY IS ACCEPTING PREPAYMENT OF JULY 1, 2018
Requirements:
* Property Owners understand that Wicomico County is not providing tax advice by offering the prepayment option and that they should contact their tax advisor with any questions regarding Federal and State tax laws.
* The prepayment window is from December 22, 2017 until 5pm on December 29, 2017. Any payments not received by 5pm on December 29th will be returned to the property owner.
* Payments should be made in person at the Wicomico County Department of Finance. Mail in payments will be accepted but only if they are received prior to the December 29th at 5pm deadline. Payments received by the Department of Finance after the deadline, will be returned no matter the postmark date.
* The Department of Finance will supply the property owner with a payment receipt that includes the date of the payment.
* All prepayments will be based on the following:
Property owners should use their July 2017 tax bill as the basis for the payment. Prepayments greater than the July 2017 tax bill will not be accepted and returned.
Once the July 2018 bills are made available, any shortfall is the responsibility of the taxpayer.
If the prepayment is greater than the July 2018 Real Estate Tax Bill, the Department of Finance will issue a refund of the difference.
No requests for a refund of the prepayment will be accepted. All prepayments will be applied towards the July 2018 Real Estate tax bill.
Please contact the Wicomico County Department of Finance at 410-548-4840 with any questions.
Berlin’s New Year’s Eve Plans Expanded To Include Kids Ball Drop
BERLIN – This year’s New Year’s Eve ball drop in Berlin takes on a new twist with an early evening event created for kids.
In addition to the official ball drop at midnight on Dec. 31, Berlin will host a New Year’s Eve celebration for children from 5-6 p.m.
“I’d been asked by Councilmember Thom Gulyas to do this last year,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic development director. “After seeing so many young families in town I decided to give it a shot.”
Kids are invited to Main Street for free cocoa and cookies as they await the 6 p.m. ball drop. Wells says they’re in for a treat, as they’ll be watching a ball made just for them drop. The piñata-like ball, which will be filled with glow sticks, will be dropped from a bucket truck as kids stomp around on a street covered in sheets of bubble wrap.
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In addition to the official ball drop at midnight on Dec. 31, Berlin will host a New Year’s Eve celebration for children from 5-6 p.m.
“I’d been asked by Councilmember Thom Gulyas to do this last year,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic development director. “After seeing so many young families in town I decided to give it a shot.”
Kids are invited to Main Street for free cocoa and cookies as they await the 6 p.m. ball drop. Wells says they’re in for a treat, as they’ll be watching a ball made just for them drop. The piñata-like ball, which will be filled with glow sticks, will be dropped from a bucket truck as kids stomp around on a street covered in sheets of bubble wrap.
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Frontier Town ‘Dumbfounded’ Over County’s EDU Rejection
SNOW HILL – For the second time in two months, county officials denied a request for sewer capacity in West Ocean City.
On Tuesday, the Worcester County Commissioners voted 4-3 to deny a request for 71 EDUs (equivalent dwelling units) from Frontier Town. Several commissioners argued that the county’s new EDU policy (and associated EDU allocation table) approved earlier this year assigned the area’s available EDUs to specific purposes.
“We didn’t allocate for Frontier Town in that table…,” Commissioner Jim Bunting said. “We have a plan. We all signed it.”
According to county staff, in March of this year Frontier Town purchased 166 EDUs from the Mystic Harbour Sanitary Service Area to eliminate the existing campground’s septic system. In November, Frontier Town asked to purchase another 71 EDUs.
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On Tuesday, the Worcester County Commissioners voted 4-3 to deny a request for 71 EDUs (equivalent dwelling units) from Frontier Town. Several commissioners argued that the county’s new EDU policy (and associated EDU allocation table) approved earlier this year assigned the area’s available EDUs to specific purposes.
“We didn’t allocate for Frontier Town in that table…,” Commissioner Jim Bunting said. “We have a plan. We all signed it.”
According to county staff, in March of this year Frontier Town purchased 166 EDUs from the Mystic Harbour Sanitary Service Area to eliminate the existing campground’s septic system. In November, Frontier Town asked to purchase another 71 EDUs.
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Debate Ensues After Fall Cruisin Event Review
OCEAN CITY — A review of the fall Endless Summer Cruisin this week triggered a contentious debate about whether the event should be renewed at this time and an even larger debate about council meeting procedure.
During Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting, TEAM Productions’ Bob Rothermel, who produces the spring and fall Cruisin events, presented a review of the Endless Summer event in October. The presentation is a requirement of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the town of Ocean City and the promoter. The MOU outlines each party’s responsibilities in the fall Cruisin event and making a post-event presentation to the Mayor and Council is one of requirements for the promoter stated in the MOU.
“From the event perspective, everything went smoothly at the Inlet and the convention center,” Rothermel said. “We had close to perfect weather with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s on all three days.”
Rothermel said the Endless Summer Cruisin event had 2,130 registered participants from 18 different states. He said the check-in dates revealed the registered participants were arriving early and making an extended weekend out of the event. For example, 924 registered participants checked in on the Wednesday before the event, with another 867 checking in on Thursday.
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During Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting, TEAM Productions’ Bob Rothermel, who produces the spring and fall Cruisin events, presented a review of the Endless Summer event in October. The presentation is a requirement of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the town of Ocean City and the promoter. The MOU outlines each party’s responsibilities in the fall Cruisin event and making a post-event presentation to the Mayor and Council is one of requirements for the promoter stated in the MOU.
“From the event perspective, everything went smoothly at the Inlet and the convention center,” Rothermel said. “We had close to perfect weather with sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s on all three days.”
Rothermel said the Endless Summer Cruisin event had 2,130 registered participants from 18 different states. He said the check-in dates revealed the registered participants were arriving early and making an extended weekend out of the event. For example, 924 registered participants checked in on the Wednesday before the event, with another 867 checking in on Thursday.
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Attorney General Frosh Releases Maryland Defense Act 2017 Report
BALTIMORE, MD (December 22, 2017) – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today released the Maryland Defense Act 2017 Report, outlining actions taken under the authority of the Maryland Defense Act (MDA) over the last year.
Following threats of unlawful actions by the Trump Administration, the Maryland General Assembly passed the MDA in February 2017, authorizing the Office of Attorney General to file suit on behalf of Marylanders when “the federal government’s action or inaction ... threatens the public interest and welfare of the residents of the State …”
Following threats of unlawful actions by the Trump Administration, the Maryland General Assembly passed the MDA in February 2017, authorizing the Office of Attorney General to file suit on behalf of Marylanders when “the federal government’s action or inaction ... threatens the public interest and welfare of the residents of the State …”
Final reading on US Q3 GDP is up 3.2%, vs 3.3% growth expected
The U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in more than two years in the third quarter, powered by robust business spending, and is poised for what could be a modest lift next year from sweeping tax cuts passed by Congress this week.
Gross domestic product expanded at a 3.2 percent annual rate last quarter, the Commerce Department said in its third GDP estimate on Thursday. While that was slightly down from the 3.3 percent rate reported last month, it was the quickest pace since the first quarter of 2015 and was a pickup from the second quarter's 3.1 percent rate.
It also marked the first time since 2014 that the economy experienced growth of 3 percent or more for two straight quarters. But the growth pace for the July-September period likely overstates the health of the economy.
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Gross domestic product expanded at a 3.2 percent annual rate last quarter, the Commerce Department said in its third GDP estimate on Thursday. While that was slightly down from the 3.3 percent rate reported last month, it was the quickest pace since the first quarter of 2015 and was a pickup from the second quarter's 3.1 percent rate.
It also marked the first time since 2014 that the economy experienced growth of 3 percent or more for two straight quarters. But the growth pace for the July-September period likely overstates the health of the economy.
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US Home Sales Climb 5.6% in Nov. to 11 Year High
Americans purchased homes at the fastest pace in nearly 11 years, as sales climbed 5.6 percent in November, but the Chicago area continued its slow recovery from the Great Recession.
The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that sales of existing homes rose last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.81 million units. Home sales were last this strong in December 2006, when properties sold at annual pace of 6.42 million.
In the nine-county Chicago area, sales of existing homes and condos were down 1.6 percent from a year ago, to 8,119 properties sold. The median price of $225,000 was 5.1 percent higher than in November 2016.
Within the city of Chicago, existing home sales and the median price both were relatively flat, with 1,923 homes sold at a median price of $259,500.
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The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that sales of existing homes rose last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.81 million units. Home sales were last this strong in December 2006, when properties sold at annual pace of 6.42 million.
In the nine-county Chicago area, sales of existing homes and condos were down 1.6 percent from a year ago, to 8,119 properties sold. The median price of $225,000 was 5.1 percent higher than in November 2016.
Within the city of Chicago, existing home sales and the median price both were relatively flat, with 1,923 homes sold at a median price of $259,500.
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Why you should eat three apples or two tomatoes each day
Eating three apples a day slows down the natural aging of the lungs and repairs damage caused by smoking, a study concludes.
Researchers found the same life-extending benefits are achieved from consuming two tomatoes each day.
However, the protective effects stems only from fresh varieties - meaning canned or processed tomatoes and apples don't work.
Natural decline in lung function over 10 years was slower among former smokers with a diet high in tomatoes and fruits, especially apples.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health scientists concluded the benefits are derived from two tomatoes or three fruits each day.
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Researchers found the same life-extending benefits are achieved from consuming two tomatoes each day.
However, the protective effects stems only from fresh varieties - meaning canned or processed tomatoes and apples don't work.
Natural decline in lung function over 10 years was slower among former smokers with a diet high in tomatoes and fruits, especially apples.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health scientists concluded the benefits are derived from two tomatoes or three fruits each day.
More