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Thursday, February 08, 2018

Hillary admits she gets 'overwhelmed at least a dozen times a day'

While Hillary Clinton proponents liked to claim she was the “most qualified” person to ever run for president, she likely doesn’t rank among the most stable.

During a speech to Georgetown students on Monday, Clinton told the audience she gets “overwhelmed” by the events of the day.

“Now, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by all that’s going on in the world and on the world stage,” Clinton said.

“I know that. I get overwhelmed at least a dozen times a day,” she added.

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Credit Card, Student And Auto Debt All Hit Record Highs In December

The US consumer closed out 2017 with a credit bang.

While we reported last month that in November US credit card debt had just surpassed the previous all time high hit in July 2008 just before all hell broke loose when Lehman filed for bankruptcy two months later, there was a slight chance that in December this number had declined after the record surge in November credit-funded spending (which was just revised from $28BN to $31BN).

Well, that did not happen, and while December total consumer credit increased by less than the expected $20BN, it was still an impressive $18.45BN, of which $5.1billion was credit card debt and $13.3 billion non-revolving - or student and auto - loans.

More importantly, with the latest $5.1 billion increase in revolving, or credit card, debt the total is now $1.027.9 trillion, the highest number on record.

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Trump numbers on the rise with help from strong economy and tax reform

Washington (CNN)Bolstered by the strong economy and quickly shifting numbers on tax reform, President Donald Trump's approval rating hit 40% in a new Quinnipiac poll on Wednesday, his best score in this survey in seven months.

A slim majority of voters, 51%, say they approve of how Trump is handling the economy, his highest mark on this question since his inauguration. Seven in 10 American voters, 70%, say the US economy is excellent or good -- the best mark on this question since 2001. Three in four, 75%, have positive views of their own personal financial situations.

This marks at least the fifth recent national survey to show Trump's approval rating climbing over the last two months. (The most recent Gallup and CNN polls also show Trump at 40%, while recent polling from Fox News and Monmouth has also shown Trump's scores on the rise.)

2 Train Crashes Blamed on Engineers' Undiagnosed Sleep Disorders

The Long Island Rail Road should have foreseen the potential for a morning rush-hour crash that was caused by an engineer's undiagnosed sleep apnea and injured more than 100 passengers at Atlantic Terminal in 2017, according to a new federal report.

The National Transportation Safety Board criticized the LIRR for not doing enough to manage the risks of "end of terminal accidents" -- despite having been involved in similar incidents in recent years. LIRR officials said there were four on the railroad since 2007. In only one of them before the Brooklyn crash at Atlantic Terminal were there injuries, LIRR officials said.

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A Regional Rail Revival

Efforts to bring back passenger trains are happening all over. We need them.

Great Barrington, a pretty town in the hilly Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, is a tad closer to Boston than it is to New York City, which is about 140 miles to the south. But if you walk along the main street lined with prosperous stores and restaurants, as I recently did, you mostly meet people from around New York City, those with second homes in the Berkshires or those who once were part-time residents and now live there full time.

This is probably because for most of the last century New Yorkers came to the Berkshires via multiple train lines. The last direct one to Great Barrington shut down in 1971. But the cultural patterns still exist. New Yorkers continue to come to enjoy the scenery, good restaurants and vibrant arts scene. Now they just mostly come by car, about three hours on a good day.

But regular passenger train service may be on the way back to Great Barrington and neighboring towns. Rail advocates, government leaders and planners are working to revive the Housatonic line, whose tracks are now operated by a freight company with the same name. It’s a complicated endeavor, mostly because three states -- Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York -- must get on board.

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Suicide Rate Highest in Decades But Worst in Rural America

Demographics, gun ownership and the economy largely account for the regional differences.

For years, confronting mental health issues has been a persistent challenge in a sparsely populated part of Alaska known as the Kusilvak Census Area. Most of its remote villages, which are home primarily to Alaska Natives who mostly work in the fishing industry, lack health clinics, and the closest hospital is a long plane ride away.

This and other factors have contributed to an alarmingly high number of residents taking their own lives. The area of approximately 8,000 people recorded a staggering 49 suicide deaths between 2012 and 2016 -- thehighest rate of any county-level jurisdiction in the country.

Suicide is a perennial problem throughout the nation. The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows the 2016 national age-adjusted suicide rate reached the highest level seen in decades.

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Drug and alcohol intoxication deaths drop for Tri-County area

Fatalities related to intoxication down in Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico in 2017

Salisbury, MD-
Deaths related to drug and alcohol intoxication, including opioid overdoses, are down in Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset Counties, according to 3rd Quarter 2017 Overdose Data released by the Maryland Department of Health last week. From January through September 2016, compared to the same period in 2017, intoxication fatalities are down 20-percent in Somerset County, 42-percent in Worcester County, and 32-percent in Wicomico County. The drop-off in the Tri-County region comes at a time when overall drug and alcohol related deaths in Maryland are on the rise.

All three counties saw a decrease in opioid-related deaths from 2016 to 2017, ( down 25-percent Somerset, 33-percent Worcester, 42-percent Wicomico) and Fentanyl-related deaths (down 25-percent Somerset, 36-percent Worcester, 39-percent Wicomico). Additionally, both Worcester and Wicomico saw a 20-percent drop in heroin-related deaths in 2017 while Somerset remained steady at two deaths.

Health officials in all three counties credit a combined effort from law enforcement, public health, and community partners for the decrease in drug and alcohol intoxication deaths.

Somerset County is expanding staff with two additional Peer Specialists to provide early intervention assistance and support to those who are addicted to opiates. Naloxone training continues to be available to any resident. In February, “Not My Child,” a panel of addiction and substance abuse experts will be presented on Feb. 20 at Crisfield High School for students and again that evening in the same location for the community. On Feb. 21 it will be presented at Washington High for students. That evening it will travel St. Andrews Church for the community.

Publishers Notes: I'm sorry but I call BS on this entire story/release.

Dem Rep: Louis Farrakhan Is an ‘Outstanding Human Being’

A House Democrat on Tuesday defended having met with controversial activist and imam Louis Farrakhan, saying the Nation of Islam leader was an "outstanding human being."

The Daily Caller asked Rep. Danny Davis (D., Ill.) about the revelation that the black separatist leader met with the Congressional Black Caucus in 2005 and was photographed meeting future president Barack Obama during a 2006 CBC meeting.

"I personally know [Farrakhan]; I’ve been to his home, done meetings, participated in events with him," Davis responded.

"I don’t regard Louis Farrakhan as an aberration or anything; I regard him as an outstanding human being who commands a following of individuals who are learned and articulate. And he plays a big role in the lives of thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of people," he continued.

Farrakhan has been labeled a virulent anti-Semite by organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center, which notes he "routinely accuses Jews of manipulating the U.S. government and controlling the levers of world power," and has praised Adolf Hitler as a "very great man."

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Two Mayors and Their Internal Affairs

There are some insidious infestations of moral corruption in local governments — call it the "Clinton effect."

There has rightly been a lot of focus this week on high-level political corruption by a handful ofDemocrat deep-state operatives in the FBI and DoJ.

But there is also an insidious infestation of corruption in some local levels of government across the nation — a trend that’s on the increase and that belittles the faith and family cultures in those communities. While the exposure of financial corruption at those levels often leads to political resignations, there is an unfortunate trend when moral corruption is exposed: the refusal of the perps to resign.

Call it the “Bill Clinton Effect.”

There was a time when Democrats could depend on their Leftmedia outlets to “underreport” moral corruption, as was famously the case with John F. Kennedy. That media gauntlet held for Clinton’s early years in office, when his equally ambitious and corrupt spouse, Hillary, defended him against serial and credible charges of rape and sexual assault. Her modus operandi was to assail the character of Bill’s accusers and, with the help of a complicit media, to undermine their credibility.

But Clinton’s infamous affair with a young White House intern, and his subsequent finger-wagging lies about it, lowered the national bar for political consequences in cases of abject moral corruption.

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Senate Report: Obamacare and Medicaid Expansion Contributed to the Opioid Epidemic

The Senate Homeland Security Committee released a report in mid-January that received surprisingly little media attention despite its provocative assertion that Obamacare, and particularly its enormous expansion of Medicaid, is a driving force behind the opioid epidemic.

The case laid out by the report is straightforward, logical, and politically unspeakable. It’s anargument generally made in hushed tones until now, and it’s easy to see why. Even the Senate Homeland Security report was swiftly denounced as a “partisan fantasy” peddled by chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) in what little mainstream media coverage it received. Thou shalt not speak ill of Medicaid.

And yet, the critics could find no way to refute the actual data in the report. They denounced it with thunderous virtue-signaling outrage, attacked those involved in preparing it, criticized arguments it did not make – such as pretending the report claims the opioid epidemic was caused by Medicaid expansion, rather than exacerbated by it – or simply assumed that all critiques of Medicaid and Obamacare must be partisan hit jobs, Q.E.D.

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Nancy Pelosi wouldn’t stop talking about immigration

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has ended an eight-hour speech aimed at forcing a House vote on protections for young immigrants known as “Dreamers.”

The California Democrat took to the House floor at about 10:04 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday and yielded at 6:11 p.m. Caucus leaders are allowed to speak without limits under House rules.

Wearing 4-inch heels and forgoing any breaks, Pelosi read touching and personal letters from the young immigrants whose temporary protection from deportation is set to expire next month.

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Newly-released Strzok-Page lovebird text messages: 'potus wants to know everything we're doing'

Tick, tick, tick… we’re getting closer and closer to the “What did the president know and when did he know it?” moment in the biggest political scandal in American history. What looks like a sitting president authorizing the use of the vast spy apparatus of the federal government on the opposing party candidate for president would, if proven, be far bigger than Watergate – a mere burglary intended to spy on the opposition. Pay attention because you may want to tell your children or grandchildren what it was like watching this all unfold in 2018.

Up until the present moment, Barack Obama has been missing in all the discussions of surveillance misbehavior. And most curiously, Obama has been almost invisible, staying quiet, and not using his expensive Washington, DC mansion (shared with Valeire Jarrett) as a base for leading the opposition to President Trump, as many of us expected him to do. He is the only president I can remember who didn’t get out of DC when his term in office expired, yet he has been as invisible as if he were Truman retired to Independence or Eisenhower retired to Gettysburg. He hasn’t even spoken out about the opposition to his presidential monument planned for public park land in Chicago, My optimistic guess is that he realizes his peril and is dummying up.

In a move calculated to infuriate the Democrats, the latest batch of text messages between senior FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page was leaked to Fox News first, and there are some striking revelations. Officially embargoed until 6 AM Eastern Time today, FNC was ready with the first item to reach the nation, followed minutes later by an AP dispatch, which headlined that the lovebirds admired James Comey. The Washington Post and other outlets saw fit to go with the innocuous emphasis. No kidding!

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FBI informant says Russians wired money in hopes of influencing Hillary Clinton in Uranium One ploy: Report

An FBI informant connected to the "Uranium One" scandal said that Russian nuclear executives sent money to the United States in hopes it would influence the Obama administration and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to a report Wednesday.

In written testimony obtained by the Hill, the informant, Douglas Campbell, told Congress that Russian nuclear officials told him that Moscow hired American lobbying firm APCO Worldwide with a $3 million annual lobbying fee in hopes of influencing Clinton to "reset" U.S.-Russia relations while supporting former President Bill Clinton’s charity efforts.

“The contract called for four payments of $750,000 over twelve months,” Campbell explained. “APCO was expected to give assistance free of charge to the Clinton Global Initiative as part of their effort to create a favorable environment to ensure the Obama administration made affirmative decisions on everything from Uranium One to the U.S.-Russia Civilian Nuclear Cooperation agreement.”

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Byron York: Scheming, speculation behind scenes as Democrats push intel memo

This time last week, there was growing tumult in Washington over the memo produced by House Intelligence Committee Republicans alleging "FISA abuse" in the Trump-Russia investigation. There were dire warnings that the release of the GOP memo would endanger national security, that doing so would be "extraordinarily reckless" without proper FBI and Justice Department review, and that the FBI had "grave concerns" about "material omissions of fact" that would "fundamentally impact the memo's accuracy."

The GOP memo survived a starkly partisan process in the Intelligence Committee. Republicans voted unanimously to make it public, while Democrats voted unanimously against making it public. It was released last Friday with President Trump's approval.

Now, another memo is in the pipeline, this one produced by the committee's Democratic minority, and things are much quieter.

First, in a sharp contrast to last week, Republicans joined Democrats to vote unanimously to release the Democratic memo. Second, there haven't been high-profile warnings about endangering national security. And third, there haven't been alerts that the memo has critical omissions.

All that raises eyebrows among some Republicans on Capitol Hill who have read the Democratic memo. They say it contains much more classified information than the Republican memo did. The GOP paper was written so that it had a minimum of classified information in it, they explain, and indeed, after inspecting it, the FBI asked for just one small change.

The Democratic memo, these Republicans say, is much different. "It's full of sources and methods," said one lawmaker, referring to highly classified information. "It includes material that they clearly cannot release," said another. "It's nothing but sources and methods," said a third. "Even to the footnotes."

The inclusion of all that classified information has Republicans speculating on Democratic strategy. (A Democratic spokesman declined to comment.) One widely held theory is that the memo was intentionally written in a way that the FBI, Justice Department, and White House would have little choice but to recommend extensive redactions.

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BREAKING NEWS ALERT: Maryland Senate Votes To Delay Implementation Of Burdensome Paid Sick Leave Measure

Governor Hogan Calls On Members Of The House Of Delegates To Do The Same

“Our administration continues to remain ready and willing to meet with them at any time, to engage in open and honest dialogue in order to reach a compromise on this critical issue. The issue of paid sick leave is much too important, and the impact is too far-reaching for us to risk getting it wrong.” - Governor Larry Hogan, November 28, 2017

Maryland Senate Voted To Delay Implementation Of Paid Sick Leave Legislation

The Maryland State Senate Voted To Delay The Implementation Of Burdensome Paid Sick Leave Measure Until July 1, 2018. “Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, the Laws of Maryland read as follows: Earned sick and safe leave shall begin to accrue: July 1, 2018, or if the employee is hired after July 1, 2018, the date on which the employee begins employment with the employer… AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 1, 2018.” (“Senate Bill 304,” Maryland General Assembly, 1/7/18)
Senators Voted Bipartisanly, 29-17 To Vote To Delay The Implementation Of This Law. (“Senate Bill 304,”Maryland General Assembly, 2/8/18)

Legislators Have Agreed That There Needs To Be Fixes To The Burdensome Paid Sick Leave Measure

Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton: “I Agree, We Need More Time.” SENATOR MIDDLETON: “One of the things I want to touch on is, ‘we need more time.’ And I agree, we need more time. Under law when a bill is overwritten it goes into effect 30 days later… But most importantly just to provide that guide for the businesses so they don't have to go out and hire somebody to say, ‘how do we figure this out?’ Put it right there, put it out there for them so they do. And also we can provide the technical support. We’re looking - we agree with that, we need more time.” (“Proceedings - Senate,”Maryland General Assembly, 1/12/18)

Senator Middleton Made It Clear That He Wants To Work With Governor Hogan And That Discussions Discussions Held On Ways To Address Flaws And Improve Flawed Paid Sick Leave Legislation. SENATOR MIDDLETON: “One thing, I want to work with the governor. The question that’s very important to the Chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, ‘is this the end, is this the end of discussion?” Absolutely not.” (“Proceedings - Senate,” Maryland General Assembly, 1/12/18)

WCSO Press Releases - Feb. 6, 2018

Incident: Violation of a Protective Order
Date of Incident: 2 February 2018
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: Oleg Shakirov, 31, Berlin, MD
Narrative: On 2 February 2018, Oleg Shakirov was arrested following an allegation he violated the terms of a protective order. Shakirov is accused of violating an order that was served on him in early January 2018 that barred him from contacting the respondent in this case. It is alleged that Shakirov attempted to contact the respondent on multiple occasions to discuss the case in defiance of the order.
Upon arrest, Shakirov was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Shakirov on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Violation of a Protective Order
Incident: Threat of Mass Violence
Date of Incident: 4 February 2018
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: William Fernando Diaz-Hernandez, 35, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 4 February 2018 a deputy began an investigation into threats received against a local business. The deputy met with the owner of this business who stated that he had received emails from an employee, William Fernando Diaz-Hernandez, who expressed his dissatisfaction with working for this company and the current owner. In one of the emails, a video was attached that purportedly showed Diaz-Hernandez brandishing a loaded firearm while making statements that implied he might come to the workplace and use it against the owner of the company.
The investigating deputy located Diaz-Hernandez at a residence in Salisbury where the deputy recovered the handgun used in the video and also determined that the video was filmed at this location.
The deputy placed Diaz-Hernandez under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Diaz-Hernandez without bond pending an initial appearance.
Charges: Threat of Mass Violence
Incident: Pursuit / Possession of CDS
Date of Incident: 5 February 2018
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: John M. Flowers, 25, Denton, MD
Narrative: On 5 February 2018 at 2:45 PM, deputies were alerted to a pursuit inbound to Wicomico County from Dorchester County on Ocean Gateway. Deputies pursued the vehicle that would be found to be operated by John Flowers of Denton onto the Rt. 50 By-Pass. Flowers crossed over the grass median strip to avoid “Stop Sticks” that had been placed on the roadway in an attempt to end the pursuit. Flowers then continued Eastbound in the Westbound lanes of the Rt. 50 By-Pass before taking the exit ramp the wrong way onto Northwood Drive. The pursuit terminated when Flowers crashed into a tractor trailer on Naylor Mill Road in the vicinity of the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were able to taken Flowers into custody at which point it was discovered that he was in possession of what was identified as crack cocaine.
In addition to CDS Possession and traffic charges related to the pursuit, Flowers was also charged with five counts of Assault 1st Degree for instances where he intentionally attempted to strike pursuing deputies’ patrol vehicles with his vehicle during the pursuit.
Flowers was detained without bond in the Detention Center by the District Court Commissioner
Charges: Assault 1st Degree, Reckless Endangerment, Possession of CDS, Driving Without a License, Driving While Suspended, Reckless Driving, Attempt to Flee and Elude

195 Acres Protected in Washington County; Youth Fishing Rodeos Scheduled

The Board of Public Works unanimously approved two Maryland Department of Natural Resources items today that will permanently protect 195 acres in Washington County through the department’s Rural Legacy andConservation Reserve Enhancementpermanent easement programs.

The two easements will complete the protection of the entire Pleasant Valley Livestock, LLC property in Smithsburg.

“The department leveraged its long-standing partnership with Washington County to permanently conserve and preserve this pristine land and waterway,” Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “Our easements will cover productive and working farmland, streamside forests, natural areas and wetlands, and safeguard the viewshed and water quality.”

The Rural Legacy Program easement protects 105 acres of cultivated fields, farm operation and homestead areas, while the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program easement protects the remaining 89 acres of forested slopes and stream valley corridor.

Together, these programs, with the assistance of Program Open Space, will enhance stream buffers on Little Antietam Creek and protect wildlife habitat.

FBI Text Messages Imply Obama's Involvement in Clinton Probe

Found in a new batch of released text messages between FBI agents is an exchange that reveals that then-President Barack Obama wanted "to know everything we're doing," Fox News is reporting.

That exchange has piqued the suspicion of Senate investigators who now want to know Obama's level of involvement with the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server and exposed emails, Fox reports.

FBI agent Peter Strzok sent the text to FBI attorney Lisa Page on Sept. 2, 2016, about having to prep then-FBI Director James Comey because "POTUS wants to know everything we're doing," Fox reported.

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California can’t force Christian baker to make same-sex wedding cakes

A California judge refused this week to order a baker to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, ruling that to do otherwise would be to trample on the baker’s free speech rights.

Superior Court Judge David R. Lampe said in his Monday ruling that wedding cakes run to the core of the First Amendment.

“It is an artistic expression by the person making it that is to be used traditionally as a centerpiece in the celebration of a marriage. There could not be a greater form of expressive conduct,” the judge wrote.

His decision contrasts with a ruling out of Colorado, where a court ruled that a baker could not refuse to bake for a same-sex couple, arguing the state’s public accommodation law trumped that baker’s First Amendment claims. That case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Avid hunter gets both feet, 9 fingers amputated after flu complications

A hunting enthusiast who started out with the flu ended up with both of his feet and nine fingers amputated.

Brian Herndon of Fort Worth, Texas, was told he had pneumonia when his fever spiked on Jan. 4, according to a report in the Star-Telegram.

But just one day later, doctors told the family that Brian's pneumonia had combined with this year's flu virus and he was already in septic shock.

Physicians knew they had to amputate when they couldn’t detect a pulse in either of their patient's feet. The 51-year-old had developed disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, a condition that creates clots and affects blood flow.

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Meanwhile While Man Steals Purse...


Bombshell: DOD Admits $80 Million in M1 Abrams Tanks Ended Up With Iran-Backed Militias

The Lead Inspector General has released a report to the United States Congress on Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the overseas contingency operation (OCO) to combat ISIS. The report covers the status of foreign operations from the period of Oct. 01, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2017.

According to the bombshell audit, the Department of State (DoS) finally acknowledged that “U.S.-provided military equipment” made its way into the hands of “of non-authorized end-users.”

The audit specified as many as nine M1 Abrams main battle tanks worth just over $80 million in inflation-adjusted dollars provided to Iraq’s military for the fight against the Islamic State (IS) ended up in the hands of Iranian-backed terrorist groups.The audit details that Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) obtained the tanks, which ultimately were seized by ISIS after the fall of Mosul and the second battle of Tikrit.

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FBI Missed Classified Markings on Emails

The FBI didn’t flag that some emails from Hillary Clinton’s private email server were marked classified with a “(C)” when they were sent — something that seemingly would have been one of the first and most obvious checks in an investigation, and one that FBI agents instantly recognized put the facts at odds with Clinton’s public statements.

The Intelligence Community Inspector General noticed it after the FBI missed it, texts between FBI agent Peter Strzok and his mistress, FBI lawyer Lisa Page, reveal. “Holy cow,” Strzok wrote, “if the FBI missed this, what else was missed?”

“Remind me to tell you to flag for Andy [redacted] emails we (actually ICIG) found that have portion marks (C) on a couple of paras. DoJ was Very Concerned about this,” he wrote.

“Found on the 30k [emails] provided to State originally. No one noticed. It cuts against ‘I never sent or received anything marked classified,'” he wrote, referring to statements by Clinton downplaying the danger of her email practices.

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Little-known Black History Fact

Martin Luther King Jr. improvised the most iconic part of his “I Have a Dream Speech.”

On Wednesday, August 28, 1963, 250,000 Americans united at the Lincoln Memorial for the final speech of the March on Washington. As Martin Luther King Jr. stood at the podium, he eventually pushed his notes aside.

The night before the march, Dr. King began working on his speech with a small group of advisers in the lobby of the Willard Hotel. The original speech was more political and less historic, according to Clarence B. Jones, and it did not include any reference to dreams. After delivering the now famous line, “we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream,” Dr. King transformed his speech into a sermon.

Onstage near Dr. King, singer Mahalia Jackson reportedly kept saying, “Tell ‘em about the dream, Martin,” and while no one will know if he heard her, it could likely have been the inspiration he needed. Dr. King then continued, “Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream..."

More here

What is Racism?

There is surely no nation in the world that holds “racism” in greater horror than does the United States. Compared to other kinds of offenses, it is thought to be somehow more reprehensible. The press and public have become so used to tales of murder, rape, robbery, and arson, that any but the most spectacular crimes are shrugged off as part of the inevitable texture of American life. “Racism” is never shrugged off.

For example, when a white Georgetown Law School student reports that black students are less qualified than white students, it sets off a booming, national controversy about “racism.” If the student had merely murdered someone he would have attracted far less attention and criticism.

Racism is, indeed, the national obsession. Universities are on full alert for it, newspapers and politicians denounce it, churches preach against it, America is said to be racked with it, but just what is racism?

Dictionaries are not much help in understanding what is meant by the word. They usually define it as the belief that one’s own ethnic stock is superior to others, or as the belief that culture and behavior are rooted in race. When Americans speak of racism they mean a great deal more than this.

Nevertheless, the dictionary definition of racism is a clue to understanding what Americans do mean. A peculiarly American meaning derives from the current dogma that all ethnic stocks are equal. Despite clear evidence to the contrary, all races have been declared to be equally talented and hard-working, and anyone who questions the dogma is thought to be not merely wrong but evil.

The dogma has logical consequences that are profoundly important..

Md. Lawmaker To Propose Bill Banning Tackle Football For Kids Under 14

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Should children under 14 be allowed to play tackle football?

It’s a question posed in the general assembly with potentially far-reaching implications for youth sports.

One Maryland lawmaker is set to propose a bill banning tackle football for children under the age of 14.

Del. Terri Hill, a Maryland House of Delegates member representing Baltimore and Howard Counties, is a medical doctor and sits on the Health and Government Operations Committee.

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Florida substitute teacher, 64, is slammed by student

A 64-year-old Florida substitute teacher was slammed to the ground by a student when he confiscated the teen's phone.

In a video released today, the unidentified educator and the teen are wrapped up in a scuffle over the phone.

As students move out of the way of the chaos, the two bulldoze through desk as they make their way to another part of the classroom.

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Man carrying concealed pistol stops attack on Utah police officer

A Utah police officer who was being attacked on Friday was saved by a passerby with a concealed pistol, officials said.

The unidentified police officer confronted the attacker, identified as Paul Douglas Anderson, after spotting feet dangling from a donation bin in Springville, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported on Saturday. Anderson got out of the bin, but refused to remove his hands from his pocket.

The officer ordered Anderson to remove his hands out of his pockets. Anderson eventually took his hands out of his pants’ pockets and began repeatedly punching the officer in the face.

Derek Meyer told FOX13 he was driving by the area when he spotted the police lights and saw Anderson attacking the cop. Meyer turned around and pulled out his pistol.

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/04/man-carrying-concealed-pistol-stops-attack-on-utah-police-officer.html

Missing Juvenile

The Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Worcester County Bureau of investigation is looking for missing juvenile Nevada Jackson year old African American female 5’5, 150 lbs. She has medium shoulder length black hair, wears glasses and diamond stud earrings. Unknown clothing description. She was last seen at her home in Girdletree, Maryland on the night of Tuesday February 6, 2018. Her last known location on South Salisbury Blvd, Wicomico County Maryland.

If anyone has any information of Ms. Jackson’s whereabouts please contact the Worcester

County Bureau of investigation at 410-632-1111

Berlusconi: ‘600,000 Illegal Migrants Should Be Deported’

Mass deportations crucial for Europe’s survival

Silvio Berlusconi has called for 600,000 illegal migrants to be deported from Italy, calling it “a social bomb ready to explode in Italy.”

The former Italian PM said: “Immigration has become an urgent question, because after years with a left-wing government, there are 600,000 migrants who don’t have the right to stay. We consider it to be an absolute priority to regain control over the situation.

“When we’re in government we will invest many resources in security. We will boost police presence and reintroduce the ‘Safe Streets’ initiative…Our soldiers will patrol the streets alongside police officers.”

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Jackie Kennedy believed LBJ had JFK killed

Jackie Kennedy believed Lyndon B. Johnson was behind the 1963 assassination of her husband President John F. Kennedy.

In the sensational tapes recorded by the First Lady months after the President’s death, broadcast by ABC, Kennedy revealed her belief that Johnson and a cabal of Texas tycoons orchestrated the murder of her husband by gunman Lee Harvey Oswald. Kennedy, who later became Jackie Onassis, claimed that the Dallas murder was part of a larger conspiracy to allow Johnson to become American President in his own right.

Johnson, who served as a member of Congress, completed Kennedy’s term after the assassination and went on to be elected president. Leading historian Arthur Schlesinger Jnr recorded the tapes with Jackie Kennedy within months of her husband’s death. They have been stored in a sealed vault at the Kennedy Library inBoston after orders from Mrs. Kennedy that they would remain secret for 50 years after her death.

Years after her mother died from cancer, daughter Caroline has opted to release the tapes early. She has entered an agreement with the ABC network in the States who will air the tapes after agreeing to cancel their Kennedys drama series which upset Caroline and the Kennedy family.

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FEC commissioner who blocked regulation of Drudge, Internet, steps down

Lee E. Goodman, who led a battle to stop Democrats from imposing political regulations on the Internet and news sites like the Drudge Report and other media, is stepping down from the Federal Election Commission.

Goodman, an elections lawyer and adviser, plans to leave Feb. 16. He will join the political law group of Wiley Rein in Washington.

“Serving the American people as a commissioner of the Federal Election Commission has been a profound honor,” he said in a resignation letter to President Trump.

For years, Goodman has been a tireless voice for First Amendment rights on the internet. He has blocked several flagrant and subtle efforts by FEC Democrats to impose regulations on conservative media, the internet, and major websites like Fox, the Drudge Report, Facebook, and Twitter.

“Since the agency’s inception, the Federal Election Commission’s unique mandate to respect the core constitutional rights of citizens acting, speaking and associating for democratic purposes has provoked criticism from those who disagree with the balance drawn,” he wrote Trump.

“But protecting First Amendment rights is an inherent part of the Commission’s mission. Thus, I have endeavored throughout my service to preserve the Constitutional right of American citizens to speak, hear, and think freely about their democracy. It has been my duty and privilege to defend this fundamental human freedom,” penned Goodman.

He first warned of Democratic attacks on conservative voices during a 2014 interview with Secrets..

Deep State Death Spiral: Dems in Denial over Damning FISA Memo

Democrats claim nothing burger after clamoring to block its release
Friday saw the public release of a much-anticipated memorandum written by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, detailing how the FBI obtained a FISA warrant to investigate the Trump campaign based off information in a dossier compiled by a foreign spy funded by the Clinton campaign.
The memo dealt a major blow to the intelligence community, which launched a special counsel probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

For Clinton campaign apologists, however, the memo’s revelations were a big nothingburger.

Former FBI Director James Comey, who infamously let Clinton off the hook for “extreme carelessness” ahead of the 2016 election, asked, “That’s it?”

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Libs Claim Notre Dame's Fighting Irish Mascot Racist

The left launches a new crusade, this time against leprechauns

After successfully forcing the Cleveland Indians baseball team to change their mascot over cries of racism, the left is now focusing on removing the University of Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish logo.

ESPN’s Max Kellerman wants to bow to an admitted minority of offended Irish-Americans, who allegedly want to change the school’s historic symbol, saying, “Many Irish-Americans are not offended, but many are. Should that also change? The answer is yes! Unequivocally yes. Pernicious, negative stereotypes of marginalized people that offend, even some among them, should be changed.”

The Wall Street Journal’s William McGurn counters, stating, “That’s some standard: The handful of offended trump the majority of unoffended. Notre Dame argues, correctly, that the leprechaun differs from Chief Wahoo and other Native American logos in a crucial way: The university is highlighting its own heritage rather than appropriating imagery from others.”

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MD school district with only 28% reading proficiency dedicates this week to 'Black Lives Matter' lessons

Students in Prince George’s County, Maryland are participating in a “Black Lives Matter Week of Action in Schools,” which features lessons centered on the “13 guiding principles” of the divisive Black Lives Matter movement.

Members of the Prince George’s County School Board voted unanimously to dedicate a week to Black Lives Matter at a meeting last week, becoming one of the first districts to sign up with a national movement to infuse Black Lives Matter’s perspective in schools.

“I don’t believe it’s political,” student board member Amanya Paige told Fox 5. “I believe it is a movement to encourage minorities and African American students to be proud of who they are and to embrace who they are because we live it every day. I think that it is important to understand our culture and understand where we are coming from in order to be productive citizens.”

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Democratic National Committee fundraising hits wall as GOP sits flush ahead of midterm elections

The Democratic National Committee entered the midterm elections year "dead broke," with a paltry $400,000 in party coffers, according to federal records.

The committee finished 2017 with roughly $6.5 million in available cash and about $6.1 million in debt, according to recently released Federal Election Commission filings. That leaves a balance of just $422,582 to start a year that will culminate in midterm elections, in which Democrats are hoping to recapture a majority in the House.

The DNC’s fundraising challenges have been well known since shortly after the 2016 elections, when President Trump defeated front-running Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The committee has been rocked by turmoil, including the resignation of chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz amid leaked emails some say showed DNC brass "rigged" the primaries so Clinton would defeat Sen. Bernie Sanders.

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/04/democratic-national-committee-fundraising-hits-wall-as-gop-sits-flush-ahead-midterm-elections.html

Heir discovers long-lost mob files in New Jersey crawlspace

Previously unknown details about historic criminal cases -- including the Lindbergh Baby kidnapping and the infiltration of the Al Capone gang -- are revealed in thousands of pages of investigative files found in the crawlspace of a New Jersey home.

The original documents were inherited by physician Marty Dolan, who tells his family’s story on the latest Strange Inheritance with Jamie Colby Opens a New Window. .

The boxes of files were compiled by Dolan’s great uncle Mike Malone, a career Internal Revenue Service agent who died in 1960. They collected dust for 25 years until they piqued Dolan’s curiosity.

“I didn’t know what they were about, because I was young when he passed away,” says Dolan, who recalls his uncle as a mysterious figure. “He’d show up periodically to visit my grandmother. He had deep-set eyes. He had this fedora and overcoat, even in the summer.”

Dolan thought the files just contained boring audit reports. Then he noticed one titled, “Regarding Alphonse Capone,” and another, “Kidnapping and Murder of Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr.”

Pre-Google, Dolan found it impossible to dig up details about mysterious Uncle Mike. Even a private detective didn’t help.

“No one could give me a feel for what I had,” Dolan tells Colby in the program. “It was a dead end.”

So he shelved the documents -- for what turned out to be another 26 years. Then in 2011, retired from medicine, he resumed his research project..

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http://www.foxbusiness.com/features/2018/02/07/heir-discovers-long-lost-mob-files-in-new-jersey-crawlspace.html

Exclusive – Kobach: FISA-Gate Makes Watergate Look Like Child’s Play

Many political scandals acquire the “–gate” appellation simply because they are scandals.

They bear little similarity to the circumstances of the actual Watergate scandal itself. But the House Intelligence Committee memorandum on the abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by the Obama FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) sheds light on a scandal that is strikingly similar to Watergate. Only it is far more sinister.

Both scandals occurred in the middle of a heated presidential campaign. In Watergate, President Richard Nixon was seeking re-election against Sen. George McGovern (D-SD). In FISA-gate, Hillary Clinton was seeking to retain Democrat control of the White House against Donald Trump.

Both scandals involved the illegal collection of information from the opposing campaign. In Watergate, five men hired by the Nixon re-election campaign were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex. In FISA-gate, the Obama FBI and DOJ relied on a fictitious dossier paid for the DNC to obtain a FISA warrant and conduct surveillance on a member of the Trump campaign (Carter Page).

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North Carolina woman pleads guilty to stealing $3M from hospital

A former director of finance at a North Carolina hospital pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft after she was accused of stealing more than $3 million from her employer over a 14-year period.

Prosecutors say Kimberly Russell Hobson, 46, embezzled the money from High Point Regional Hospital between January 2003 and August of last year. A hospital spokespersontold WXII that Hobson was removed from her position this past summer.

A court record says the transactions appeared on internal records as payroll payments to doctors.

Hobson also was accused of using hospital accounts to make payments on her credit cards and loans. Investigators say she bought luxury cars and gold coins with some of the money.

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/07/north-carolina-woman-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-3m-from-hospital.html

The FISA Memo Is Just The Beginning Of Fighting The Swamp

The FISA memo was released by the White House Friday. Completely unredacted. The fight to keep this memo out of the public eye has been intense. And since it’s existence was made known it has clarified our domestic politics in a way that few objects ever have.

With Russia-gate failing, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation stalling, this memo will make it clear that the only thing that matters in Washington D.C. is winning.

Political victories, not serving the people who elected you, are more important than any other consideration.

From Rep. Adam Schiff’s increasingly desperate attempts to stonewall the truth to the FBI’s predictable appeals to secrecy from law enforcement to cover corruption, this memo is lifting the scales from the eyes of voters all over the country.

It’s telling them the cockroaches have run out of corners to hide in.

Time to put on our pointy shoes and start kickin’.

The reaction to this memo puts paid the classic libertarian critique that an organization’s highest priority is self-preservation. Doing what you formed the organization to do comes a distant second.

Government creates organizations that are not directly accountable to the people who fund them and therefore can dig moats around themselves to ensure their survival no matter what.

This is the essence of corruption. It is the essence of why the Swamp needs to be drained.

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Donald Trump: ‘Let’s Have a Shutdown’ If Congress Can’t Close Immigration Loopholes

President Donald Trump threatened a government shutdown if Congress did not act quickly to close immigration loopholes allowing MS-13 gang members to cross the border.

“Frankly, I’ll go a step further, if we don’t change the legislation, if we don’t get rid of these loopholes where killers are allowed to come into our country … if we don’t change it let’s have a shutdown, we’ll do a shutdown,” Trump said. “It’s worth it for our country.”

The president hosted a law enforcement roundtable on the threat posed by MS-13 gang members with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other officials from the Department of Justice.

“I’d love to see a shutdown if we don’t get this stuff taken care of,” Trump continued.

Several members of Congress also attended — Reps. Lee Zeldin of New York, Martha McSally of Arizona, Michael McCaul of Texas, and Barbara Comstock of Virginia.

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HR 4760: The Immigration Bill That Contains A National ID Card

House Resolution 4760, which is tied to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals compromise put forth by the Trump administration, has a national ID card buried in the midst of its text.

Before I hear any of the blather from those who still believe in a right/left paradigm, understand that this bill was introduced by a Republican. House Resolution 4760, which is tied to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals compromise put forth by the Trump administration, has a national ID card buried in the midst of its text.

The bill, which is titled the Securing America’s Future Act of 2018, was introduced by Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).

According to the new legislation, a new mandatory national identification system would be imposed that would require citizens to carry a government-approved ID containing “biometric features.”

Can anyone say, “Papers please?”?

A summary of the bill reads as follows:

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The 'Constitutional Crisis' the Fourth Estate Birthed

As the “Russian Collusion” story disintegrates, it takes with it any reason to rely on the Fourth Estate, which in large part assisted in Obama administration wrongdoing. It has proven to be a handmaiden of those who concocted a big lie to bring down a political opponent. As Josephus said of Haman -- Antiq., 50:2, c. 6,) “without a remark upon the almighty power, and admirable justice of the wisdom of God; not only in bringing Haman to his deserved punishment, but in trapping him in the very snare which he had laid for another, and turning a malicious invention upon the head of the inventor.” This time, it’s not only Haman -- the FBI and DOJ officials involved in lying to the FISC and unmasking what they learned -- but their hangers-on in the press that are trapped as well.

1. Prelude to the Devin Nunes Memo’s Release

As she so often does, Kimberley Strassel nailed it:

Kimberley Strassel‏Verified account @KimStrassel

1) I've covered politics a long time. I've never -- never -- seen anything approaching the desperations Ds have to keep this memo quiet. And as we know that worry about law enforcement (Snowden/Manning) is not their biggest worry, this memo must be damning to the core.

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Justin Trudeau interrupts woman to tell her to use 'peoplekind' instead of 'mankind' because 'it's more inclusive'

Justin Trudeau has been criticized for interrupting a woman during a town hall to tell her to use the term 'peoplekind' instead of 'mankind.'

The Canadian Prime Minister was hosting a Q&A at MacEwan University in Edmonton on Thursday, the latest stop on a cross-country tour that began last month.

Aimee, from the World Mission Society Church of God, a controversial feminist church founded in South Korea, stood to ask a question about volunteering.

Canadian regulations place restrictions on volunteering with religious organizations, and the young woman wanted Trudeau to make it easier for her church to do volunteer work.

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Dog Found In Parsonsburg/Pittsville Area: UPDATE

As of 8:30 this morning the dogs owners called me and she is back home. Thank you for posting that. Also thank you for everything you do on this site and for the people of the lower eastern shore.
Hi Joe I'm hoping you can help me, we found this dog today on old ocean city road in between Parsonsburg and Pittsville. The dog is very sweet and has a collar on but no tags. Must show proof of ownership in order to claim dog, such as gender and what its collar looks like and pictures.  We would really like to find the owner if you can help us out. 443-397-0586

Jihadist Responsible for Mall of America Stabbing Spree Entered U.S. with Foreign Relatives

A jihadist who pleaded guilty to going on a stabbing spree at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota entered the U.S. as a legal immigrant with foreign relatives.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to Breitbart News in a statement that 20-year-old Mahad Abdiaziz Adbiraham entered the U.S. as a “derivative of a relative,” which is immigration lingo used to describe a foreign-born resident who came to the country either as the immediate child or spouse of a legal immigrant.

Adbiraham, according to KSTP, pleaded guilty last week to stabbing two men in a Macy’s dressing room at the Mall of America, an attack that the jihadist admitted in court was inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS).

In a statement to the courtroom, Adbiraham said the attack was a “call for jihad by the Chief of Believer, Abu-bakr Al-baghdadi, may Allah protect him, and by the Mujahiden of the Islamic State,” adding: “I understand that the two men I stabbed know and have explained the reason for my attack, and I am here reaffirming that it was indeed an act of Jihad in the way of Allah.”

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Coffee With Your Council next week!

PUBLIC REMINDER:

The next COFFEE WITH YOUR COUNCIL is scheduled for next Tuesday, February 13th at 6pm.

Location: Faith Baptist Church, 30305 Dagsboro Rd. in the sanctuary towards the back of the building.

Everyone is invited – the agenda is yours!

Maryland State Police Investigating Fatal Crash In Princess Anne

(PRINCESS ANNE, Md.) — A man died after being involved in a single-vehicle crash Wednesday morning in Princess Anne.

At 7:50 a.m., troopers from the Princess Anne Barrack responded to a single-vehicle crash, located at Route 13 North just north of Loretto Road in Somerset County, Maryland. Troopers arrived and located a 2006 Toyota Camry that struck a guard rail and traveled off the roadway into a ditch.

The driver, identified as Michael Anthony Carter Jr., 18, of Gwynn Oak, Md. was transported by ambulance to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased. Speed, impairment or weather do not seem to be factors in this crash.

The investigation is ongoing.

Ketogenic diets could slow aging research suggests

Ketogenic diets could slow aging, new research suggests.

Following low-carb, high-fat eating plans may prevent age-related conditions, such as heart disease, Alzheimer's and even cancer, according to researchers.

During carbohydrate 'starvation', the body releases a chemical, known as β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), which protects cells from 'internal stress', a study found.

Such stress is linked to genetic damage in cells, which can cause ageing, the research adds.

Study author Dr Katerina Akassoglou from the Gladstone Institute for Virology and Immunology in San Francisco, said: 'The findings could be relevant for a wide range of neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autism and traumatic brain injury.

'[These] diseases afflict millions and there are few treatment options.'

The Keto diet, which is favored by the likes of Halle Berry, forces the body to burn fat, rather than carbohydrates, for energy, which effectively starves it of carbs but not calories.

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Five Lessons From the Holy Cross Crusader Victory

The Holy Cross trustees’ decision to keep Crusader as the college’s mascot and nickname is a major victory for those who care about history, culture, and Christian identity.

You can tell that by the muted reaction it’s getting in the mainstream media. Had it gone the other way, we’d already be seeing video of Crusader images being removed from campus.

And who are the losers? Leftist social justice warriors.

Not Muslims. During a gathering of students on campus to discuss Crusader in March 2017, not one Muslim spoke, and it seemed as though not a single Muslim even attended. Of course, that may be because Muslims at the school had already decided they are O.K. with spending four years at a place called “Holy Cross.”

Another loser is the college’s president, Father Philip Boroughs, S.J., who started this nonsense two and a half years ago. He invited a committee he created to study a couple of problematic building names “to be aware of other issues of naming and memorialization on our campus which might need to be reviewed.”

That’s academic code for “Give me cover to ditch Crusader.”

It didn’t happen. And that matters.

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NYC School Cancels Father-Daughter Dance to Comply With New Gender Guidelines

A Staten Island elementary school cancelled its traditional father-daughter dance because of the Department of Education’s (DOE) new gender guidelines.

PS 65 had the event scheduled for Friday, February 9, until the school's parent-teacher association realized it would not comply with the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Student Guidelines, which went into effect in March 2017.

The school’s PTA will reschedule a dance for kids and caregivers of any gender on March 2, according to the DOE.

“Father-daughter dances inherently leave people out. Not just because of transgender status, just life in general,” said Jared Fox, the DOE’s LGBT community liaison. “These can be really uncomfortable and triggering events.”

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I Give Up!