President Donald Trump is finally expected to go to California.
The president, who has rarely crossed the Mississippi River during his first 13 months in office, is scheduled to visit San Diego in mid-March to see prototypes for a potential border wall and learn more about the construction, according to administration officials involved in the planning.
He will also visit Los Angeles to attend a Republican National Committee fundraiser, these people said, one of a number of fundraisers he is expected to headline in the next two months.
The president's trip to California has been floated several times and later scuttled. Trump prefers to sleep in his own bed at night, and some of his aides have been leery of a trip to the border because of likely protests amid debate over the president's support for new immigration limits.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Sure, I’ll Say It: ‘Liberals Don’t Want to Stop School Shootings’
Know who else acts as if they love school shootings? Liberals. The liberals you see on TV. The liberals you read on Twitter. The liberals writing columns. What else can you think after watching the way liberals behave after mass shootings with large body counts? It’s the same thing every time.
A terrible tragedy happens. Some nutjob/terrorist/angry dirtbag shoots a lot of people. Before the blood is even dry on the ground, liberals take to social media to claim the killer is a conservative and demand new gun laws. If you suggest that perhaps we should wait to find out what happened before we start bringing politics into this, they ignore it. If you suggest that we pray for the victims, they viciously criticize that idea and mock Christians in general. When you ask which gun laws would put a stop to mass murders, they have no answer. Then they scream that the NRA is full of murderers. Of course, the killer never turns out to actually be an NRA member. Furthermore, the NRA never advocates for anything other than the rights of law-abiding citizens. As a matter of fact, when a shooter killed people in a Texas church in November of last year, it was an NRA member who stopped him.
Yet and still, after working themselves up into a frenzy screaming that the NRA is composed of murderers, after howling that law-abiding gun owners are killers, liberals move on to demand that we “DO SOMETHING.” The “something” involved is seldom defined and even when it is, it pretty clearly won’t stop school shootings. At this point, suspicious conservatives suggest that liberals seem to be angling for gun confiscation, something that would never work in America. Some liberals respond to this by saying, “That’s paranoia! Nobody wants that,” while others respond, “Hell yes, it’s time for gun confiscation.”
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A terrible tragedy happens. Some nutjob/terrorist/angry dirtbag shoots a lot of people. Before the blood is even dry on the ground, liberals take to social media to claim the killer is a conservative and demand new gun laws. If you suggest that perhaps we should wait to find out what happened before we start bringing politics into this, they ignore it. If you suggest that we pray for the victims, they viciously criticize that idea and mock Christians in general. When you ask which gun laws would put a stop to mass murders, they have no answer. Then they scream that the NRA is full of murderers. Of course, the killer never turns out to actually be an NRA member. Furthermore, the NRA never advocates for anything other than the rights of law-abiding citizens. As a matter of fact, when a shooter killed people in a Texas church in November of last year, it was an NRA member who stopped him.
Yet and still, after working themselves up into a frenzy screaming that the NRA is composed of murderers, after howling that law-abiding gun owners are killers, liberals move on to demand that we “DO SOMETHING.” The “something” involved is seldom defined and even when it is, it pretty clearly won’t stop school shootings. At this point, suspicious conservatives suggest that liberals seem to be angling for gun confiscation, something that would never work in America. Some liberals respond to this by saying, “That’s paranoia! Nobody wants that,” while others respond, “Hell yes, it’s time for gun confiscation.”
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What Liberals Don’t Understand: A Serious Attempt at Gun Confiscation Could Lead to Civil War
Liberals love to fantasize about confiscating every gun in America. It may be their most beautiful dream. Liberals get control of the Supreme Court and ignore the Second Amendment; Washington makes gun ownership illegal; almost all the guns come pouring in or are destroyed; a few hapless Jim Bobs who won’t get in line get shot up by the cops and then the government is free to do anything it wants and if people don’t like it, well, what are they going to do about it without guns?
Let me suggest a less happy, but probably more accurate version of how an attempt at gun confiscation would likely go. Liberals get control of the Supreme Court and ignore the Second Amendment followed by Washington making gun ownership illegal. So far, so good, right? Then the vast majority of police departments across the country refuse to do more than accept weapons that are turned in and, of course, very few citizens actually hand over their weapons. At this point, D.C. would have no choice other than to accept that gun confiscation is impossible, which would be the most likely outcome.
Or, alternately, D.C. could hire goon squads in local communities to go house to house to confiscate weapons. Yes, people would be killed in conflicts with the police and goon squads that come to take their guns. Liberals would cheer. They would not be cheering when police chiefs, officers, and goon squad members who carry out these orders are assassinated at their homes by armed people from their own communities.
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Let me suggest a less happy, but probably more accurate version of how an attempt at gun confiscation would likely go. Liberals get control of the Supreme Court and ignore the Second Amendment followed by Washington making gun ownership illegal. So far, so good, right? Then the vast majority of police departments across the country refuse to do more than accept weapons that are turned in and, of course, very few citizens actually hand over their weapons. At this point, D.C. would have no choice other than to accept that gun confiscation is impossible, which would be the most likely outcome.
Or, alternately, D.C. could hire goon squads in local communities to go house to house to confiscate weapons. Yes, people would be killed in conflicts with the police and goon squads that come to take their guns. Liberals would cheer. They would not be cheering when police chiefs, officers, and goon squad members who carry out these orders are assassinated at their homes by armed people from their own communities.
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Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, said it will stop selling guns and ammunition to anyone under 21
Walmart, the largest retailer in the United States, said Wednesday evening that it would stop selling guns and ammunition to anyone under 21 years of age and remove toys and airsoft rifles from its stores that resemble assault-style weapons.
“Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way,” the company said in a statement.
“Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way,” the company said in a statement.
CIA Argues The Public Can’t See Classified Information It Has Already Given To Favored Reporters
The CIA claimed that limited disclosures to reporters do not waive national security exemptions to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests
Intelligence officials can selectively release classified information to trusted journalists while withholding the same information from other citizens who request it through open records laws, CIA lawyers argued Wednesday.
In a motion filed in New York federal court, the CIA claimed that limited disclosures to reporters do not waive national security exemptions to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies frequently deny records requests on the basis of protecting sensitive national security information, one of nine exemptions written into the federal FOIA law.
The case stems from lawsuit against the CIA by New York-based independent journalist Adam Johnson, who had used FOIA to obtain emails between the agency’s public information office and selected reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and The New York Times. The emails the CIA provided to Johnson were redacted, leading him to question why he was not allowed to see the same information that had been given to uncleared reporters.
Johnson challenged the redaction in court, arguing that the CIA, once it has selectively disclosed information to uncleared reporters, cannot claim the same information is protected by a FOIA exemption.
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Intelligence officials can selectively release classified information to trusted journalists while withholding the same information from other citizens who request it through open records laws, CIA lawyers argued Wednesday.
In a motion filed in New York federal court, the CIA claimed that limited disclosures to reporters do not waive national security exemptions to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies frequently deny records requests on the basis of protecting sensitive national security information, one of nine exemptions written into the federal FOIA law.
The case stems from lawsuit against the CIA by New York-based independent journalist Adam Johnson, who had used FOIA to obtain emails between the agency’s public information office and selected reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and The New York Times. The emails the CIA provided to Johnson were redacted, leading him to question why he was not allowed to see the same information that had been given to uncleared reporters.
Johnson challenged the redaction in court, arguing that the CIA, once it has selectively disclosed information to uncleared reporters, cannot claim the same information is protected by a FOIA exemption.
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Steve Scalise: No 'magic law' will stop mass shootings
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise said Thursday there is “no magic law” Congress can pass to stop the next shooting from happening.
Scalise, who incurred a life-threatening gunshot wound when a gunman opened fire on a GOP baseball practice last summer, said the shooter at the high school in Parkland, Fla., had already broken multiple laws, and indicated one more law was unlikely to stop him.
“If you think there’s some magic, unicorn law that’s going to stop it from happening, just keep in mind that he violated probably dozens of laws already, including murdering people. That's against the law," Scalise, R-La., told Fox News host Laura Ingraham Thursday night.
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Scalise, who incurred a life-threatening gunshot wound when a gunman opened fire on a GOP baseball practice last summer, said the shooter at the high school in Parkland, Fla., had already broken multiple laws, and indicated one more law was unlikely to stop him.
“If you think there’s some magic, unicorn law that’s going to stop it from happening, just keep in mind that he violated probably dozens of laws already, including murdering people. That's against the law," Scalise, R-La., told Fox News host Laura Ingraham Thursday night.
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States where Americans pay the least (and most) in taxes
In the U.S. federalist system, each state government decides how to generate revenue — that is, which taxes to collect, and how. No state tax code is identical and, largely as a result, what the average American pays annually in taxes varies from state to state.
24/7 Wall Street reviewed the tax burden of residents in each state — the portion of income that goes to state and local governments’ taxes — from the report, “Facts & Figures 2017: How Does Your State Compare?” provided by tax policy research organization Tax Foundation. These tax burdens do not include the federal taxes paid by all Americans, regardless of state.
According to the report, tax burdens in the 2012 tax season were as low as 6.5% in Alaska and as high as 12.7% in New York.
In addition to federal, state, and local taxes, Americans pay taxes to other states. Out-of-state visitors pay sales taxes as tourists, investors pay capital gains taxes on investments in other states, and drivers filling up at gas stations in other states pay those states’ excise taxes. For this reason, the tax burden is not always a perfect reflection of taxes collected.
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24/7 Wall Street reviewed the tax burden of residents in each state — the portion of income that goes to state and local governments’ taxes — from the report, “Facts & Figures 2017: How Does Your State Compare?” provided by tax policy research organization Tax Foundation. These tax burdens do not include the federal taxes paid by all Americans, regardless of state.
According to the report, tax burdens in the 2012 tax season were as low as 6.5% in Alaska and as high as 12.7% in New York.
In addition to federal, state, and local taxes, Americans pay taxes to other states. Out-of-state visitors pay sales taxes as tourists, investors pay capital gains taxes on investments in other states, and drivers filling up at gas stations in other states pay those states’ excise taxes. For this reason, the tax burden is not always a perfect reflection of taxes collected.
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DOJ Complaint: The Russians Organized A Rally Called "Trump Is NOT My President"
Late last year, when the Trump-Russia collusion narrative was peaking, something unexpected emerged: back on November 12, 2016, an event organized by BlackMatters US, a 'leftist', anti-Trump group drew thousands of people to protest against the just elected President Trump.
There was just one minor glitch: BlackMattersUS emerged as a Russian-linked group.
As the Hill reported, "the BlackMatters organizing group was connected to the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian “troll farm” with ties to the Kremlin, according to a recent investigation by the Russian Magazine RBC.
Facebook has identified the IRA as the group responsible for purchasing 3,000 political ads on Facebook’s platform and operating 470 accounts that appear to have attempted to influence the perspectives of Americans during the 2016 elections.
And now it's confirmed: from Section 57 of the DOJ complaint against the Russian trolls who "interfered, but did not impact" the outcome of the election:
After the election of Donald Trump in or around November 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators used false U.S. personas to organize and coordinate U.S. political rallies in support of then president-elect Trump, while simultaneously using other false U.S. personas to organize and coordinate U.S. political rallies protesting the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. For example, in or around November 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators organized a rally in New York through one ORGANIZATION-controlled group designed to "show your support for President-Elect Donald Trump" held on or about November 12, 2016. At the same time,Defendants and their co-conspirators, through another ORGANIZATION-controlled group, organized a rally in New York called "Trump is NOT my President" held on or about November 12, 2016. Similarly, Defendants and their co-conspirators organized a rally entitled "Charlotte Against Trump" in Charlotte, North Carolina, held on or about November 19, 2016.
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There was just one minor glitch: BlackMattersUS emerged as a Russian-linked group.
As the Hill reported, "the BlackMatters organizing group was connected to the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian “troll farm” with ties to the Kremlin, according to a recent investigation by the Russian Magazine RBC.
Facebook has identified the IRA as the group responsible for purchasing 3,000 political ads on Facebook’s platform and operating 470 accounts that appear to have attempted to influence the perspectives of Americans during the 2016 elections.
And now it's confirmed: from Section 57 of the DOJ complaint against the Russian trolls who "interfered, but did not impact" the outcome of the election:
After the election of Donald Trump in or around November 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators used false U.S. personas to organize and coordinate U.S. political rallies in support of then president-elect Trump, while simultaneously using other false U.S. personas to organize and coordinate U.S. political rallies protesting the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. For example, in or around November 2016, Defendants and their co-conspirators organized a rally in New York through one ORGANIZATION-controlled group designed to "show your support for President-Elect Donald Trump" held on or about November 12, 2016. At the same time,Defendants and their co-conspirators, through another ORGANIZATION-controlled group, organized a rally in New York called "Trump is NOT my President" held on or about November 12, 2016. Similarly, Defendants and their co-conspirators organized a rally entitled "Charlotte Against Trump" in Charlotte, North Carolina, held on or about November 19, 2016.
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Breaking News: In a televised meeting, President Trump stunned lawmakers by embracing gun control measures long opposed by the N.R.A. and many Republicans
Mr. Trump called for comprehensive gun control that would expand background checks, keep guns from the mentally ill, secure schools and restrict gun sales from some young adults. The move appeared to surprise giddy Democrats and stone-faced Republicans.
Strong Nor'easter Could Bring Damaging Winds, Major Coastal Flooding Friday and Saturday
An intense nor'easter will hammer the Northeast beginning Thursday night, lingering into the weekend with the potential for damaging winds, significant, long-lived coastal flooding, beach erosion, heavy rain and snow.
The pieces of this complicated system are beginning to come together now. The same upper-level disturbance that will bring snow to the Midwest and rain to the South will spawn an intense coastal storm, or nor'easter, along the East Coast Thursday night into early Friday.
Thanks to a recent split of the polar vortex and a subsequent westward-shifting blocking high-pressure system near Greenland, the weather pattern will be conducive for this nor'easter to move very slowly, resulting in high winds, coastal flooding, rain and some snow in the Northeast Thursday to Saturday.
For now, there are indications in the forecast guidance this nor'easter will track closer to the coast Friday before very slowly migrating away this weekend.
This will produce strong winds, coastal flooding and beach erosion, along parts of the eastern and southern New England coast, as well as in eastern Long Island, as soon as late Thursday.
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The pieces of this complicated system are beginning to come together now. The same upper-level disturbance that will bring snow to the Midwest and rain to the South will spawn an intense coastal storm, or nor'easter, along the East Coast Thursday night into early Friday.
Thanks to a recent split of the polar vortex and a subsequent westward-shifting blocking high-pressure system near Greenland, the weather pattern will be conducive for this nor'easter to move very slowly, resulting in high winds, coastal flooding, rain and some snow in the Northeast Thursday to Saturday.
For now, there are indications in the forecast guidance this nor'easter will track closer to the coast Friday before very slowly migrating away this weekend.
This will produce strong winds, coastal flooding and beach erosion, along parts of the eastern and southern New England coast, as well as in eastern Long Island, as soon as late Thursday.
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Drinking wine or beer could lead to a longer life
It’s the sort of health news most would toast with a cheeky tipple – but it may have health fanatics choking on their carrot juice.
Drinking a couple of glasses of wine or beer a night – while adding a few extra pounds in weight – could be the secret to living into your 90s, a major study finds today.
The research, which looked at those who had lived beyond 90, identified modest alcohol consumption as one of five key factors linked to a long life.
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Drinking a couple of glasses of wine or beer a night – while adding a few extra pounds in weight – could be the secret to living into your 90s, a major study finds today.
The research, which looked at those who had lived beyond 90, identified modest alcohol consumption as one of five key factors linked to a long life.
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Antibiotic linked to higher death rates heart disease
A common antibiotic used to treat infections could be deadly for heart disease patients years after taking the drug, the FDA has warned.
Clarithromycin, sold under the brand name Biaxin, is used to treat many skin, ear, sinus and lung infections.
But a 10-year study revealed that people suffering from heart disease that took a two-week course of it had a significantly higher risk of heart attack or sudden death a year or more after they were treated for infection.
The agency first cautioned against clarithromycin back in 2005, but its long-term study confirms that the antibiotic could do far more harm than good for patients with heart problems.
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Clarithromycin, sold under the brand name Biaxin, is used to treat many skin, ear, sinus and lung infections.
But a 10-year study revealed that people suffering from heart disease that took a two-week course of it had a significantly higher risk of heart attack or sudden death a year or more after they were treated for infection.
The agency first cautioned against clarithromycin back in 2005, but its long-term study confirms that the antibiotic could do far more harm than good for patients with heart problems.
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Images show the world's most incredible abandoned castles
But now, having been bombarded with shells, set on fire and left to rot, these castles are looking a little worse for wear.
This fascinating series of photographs includes UK ruins such as Old Wardour Castle in Wiltshire, Crichton Castle in Scotland and Kinbane Castle in County Antrim.
And European edifices such as Xixona Castle in Alicante and Birkenfels Castle in Alsace.
They may not be looking so grand today, but they're still utterly intriguing - time-capsule buildings that offer glimpses into by-gone ages.
Scroll down and behold the haunting pictures.
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PFA order says congressional hopeful Shannon Edwards threatened to kill husband
An Allegheny County judge granted a temporary restraining order in late 2016 against Shannon Edwards, who announced Wednesday she's running for Congress, after her husband accused her of drunkenly attacking him and threatening to kill him, court records show.
Edwards, 33, of Lawrenceville is a psychologist who reportedly had an affair with former Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, who resigned in October.
Edwards announced her intention to campaign as a Republican for Congress on the steps of the Allegheny County Courthouse, a move that surprised GOP officials who said they weren't aware she was considering a run.
Edwards' husband, Jesse Sally, an osteopathic doctor specializing in sports medicine, has been seeking a divorce in a court case that is now sealed.
In a petition seeking a restraining order dated Oct. 31, 2016, Sally wrote that Edwards had arrived home about 10:30 p.m. after drinking alcohol with neighbors and grabbed his head and pushed it into a pillow.
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Edwards, 33, of Lawrenceville is a psychologist who reportedly had an affair with former Republican Rep. Tim Murphy, who resigned in October.
Edwards announced her intention to campaign as a Republican for Congress on the steps of the Allegheny County Courthouse, a move that surprised GOP officials who said they weren't aware she was considering a run.
Edwards' husband, Jesse Sally, an osteopathic doctor specializing in sports medicine, has been seeking a divorce in a court case that is now sealed.
In a petition seeking a restraining order dated Oct. 31, 2016, Sally wrote that Edwards had arrived home about 10:30 p.m. after drinking alcohol with neighbors and grabbed his head and pushed it into a pillow.
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Trump Wants "Harshest" Import Tariffs: 24% On Steel, 10% On Aluminum
Defying threats of retaliation from the Chinese, Bloomberg reports that President Trump is pushing for a global tariff of 24% on all steel imports, a decision that will anger nearly every industrial manufacturer based in the US, while at the same time helping revive the fortunes of US steel producers.
The rates were first proposed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross last week.
The commerce department released reports on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s investigations into the impact on our national security from imports of steel mill products and from imports of wrought and unwrought aluminum. These investigations were carried out under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. All classified and business confidential information in the reports was redacted before the release.
Specifically, the department, found that the quantities and circumstances of steel and aluminum imports “threaten to impair the national security,” as defined by Section 232.
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The rates were first proposed by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross last week.
The commerce department released reports on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s investigations into the impact on our national security from imports of steel mill products and from imports of wrought and unwrought aluminum. These investigations were carried out under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended. All classified and business confidential information in the reports was redacted before the release.
Specifically, the department, found that the quantities and circumstances of steel and aluminum imports “threaten to impair the national security,” as defined by Section 232.
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Trump's Federal Reserve Pick Wants to Put Metal Chips in Cash to Track Every Dollar and Tax It
In November 2017, central banking proponent and Keynesian economist Marvin Goodfriend was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill one of the vacancies on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. He was then confirmed by the U.S. Senate Banking Committee to advance.
Goodfriend is a central banking insider who’s spent decades moving in and out of government and central banks and his ideas are nothing short of Orwellian.
While his resume may make him seem like a qualified member of the corrupt and insidious Federal Reserve System, he’s proposed and openly advocated for one of the most horrific plans a free society (somewhat) has ever seen—tracking cash.
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Parkland survivor’s father: CNN wanted families ‘willing to espouse a certain narrative’
CNN wanted to ‘take a tragedy and turn it into a policy debate.’
Andrew Klein, father of Stoneman Douglas High School junior Ariana Klein, claims CNN producers were fishing for families to “espouse a certain narrative” at the network’s recent town hall on “gun policy.”
Klein told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham it seemed CNN officials exploited the victims of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida to press a decidedly anti-gun agenda, substantiating allegations by others the network staked its recent town hall with gun-control advocates and ignored other opinions.
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Andrew Klein, father of Stoneman Douglas High School junior Ariana Klein, claims CNN producers were fishing for families to “espouse a certain narrative” at the network’s recent town hall on “gun policy.”
Klein told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham it seemed CNN officials exploited the victims of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida to press a decidedly anti-gun agenda, substantiating allegations by others the network staked its recent town hall with gun-control advocates and ignored other opinions.
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Your Feelings Have Nothing to Do with the Second Amendment
Looking to capitalize on the public whirlwind demanding gun control measures, Ohio governor John Kasich took to Twitter to ask:
If all the sudden you couldn't buy an AR-15, what would you lose? Would you feel your second amendment [sic] rights would be eroded? These are the things that have to be looked at and action has to happen.
What I'd lose should be pretty obvious. I'd lose the ability to purchase an AR-15 to defend my family, my life, and my home because the federal government has prohibited me from doing so – i.e., infringed upon my right to do so. The Second Amendment could not be clearer in declaring that the federal government has no such right enumerated in the Constitution.
If the practical result is that my rights are inarguably infringed, why would your feelings, my feelings, or anyone else's feelings have any relevance whatsoever?
This is not a discussion. These are my rights. How you feel about the exercising of my rights doesn't matter at all. And if it is decided that your feelings warrant the legal erosion of my rights, isn't it clear that what we're talking about are not, in fact, "rights" as understood by our Founders, but allowances that government either permits or rescinds based upon the whims of a perceived majority opinion?
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If all the sudden you couldn't buy an AR-15, what would you lose? Would you feel your second amendment [sic] rights would be eroded? These are the things that have to be looked at and action has to happen.
What I'd lose should be pretty obvious. I'd lose the ability to purchase an AR-15 to defend my family, my life, and my home because the federal government has prohibited me from doing so – i.e., infringed upon my right to do so. The Second Amendment could not be clearer in declaring that the federal government has no such right enumerated in the Constitution.
If the practical result is that my rights are inarguably infringed, why would your feelings, my feelings, or anyone else's feelings have any relevance whatsoever?
This is not a discussion. These are my rights. How you feel about the exercising of my rights doesn't matter at all. And if it is decided that your feelings warrant the legal erosion of my rights, isn't it clear that what we're talking about are not, in fact, "rights" as understood by our Founders, but allowances that government either permits or rescinds based upon the whims of a perceived majority opinion?
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"CalPERS Is Near Insolvency; It Needs A Bailout Soon" - Former Board Member Makes Stunning Admission
Two weeks ago, in the aftermath of the February 5 volocaust, we quoted David Hunt, CEO of $1.2 trillion asset manager PGIM, who said ignore the volatility spike, the real financial timebomb was and remains public pensions: "if you were going to look for what’s the possible real crack in the financial architecture for the next crisis, rather than looking in the rearview mirror, pension funds would be on our list."
In a brief discussion wondering what municipalities and states will do when local tax revenues decline and unemployment worsens, Hunt said "we're worried about those pension obligations.”
He is hardly alone: having reported over and over and over (and over, and over) again that public pensions are in deep trouble, two days ago none other than Steve Westly, former California controller and Calpers board member - manager of the largest public pension fund in the US, made a stunning admission, confirming everything:
"The pension crisis is inching closer by the day. CalPERS just voted to increase the amount cities must pay to the agency. Cities point to possible insolvency if payments keep rising but CalPERS is near insolvency itself. It may be reform or bailout soon."
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In a brief discussion wondering what municipalities and states will do when local tax revenues decline and unemployment worsens, Hunt said "we're worried about those pension obligations.”
He is hardly alone: having reported over and over and over (and over, and over) again that public pensions are in deep trouble, two days ago none other than Steve Westly, former California controller and Calpers board member - manager of the largest public pension fund in the US, made a stunning admission, confirming everything:
"The pension crisis is inching closer by the day. CalPERS just voted to increase the amount cities must pay to the agency. Cities point to possible insolvency if payments keep rising but CalPERS is near insolvency itself. It may be reform or bailout soon."
The pension crisis is inching closer by the day. @CalPERS just voted to increase the amount cities must pay to the agency. Cities point to possible insolvency if payments keep rising but CalPERS is near insolvency itself. It may be reform or bailout soon.ow.ly/CQGw30iyLko
Breaking News: President Trump is planning stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum, overruling some advisers to fulfill a promise to get tough on trade
Mr. Trump said he would formally sign the trade measures next week and promised they would be in effect “for a long period of time.”
House Democrats Push Ban on 'High Capacity' Magazines and 205 Different Firearms
Rep. David N. Cicilline (D-RI) and numerous Democrat colleagues in the House are pushing an “assault weapons” ban that would prohibit “high capacity” magazines and 205 different firearms.
The Providence Journal reports that Cicilline’s bill, HR 5087, “would prohibit the sale, transfer, production, and importation of semi-automatic rifles and pistols that have a magazine or can accept a magazine that can hold more than 10 bullets, and any ammunition-feeding device that can hold more than 10 bullets.”
Cicilline’s bill describes an “semiautomatic assault weapon” as a firearm with a “detachable magazine” and a “pistol grip,” “forward grip,” “folding stock,” “rocket launcher,” or “threaded barrel.” The list includes pistols made by CZ, Daniel Defense, America Spirit, Heckler and Koch, Centurion, and DPMS, among others. It includes rifles made by Kel-Tec, Springfield Armory, Heckler and Koch, Barrett, Beretta, Stag Arms, Remington, Rock River, Mossberg, Diamond Back, Daniel Defense, Colt, Bushmaster, Armalite, and Norinco, among others.
Cicilline’s bill bans “all AK types” even though the Florida gunman used an AR-15.
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The Providence Journal reports that Cicilline’s bill, HR 5087, “would prohibit the sale, transfer, production, and importation of semi-automatic rifles and pistols that have a magazine or can accept a magazine that can hold more than 10 bullets, and any ammunition-feeding device that can hold more than 10 bullets.”
Cicilline’s bill describes an “semiautomatic assault weapon” as a firearm with a “detachable magazine” and a “pistol grip,” “forward grip,” “folding stock,” “rocket launcher,” or “threaded barrel.” The list includes pistols made by CZ, Daniel Defense, America Spirit, Heckler and Koch, Centurion, and DPMS, among others. It includes rifles made by Kel-Tec, Springfield Armory, Heckler and Koch, Barrett, Beretta, Stag Arms, Remington, Rock River, Mossberg, Diamond Back, Daniel Defense, Colt, Bushmaster, Armalite, and Norinco, among others.
Cicilline’s bill bans “all AK types” even though the Florida gunman used an AR-15.
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Sheriff Israel's History Of Controversy
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, currently under fire for his department’s repeated failures to stop Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz, is no stranger to controversy.
Israel was criticized in 2014 after a political action committee supporting his re-election campaign for sheriff accepted thousands of dollars in donationsfrom a convicted felon.
The donor, Yoram Izhak, was indicted for allegedly being part of an organized crime ring known as the “Cuban Mafia” that “was allegedly involved in cocaine trafficking, arson, gambling and murder,” according to Local10.
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Israel was criticized in 2014 after a political action committee supporting his re-election campaign for sheriff accepted thousands of dollars in donationsfrom a convicted felon.
The donor, Yoram Izhak, was indicted for allegedly being part of an organized crime ring known as the “Cuban Mafia” that “was allegedly involved in cocaine trafficking, arson, gambling and murder,” according to Local10.
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STUDY: Schools safer today than in 1990s...
Despite the horror of the high school massacre in Florida, U.S. schools overall are safer today than they were in the early 1990s, and there is not an epidemic of such shootings, a new academic study is reporting.
Researchers at Northeastern University say mass school shootings are extremely rare, that shootings involving students have been declining since the 1990s, and four times as many children were killed in schools in the early 1990s than today.
“There is not an epidemic of school shootings,” said James Alan Fox, the Lipman Family Professor of Criminology, Law and Public Policy at Northeastern. He said more children die each year from pool drownings or bicycle accidents.
There are about 55 million school children in the U.S., the study said, and over the past 25 years, about 10 students on average per year were killed by gunfire at school.
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Researchers at Northeastern University say mass school shootings are extremely rare, that shootings involving students have been declining since the 1990s, and four times as many children were killed in schools in the early 1990s than today.
“There is not an epidemic of school shootings,” said James Alan Fox, the Lipman Family Professor of Criminology, Law and Public Policy at Northeastern. He said more children die each year from pool drownings or bicycle accidents.
There are about 55 million school children in the U.S., the study said, and over the past 25 years, about 10 students on average per year were killed by gunfire at school.
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White House Considering Confiscating Guns From "Dangerous People"
President Trump confirmed on Friday that he would support stricter firearms regulations, including a proposal to strengthen the federal background check system and raising the minimum age for buying a semi-automatic weapon to 21 - something the powerful National Rifle Association has said it opposes.
But, as Bloomberg reports, The White House is considering the idea of using restraining orders to take firearms away from people considered "dangerous" as part of its response to last week’s massacre at a Florida high school, two people familiar with the matter said.
Under extreme risk protection orders, which are also known as red flag laws or gun violence restraining orders,firearms can be confiscated from people found to be at risk.
As The New Yorks Times reports, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of red flag laws, in part because it is impossible to count mass shootings, or other tragedies, that were avoided.
That said, the authorities in states with the laws, including Connecticut, Indiana, Oregon and Washington, say they have seen patterns: upticks in the use of such laws after mass shootings in other places.
The measures were also used in situations far different from the mass shooting scenarios they were originally conceived to prevent. Most often, guns were removed from people not seen as threats to large groups or public gatherings, but as risks to themselves or to their families, or suffering from debilitating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or alcoholism.
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But, as Bloomberg reports, The White House is considering the idea of using restraining orders to take firearms away from people considered "dangerous" as part of its response to last week’s massacre at a Florida high school, two people familiar with the matter said.
Under extreme risk protection orders, which are also known as red flag laws or gun violence restraining orders,firearms can be confiscated from people found to be at risk.
As The New Yorks Times reports, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of red flag laws, in part because it is impossible to count mass shootings, or other tragedies, that were avoided.
That said, the authorities in states with the laws, including Connecticut, Indiana, Oregon and Washington, say they have seen patterns: upticks in the use of such laws after mass shootings in other places.
The measures were also used in situations far different from the mass shooting scenarios they were originally conceived to prevent. Most often, guns were removed from people not seen as threats to large groups or public gatherings, but as risks to themselves or to their families, or suffering from debilitating illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or alcoholism.
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Survey: Americans Blame School Shooting on Government, Not Guns
The latest Rasmussen Reports survey shows that Americans blame government rather than guns for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
According to Rasmussen, 54% of Americans believe government failure is to “blame for the mass shooting.” Only 33% of Americans blame guns. Eleven percent of Americans say they are unsure what contributed to the occurrence of the mass shooting.
When the sample group was adjusted so as to focus only on Americans “who have children of elementary or secondary school age,” the percentage of Americans who cite government failure as causal jumped to 61 and the percentage who blamed guns dropped to 23.
On February 23 Breitbart News summarized government’s failure:
According to Rasmussen, 54% of Americans believe government failure is to “blame for the mass shooting.” Only 33% of Americans blame guns. Eleven percent of Americans say they are unsure what contributed to the occurrence of the mass shooting.
When the sample group was adjusted so as to focus only on Americans “who have children of elementary or secondary school age,” the percentage of Americans who cite government failure as causal jumped to 61 and the percentage who blamed guns dropped to 23.
On February 23 Breitbart News summarized government’s failure:
FBI Never Contacted Google After "Professional Shooter" YouTube Threat Reported
When the uploader of the video, Ben Bennight, contacted the FBI shortly after Cruz left the comment, officials spoke with him for 20 minutes, after which there was no follow up until the same agent or agents came to his home on Wednesday.
In a press conference late last week, Special Agent Robert Lansky who is in charge of the Miami FBI division said that the FBI received the tip, however they were "unable to further identify" the person who made the comment, despite conducting "database reviews" and "checks."
"No other information was included with that comment, which would indicate a time, location or the true identity of the person who made the comment," Lasky said. "The FBI conducted database reviews, checks, but was unable to further identify the person who actually made the comment."
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Chinese investors sue McAuliffe, Rodham over green-car investments
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's brother Anthony Rodham are facing a $17 million fraud lawsuit from Chinese investors in Greentech Automotive, an electric car company that appears to be struggling to survive.
A group of 32 Chinese citizens filed the suit last week in Fairfax County, Virginia court, claiming that they were swindled out of about $560,000 apiece as a result of misrepresentations made by McAuliffe and Rodham—two of the most prominent and politically connected proponents of the venture aimed at manufacturing electric cars in the U.S.
The suit is yet another headache for McAuliffe as he mulls a potential presidential bid in 2020, buoyed in part by Democrats' strong showing in the state in the election earlier this month. McAuliffe confirmed last year that his business dealings with foreign nationals were under investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors. It's unclear whether that probe involved Greentech or whether the inquiry is still ongoing.
The Chinese investors plowed their money into Greentech with the promise of winning permanent residency in the U.S. under a program that awards green cards to foreign-funded ventures that generate U.S. jobs.
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A group of 32 Chinese citizens filed the suit last week in Fairfax County, Virginia court, claiming that they were swindled out of about $560,000 apiece as a result of misrepresentations made by McAuliffe and Rodham—two of the most prominent and politically connected proponents of the venture aimed at manufacturing electric cars in the U.S.
The suit is yet another headache for McAuliffe as he mulls a potential presidential bid in 2020, buoyed in part by Democrats' strong showing in the state in the election earlier this month. McAuliffe confirmed last year that his business dealings with foreign nationals were under investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors. It's unclear whether that probe involved Greentech or whether the inquiry is still ongoing.
The Chinese investors plowed their money into Greentech with the promise of winning permanent residency in the U.S. under a program that awards green cards to foreign-funded ventures that generate U.S. jobs.
More here
Teachers are already armed in some Missouri schools
President Trump’s plan to arm selected teachers has already been in effect for years in several Missouri school districts, it was reported Saturday.
Aaron Sydow, superintendent of a district in the city of West Plains, told USA Today that it’s “sad that it’s come to this” but necessary.
Teachers interested in carrying concealed weapons go through 40 hours of training — which also includes a psychiatric evaluation.
Those who pass must also undergo 24 hours of training every year.
He declined, for security reasons, to say how many teachers at his K-8 school, are armed, but said there are “several.”
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Aaron Sydow, superintendent of a district in the city of West Plains, told USA Today that it’s “sad that it’s come to this” but necessary.
Teachers interested in carrying concealed weapons go through 40 hours of training — which also includes a psychiatric evaluation.
Those who pass must also undergo 24 hours of training every year.
He declined, for security reasons, to say how many teachers at his K-8 school, are armed, but said there are “several.”
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Study: More money could lead to less happiness
A new study published in the journal, “Nature Human Behavior,” says the richer people get, the less happy they become.
The study found once a household reaches an annual income of $105,000, any more money reduces satisfaction and level of well being.
Researches say the ideal income point for an individual is $95,000 for life evaluation and $60,000 to $75,000 for emotional well-being.
The research is based on data collected from the Gallup World Poll, a survey of more than 1.7 million individuals from 164 countries.
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The study found once a household reaches an annual income of $105,000, any more money reduces satisfaction and level of well being.
Researches say the ideal income point for an individual is $95,000 for life evaluation and $60,000 to $75,000 for emotional well-being.
The research is based on data collected from the Gallup World Poll, a survey of more than 1.7 million individuals from 164 countries.
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Pat Buchanan: 'The Bush Party Has Become a Trump Party' on Immigration, Trade, Staying Out of Foreign Wars
Populist conservative icon Pat Buchanan has declared victory within the Republican Party, saying “The Bush party has become a Trump party” on the key issues of immigration, trade, and staying out of foreign wars.
During the weekly show The McLaughlin Group, Buchanan—a pioneer of the economic nationalist movement—said the war within the “conservative movement” was “over,” saying President Trump’s agenda of economic nationalism has finally beat out decades of free trade, open borders, and global interventionist dogma favored by the Republican establishment and neoconservative wing of the party.
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During the weekly show The McLaughlin Group, Buchanan—a pioneer of the economic nationalist movement—said the war within the “conservative movement” was “over,” saying President Trump’s agenda of economic nationalism has finally beat out decades of free trade, open borders, and global interventionist dogma favored by the Republican establishment and neoconservative wing of the party.
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Meet the Lawyer Suing Jeff Sessions to End Cannabis Prohibition
Last week, in a lawsuit that could put an end to federal cannabis prohibition, a federal judge in New York acknowledged the healing potential of medical marijuana. “It’s saved a life,” he said, referring to a Colorado girl with epilepsy. “She has no more epileptic seizures.”
The judge then turned to lawyers for the federal government, who have argued that cannabis is a dangerous drug with no accepted medical benefit. “If there is an accepted medical use,” he told them, “your argument doesn’t hold.”
The case of Washington v. Sessions has generated great interest. Five plaintiffs, including former NFL player Marvin Washington; 12-year-old Colorado medical refugee Alexis Bortell; youngster Jagger Cotte; US military veteran Jose Belen; and the Cannabis Cultural Association, a nonprofit that helps people of color benefit from cannabis in states where it’s legal, have challenged the constitutionality of the classification of marijuana under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The case, filed in 2017, finally received its first hearing in federal court last week, when US District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein heard the federal government argue for the case’s dismissal.
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The judge then turned to lawyers for the federal government, who have argued that cannabis is a dangerous drug with no accepted medical benefit. “If there is an accepted medical use,” he told them, “your argument doesn’t hold.”
The case of Washington v. Sessions has generated great interest. Five plaintiffs, including former NFL player Marvin Washington; 12-year-old Colorado medical refugee Alexis Bortell; youngster Jagger Cotte; US military veteran Jose Belen; and the Cannabis Cultural Association, a nonprofit that helps people of color benefit from cannabis in states where it’s legal, have challenged the constitutionality of the classification of marijuana under the federal Controlled Substances Act. The case, filed in 2017, finally received its first hearing in federal court last week, when US District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein heard the federal government argue for the case’s dismissal.
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Flashback: Car company with ties to Terry McAuliffe probed by SEC
[Originally published August 2, 2013]
An electric-car company co-founded by Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D) is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its conduct in soliciting foreign investors, according to law enforcement documents and company officials.
In May, the SEC subpoenaed documents from GreenTech Automotive and bank records from a sister company, Gulf Coast Funds Management of McLean. The investigation is focused, at least in part, on alleged claims that the company “guarantees returns” to the investors, according to government documents.
GreenTech has sought overseas investors through a federal program that allows foreigners to gain special visas if they contribute at least $500,000 to create U.S. jobs. Gulf Coast, which is run by Anthony Rodham, the brother of former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, seeks investors for GreenTech and arranges the visas.
More here
An electric-car company co-founded by Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D) is being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its conduct in soliciting foreign investors, according to law enforcement documents and company officials.
In May, the SEC subpoenaed documents from GreenTech Automotive and bank records from a sister company, Gulf Coast Funds Management of McLean. The investigation is focused, at least in part, on alleged claims that the company “guarantees returns” to the investors, according to government documents.
GreenTech has sought overseas investors through a federal program that allows foreigners to gain special visas if they contribute at least $500,000 to create U.S. jobs. Gulf Coast, which is run by Anthony Rodham, the brother of former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton, seeks investors for GreenTech and arranges the visas.
More here
House Intelligence Chairman Says Democrats Are Guilty of Government Cover-Up
The chairman of the House intelligence committee is accusing his Democrat colleagues of trying to cover up wrongdoing in the government’s surveillance of a former campaign aide to then-candidate Donald Trump.
Speaking to The Daily Signal moments after a Democrat memo was releasedSaturday, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said the long-awaited document is so shocking because of what it reveals about the Obama administration, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and Democrat operatives.
“We really wanted it out because it’s clear evidence that the Democrats are trying to actually not only collude, but they’re colluding with a cover-up. And they’re trying to cover up the fact that the Democrats and the Hillary campaign paid for dirt and it was used by the FBI,” Nunes told The Daily Signal after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“It’s amazing they’re actually willing to write a memo that actually says that—as if it’s OK for that to happen. Because it’s simply not OK,” he added.
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Speaking to The Daily Signal moments after a Democrat memo was releasedSaturday, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., said the long-awaited document is so shocking because of what it reveals about the Obama administration, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and Democrat operatives.
“We really wanted it out because it’s clear evidence that the Democrats are trying to actually not only collude, but they’re colluding with a cover-up. And they’re trying to cover up the fact that the Democrats and the Hillary campaign paid for dirt and it was used by the FBI,” Nunes told The Daily Signal after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
“It’s amazing they’re actually willing to write a memo that actually says that—as if it’s OK for that to happen. Because it’s simply not OK,” he added.
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The electric car company once led by Terry McAuliffe files for bankruptcy
The electric car company founded by former Gov. Terry McAuliffe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week, blaming in part a wave of negative coverage by a conservative news website for its financial woes.
GreenTech Automotive’s bankruptcy petition cites 76 articles by the website Watchdog.org it says “negatively affected governmental, investor and public perception of GreenTech” and prompted investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Homeland Security.
GreenTech in 2013 sued Watchdog.org, operated by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, for $85 million. A judge dismissed the case in 2014.
McAuliffe resigned from GreenTech in late 2012 during his run for governor. Early in the campaign, he featured the company prominently, pitching himself as a forward-thinking entrepreneur.
More recently, however, the company has faced a series of lawsuits filed by investors in the company, who have called GreenTech a “scam perpetrated by savvy and politically connected operatives and businessmen” to exploit Chinese immigrants hoping to come to America.
The bankruptcy filing cites a $7.5 million judgment won by 12 investors and says other suits are pending.
According to its bankruptcy filing, GreenTech raised $141.5 million from investors between 2009 and 2013 as part of the EB-5 visa program, which offered immigrant investors permanent residency.
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GreenTech Automotive’s bankruptcy petition cites 76 articles by the website Watchdog.org it says “negatively affected governmental, investor and public perception of GreenTech” and prompted investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Homeland Security.
GreenTech in 2013 sued Watchdog.org, operated by the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, for $85 million. A judge dismissed the case in 2014.
McAuliffe resigned from GreenTech in late 2012 during his run for governor. Early in the campaign, he featured the company prominently, pitching himself as a forward-thinking entrepreneur.
More recently, however, the company has faced a series of lawsuits filed by investors in the company, who have called GreenTech a “scam perpetrated by savvy and politically connected operatives and businessmen” to exploit Chinese immigrants hoping to come to America.
The bankruptcy filing cites a $7.5 million judgment won by 12 investors and says other suits are pending.
According to its bankruptcy filing, GreenTech raised $141.5 million from investors between 2009 and 2013 as part of the EB-5 visa program, which offered immigrant investors permanent residency.
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Trump: U.S. Should Execute Major Drug Dealers
Inspired by Singapore's policy of executing drug traffickers, President Trump is said to relish the idea of putting major dealers to death - who he is said to compare to serial killers, Axios reports.
"He says that a lot," said a source who's spoken to Trump at length about the subject. "He says, 'When I ask the prime minister of Singapore do they have a drug problem [the prime minister replies,] 'No. Death penalty'."
According to five sources who have spoken with Trump on the subject, it's no joke to the President - who says that a softer approach to drug reform where you show sympathy to the offenders "will never work."
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"He says that a lot," said a source who's spoken to Trump at length about the subject. "He says, 'When I ask the prime minister of Singapore do they have a drug problem [the prime minister replies,] 'No. Death penalty'."
According to five sources who have spoken with Trump on the subject, it's no joke to the President - who says that a softer approach to drug reform where you show sympathy to the offenders "will never work."
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Maryland Sheriff Says It Will Be CIVIL WAR Before Gun Confiscation
Sheriff Mike Lewis considers himself the last man standing for the people of Wicomico County.
“State police and highway patrol get their orders from the governor,” the Maryland sheriff said. “I get my orders from the citizens in this county.”
With more states passing stronger gun control laws, rural sheriffs across the country are taking the meaning of their age-old role as defenders of the Constitution to a new level by protesting such restrictions, News21 found.
Some are refusing to enforce the laws altogether.
Sheriffs in states like New York, Colorado and Maryland argue that some gun control laws defy the Second Amendment and threaten rural culture, for which gun ownership is often an integral component.
They’re joined by groups like Oath Keepers and the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, both of which encourage law enforcement officers to take a stand against gun control laws.
“It’s not (the judge’s) job to tell me what I can and can’t enforce,” – Weld County, Colo. Sheriff John Cooke
Lewis and some other sheriffs across the nation, most of them elected by residents of their counties, say their role puts them in the foremost position to stand up to gun laws they consider unconstitutional.
“The role of a sheriff is to be the interposer between the law and the citizen,” said Maryland Delegate Don Dwyer, an Anne Arundel County Republican. “He should stand between the government and citizen in every issue pertaining to the law.”
While the position of sheriff is not found in the U.S. Constitution, it is listed in state constitutions: Article XIV of Colorado’s, Article XV of Delaware’s, Part VII of Maryland’s and Article XIII of New York’s. Nearly all of America’s 3,080 sheriffs are elected to their positions, whereas most state and city police top commanders are appointed.
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Open Mic Night At Trader Lee's Wednesday
Open Mic Night Tonight At Trader Lee's In West Ocean City
If you play an instrument and would like to join dozens of other talented people tonight and share your love for Live Music, come join us for what is always a great time. Our plan is to continue doing this on Wednesday nights. Thursday Nights we'll have a House Band and as always we always deliver great acts on Saturday nights.
If you like EVO Craft Beer, we serve it, (12 oz) for just $2.00 on draft. Come join us and have a blast.
Trump Right: Mental Illness Linked to Shootings
President Donald Trump’s focus to “tackle the difficult issue of mental health” following a mass shooting in Florida last week isn’t so far-fetched, as studies show there is a clear link between mass shootings and mental illness, author Grant Duwe and sociology professor Michael Rocque write in the Los Angeles Times.
People with major mental disorders are more likely to commit violent acts, especially if drugs are involved, according to peer-reviewed research, and nearly 60 percent of the 185 public mass shootings that took place in the U.S. from 1900 through 2017 were committed by people who had “either been diagnosed with a mental disorder or demonstrated signs of serious mental illness prior to the attack,” according to research conducted by the L.A. Times.
Cruz’ mental health has been the focus of Trump’s comments, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar last Thursday said the administration was committed to addressing serious mental health illness and that his agency, “will be laser-focused on this issue in the days, weeks, and months to come.”
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People with major mental disorders are more likely to commit violent acts, especially if drugs are involved, according to peer-reviewed research, and nearly 60 percent of the 185 public mass shootings that took place in the U.S. from 1900 through 2017 were committed by people who had “either been diagnosed with a mental disorder or demonstrated signs of serious mental illness prior to the attack,” according to research conducted by the L.A. Times.
Cruz’ mental health has been the focus of Trump’s comments, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar last Thursday said the administration was committed to addressing serious mental health illness and that his agency, “will be laser-focused on this issue in the days, weeks, and months to come.”
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Broward deputy works for ‘Muslim mafia’
CAIR leader conducted weapons training at radical mosque
A leader of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in South Florida also serves as a deputy for the Broward County Sheriff’s office, which is under fire for its handling of the Valentine’s Day school shooting in which 17 people were killed.
Nezar Hamze is the regional operations director for the Florida chapter of CAIR, whose national office was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas-funding scheme and was designated a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates.
How, then, asked anti-Shariah activist Joe Kaufman in a 2015 column for FrontPage Magazine, “is it possible that one of [CAIR’s] leaders, Nezar Hamze, could be considered for a position at one of the most prominent Sheriff’s offices in the United States?”
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A leader of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in South Florida also serves as a deputy for the Broward County Sheriff’s office, which is under fire for its handling of the Valentine’s Day school shooting in which 17 people were killed.
Nezar Hamze is the regional operations director for the Florida chapter of CAIR, whose national office was named an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas-funding scheme and was designated a terrorist organization by the United Arab Emirates.
How, then, asked anti-Shariah activist Joe Kaufman in a 2015 column for FrontPage Magazine, “is it possible that one of [CAIR’s] leaders, Nezar Hamze, could be considered for a position at one of the most prominent Sheriff’s offices in the United States?”
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"Never Seen Such A Large Crowd": Record Numbers Flock To Florida Gun Show After Shooting
A record number of firearms enthusiasts made their way to the Florida State Fairgrounds this weekend to attend the Florida Gun Show, amid a fierce national debate over gun rights following the Valentine's Day massacre at Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida.
Organizers say almost 7,000 people attended on Saturday, with Sunday's tally expected to be higher. Organizer Steve Fernandez said they've never seen such a large crowd - however it's possible that the cancellation of next month's show in Fort Lauderdale may have attracted concerned citizens.
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Organizers say almost 7,000 people attended on Saturday, with Sunday's tally expected to be higher. Organizer Steve Fernandez said they've never seen such a large crowd - however it's possible that the cancellation of next month's show in Fort Lauderdale may have attracted concerned citizens.
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The School Breakfast Program
Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA)
What is MMFA?
Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA), launched in 1998, is a successful state program that allows high-poverty schools to provide free Breakfast After the Bell to all students. This supports both health and learning, with a lasting positive impact on students across the state.
How Does MMFA Work?
To be eligible for MMFA funding, a school must have at least 40% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Schools must also shift the time they serve breakfast, serving it as part of the school day (like lunch) instead of before school starts.
MMFA is Good For Students, Good For Schools
Nearly 66% of students in MMFA schools participate in the school breakfast program (compared with 27% of other Maryland public schools). Having this morning meal makes a difference; studies show that students in MMFA schools demonstrate better educational performance, improved health and a decrease in discipline problems.
The MMFA Return On Investment
Every dollar of state MMFA funding leverages $5.46 in federal reimbursements.
The MMFA Need
Under the current level of MMFA funding at $6.9 million, only 54% of eligible schools are able to participate. Increasing funding by $4.9 million would allow 100% of eligible schools to participate.
148,053
The number of additional Maryland students who would benefit from a fully expanded implementation of MMFA. Fully expanded MMFA would benefit a total of 388,390 Maryland students.
618
Number of schools eligible for MMFA funding in Maryland. Excludes CEP schools.
451
Number of schools able to participate in MMFA under the current funding levels.
$4.9 million
Additional amount needed in the Maryland State Department of Education's budget to reach 100% of high-poverty schools in Maryland.
Breaking News: Dick's Sporting Goods, one of the U.S.'s largest sports retailers, will stop selling assault-style rifles and require gun buyers to be 21
The announcement, made two weeks after the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that killed 17 students and staff members, is one of the strongest stances taken by corporate America in the national gun debate. It also carries symbolic weight, coming from a prominent national gunseller.
Ohio Sheriff Offers Free Gun Training To 50 Teachers; Forced To Cap At 300 After Huge Response
“We put it online, we thought we’d get 20 school teachers maybe. Within 20 minutes we had 40. Within an hour we had 100. Within four hours we had 200. By the next morning, at 300, we cut it off.”
An Ohio sheriff who offered free firearms training to 50 teachers was forced to cap his offer at 300, after a flood of local school employees signed up in the wake of a Florida high school shooting that left 17 people dead.
“We put it online, we thought we’d get 20 school teachers maybe. Within 20 minutes we had 40. Within an hour we had 100. Within four hours we had 200. By the next morning, at 300, we cut it off,” Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said on “Fox & Friends.”
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An Ohio sheriff who offered free firearms training to 50 teachers was forced to cap his offer at 300, after a flood of local school employees signed up in the wake of a Florida high school shooting that left 17 people dead.
“We put it online, we thought we’d get 20 school teachers maybe. Within 20 minutes we had 40. Within an hour we had 100. Within four hours we had 200. By the next morning, at 300, we cut it off,” Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said on “Fox & Friends.”
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Broward Sheriff Denies Mishandling Shooting
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel declined to answer when CNN’s Jake Tapper asked him if four deputies were ordered to stand down during the Parkland school shooting.
WATCH:
WATCH:
2-23-18 Wicomico Dwelling Fire Sandy Hill Rd.
Date: February 23, 2018
Time: 3:03 p.m.
Location / Address: 5440 Sandy Hill Rd., Quantico, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: One story wood frame single family dwelling
Owner / Occupants: Carolyn Cooper (Owner)
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $140,000 Contents: $40,000
Smoke Alarm Status: Unknown
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): n/a
Primary Responding Fire Department: Westside
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 25
Time to Control: 1 hour
Discovered By: Owner
Area of Origin: Kitchen
Preliminary Cause: Accidental, unattended cooking
2/26/18 Wicomico Vehicle Fire Jefferson Street
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
Date: February 26, 2018
Time: 5:00 a.m.
Location / Address: 714 Jefferson St., Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: 2008 Cadillac SRX
Owner / Occupants: Dekeia Cole
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $100 Contents: $250
Smoke Alarm Status: n/a
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Salisbury
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 3
Time to Control: Upon arrival
Discovered By: Owner
Area of Origin: Under Investigation
Preliminary Cause: Incendiary (intentionally set fire)
Additional Information: Anyone with information is asked to call the Salisbury Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal at (410) 713-3780.
Date: February 26, 2018
Time: 5:00 a.m.
Location / Address: 714 Jefferson St., Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: 2008 Cadillac SRX
Owner / Occupants: Dekeia Cole
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $100 Contents: $250
Smoke Alarm Status: n/a
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Salisbury
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 3
Time to Control: Upon arrival
Discovered By: Owner
Area of Origin: Under Investigation
Preliminary Cause: Incendiary (intentionally set fire)
Additional Information: Anyone with information is asked to call the Salisbury Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal at (410) 713-3780.
Vegetarian and Mediterranean diets are equally effective
Vegetarian and Mediterranean diets are equally effective, new research suggests.
Cutting out meat causes people to lose around 4.2lbs (1.9kg) after three months, a study found.
Whereas following a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, vegetables and fish, leads to people shedding 3.9lbs (1.8kg), the research adds.
The two diets are also thought to have comparable effects on the heart as both cause similar BMI and fat-mass changes, the research adds.
These similar outcomes may be due to both vegetarian and Mediterranean ways of eating limiting people's saturated fat intakes.
Study author Dr Francesco Sofi from the University of Florence and Careggi University Hospital, said: 'The take-home message of our study is that a low-calorie vegetarian diet can help patients reduce cardiovascular risk about the same as a low-calorie Mediterranean diet.
'People have more than one choice for a heart-healthy diet.'
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Cutting out meat causes people to lose around 4.2lbs (1.9kg) after three months, a study found.
Whereas following a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, vegetables and fish, leads to people shedding 3.9lbs (1.8kg), the research adds.
The two diets are also thought to have comparable effects on the heart as both cause similar BMI and fat-mass changes, the research adds.
These similar outcomes may be due to both vegetarian and Mediterranean ways of eating limiting people's saturated fat intakes.
Study author Dr Francesco Sofi from the University of Florence and Careggi University Hospital, said: 'The take-home message of our study is that a low-calorie vegetarian diet can help patients reduce cardiovascular risk about the same as a low-calorie Mediterranean diet.
'People have more than one choice for a heart-healthy diet.'
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Southern Poverty Law Center: Hate groups on the rise in Maryland, nationwide
The number of hate groups across the country grew in 2017 for the third year in a row, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported last week, and the legal advocacy group counted 19 in Maryland, up from 18 the year before.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Montgomery, Ala., counted 954 active hate groups nationwide, a 4 percent increase from 2016.
Most of the growth occurred in neo-Nazi, anti-Muslim and black nationalist groups, the center said. It attributed the increase to white supremacists energized by the presidency of Donald Trump and black nationalist groups rising in response.
“The world allows you to spread propaganda like never before, and Trump has heightened the hate,” said Heidi Beirich, director of the center’s Intelligence Project and overseer of its yearly count of hate groups.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Montgomery, Ala., counted 954 active hate groups nationwide, a 4 percent increase from 2016.
Most of the growth occurred in neo-Nazi, anti-Muslim and black nationalist groups, the center said. It attributed the increase to white supremacists energized by the presidency of Donald Trump and black nationalist groups rising in response.
“The world allows you to spread propaganda like never before, and Trump has heightened the hate,” said Heidi Beirich, director of the center’s Intelligence Project and overseer of its yearly count of hate groups.
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WCSO CID Press Release - Feb. 23, 2018
Date of Incident: February 23, 2018
Location: 102 Bradley St, Hebron, MD 21830
Suspect: Davis Jr., Wayne Dean, Male, 23 years old from Hebron
During the month of February, members of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division (CID) conducted a Controlled Dangerous Substance Investigation on the residence of 102 Bradley St, Hebron, MD 21830.
On February 23, 2018, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) and members of CID executed a Search and Seizure Warrant on the above residence. During the execution of the warrant, Wayne Dean Davis Jr was located and detained inside the residence. Once the residence was secured, the residence was searched in accordance to the guidelines set forth in the Search and Seizure Warrant and the following items were located:
Approximately 419 grams of marijuana
$1,255 in drug proceeds
Stolen items from a recent burglary
While Davis was being transported, Davis assaulted a Deputy. Davis was charged for assault and the Controlled Dangerous Substance violations and released to the Wicomico County Detention Center.
The case remains open and additional charges are pending.
Charges: Possession with intent to distribute marijuana, Possession of marijuana, second degree assault.
Charges: Possession with intent to distribute marijuana, Possession of marijuana, second degree assault.
Gov. Hogan Talks About Trump's Re-election and His Own
As tries to become the first Republican governor of Maryland to win re-election in 64 years, Larry Hogan is maintaining his celebrated distance from Donald Trump and even questioned whether the president will seek re-election in 2020.
Hogan spoke to Newsmax during a break at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
Reminding Hogan that he had publicly refused to endorse his party's nominee for president in 2016 and did not even vote for Trump, Newsmax asked the Free State governor whether he would support Trump for re-election?
"Are you certain he's going to run for re-election?" Hogan shot back with a wink.
Hogan, 61, then pointed out he and the president "have always had good relations" since the election and that Vice President Mike Pence served with him on the NGA while governor of Indiana "and is a longtime friend."
"So when I disagree with the administration, I won't be out protesting," said the governor, underscoring that his disagreements with the administration are often lodged quietly or privately.
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Hogan spoke to Newsmax during a break at the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C.
Reminding Hogan that he had publicly refused to endorse his party's nominee for president in 2016 and did not even vote for Trump, Newsmax asked the Free State governor whether he would support Trump for re-election?
"Are you certain he's going to run for re-election?" Hogan shot back with a wink.
Hogan, 61, then pointed out he and the president "have always had good relations" since the election and that Vice President Mike Pence served with him on the NGA while governor of Indiana "and is a longtime friend."
"So when I disagree with the administration, I won't be out protesting," said the governor, underscoring that his disagreements with the administration are often lodged quietly or privately.
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