President Trump has reportedly told Sen. Rand Paul that U.S. involvement in Afghanistan is coming to an end.
Paul, who has long called for an end to the war in Afghanistan, has repeatedly called on President Trump to live up to his campaign promises and bring the troops home.
According to The Washington Post, Trump has told Paul that he plans on doing just that. “In general, we’re getting the hell out of there,” the president reportedly said.
The comments reportedly came from a private conversation the libertarian-leaning senator had with the president, where Paul encouraged the president to abandon the hawkish views of cabinet members like National Security Advisor John Bolton.
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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, May 02, 2018
A 1-in-10 Year Shift Has Hit the Markets and No One's Talking About It
The markets are moving into their first MAJOR inflationary shift in TEN years.
Perhaps the single best metric for measuring inflation vs. deflation in the bond markets is the TIPs to Long US Treasury ratio. In its simplest rendering when this ratio rises, it means inflation is on the rise. When it falls it means deflation is dominating the bond markets.
As you can see in the chart below, this ratio has just broken out of a 10-year deflationary downtrend. This is the FIRST confirmed breakout since the 2008 Crisis. And it signals a tectonic shift towards inflation is underway in the bond markets.
We are seeing a similar breakout in the velocity of money, which measures the speed at which money travels throughout the financial system. Here again we are seeing our first upwards breakout of a previous downtrend in ten years.
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Perhaps the single best metric for measuring inflation vs. deflation in the bond markets is the TIPs to Long US Treasury ratio. In its simplest rendering when this ratio rises, it means inflation is on the rise. When it falls it means deflation is dominating the bond markets.
As you can see in the chart below, this ratio has just broken out of a 10-year deflationary downtrend. This is the FIRST confirmed breakout since the 2008 Crisis. And it signals a tectonic shift towards inflation is underway in the bond markets.
We are seeing a similar breakout in the velocity of money, which measures the speed at which money travels throughout the financial system. Here again we are seeing our first upwards breakout of a previous downtrend in ten years.
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"How Did We Get Here...?"
Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, billed as a celebration of the First Amendment and a tribute to journalists who “speak truth to power,” has to be the worst advertisement in memory for our national press corps.
Comedian Michelle Wolf, the guest speaker, recited one filthy joke after another at the expense of President Trump and his people, using words that would have gotten her kicked out of school not so long ago.
Media critic Howard Kurtz said he had “never seen a performance like that,” adding that Wolf “was not only nasty but dropping F-bombs on live television.” Some of her stuff was grungier than that.
The anti-Trump media at the black-tie dinner laughed and whooped it up, and occasionally “oohed” as Wolf went too far even for them, lending confirmation to Trump’s depiction of who and what they are.
While the journalistic elite at the black-tie dinner was reveling in the raw sewage served up by Wolf, Trump had just wrapped up a rally in Michigan.
The contrast between the two assemblies could not have been more stark. We are truly two Americas now.
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Comedian Michelle Wolf, the guest speaker, recited one filthy joke after another at the expense of President Trump and his people, using words that would have gotten her kicked out of school not so long ago.
Media critic Howard Kurtz said he had “never seen a performance like that,” adding that Wolf “was not only nasty but dropping F-bombs on live television.” Some of her stuff was grungier than that.
The anti-Trump media at the black-tie dinner laughed and whooped it up, and occasionally “oohed” as Wolf went too far even for them, lending confirmation to Trump’s depiction of who and what they are.
While the journalistic elite at the black-tie dinner was reveling in the raw sewage served up by Wolf, Trump had just wrapped up a rally in Michigan.
The contrast between the two assemblies could not have been more stark. We are truly two Americas now.
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Desperate search is launched for boy, 16, who 'is on the run with a teacher'
Police have launched a desperate search for a high school student and a teacher who are believed to have run off with each other.
Cops in Hattiesburg, Mississippi issued the alert on Monday seeking teacher Nicole Jackson, 30, who is currently free on $10,000 bail on charges of sexual battery in a position of trust, and Oscar O'Neal, 16.
The pair could be in a dark blue Chevy Impala with plate number FRA-4454.
Oscar's father, Oscar O'Neal Jr, took to Facebook to issue a public plea for his son's safe return home.
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Cops in Hattiesburg, Mississippi issued the alert on Monday seeking teacher Nicole Jackson, 30, who is currently free on $10,000 bail on charges of sexual battery in a position of trust, and Oscar O'Neal, 16.
The pair could be in a dark blue Chevy Impala with plate number FRA-4454.
Oscar's father, Oscar O'Neal Jr, took to Facebook to issue a public plea for his son's safe return home.
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Maxine Waters: Kanye Talking ‘Out of Turn,’ ‘Should Think Twice About Politics’
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) reportedly blasted musician Kanye West on Monday evening for talking “out of turn” when asked about West’s recent praise for President Donald Trump.
“Kanye West is a very creative young man who has presented some of the most revolutionary material in the African-American community. … But we also think that sometimes Kanye West talks out of turn and perhaps sometimes he needs some assistance in helping him to formulate some of his thoughts,” Waters reportedly told Politico at an Oakland event with members of the Congressional Black Caucus that pushed for more diversity in Silicon Valley. “We don’t think that he actually means to do harm, but we’re not sure he really understands the impact of what he’s saying, at the time that he’s saying it and how that weighs on, particularly the African American community – and for young people in general. … And I think maybe he should think twice about politics, and maybe not have so much to say.”
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“Kanye West is a very creative young man who has presented some of the most revolutionary material in the African-American community. … But we also think that sometimes Kanye West talks out of turn and perhaps sometimes he needs some assistance in helping him to formulate some of his thoughts,” Waters reportedly told Politico at an Oakland event with members of the Congressional Black Caucus that pushed for more diversity in Silicon Valley. “We don’t think that he actually means to do harm, but we’re not sure he really understands the impact of what he’s saying, at the time that he’s saying it and how that weighs on, particularly the African American community – and for young people in general. … And I think maybe he should think twice about politics, and maybe not have so much to say.”
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Comic Michelle Wolf Responds To Backlash: 'I'm Glad I Stuck To My Guns'
A few minutes into her performance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night, comic Michelle Wolf joked that the event organizers should have done more research before booking her. By the end of the set, the organizers may have agreed.
Though the dinner is known for its barbed humor, critics complained that some of Wolf's jokes were too pointed — particularly those aimed at White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, who was seated on the dais. Wolf, meanwhile, says she made a "conscious effort not to write any jokes about any woman's looks" into the set.
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Though the dinner is known for its barbed humor, critics complained that some of Wolf's jokes were too pointed — particularly those aimed at White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, who was seated on the dais. Wolf, meanwhile, says she made a "conscious effort not to write any jokes about any woman's looks" into the set.
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Experimental Lung Treatment Could Make Breathing Easier
An engineer in California has an invention that she hopes will someday help people with damaged lungs breathe easier.
Stanford University's Annelise Baron has developed a synthetic version of something called lung surfactant. Lung surfactant coats the tiny air sacs in the lung. Without it, every breath would be a struggle, like blowing up millions of little balloons. With surfactant, breathing is as easy as blowing soap bubbles.
Scientists inferred the existence of lung surfactant in the 1950s, and then Dr. Mary Ellen Avery showed that premature infants were unable to make surfactant, explaining the often fatal respiratory distress syndrome they suffered from.
Stanford University pulmonologist Angela Rogers says a surfactant harvested from animal lungs has been used successfully to treat these preemies.
"It's absolutely a lifesaver," says Rogers. "Hundreds of thousands of people are alive in our country today because of the widespread use of surfactant."
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Stanford University's Annelise Baron has developed a synthetic version of something called lung surfactant. Lung surfactant coats the tiny air sacs in the lung. Without it, every breath would be a struggle, like blowing up millions of little balloons. With surfactant, breathing is as easy as blowing soap bubbles.
Scientists inferred the existence of lung surfactant in the 1950s, and then Dr. Mary Ellen Avery showed that premature infants were unable to make surfactant, explaining the often fatal respiratory distress syndrome they suffered from.
Stanford University pulmonologist Angela Rogers says a surfactant harvested from animal lungs has been used successfully to treat these preemies.
"It's absolutely a lifesaver," says Rogers. "Hundreds of thousands of people are alive in our country today because of the widespread use of surfactant."
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DNC Officials Demand Refund From Hillary Clinton
Several officials with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) are demanding that Hillary Clinton return over a million dollars that the organization paid her political group for her campaign email list and other resources, reports the Huffington Post's Daniel Marans
In February 2017, the DNC agreed to pay Clinton’s group Onward Together $1.65 million for her campaign email list, analytics, donor data and related items, The Intercept reported on Wednesday. The cache of material was worth more than $5 million; Clinton’s campaign made an in-kind donation of resources worth $3.5 million, and the DNC paid for the rest.
Now a number of Democratic Party officials, including some state party chairs and DNC members, want Clinton to retroactively donate the campaign materials to the DNC and return the money that the party organ gave Onward Together. -Huffington Post
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In February 2017, the DNC agreed to pay Clinton’s group Onward Together $1.65 million for her campaign email list, analytics, donor data and related items, The Intercept reported on Wednesday. The cache of material was worth more than $5 million; Clinton’s campaign made an in-kind donation of resources worth $3.5 million, and the DNC paid for the rest.
Now a number of Democratic Party officials, including some state party chairs and DNC members, want Clinton to retroactively donate the campaign materials to the DNC and return the money that the party organ gave Onward Together. -Huffington Post
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Stolen Iranian Nuclear Plans May Trigger New Inspections
Former weapons inspectors say an apparent trove of information on Iran's nuclear weapons program will increase pressure for more intrusive inspections of its atomic sites.
On Monday, the Israeli government disclosed it had obtained thousands of pages of documents and nearly 200 CDs' worth of data on Iran's nuclear program.
"Everything you're about to see is an exact copy of the original Iranian material," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters. His presentation included blueprints, photos and documents that he claimed were stolen from a vault in Tehran earlier this year.
Netanyahu said Israel was prepared to share the documentation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA is the body charged with conducting comprehensive inspections of Iran's nuclear sites under a 2015 deal that froze the nation's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
On Monday, the Israeli government disclosed it had obtained thousands of pages of documents and nearly 200 CDs' worth of data on Iran's nuclear program.
"Everything you're about to see is an exact copy of the original Iranian material," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters. His presentation included blueprints, photos and documents that he claimed were stolen from a vault in Tehran earlier this year.
Netanyahu said Israel was prepared to share the documentation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The IAEA is the body charged with conducting comprehensive inspections of Iran's nuclear sites under a 2015 deal that froze the nation's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Questions Raised About Study Of Device To Ease Opioid Withdrawal
To the untrained, the evidence looks promising for a new medical device to ease opioid withdrawal. A small study shows that people feel better when the device, an electronic nerve stimulator called the Bridge, is placed behind their ear.
The company that markets the Bridge is using the study results to promote its use to anyone who will listen: policymakers, criminal justice officials and health care providers.
The message is working.
In the face of a nationwide crisis of opioid addiction, people are eager for new solutions. Criminal justice officials in multiple states have started Bridge pilot programs. At least one such program in Indiana received state funds. Providers with a major hospital chain in Indiana began prescribing the Bridge. And politicians in Indiana, Utah and Ohio publicly touted the device.
Innovative Health Solutions, the device maker, has marketed the Bridge for opioid withdrawal for more than a year, even before it had clearance for that use from the Food and Drug Administration. Then, last November, the Versailles, Ind.-based company got that, too. Citing the study, the FDA allowed the Bridge to be promoted for opioid withdrawal.
Indiana State Sen. Jim Merritt, a Republican who is known for sponsoring legislation addressing the opioid crisis, held an effusive press conference after the FDA gave its OK to the Bridge. "People will detox," he told reporters. "They will withdraw from drugs if it's a simpler process, and this is it."
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The company that markets the Bridge is using the study results to promote its use to anyone who will listen: policymakers, criminal justice officials and health care providers.
The message is working.
In the face of a nationwide crisis of opioid addiction, people are eager for new solutions. Criminal justice officials in multiple states have started Bridge pilot programs. At least one such program in Indiana received state funds. Providers with a major hospital chain in Indiana began prescribing the Bridge. And politicians in Indiana, Utah and Ohio publicly touted the device.
Innovative Health Solutions, the device maker, has marketed the Bridge for opioid withdrawal for more than a year, even before it had clearance for that use from the Food and Drug Administration. Then, last November, the Versailles, Ind.-based company got that, too. Citing the study, the FDA allowed the Bridge to be promoted for opioid withdrawal.
Indiana State Sen. Jim Merritt, a Republican who is known for sponsoring legislation addressing the opioid crisis, held an effusive press conference after the FDA gave its OK to the Bridge. "People will detox," he told reporters. "They will withdraw from drugs if it's a simpler process, and this is it."
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New Book Reveals Hillary Drinking Habits
A new article asks some serious questions about Hillary Clinton’s drinking habits.
National Review’s Kyle Smith writes about the revelation from Amy Chozick’s new book that there was supposed to be an article in The New York Times after the election that portrayed Hillary as fun and laid-back, citing her drinking habits as proof.
Smith wonders why that article couldn’t have run before the election.
“The attentive reader will wonder whether Clinton has a drinking problem,” Smith writes. “Chozick says that Clinton would have been ‘the booziest president since FDR’ and ‘enjoys a cocktail — or three — more than most previous presidents.’ Chozick isn’t saying that Clinton has three cocktails but that she has three cocktails more than a man.”
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National Review’s Kyle Smith writes about the revelation from Amy Chozick’s new book that there was supposed to be an article in The New York Times after the election that portrayed Hillary as fun and laid-back, citing her drinking habits as proof.
Smith wonders why that article couldn’t have run before the election.
“The attentive reader will wonder whether Clinton has a drinking problem,” Smith writes. “Chozick says that Clinton would have been ‘the booziest president since FDR’ and ‘enjoys a cocktail — or three — more than most previous presidents.’ Chozick isn’t saying that Clinton has three cocktails but that she has three cocktails more than a man.”
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Trump considers shoving John Kelly by appointing him to lead the VA
President Donald Trump has considered getting rid of John Kelly and sending him to run the Veterans Administration.
The change would solve two problems at once: how to quickly mute the Washington-wide conflicts over his previous VA nominee Dr. Ronny Jackson, and what to do with a chief of staff who has become a less effective manager and has reportedly called him 'an idiot' in private.
Kelly would likely have an easy time winning his second Senate confirmation: He was originally green-lighted by an 88-11 vote to head the Department of Homeland Security.
The Wall Street Journal cited a White House source on Monday who said '[t]here have been discussions among the senior staff and the president directly about the possibility of Gen. Kelly going there [to the VA].'
Kelly lashed out Monday at an NBC News report that he had questioned the president's intelligence during an early April meeting, saying in a rare personal statement that it was 'total BS.'
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The change would solve two problems at once: how to quickly mute the Washington-wide conflicts over his previous VA nominee Dr. Ronny Jackson, and what to do with a chief of staff who has become a less effective manager and has reportedly called him 'an idiot' in private.
Kelly would likely have an easy time winning his second Senate confirmation: He was originally green-lighted by an 88-11 vote to head the Department of Homeland Security.
The Wall Street Journal cited a White House source on Monday who said '[t]here have been discussions among the senior staff and the president directly about the possibility of Gen. Kelly going there [to the VA].'
Kelly lashed out Monday at an NBC News report that he had questioned the president's intelligence during an early April meeting, saying in a rare personal statement that it was 'total BS.'
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JUST IN: Military plane crashes near Georgia airport, FAA says
The Puerto Rico Air National Guard plane crashed just before 11:30 a.m., shortly after takeoff from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, the Savannah Air National Guard said. The plane was bound for Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona and on a training mission when it went down.
“There has been a plane crash at the intersection of Hwy 21 at Crossgate Rd. Roads will be shut down. Please avoid the area,” Chatham EMA tweeted shortly after the incident.
Photos from the ground showed a section of the plane engulfed by fire and thick black smoke billowing to the sky. Only the tail section of the aircraft was intact.
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/05/02/c-130-military-transport-plane-crashes-near-airport-in-savannah-faa-says.html
Florida man arrested for murder after inviting friends to see body
A 40-year-old convict has been arrested for murder in Florida after inviting people round to his home to show them a dead woman's body in his backyard shed.
Angelo Dante Beckford was taken into custody on Monday after the incident in St Petersburg.
He had invited friends round to the property where he was living and when they arrived, took them to the backyard shed where Cheyenne Snyder's body was.
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Angelo Dante Beckford was taken into custody on Monday after the incident in St Petersburg.
He had invited friends round to the property where he was living and when they arrived, took them to the backyard shed where Cheyenne Snyder's body was.
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Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention Hosts Handle With Care Training to Support Children After Trauma
300 Attendees Begin Statewide Program Expansion
ANNAPOLIS, MD – More than 300 law enforcement personnel, school administrators, staff, and mental health practitioners from across the state gathered yesterday for Handle with Care training, funded by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. This initiative seeks to mitigate adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) by providing trauma-informed services inside Maryland schools that help prevent future victimization and/or delinquency. Already underway in Washington County, Handle with Care trainings are slated for statewide implementation.
“No child should have to undergo trauma of any kind, but when they do, we must do everything we can to support their recovery process,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “We are grateful for programs like Handle with Care, which help to mitigate the negative impacts of traumatic experiences on our children and allow them to achieve a better educational experience and quality of life.”
Handle with Care training provides an interactive opportunity for participants to learn how to support children who are exposed to violence in their home, school, or community. During this training, participants learn best practices that can not only reduce the impact of traumatic experiences on children, but can help them to better succeed in school.
Trainings were led by Andrea Darr, Director of the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice; Chad Napier, Prevention Coordinator for Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA); Sheriff Douglass W. Mullendore, Washington County Sheriff’s Office; and Robin Handler, School Counseling Supervisor, Washington County Public School System.
“Regardless of the source of trauma, exposure to violence can undermine a child’s ability to learn, form relationships, and function appropriately in the classroom,” said Glenn Fueston, Executive Director for the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. “Through programs such as Handle with Care, we can more effectively address adverse childhood experiences while protecting the course of their education, because every child deserves a safer Maryland.”
Handle with Care training provides an interactive opportunity for participants to learn how to support children who are exposed to violence in their home, school, or community. During this training, participants learn best practices that can not only reduce the impact of traumatic experiences on children, but can help them to better succeed in school.
Trainings were led by Andrea Darr, Director of the West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice; Chad Napier, Prevention Coordinator for Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA); Sheriff Douglass W. Mullendore, Washington County Sheriff’s Office; and Robin Handler, School Counseling Supervisor, Washington County Public School System.
“Regardless of the source of trauma, exposure to violence can undermine a child’s ability to learn, form relationships, and function appropriately in the classroom,” said Glenn Fueston, Executive Director for the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention. “Through programs such as Handle with Care, we can more effectively address adverse childhood experiences while protecting the course of their education, because every child deserves a safer Maryland.”
For additional information on West Virginia’s Handle with Care program, click here.
More than 300 law enforcement, school administrators and staff,
and mental health practitioners gathered during Handle with Care
training session in Crownsville, Maryland.
and mental health practitioners gathered during Handle with Care
training session in Crownsville, Maryland.
This 7-Eleven has a unique way to stop loitering, panhandling
MODESTO, Calif. — A 7-Eleven in California has found a way to keep people from panhandling and loitering outside the store: crank up classical music.
Sukhi Sandhu, who owns the franchise in Modesto, said his customers tell him they feel safer since he started blasting symphonies and occasional operas over outdoor speakers.
“Once the music started, the riffraff left,” said Manuel Souza, who’s homeless and jokingly referred to himself as part of the riffraff. The loud music makes it hard “to hang out and gossip and joke around” near the store, Souza told the Modesto Bee last week from under a tree down the block.
The classical music is part of a 7-Eleven program that encourages non-confrontational methods to reduce loitering, Sandhu said. It eliminates any risks faced by clerks when asking panhandlers to leave, he said.
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Sukhi Sandhu, who owns the franchise in Modesto, said his customers tell him they feel safer since he started blasting symphonies and occasional operas over outdoor speakers.
“Once the music started, the riffraff left,” said Manuel Souza, who’s homeless and jokingly referred to himself as part of the riffraff. The loud music makes it hard “to hang out and gossip and joke around” near the store, Souza told the Modesto Bee last week from under a tree down the block.
The classical music is part of a 7-Eleven program that encourages non-confrontational methods to reduce loitering, Sandhu said. It eliminates any risks faced by clerks when asking panhandlers to leave, he said.
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The CIA Cleared Her Book Twice. Then It Took It Back. Why? It’s a Secret.
A former counterterror analyst—who’s written about Libya since leaving—plans to sue the CIA after it reversed itself to find her ‘entire manuscript reveals classified information.’
Sarah Carlson spent seven years analyzing the attack plans of Middle Eastern terrorist groups for the CIA. Now the agency is trying to stop Carlson from writing a book about one tumultuous aspect of her service.
Carlson is set to file a lawsuit demanding the agency permit her to go forward with a book that touches upon her time as an analyst for the CIA’s highly secretive Counterterrorism Center. The bureau within the CIA that ensures former officials don’t publish official secrets, the Publications Review Board, already cleared her manuscript twice.
But in November, two years after Carlson first submitted her manuscript, the CIA board told her that “the entire manuscript reveals classified information,” according to a copy of her imminent lawsuit provided to The Daily Beast. It’s even trying to stop Carlson from publishing her intended book title.
The book, Carlson told The Daily Beast, doesn’t reveal a scandal. She doesn’t “say anything negative about the CIA,” she said. “It’s very focused on a specific year and what happened there during a dangerous environment, a crisis and what we did in response.”
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Sarah Carlson spent seven years analyzing the attack plans of Middle Eastern terrorist groups for the CIA. Now the agency is trying to stop Carlson from writing a book about one tumultuous aspect of her service.
Carlson is set to file a lawsuit demanding the agency permit her to go forward with a book that touches upon her time as an analyst for the CIA’s highly secretive Counterterrorism Center. The bureau within the CIA that ensures former officials don’t publish official secrets, the Publications Review Board, already cleared her manuscript twice.
But in November, two years after Carlson first submitted her manuscript, the CIA board told her that “the entire manuscript reveals classified information,” according to a copy of her imminent lawsuit provided to The Daily Beast. It’s even trying to stop Carlson from publishing her intended book title.
The book, Carlson told The Daily Beast, doesn’t reveal a scandal. She doesn’t “say anything negative about the CIA,” she said. “It’s very focused on a specific year and what happened there during a dangerous environment, a crisis and what we did in response.”
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New Fee Starting May 1 For Assateague Island Visitors
BERLIN, Md. (WJZ) — Starting May 1, The National Park Servicewill charge a $10 fee per person entering Assateague Island National Seashore on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
According to NPS, other fees will remain unchanged to enter the park. On Jan. 1, 2020 the fee will increase again to $15 per person and $25 per vehicle. Motorcycles will cost $20 and the annual park pass $45.
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According to NPS, other fees will remain unchanged to enter the park. On Jan. 1, 2020 the fee will increase again to $15 per person and $25 per vehicle. Motorcycles will cost $20 and the annual park pass $45.
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Tick and Mosquito Infections Spreading Rapidly, C.D.C. Finds
Farewell, carefree days of summer.
The number of people getting diseases transmitted by mosquito, tick and flea bites has more than tripled in the United States in recent years, federal health officials reported on Tuesday. Since 2004, at least nine such diseases have been discovered or newly introduced here.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not suggest that Americans drop plans for softball games or hammock snoozes. But officials emphasized that it’s increasingly important for everyone — especially children — to be protected from outdoor pests with bug repellent.
New tickborne diseases like Heartland virus are showing up in the continental United States, even as cases of Lyme disease and other established infections are growing. On island territories like Puerto Rico, the threat is mosquitoes carrying viruses like dengue and Zika.
Warmer weather is an important cause of the surge, according to the lead author of a study published in the C.D.C.’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
But the author, Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, the agency’s director of vector-borne diseases, declined to link the increase to the politically fraught issue of climate change, and the report does not mention climate change or global warming. Many other factors are at work, he emphasized, including increased jet travel and a lack of vaccines.
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The number of people getting diseases transmitted by mosquito, tick and flea bites has more than tripled in the United States in recent years, federal health officials reported on Tuesday. Since 2004, at least nine such diseases have been discovered or newly introduced here.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not suggest that Americans drop plans for softball games or hammock snoozes. But officials emphasized that it’s increasingly important for everyone — especially children — to be protected from outdoor pests with bug repellent.
New tickborne diseases like Heartland virus are showing up in the continental United States, even as cases of Lyme disease and other established infections are growing. On island territories like Puerto Rico, the threat is mosquitoes carrying viruses like dengue and Zika.
Warmer weather is an important cause of the surge, according to the lead author of a study published in the C.D.C.’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
But the author, Dr. Lyle R. Petersen, the agency’s director of vector-borne diseases, declined to link the increase to the politically fraught issue of climate change, and the report does not mention climate change or global warming. Many other factors are at work, he emphasized, including increased jet travel and a lack of vaccines.
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65% Public School 8th Graders Not Proficient in Reading
Sixty-five percent of the eighth graders in American public schools in 2017 were not proficient in reading and 67 percent were not proficient in mathematics, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress test results released by the U.S. Department of Education.
The results are far worse for students enrolled in some urban districts.
Among the 27 large urban districts for which the Department of Education published 2017 NAEP test scores, the Detroit public schools had the lowest percentage of students who scored proficient or better in math and the lowest percentage who scored proficient or better in reading.
Only 5 percent of Detroit public-school eighth graders were proficient or better in math. Only 7 percent were proficient or better in reading.
In the Cleveland public schools, only 11 percent of eight graders were proficient or better in math and only 10 percent were proficient or better in reading.
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The results are far worse for students enrolled in some urban districts.
Among the 27 large urban districts for which the Department of Education published 2017 NAEP test scores, the Detroit public schools had the lowest percentage of students who scored proficient or better in math and the lowest percentage who scored proficient or better in reading.
Only 5 percent of Detroit public-school eighth graders were proficient or better in math. Only 7 percent were proficient or better in reading.
In the Cleveland public schools, only 11 percent of eight graders were proficient or better in math and only 10 percent were proficient or better in reading.
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Ocean City Police Enforce Speeding on Residential Streets
OCEAN CITY, MD – After receiving complaints from residents, Ocean City police recently conducted traffic details in the Montego Bay and Caine Woods neighborhoods to address speeding and other traffic violations. On several dates in the month of April, officers focused on the side streets where residents are affected by traffic issues the most – near their homes. Officers made several traffic stops resulting in citations and warnings.
“The quality of life of our residents is directly affected by what occurs on their street,” commented Captain Mike Colbert, Commander of the Ocean City Police Department Patrol Division. “By enforcing traffic on our residential streets, we can slow drivers down and make the neighborhoods safer for everyone.”
Citizens are reminded to follow speed limits on all city streets and drive safely, particularly in residential neighborhoods. Most residential streets in Ocean City have a speed limit of 25 mph. Officers will continue to conduct traffic details to encourage drivers to follow the posted speed limits.
“The quality of life of our residents is directly affected by what occurs on their street,” commented Captain Mike Colbert, Commander of the Ocean City Police Department Patrol Division. “By enforcing traffic on our residential streets, we can slow drivers down and make the neighborhoods safer for everyone.”
Citizens are reminded to follow speed limits on all city streets and drive safely, particularly in residential neighborhoods. Most residential streets in Ocean City have a speed limit of 25 mph. Officers will continue to conduct traffic details to encourage drivers to follow the posted speed limits.
And Now Millennials are Fleeing the Democratic Party
Elections are governed by the middle-aged, political movements are sustained by youth. It’s no secret that older folks vote in higher proportions than younger. They simply have the most at stake in any election as changes in policy, usually taxes, affect them most.
But, the energy which sustains a political party comes from how well it can mobilize the youth. And for two generations the youth in America sustained the Democrats through their appeals to emotion and ‘fairness’ through the lens of cultural Marxism and democratic socialism.
It doesn’t hurt that the institutions of education and media have been completely taken over by these ideologies to the point where we find ourselves today. But, like all things that swing too far in one direction the counter trend begins to take hold.
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But, the energy which sustains a political party comes from how well it can mobilize the youth. And for two generations the youth in America sustained the Democrats through their appeals to emotion and ‘fairness’ through the lens of cultural Marxism and democratic socialism.
It doesn’t hurt that the institutions of education and media have been completely taken over by these ideologies to the point where we find ourselves today. But, like all things that swing too far in one direction the counter trend begins to take hold.
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California Bill Would Allow Illegals To Serve On Government Boards
As California expands services to illegals residing in the state, legislation introduced Monday in the state legislature would allow them to sit on government boards and potentially collect pay for doing so.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Democratic state Sen. Ricardo Lara’s bill would change the current law surrounding appointments to state and local boards to include anyone over the age of 18 — without considering whether the nominee is an American citizen.
“California is stronger when we utilize talents of all our residents, and opening state and local boards and commissions to every Californian will allow us to better serve our diverse communities,” Lara said in a statement.
“Undocumented Californians are our neighbors, co-workers and parents, and as lawmakers we can’t make good policy if their voices are left out of the discussion.”
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According to the Sacramento Bee, Democratic state Sen. Ricardo Lara’s bill would change the current law surrounding appointments to state and local boards to include anyone over the age of 18 — without considering whether the nominee is an American citizen.
“California is stronger when we utilize talents of all our residents, and opening state and local boards and commissions to every Californian will allow us to better serve our diverse communities,” Lara said in a statement.
“Undocumented Californians are our neighbors, co-workers and parents, and as lawmakers we can’t make good policy if their voices are left out of the discussion.”
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Baltimore man imprisoned for crime he didn't commit may receive $9M
A Baltimore man who spent two decades of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit may receive a multi-million dollar settlement from the city.
James Owens, now 57, was released from prison a decade ago after DNA evidence cleared him and another man of the 1987 rape and murder of 24-year-old college student and phone company employee Colleen Williar.
Owens had spent 21 years of a life sentence in prison before he was freed.
Now, Baltimore may pay Owens $9million for the wrongful conviction, the largest settlement from the city in an alleged police misconduct case.
The settlement would come from Baltimore's regular budget and is set to go before the city's spending panel on Wednesday.
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James Owens, now 57, was released from prison a decade ago after DNA evidence cleared him and another man of the 1987 rape and murder of 24-year-old college student and phone company employee Colleen Williar.
Owens had spent 21 years of a life sentence in prison before he was freed.
Now, Baltimore may pay Owens $9million for the wrongful conviction, the largest settlement from the city in an alleged police misconduct case.
The settlement would come from Baltimore's regular budget and is set to go before the city's spending panel on Wednesday.
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DC cop discovered in 14-year-old girl's bedroom by her mother
A Washington DC officer is now the one behind bars after he was allegedly found in a 14-year-old girl's bedroom by her mother.
The girl's mother immediately called police after she discovered Nathan Clinkscale, 25, in her daughter's room around 1.30am on Monday.
Clinkscale told police that he had consensual sex with the girl, who he met on the dating site 'Interracial Cupid', according to WJLA.
He has been charged with a third-degree sex incident involving a minor.
Clinkscale works in the Fifth District of the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.
He had been an officer for about a year before his arrest.
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The girl's mother immediately called police after she discovered Nathan Clinkscale, 25, in her daughter's room around 1.30am on Monday.
Clinkscale told police that he had consensual sex with the girl, who he met on the dating site 'Interracial Cupid', according to WJLA.
He has been charged with a third-degree sex incident involving a minor.
Clinkscale works in the Fifth District of the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.
He had been an officer for about a year before his arrest.
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Bridgeville Woman Charged with 5th Offense DUI After Crash
The incident occurred on Monday, April 30, 2018 at approximately 5:44 p.m. when Troopers were dispatched to a single vehicle rollover crash on Atlanta Road south of Hill Road. Upon the Trooper's arrival, it was discovered that a blue 1989 Chevrolet S10 pickup truck had been involved in a crash in which the operator had fled the scene. The investigation revealed that the operator of the pickup truck attempted to navigate a turn, lost control and flipped several times before coming to its final resting place on all four wheels.
A search of the area led to the discovery of the driver, identified as 36-year-old Zabrina M. Wilson. While speaking with Wilson, an odor of alcohol was detected and a DUI investigation ensued. A computer check revealed that Wilson had four previous DUI convictions, making this her fifth offense. Wilson was also found to be in possession of marijuana.
Wilson was transported back to Troop 5 where she was charged with 5th Offense DUI (Felony), Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Failure to Provide Information At a Collision Scene, Failure to Have Insurance Identification, Failure to Report a Collision, and Possession of Marijuana. She was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and committed to the Baylor Women's Correctional Institution on $6,504.00 secured bond.
Traffic Charge Filed In Crash That Killed Deputy State Fire Marshal And FBI Agent
(ROCKVILLE, MD) – The Maryland State Police investigation into the traffic crash that claimed the lives of two law enforcement officers late last year in Montgomery County has concluded and the driver involved has been charged with negligent driving.
The driver is identified as Roberto A. Garza Palacios, 28, of Germantown, Md. After a review of the investigation by the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, it was determined he was to be charged with negligent driving, a violation of Transportation Article 21-901.1(b). When contributing to an accident, this charge carries a penalty of a $280 fine and three points. Garza Palacios met with State Police at the Rockville Barrack in mid-April and was issued the citation. Signing the citation is not an admission of guilt.
The charge is a result of the investigation by the Maryland State Police Crash Team into a crash that occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on December 8, 2017, on southbound I-270, north of Falls Road. Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Sander Cohen of the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal and FBI Special Agent Carlos Wolff, were both killed in the crash.
Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Cohen was off-duty and driving south on I-270 when he came upon Special Agent Wolff’s personal vehicle disabled in the travel lane. He immediately called the Maryland State Police Rockville Barrack for assistance and blocked the damaged vehicle with his own, while activating his emergency flashers in an attempt to safeguard the scene. The actions of Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Cohen placed him in an official on-duty status at that time.
The driver is identified as Roberto A. Garza Palacios, 28, of Germantown, Md. After a review of the investigation by the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, it was determined he was to be charged with negligent driving, a violation of Transportation Article 21-901.1(b). When contributing to an accident, this charge carries a penalty of a $280 fine and three points. Garza Palacios met with State Police at the Rockville Barrack in mid-April and was issued the citation. Signing the citation is not an admission of guilt.
The charge is a result of the investigation by the Maryland State Police Crash Team into a crash that occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on December 8, 2017, on southbound I-270, north of Falls Road. Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Sander Cohen of the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal and FBI Special Agent Carlos Wolff, were both killed in the crash.
Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Cohen was off-duty and driving south on I-270 when he came upon Special Agent Wolff’s personal vehicle disabled in the travel lane. He immediately called the Maryland State Police Rockville Barrack for assistance and blocked the damaged vehicle with his own, while activating his emergency flashers in an attempt to safeguard the scene. The actions of Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Cohen placed him in an official on-duty status at that time.
How to Size a Window Air Conditioner
Don't buy a more—or less—powerful unit than you need
Size matters when you’re buying a window air conditioner. An AC that’s too small will struggle to keep the room at a comfortable temperature; a model that’s too big will cool the room too quickly without removing enough humidity from the air.
Choose just right and you’ll feel just right—and save money, too. Consumer Reports tests air conditioners in rooms that are the same size as the ones they’re intended to cool. That makes it easier for you to select the best model for your needs.
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Size matters when you’re buying a window air conditioner. An AC that’s too small will struggle to keep the room at a comfortable temperature; a model that’s too big will cool the room too quickly without removing enough humidity from the air.
Choose just right and you’ll feel just right—and save money, too. Consumer Reports tests air conditioners in rooms that are the same size as the ones they’re intended to cool. That makes it easier for you to select the best model for your needs.
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Pros and Cons of Amazon Prime
The cost of joining Amazon Prime is rising. Before signing up, consider if you'll take advantage of the services it offers
Amazon announced today that it will raise the annual price of its Prime membership from $99 to $119. The new price takes effect on May 11 for new members and on June 16 for those renewing. The company says it will send an email to existing members with renewal details in May.
Amazon made the announcement during its earnings call, explaining that the new price is justified and pointing out that the last increase in its membership fee was in 2014. Recently, the company has expanded Prime Free Same-Day and Prime Free One-Day delivery to more than 8,000 cities and towns and plans to keep expanding. It has also increased the number of items eligible for free two-day shipping in recent years from 20 million to more than 100 million items.
Brian Olsavsky, the company's chief financial officer, said that the cost of Prime is high for the company, especially with the shipping options and digital benefits that it offers. The price hike comes a few months after Amazon increased the monthly membership cost by 18 percent, from $10.99 per month to $12.99 per month.
Earlier in the week, Amazon announced a new service—packages can get delivered to customers' cars—as long as they have a Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, or Volvo made in 2015 or later. The cars also need to have an active OnStar or Volvo On Call account.
The new service is available to Prime customers in 37 cities and was created to help prevent package theft.
More
Amazon announced today that it will raise the annual price of its Prime membership from $99 to $119. The new price takes effect on May 11 for new members and on June 16 for those renewing. The company says it will send an email to existing members with renewal details in May.
Amazon made the announcement during its earnings call, explaining that the new price is justified and pointing out that the last increase in its membership fee was in 2014. Recently, the company has expanded Prime Free Same-Day and Prime Free One-Day delivery to more than 8,000 cities and towns and plans to keep expanding. It has also increased the number of items eligible for free two-day shipping in recent years from 20 million to more than 100 million items.
Brian Olsavsky, the company's chief financial officer, said that the cost of Prime is high for the company, especially with the shipping options and digital benefits that it offers. The price hike comes a few months after Amazon increased the monthly membership cost by 18 percent, from $10.99 per month to $12.99 per month.
Earlier in the week, Amazon announced a new service—packages can get delivered to customers' cars—as long as they have a Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, or Volvo made in 2015 or later. The cars also need to have an active OnStar or Volvo On Call account.
The new service is available to Prime customers in 37 cities and was created to help prevent package theft.
More
It All Starts Tomorrow At OC Billiards @ Trader Lee's
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/05/01/loneliness-poor-health-reported-far-more-among-young-people-than-even-those-over-72/559961002/
*** SIGNAL 13 ROCKS TRADER LEES IN OCEAN CITY - SPRING BIKE WEEKEND THIS FRIDAY MAY 4! ***
Signal 13 is counting down to Spring Bike Week in Ocean City! Hope to see you at OC Billiards @ Trader Lee's Live Music Venue on Friday, May 4th! This is going to be a crazy show
How Cities Fell Out of Love With Sports Stadiums
Major league teams used to get everything they wanted from sports-mad cities. Now they have to fight for it -- and increasingly, they’re losing.
St. Louis is used to getting stood up by football teams. The city has been home to four different franchises, and all of them have left town. But the last two departures -- and especially the loss of the Rams to Los Angeles in 2016 -- have been gut-wrenching experiences that seem to have broken much of the city’s storied enthusiasm for sports.
In 1987, St. Louis’ NFL team, the Cardinals, skipped town abruptly. Tired of the old Busch Memorial Stadium and increasingly indifferent fans, the team packed up after 27 years and headed for Arizona. The loss was a bitter one for St. Louis. But the city went after another NFL team with zeal. In the early 1990s, local officials had little trouble winning approval of a new downtown stadium funded entirely with taxpayer dollars. The city failed to win one of two NFL expansion teams awarded in 1993, but eventually it lured the Los Angeles Rams, who had their own problems with an ancient facility and a waning fan base. By 1995, the Rams were kicking off in downtown St. Louis.
It was a time when other cities were making similar choices. The Maryland Stadium Authority built a new publicly funded football stadium in 1998 as a prize for the NFL team it had stolen away from Cleveland two years earlier. Cleveland, in response, built a taxpayer-funded stadium and won back an NFL franchise in 1999.
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St. Louis is used to getting stood up by football teams. The city has been home to four different franchises, and all of them have left town. But the last two departures -- and especially the loss of the Rams to Los Angeles in 2016 -- have been gut-wrenching experiences that seem to have broken much of the city’s storied enthusiasm for sports.
In 1987, St. Louis’ NFL team, the Cardinals, skipped town abruptly. Tired of the old Busch Memorial Stadium and increasingly indifferent fans, the team packed up after 27 years and headed for Arizona. The loss was a bitter one for St. Louis. But the city went after another NFL team with zeal. In the early 1990s, local officials had little trouble winning approval of a new downtown stadium funded entirely with taxpayer dollars. The city failed to win one of two NFL expansion teams awarded in 1993, but eventually it lured the Los Angeles Rams, who had their own problems with an ancient facility and a waning fan base. By 1995, the Rams were kicking off in downtown St. Louis.
It was a time when other cities were making similar choices. The Maryland Stadium Authority built a new publicly funded football stadium in 1998 as a prize for the NFL team it had stolen away from Cleveland two years earlier. Cleveland, in response, built a taxpayer-funded stadium and won back an NFL franchise in 1999.
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Loneliness May Be a Bigger Public Health Threat Than Smoking or Obesity
Governments are just starting to confront the issue.
Since stepping down as surgeon general in April of last year, Vivek Murthy has turned his attention to what he considers to be America’s fastest-growing public health crisis. No, it isn’t cardiovascular diseases or obesity or smoking or even the nation’s system of health-care delivery. Murthy is taking on a more unlikely cause: loneliness.
“During my years caring for patients, the most common pathology I saw was not heart disease or diabetes; it was loneliness,” Murthy wrote in theHarvard Business Review in 2017. “The elderly man who came to our hospital every few weeks seeking relief from chronic pain was also looking for human connection: He was lonely. The middle-aged woman battling advanced HIV who had no one to call to inform that she was sick: She was lonely too. I found that loneliness was often in the background of clinical illness, contributing to disease and making it harder for patients to cope and heal.” Loneliness, he wrote, is associated “with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression and anxiety.”
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Since stepping down as surgeon general in April of last year, Vivek Murthy has turned his attention to what he considers to be America’s fastest-growing public health crisis. No, it isn’t cardiovascular diseases or obesity or smoking or even the nation’s system of health-care delivery. Murthy is taking on a more unlikely cause: loneliness.
“During my years caring for patients, the most common pathology I saw was not heart disease or diabetes; it was loneliness,” Murthy wrote in theHarvard Business Review in 2017. “The elderly man who came to our hospital every few weeks seeking relief from chronic pain was also looking for human connection: He was lonely. The middle-aged woman battling advanced HIV who had no one to call to inform that she was sick: She was lonely too. I found that loneliness was often in the background of clinical illness, contributing to disease and making it harder for patients to cope and heal.” Loneliness, he wrote, is associated “with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression and anxiety.”
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The Political Complexion of America
“Together,” President Macron instructed President Trump, “we can resist the rise of aggressive nationalisms that deny our history and divide the world.”
Before Congress he denounced “extreme nationalism,” invoked the U.N., NATO, WTO, and Paris climate accord, and implored Trump’s America to come home to the New World Order.
“The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism,” Macron went on, “you are the one now who has to help preserve and reinvent it.”
His visit was hailed and his views cheered, but, on reflection, the ideas of Emmanuel Macron seem to be less about tomorrow than yesterday.
For the world he celebrates is receding into history.
The America of 2018 is coming to see NATO as having evolved into an endless U.S. commitment to go to war with Russia on behalf of a rich Europe that resolutely refuses to provide for its own defense.
Since the WTO was created in the mid-’90s, the U.S. has run $12 trillion in trade deficits; and among the biggest beneficiaries — the EU.
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Before Congress he denounced “extreme nationalism,” invoked the U.N., NATO, WTO, and Paris climate accord, and implored Trump’s America to come home to the New World Order.
“The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism,” Macron went on, “you are the one now who has to help preserve and reinvent it.”
His visit was hailed and his views cheered, but, on reflection, the ideas of Emmanuel Macron seem to be less about tomorrow than yesterday.
For the world he celebrates is receding into history.
The America of 2018 is coming to see NATO as having evolved into an endless U.S. commitment to go to war with Russia on behalf of a rich Europe that resolutely refuses to provide for its own defense.
Since the WTO was created in the mid-’90s, the U.S. has run $12 trillion in trade deficits; and among the biggest beneficiaries — the EU.
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Clapper Busted Leaking Dossier Details To CNN's Jake Tapper, Lying To Congress About It
Former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) turned CNN commentator James Clapper not only leaked information related to the infamous "Steele dossier" to CNN's Jake Tapper while Clapper was in office - it appears he also lied about it to Congress, under oath.
Clapper was one of the "two national security officials" cited in CNN's report -published minutes after Buzzfeed released the full Steele dossier.
The revelation that Clapper was responsible for leaking details of both the dossier and briefings to two presidents on the matter is significant, because former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey wrote in one of four memos that he leaked that the briefing of Trump on salacious and unverified allegations from the dossier was necessary because “CNN had them and were looking for a news hook.” -The Federalist
So Comey said that Trump needed to be briefed on the Dossier's allegations since CNN "had them" - because James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence at the time, provided that information to the same network he now works for.
And who's idea was it to brief Trump on the dossier? JAMES CLAPPER - according to former FBI Director James Comey's memos:
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Clapper was one of the "two national security officials" cited in CNN's report -published minutes after Buzzfeed released the full Steele dossier.
The revelation that Clapper was responsible for leaking details of both the dossier and briefings to two presidents on the matter is significant, because former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey wrote in one of four memos that he leaked that the briefing of Trump on salacious and unverified allegations from the dossier was necessary because “CNN had them and were looking for a news hook.” -The Federalist
So Comey said that Trump needed to be briefed on the Dossier's allegations since CNN "had them" - because James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence at the time, provided that information to the same network he now works for.
And who's idea was it to brief Trump on the dossier? JAMES CLAPPER - according to former FBI Director James Comey's memos:
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Danes Furious After Immigration Minister Says Migrants "Cheat, Lie And Abuse"
In an editorial that has drawn the fury of progressives in Denmark, possibly the most conservative of the Nordic states, the country's immigration minister said "a significant group" of refugees "cheats, lies and abuses our trust" to soak the Danish government for additional benefits - or to cheat on exams that allow them to receive asylum status.
According to Inger Stojberg's editorial, which was published in the Danish BT tabloid, thousands of migrants pose as adolescents to receive the additional benefits that the state of Denmark bestows on unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the country. In fact, as many as two-thirds of the refugees admitted to Denmark have later been found to be older than the age they gave during their arrival.
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According to Inger Stojberg's editorial, which was published in the Danish BT tabloid, thousands of migrants pose as adolescents to receive the additional benefits that the state of Denmark bestows on unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the country. In fact, as many as two-thirds of the refugees admitted to Denmark have later been found to be older than the age they gave during their arrival.
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Plea Deal For Woman With Gun In Body Cavity
A Missouri woman who had a loaded handgun hidden in her vagina at the time of her arrest last year today pleaded guilty to weapons possession and narcotics charges.
During an appearance in Circuit Court in McLean County, Illinois, Anika Witt, 27, copped to a pair of felony charges as part of a plea agreement that requires her to testify at trial against an acquaintance with whom she was arrested last September.
Pictured at right, Witt faces up to 10 years in prison on the gun charge and 15 years in custody on a heroin possession rap. However, her cooperation will likely result in a greatly reduced term when she appears in court in late-June for sentencing.
As part of Witt’s plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop four other felony counts lodged against the convicted felon (who faces a $6400 fine related to the heroin count).
Witt and Clinton McDonald, 29, were arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 55 just north of Bloomington. A search of the pair’s vehicle turned up heroin and Ecstasy, police reported.
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During an appearance in Circuit Court in McLean County, Illinois, Anika Witt, 27, copped to a pair of felony charges as part of a plea agreement that requires her to testify at trial against an acquaintance with whom she was arrested last September.
Pictured at right, Witt faces up to 10 years in prison on the gun charge and 15 years in custody on a heroin possession rap. However, her cooperation will likely result in a greatly reduced term when she appears in court in late-June for sentencing.
As part of Witt’s plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop four other felony counts lodged against the convicted felon (who faces a $6400 fine related to the heroin count).
Witt and Clinton McDonald, 29, were arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 55 just north of Bloomington. A search of the pair’s vehicle turned up heroin and Ecstasy, police reported.
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Ex-Feinstein Staffer Hired Steele and Fusion GPS After Election to Keep 'Exposing' Russian Meddling
The House Intelligence Committee report released on Friday contained a new bombshell: after the 2016 election, wealthy donors paid a former Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) staffer $50 million to continue “exposing” Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Dan Jones, a former Democratic Senate Intelligence Committee staffer and former FBI official, then hired author Christopher Steele and Fusion GPS — whose research formed the Trump dossier — to help him do that, and to give whatever they found to “policymakers on Capitol Hill and the press.”
The House report revealed for the first time that Jones told the FBI in late March 2017 that his group, the Penn Quarter Group, was being paid by seven to ten wealthy donors “located primarily in New York and California,” who provided approximately $50 million.
The revelation showed the extent that Democrats have been willing to go behind-the-scenes to validate the dossier — which ironically was also funded secretly by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Jones’ role was noted in a footnote in the report, which is the product of the committee’s investigation into Russian meddling and any collusion.
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Dan Jones, a former Democratic Senate Intelligence Committee staffer and former FBI official, then hired author Christopher Steele and Fusion GPS — whose research formed the Trump dossier — to help him do that, and to give whatever they found to “policymakers on Capitol Hill and the press.”
The House report revealed for the first time that Jones told the FBI in late March 2017 that his group, the Penn Quarter Group, was being paid by seven to ten wealthy donors “located primarily in New York and California,” who provided approximately $50 million.
The revelation showed the extent that Democrats have been willing to go behind-the-scenes to validate the dossier — which ironically was also funded secretly by the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
Jones’ role was noted in a footnote in the report, which is the product of the committee’s investigation into Russian meddling and any collusion.
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Republicans tarnish Joe Manchin with EpiPen scandal
The Republican National Committee is attacking vulnerable West Virginia Senate Democrat Joe Manchin for accepting donations from drugmaker Mylan, which his daughter Heather Bresch heads.
The RNC bashed Manchin Thursday after Mylan announced it was laying off 500 people at a plant in West Virginia. Manchin has taken heat before from his opponents over Mylan’s decision a few years ago to jack up the price of allergy drug EpiPen by 500 percent.
“Amidst the layoffs and scandals, Mylan has continued to contribute to Manchin's war chest for his upcoming election,” an RNC bulletin said. “Mylan executives and employees contributed more than $50,000 to Manchin's campaign in the first quarter of 2018.”
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The RNC bashed Manchin Thursday after Mylan announced it was laying off 500 people at a plant in West Virginia. Manchin has taken heat before from his opponents over Mylan’s decision a few years ago to jack up the price of allergy drug EpiPen by 500 percent.
“Amidst the layoffs and scandals, Mylan has continued to contribute to Manchin's war chest for his upcoming election,” an RNC bulletin said. “Mylan executives and employees contributed more than $50,000 to Manchin's campaign in the first quarter of 2018.”
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Cage-Free-Egg Laws Spur Cage Match Between States
Dennis Bowden has raised chickens in the town of Waldoboro, Maine, nearly his whole life. For more than 40 years, he raised his chickens in cages. Then four years ago, when he turned 65, he cut down his flock and went cage-free.
The decision to switch was Bowden’s alone, but around the country many politicians have firmly taken sides on the issue of penning hens, hoping either to require egg producers to go cage-free or to protect conventional producers by mandating that stores stock their eggs.
Eggs are a staple of the American diet, with 88 billion table eggs produced in 2016. Egg consumption is growing, and the quality of life of the hens that lay the eggs has become an issue not just for animal welfare groups but also for many consumers. Although cage-free hens represent 16 percent of U.S. chickens, their share of the flock grew by a third from 2016 to 2017, and the egg industry and its supporters are paying close attention.
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The decision to switch was Bowden’s alone, but around the country many politicians have firmly taken sides on the issue of penning hens, hoping either to require egg producers to go cage-free or to protect conventional producers by mandating that stores stock their eggs.
Eggs are a staple of the American diet, with 88 billion table eggs produced in 2016. Egg consumption is growing, and the quality of life of the hens that lay the eggs has become an issue not just for animal welfare groups but also for many consumers. Although cage-free hens represent 16 percent of U.S. chickens, their share of the flock grew by a third from 2016 to 2017, and the egg industry and its supporters are paying close attention.
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More Community Colleges Are Offering Bachelor’s Degrees — And Four-Year Universities Aren’t Happy About It
Starting in fall 2019, students at Ohio’s Sinclair Community College will be able to enroll in a four-year degree program in unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones.
They’ll learn mission planning, maintenance, laws, data analytics and more. Working on drones is a new field, and the college is eager to expand its program to meet the growing demand for graduates.
Just up the road, Youngstown State University offers a somewhat similar four-year degree, in mechanical engineering technology — but tuition there is double Sinclair’s.
Sinclair is one of a growing number of community colleges that have embraced the practice of two-year schools conferring four-year degrees. As college costs rise and state officials look to accommodate nontraditional and low-income students, more are turning to community colleges to develop programs for industries with a lot of need — sometimes irking officials at four-year universities in the process.
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They’ll learn mission planning, maintenance, laws, data analytics and more. Working on drones is a new field, and the college is eager to expand its program to meet the growing demand for graduates.
Just up the road, Youngstown State University offers a somewhat similar four-year degree, in mechanical engineering technology — but tuition there is double Sinclair’s.
Sinclair is one of a growing number of community colleges that have embraced the practice of two-year schools conferring four-year degrees. As college costs rise and state officials look to accommodate nontraditional and low-income students, more are turning to community colleges to develop programs for industries with a lot of need — sometimes irking officials at four-year universities in the process.
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Running On Empty
Across the land, public pension and medical funds teeter on the brink of insolvency. You can ignore pending problems until you can’t. For those who prize clarity and realistic thinking, these impossible to ignore crises should be welcomed. They focus attention on an inescapable fact: the world lacks the unencumbered assets and productive capacity to redeem the promises that have been made against them. Somebody’s going to get stiffed.
With war on everyone’s minds, public pension and medical funds delineate inevitable battles lines: governments versus taxpayers, the unproductive versus the productive, the aging versus the young. Those wars are liable to be far more consequential than the ones everyone worries about in places like the Middle East and North Korea.
Nothing calls attention to the absurdity riddling the public pension system quite like the $76,000 monthly pension drawn by Joseph Robertson, an eye surgeon who retired as president of the Oregon Health and Science University last fall.
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