In 2014, we exposed the world to the reality of malinvestment, 'channel stuffing', and the aftermath of a credit-fueled bubble in auto manufacturing with shocking images of where the world's unsold cars go to die.
Four years later, we shift geographically from The West to The East, and exchange four wheels for two as the disgusting waste and sheer scale of China's debt-pumped investment bubble is fully exposed - not it ghost cities (for once), but in the eerie images of what happens when the 'sharing economy' meets reality..
For the past 18 months many cities in China have been flooded by millions of dockless share bikes.
As The Guardian reports, those that block pavements or apartment entrances have been removed by authorities to vast storage areas. Viewed from afar they create compelling and mysterious patterns – but also represent waste on an enormous scale...
An aerial view of the rental bikes detained by the local urban administration authority of Luyang district in Hefei. Given that the shared bikes have several users a day – some of them inexperienced riders who swerve into traffic - they are often damaged, vandalised, or abandoned...
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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
Monday, May 07, 2018
Live longer: One of Britain’s oldest people, age 110, praises ONIONS for her long life
ONE of Britain’s oldest people has turned 110, saying her long life is thanks to friends...and onions. Daisy Bastin puts her longevity down to the combination, saying: “I am very lucky in my life to have had such loyal friends and to still be in good health.”
She added home cooking with fresh onions had helped too.
She said: “They keep me going. They’re good for the skin too.”
Mrs Bastin, of Glastonbury, Somerset, was born on May 3, 1908, in Devon as one of seven children.
She met her husband Alf in 1933 and they were happily married for 50 years.
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She added home cooking with fresh onions had helped too.
She said: “They keep me going. They’re good for the skin too.”
Mrs Bastin, of Glastonbury, Somerset, was born on May 3, 1908, in Devon as one of seven children.
She met her husband Alf in 1933 and they were happily married for 50 years.
More/Video
Robert Mueller files request for 70 blank subpoenas in Paul Manafort’s Virginia case
Special counsel Robert Mueller on Thursday filed a request for 70 blank subpoenas in the Eastern District of Virginia, where former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort lives.
The two-page filing reveals little, but says that that each subpoena recipient must appear in the Alexandria, Va., courthouse on July 10 to testify in the case.
The 70 blank subpoenas amount to 35 total possible subpoenas — in each case, a subpoena is needed for the witness and another is needed for the defense. Court documents filed in April show that Mueller's team was pushing to subpoena 35 witnesses in the trial.
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The two-page filing reveals little, but says that that each subpoena recipient must appear in the Alexandria, Va., courthouse on July 10 to testify in the case.
The 70 blank subpoenas amount to 35 total possible subpoenas — in each case, a subpoena is needed for the witness and another is needed for the defense. Court documents filed in April show that Mueller's team was pushing to subpoena 35 witnesses in the trial.
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Trump and John Kelly go head-to-head as president vents to friends
White House chief of staff John Kelly and President Donald Trump's relationship has deteriorated to the point of indifference, a new report on the retired military general's alleged fall from grace says.
The president has reportedly remarked to friends that he believes Kelly is keeping information from him. Kelly is said to have vented to colleagues after dressings-down, 'I don’t need this.'
Neither man is eager to move on, though, according to the New York Times, leaving Kelly right where he is.
Trump is said to have discussed the job with his Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager he fired but still spends time with, reports Fox News. Lewandowski, for his part, has said he'd take the job if it was offered to him.
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The president has reportedly remarked to friends that he believes Kelly is keeping information from him. Kelly is said to have vented to colleagues after dressings-down, 'I don’t need this.'
Neither man is eager to move on, though, according to the New York Times, leaving Kelly right where he is.
Trump is said to have discussed the job with his Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager he fired but still spends time with, reports Fox News. Lewandowski, for his part, has said he'd take the job if it was offered to him.
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Killer of prison guard executed in Georgia after appeal fails
A Georgia man convicted of murdering an off-duty prison guard 22 years ago was executed by lethal injection Friday evening.
The lawyers for Robert Butts Jr., 40, launched a last-minute appeal Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court but were rejected.
Butts twitched briefly as the lethal injection flowed into his body and groaned, "It burns, man."
He was declared dead by a prison warden at 9:58 p.m. after the compounded barbiturate pentobarbital was injected into his body. Prison officials said he had declined to take a sedative.
Strapped to a gurney with his arms out to his sides, Butts kept his eyes closed throughout the procedure. A tube that delivers the killing drugs through a wall appeared to pulse soon after the warden left the death chamber at 9:42.
His feet, in white socks visible under a blanket, briefly twitched. He yawned, then a short time later, opened his mouth again, noiselessly. His chest rose high as his back arched. Then he took about nine deep breaths, and after that, he lay still.
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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/05/04/killer-prison-guard-executed-in-georgia-after-appeal-fails.html
The lawyers for Robert Butts Jr., 40, launched a last-minute appeal Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court but were rejected.
Butts twitched briefly as the lethal injection flowed into his body and groaned, "It burns, man."
He was declared dead by a prison warden at 9:58 p.m. after the compounded barbiturate pentobarbital was injected into his body. Prison officials said he had declined to take a sedative.
Strapped to a gurney with his arms out to his sides, Butts kept his eyes closed throughout the procedure. A tube that delivers the killing drugs through a wall appeared to pulse soon after the warden left the death chamber at 9:42.
His feet, in white socks visible under a blanket, briefly twitched. He yawned, then a short time later, opened his mouth again, noiselessly. His chest rose high as his back arched. Then he took about nine deep breaths, and after that, he lay still.
More
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/05/04/killer-prison-guard-executed-in-georgia-after-appeal-fails.html
Steve Hilton: Mueller probe is a political counter-revolution to overthrow Trump -- It must be defeated
Nearly two years ago, the British people voted for Brexit. They rejected the arguments of the political, business, academic and media establishment, which were united in their support for the European Union and its elitist agenda that favors the rich. Instead, voters chose populism, voting for Britain to become a self-governing, independent nation outside the EU.
You can say they were wrong; you can lament their decision. But you can’t deny the facts of what happened.
But guess what? Denying the facts is exactly what the elitists are trying to do.
Right now, the political debate in the United Kingdom is about whether, after Brexit, the UK should ... kinda, sorta, stay in the EU really. Or whether in fact there needs to be a second referendum. Because, you know, the people got it wrong the first time.
Well, I suppose the Brits should be thankful for small mercies. At least in the UK they’re talking about a second vote.
Nothing so democratic is happening in the equivalent situation here in America, as the establishment seeks to overturn the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. But how can that happen? In the U.S., the chosen path to remove President Trump from office has become the Russia probe led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and its tabloid offshoot, the Stormy Daniels imbroglio.
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You can say they were wrong; you can lament their decision. But you can’t deny the facts of what happened.
But guess what? Denying the facts is exactly what the elitists are trying to do.
Right now, the political debate in the United Kingdom is about whether, after Brexit, the UK should ... kinda, sorta, stay in the EU really. Or whether in fact there needs to be a second referendum. Because, you know, the people got it wrong the first time.
Well, I suppose the Brits should be thankful for small mercies. At least in the UK they’re talking about a second vote.
Nothing so democratic is happening in the equivalent situation here in America, as the establishment seeks to overturn the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. But how can that happen? In the U.S., the chosen path to remove President Trump from office has become the Russia probe led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller and its tabloid offshoot, the Stormy Daniels imbroglio.
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Dem Rep Refuses to Give Trump Any Credit for North Korea Negotiations
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D., N.Y.) refused to give President Donald Trump any credit Thursday for the state of negotiations with North Korea, instead focusing his praise on South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
CNN’s Poppy Harlow brought up the pending release of detained U.S. citizens in North Korea, which the administration has said is "imminent," and Meeks said the credit for their release goes to Moon. Harlow and John Berman repeatedly asked Meeks why he would not commend Trump’s actions at all, but the congressman maintained Moon is the driving force of the negotiations.
"I want American citizens to come home, but when I look at the whole deal with North Korea, it seems to me that all of what was started was started with President Moon," Meeks said.
Meeks went on to explain how Moon has communicated behind the scenes with the North and with China, but he failed to mention the U.S. has also been in communication with those countries and has put pressure on North Korea with sanctions.
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CNN’s Poppy Harlow brought up the pending release of detained U.S. citizens in North Korea, which the administration has said is "imminent," and Meeks said the credit for their release goes to Moon. Harlow and John Berman repeatedly asked Meeks why he would not commend Trump’s actions at all, but the congressman maintained Moon is the driving force of the negotiations.
"I want American citizens to come home, but when I look at the whole deal with North Korea, it seems to me that all of what was started was started with President Moon," Meeks said.
Meeks went on to explain how Moon has communicated behind the scenes with the North and with China, but he failed to mention the U.S. has also been in communication with those countries and has put pressure on North Korea with sanctions.
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'Invisible Campaign': Dem Presidential Hopefuls Flock To Trump Country
They’re ‘trying catch the vibe out there that Clinton, the DNC, and most of the rest of us so clearly missed last time around’
Potential Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning for the midterms in states that President Trump took from their party’s column in 2016, testing the waters for the next presidential election.
The so-called “invisible campaign” has begun with would-be candidates including Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) checking out the political landscape while campaigning for congressional candidates.
“It’s like pre-season football practice: you’re not playing in pads yet but you’re on the field, leading the playbook,” said David Wade, a Democratic strategist who served as a senior aide to John Kerry during his presidential bid in 2004, said of the presidential hopefuls. “It’s candidate training, with a net.”
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Potential Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning for the midterms in states that President Trump took from their party’s column in 2016, testing the waters for the next presidential election.
The so-called “invisible campaign” has begun with would-be candidates including Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) checking out the political landscape while campaigning for congressional candidates.
“It’s like pre-season football practice: you’re not playing in pads yet but you’re on the field, leading the playbook,” said David Wade, a Democratic strategist who served as a senior aide to John Kerry during his presidential bid in 2004, said of the presidential hopefuls. “It’s candidate training, with a net.”
Read more
Trump to NRA Convention: Fewer Would Have Died in Paris if Patrons Could Shoot Back
While speaking to the NRA convention on May 4, President Trump referenced the November 13, 2015, Paris attack and noted that fewer innocents would have died if patrons could have shot back.
BBC News reported that 130 were killed via “coordinated” shooting and bombings in Paris. This includes 89 who were shot to death in the Bataclan theater alone.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Trump referenced the attack as proof that gun control does not control bad people. He said, “Paris, France, has the toughest gun laws in the world. Nobody has guns in Paris.” He talked of how the gun-free status of patrons allowed the killers to slowly and deliberately kill at will. Trump said, “They took their time and gunned them down one by one.”
Then Trump leveled the clincher: “But if one employee, or just one patron had a gun, or if one person in this room had been there with a gun, the terrorists would have fled or been shot.”
On November 22, 2015, Breitbart News reported that Trump told George Stephanopoulos that concealed carry could have reduced the carnage that occurred in Paris.
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BBC News reported that 130 were killed via “coordinated” shooting and bombings in Paris. This includes 89 who were shot to death in the Bataclan theater alone.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Trump referenced the attack as proof that gun control does not control bad people. He said, “Paris, France, has the toughest gun laws in the world. Nobody has guns in Paris.” He talked of how the gun-free status of patrons allowed the killers to slowly and deliberately kill at will. Trump said, “They took their time and gunned them down one by one.”
Then Trump leveled the clincher: “But if one employee, or just one patron had a gun, or if one person in this room had been there with a gun, the terrorists would have fled or been shot.”
On November 22, 2015, Breitbart News reported that Trump told George Stephanopoulos that concealed carry could have reduced the carnage that occurred in Paris.
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Georgia school districts move to arm teachers
The school shooting in Parkland, Fla., convinced school Superintendent Daniel Brigman that his plan to arm teachers and other Laurens County, Ga., school personnel needed to go beyond the idea phase.
“I’ve had this discussion repeatedly with different boards of education for the last 14 years,” Brigman said. His school district is southeast of Macon and the first in Georgia to make the move. “What happened in Florida heightened the level of awareness and concern that we needed a procedure in place to protect the safety of our schools.”
As students across metro Atlanta and the country head to school each day, the adults in their lives grapple with how to keep kids safe. More police? More guns? Fewer guns? More locks? More cameras? More technology?
Laurens County’s school board approved arming teachers last month. The Florida shooting seemed to set the dominoes falling. Georgia made it legal for school systems to arm teachers in 2012, but this month the Fannin County Board of Education will consider a similar decision, and there are discussions in others, such as Floyd and Bleckley counties. Most metro Atlanta school system leaders have so far declined to consider it, though Clayton County Superintendent Morcease Beasley said after Florida that the issue was “more complicated than a simple yes or no (for or against); it will require a multifaceted response from more than a single entity making a decision.”
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“I’ve had this discussion repeatedly with different boards of education for the last 14 years,” Brigman said. His school district is southeast of Macon and the first in Georgia to make the move. “What happened in Florida heightened the level of awareness and concern that we needed a procedure in place to protect the safety of our schools.”
As students across metro Atlanta and the country head to school each day, the adults in their lives grapple with how to keep kids safe. More police? More guns? Fewer guns? More locks? More cameras? More technology?
Laurens County’s school board approved arming teachers last month. The Florida shooting seemed to set the dominoes falling. Georgia made it legal for school systems to arm teachers in 2012, but this month the Fannin County Board of Education will consider a similar decision, and there are discussions in others, such as Floyd and Bleckley counties. Most metro Atlanta school system leaders have so far declined to consider it, though Clayton County Superintendent Morcease Beasley said after Florida that the issue was “more complicated than a simple yes or no (for or against); it will require a multifaceted response from more than a single entity making a decision.”
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FBI Refuses To Pursue Personal Strzok-Page Texts; Grassley Goes Nuclear
The FBI is refusing to pursue work-related text messages and emails sent on the personal devices of Peter Strzok and Lisa Page- the FBI "lovebirds" discovered to harbor extreme political bias for Hillary Clinton and against Donald Trump while actively involved in cases against each candidate during the 2016 US election. Clinton was of course exonerated by the FBI despite overwhelming evidence of criminal conduct, while Trump's entire presidency has been tainted by the spectre of unproven Russian collusion.
Over 50,000 text messages between Strzok and Page were discovered by the Department of Justice's internal watchdog, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), leading to their removal from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation - which has since devolved into trying to embarrass the President over allegedly paying a porn star not to discuss consensual sex. Of note, Page tendered her resignation on Friday.
In a Wednesday letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the FBI was not "obligated" to collect all communications between employees, and would not be pursuing communications Strzok and Page sent to each other on their personal devices.
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Over 50,000 text messages between Strzok and Page were discovered by the Department of Justice's internal watchdog, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), leading to their removal from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation - which has since devolved into trying to embarrass the President over allegedly paying a porn star not to discuss consensual sex. Of note, Page tendered her resignation on Friday.
In a Wednesday letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the FBI was not "obligated" to collect all communications between employees, and would not be pursuing communications Strzok and Page sent to each other on their personal devices.
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GW University Students Aim to Take Down ‘Offensive’ Colonials Mascot, Replace it with Deadly African Hippo
The Colonials has been the mascot at George Washington University for almost 100 years, but now a student at the college is trying to banish it from campus because it is “offensive” to “international students who have experienced the effects of colonialism.”
The student-led newspaper GW Hatchet (not the focus of any protest thus far) reported:
Sophomore Rachel Yakobashvili said she and two other students launched the first petition ever on the Student Association’s advocacy website GW Voice last week to encourage the University to consider new mascot options, like “Hippos,” “Revolutionaries” or “Riverhorses.”
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The student-led newspaper GW Hatchet (not the focus of any protest thus far) reported:
Sophomore Rachel Yakobashvili said she and two other students launched the first petition ever on the Student Association’s advocacy website GW Voice last week to encourage the University to consider new mascot options, like “Hippos,” “Revolutionaries” or “Riverhorses.”
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When Money Dies: In Venezuela, A Haircut Costs 5 Bananas And 2 Eggs
For Venezuela's economy, the ascent into socialist paradise did not turn out quite as planned: in fact, under the Maduro regime, the country with the world's biggest petroleum reserves somehow reversed course, and crashed through every single circle of economic hell, and now that its hyperinflation has hit levels that would make even Mugabe and Rudy von Havenstein blush, all that's left is barter.
And, as Fabiola Zerpa explains as part of Bloomberg's fascinating "Life in Caracas" series, i.e., watching economic and social collapse in real-time, in Venezuela, a haircut now costs 5 bananas and 2 eggs.
In Venezuela, a Haircut Costs 5 Bananas and 2 Eggs
The other day, I made a baguette-for-parking swap. It worked out brilliantly
I had time but, as usual, no bolivars. The attendant at the cash-only lot had some bills but no chance to leave his post during the fleeting moments the bakery nearby put his favorite bread on sale. The deal: He let me leave my car, and I came back with an extra loaf, acquired with my debit card. He reimbursed me—giving me a bonus of spare change for my pocket.
That’s how we make do in our collapsing economy. If somebody has lots of one thing and too little of another, an arrangement can be made. I’ve exchanged corn meal for rice with friends from high school, eggs for cooking oil with my sister-in-law. Street vendors barter, too, taking, say, a kilo of sugar as payment for one of flour. There are Facebook pages and chat-room groups devoted to the swap-ability of everything from toothpaste to baby formula.
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And, as Fabiola Zerpa explains as part of Bloomberg's fascinating "Life in Caracas" series, i.e., watching economic and social collapse in real-time, in Venezuela, a haircut now costs 5 bananas and 2 eggs.
In Venezuela, a Haircut Costs 5 Bananas and 2 Eggs
The other day, I made a baguette-for-parking swap. It worked out brilliantly
I had time but, as usual, no bolivars. The attendant at the cash-only lot had some bills but no chance to leave his post during the fleeting moments the bakery nearby put his favorite bread on sale. The deal: He let me leave my car, and I came back with an extra loaf, acquired with my debit card. He reimbursed me—giving me a bonus of spare change for my pocket.
That’s how we make do in our collapsing economy. If somebody has lots of one thing and too little of another, an arrangement can be made. I’ve exchanged corn meal for rice with friends from high school, eggs for cooking oil with my sister-in-law. Street vendors barter, too, taking, say, a kilo of sugar as payment for one of flour. There are Facebook pages and chat-room groups devoted to the swap-ability of everything from toothpaste to baby formula.
More
Devin Nunes: AG Jeff Sessions should be held in contempt of Congress
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes is going to push Congress to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt of Congress.
The Californian Republican’s committee has been looking into allegations that the Justice Department and the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in their scrutiny of the Trump campaign.
"On Thursday we discovered that they are not going to comply with our subpoena," Nunes said on "Fox and Friends," adding, "The only thing left to do is we have to move quickly to hold the attorney general of the United States in contempt and that is what I will press for this week."
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The Californian Republican’s committee has been looking into allegations that the Justice Department and the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in their scrutiny of the Trump campaign.
"On Thursday we discovered that they are not going to comply with our subpoena," Nunes said on "Fox and Friends," adding, "The only thing left to do is we have to move quickly to hold the attorney general of the United States in contempt and that is what I will press for this week."
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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/06/devin-nunes-ag-jeff-sessions-should-be-held-in-contempt-congress.html
Maine Legislature Rebukes LePage, Legalizes Marijuana
Both houses of the Maine State Legislature voted Wednesday to overturn Gov. Paul LePage's (R.) veto of marijuana legalization legislation, putting the state on the path to finally implementing a 2016 referendum calling for legal recreational weed.
The Maine House voted 109 to 39, and the Maine Senate 28 to 6, to overturn LePage's veto, the Portland Press Herald reported. However, the paper projects that it will likely not be until the spring of 2019 before retailers can actually start selling recreational marijuana.
The next steps are regulatory: the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services will draft inspection and licensing rules for wholesalers and retailers, including those governing the collection of taxes. Once written, those rules will need to be approved by the state legislature when it reconvenes next January.
The state will also need to hire administrators to manage the new legal infrastructure, including a "seed-to-sale" tracking system for effective regulation.
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The Maine House voted 109 to 39, and the Maine Senate 28 to 6, to overturn LePage's veto, the Portland Press Herald reported. However, the paper projects that it will likely not be until the spring of 2019 before retailers can actually start selling recreational marijuana.
The next steps are regulatory: the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services will draft inspection and licensing rules for wholesalers and retailers, including those governing the collection of taxes. Once written, those rules will need to be approved by the state legislature when it reconvenes next January.
The state will also need to hire administrators to manage the new legal infrastructure, including a "seed-to-sale" tracking system for effective regulation.
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Richards' Legacy in Planned Parenthood's Cult of Death
The abortion mill's erstwhile president oversaw the termination of more than 3.5 million lives.
“After her final day as president of abortion provider Planned Parenthood Monday, thousands of people took to social media to celebrate Cecile Richards and thank her for killing 3.5 million people during her tenure.” Or at least that’s the way The Babylon Bee satirically “reported” this week. The Bee went on, “The nation offered kind remarks on Richards’ positive attitude, support for women’s rights, and ruthless genocidal efficiency.”
In reality, Richards was celebrated by abortion advocates and Planned Parenthood supporters who gushed on social media over her contributions to the organization.
Reflecting on her catastrophic tenure, Richards opined, “12 years ago, I almost didn’t go to the job interview at Planned Parenthood. I had a long list of reasons why I wasn’t qualified. So I did what any grown woman would do: I called my mom. [Former Texas Gov.] Ann Richards wasn’t having it — she told me to get a grip, and thank goodness she did!”
“Thank goodness”?
It must be nice to have had an opportunity to live a full life and reach out to her mom for guidance. Except Richards denied this same right to millions of innocent babies over the last 12 years — children who never got a chance to gaze lovingly into either of their parents’ eyes, much less ask for advice.
Sure, we’re often told that Planned Parenthood is an organization whose primary mission is to provide women’s health services, but its website offers an in-clinic abortion service as though one were simply dropping an item in an Amazon shopping cart..
More here
“After her final day as president of abortion provider Planned Parenthood Monday, thousands of people took to social media to celebrate Cecile Richards and thank her for killing 3.5 million people during her tenure.” Or at least that’s the way The Babylon Bee satirically “reported” this week. The Bee went on, “The nation offered kind remarks on Richards’ positive attitude, support for women’s rights, and ruthless genocidal efficiency.”
In reality, Richards was celebrated by abortion advocates and Planned Parenthood supporters who gushed on social media over her contributions to the organization.
Reflecting on her catastrophic tenure, Richards opined, “12 years ago, I almost didn’t go to the job interview at Planned Parenthood. I had a long list of reasons why I wasn’t qualified. So I did what any grown woman would do: I called my mom. [Former Texas Gov.] Ann Richards wasn’t having it — she told me to get a grip, and thank goodness she did!”
“Thank goodness”?
It must be nice to have had an opportunity to live a full life and reach out to her mom for guidance. Except Richards denied this same right to millions of innocent babies over the last 12 years — children who never got a chance to gaze lovingly into either of their parents’ eyes, much less ask for advice.
Sure, we’re often told that Planned Parenthood is an organization whose primary mission is to provide women’s health services, but its website offers an in-clinic abortion service as though one were simply dropping an item in an Amazon shopping cart..
More here
Did Facebook’s Lead Attorney Lie to Congress While Under Oath?
Facebook’s general counsel Colin Stretch may have not been completely truthful while under oath when taking questions in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 31, 2017.
Stretch was being grilled by Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) about the extent of Facebook’s ability to profile users on the social media website. Stretch told Kennedy that Facebook had done away with the ability of employees to compile or access profiles on individual users. Here’s a transcript of their relevant remarks:
Sen. Kennedy: Do you have a profile on me?
Stretch: Senator, if you’re a Facebook user, we would permit you to be targeted with an advertisement based on your characteristics and your likes along with other people who share similar characteristics and your likes along with other people who share–
Sen. Kennedy: Well, let’s do another one. Let’s suppose your CEO came to you, or not you, somebody who could do it in your company, maybe you could, and said, “I want to know everything we can know about Senator Graham. I want to know the movies he likes. I want to know the bars he goes to. I want to know who his friends are. I want to know what schools he went to.” You could do that, couldn’t you?
Stretch: So, I want to be—it is a very good question—the answer is absolutely not. We have limitations in place on our ability to review the person’s—
Sen. Kennedy: I’m not asking about your rules. I’m saying, you have the ability to do that, don’t you?
Stretch: Again, Senator, the answer is no. We’re not able—
Sen. Kennedy: You can’t put a name to a face to a piece of data? You’re telling me that?
Stretch: So we have designed our systems to prevent exactly that, to protect the privacy of our users.
Sen. Kennedy: I understand, but you can get around that to find that identity, can’t you?
Stretch: No senator, I cannot.
Sen. Kennedy: That’s your testimony under oath?
Stretch: Yes, it is.
More here
Stretch was being grilled by Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) about the extent of Facebook’s ability to profile users on the social media website. Stretch told Kennedy that Facebook had done away with the ability of employees to compile or access profiles on individual users. Here’s a transcript of their relevant remarks:
Sen. Kennedy: Do you have a profile on me?
Stretch: Senator, if you’re a Facebook user, we would permit you to be targeted with an advertisement based on your characteristics and your likes along with other people who share similar characteristics and your likes along with other people who share–
Sen. Kennedy: Well, let’s do another one. Let’s suppose your CEO came to you, or not you, somebody who could do it in your company, maybe you could, and said, “I want to know everything we can know about Senator Graham. I want to know the movies he likes. I want to know the bars he goes to. I want to know who his friends are. I want to know what schools he went to.” You could do that, couldn’t you?
Stretch: So, I want to be—it is a very good question—the answer is absolutely not. We have limitations in place on our ability to review the person’s—
Sen. Kennedy: I’m not asking about your rules. I’m saying, you have the ability to do that, don’t you?
Stretch: Again, Senator, the answer is no. We’re not able—
Sen. Kennedy: You can’t put a name to a face to a piece of data? You’re telling me that?
Stretch: So we have designed our systems to prevent exactly that, to protect the privacy of our users.
Sen. Kennedy: I understand, but you can get around that to find that identity, can’t you?
Stretch: No senator, I cannot.
Sen. Kennedy: That’s your testimony under oath?
Stretch: Yes, it is.
More here
Retirees are leaving America to save money
Retired Americans who are down on their luck are moving out of the country to stretch their savings and Social Security income.
“For folks worried about stretching their nest egg, even a few years spent in a good-value place abroad can make a big difference on the bottom line. Moving overseas can be a solid strategy for shoring up savings,” according to Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living.com.
Stevens said the expatriate option is enticing many Americans.
“It’s never been easier to retire overseas — the infrastructure is better than ever, technology keeps you connected to family and friends back home, and there is a wealth of safe, welcoming, beautiful options overseas,” she said.
Possibly the most important factor for a generation of under-saving Americans, Stevens said, is in many places “a retiree can live comfortably for less than $2,000 a month.”
More here
“For folks worried about stretching their nest egg, even a few years spent in a good-value place abroad can make a big difference on the bottom line. Moving overseas can be a solid strategy for shoring up savings,” according to Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living.com.
Stevens said the expatriate option is enticing many Americans.
“It’s never been easier to retire overseas — the infrastructure is better than ever, technology keeps you connected to family and friends back home, and there is a wealth of safe, welcoming, beautiful options overseas,” she said.
Possibly the most important factor for a generation of under-saving Americans, Stevens said, is in many places “a retiree can live comfortably for less than $2,000 a month.”
More here
Michelle Obama on 2016 Election: 'What Is Going on in Our Heads Where We Let That Happen?'
Saturday at the United State of Women Summit in Los Angeles, former first lady Michelle Obama discussed the 2016 presidential election and asked the audience how we allowed it to happen.
Obama said,”Sorry, in light of this last election, I’m concerned about us as women and how we think. And what is really going on. What is going on in our heads where we let that happen, you know?”
She continued, “When the most qualified person running was a woman, and look what we did instead, I mean that says something about where we are. Forget everybody else. That’s what we have to explore, because if we as women are still suspicious of one another, if we still have this crazy, crazy bar for each other that we don’t have for men. If we are still doing that today. If we’re not comfortable with the notion that a woman could be our president compared to … what, then we have to have those conversations with ourselves as women.”
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Obama said,”Sorry, in light of this last election, I’m concerned about us as women and how we think. And what is really going on. What is going on in our heads where we let that happen, you know?”
She continued, “When the most qualified person running was a woman, and look what we did instead, I mean that says something about where we are. Forget everybody else. That’s what we have to explore, because if we as women are still suspicious of one another, if we still have this crazy, crazy bar for each other that we don’t have for men. If we are still doing that today. If we’re not comfortable with the notion that a woman could be our president compared to … what, then we have to have those conversations with ourselves as women.”
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MSP Princess Anne April DUI Arrests
The following persons were arrested by Troopers assigned to the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barracks and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the month of April 2018:
Joseph Smith, 35 YOA, McCrory, AR
Randy Patey, 61 YOA, Crisfield, MD
Ellis Barton, 27 YOA, Crisfield, MD
Ernest Paskins, 80 YOA, Salisbury, MD
Daniel Reid, 38 YOA, Crisfield, MD
George Gowing, 30 YOA, Washington, DC
James Bolden, 39 YOA, Princess Anne, MD
Jessie Barnes, 38 YOA, Jamaica, NY
Joseph Smith, 35 YOA, McCrory, AR
Randy Patey, 61 YOA, Crisfield, MD
Ellis Barton, 27 YOA, Crisfield, MD
Ernest Paskins, 80 YOA, Salisbury, MD
Daniel Reid, 38 YOA, Crisfield, MD
George Gowing, 30 YOA, Washington, DC
James Bolden, 39 YOA, Princess Anne, MD
Jessie Barnes, 38 YOA, Jamaica, NY
Nunes says he’ll push to hold Jeff Sessions in contempt
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes said Sunday he will be pushing to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt this week for not complying with a subpoena.
The California Republican said his committee sent a letter requesting classified information regarding its probe into FISA abuses and counterintelligence investigations, including the targeting of Americans like former Trump campaign official Carter Page, but it was ignored.
After attempting to subpoena the classified information last week, Mr. Nunes discovered the Justice Department will not comply.
“We have to move quickly to hold the Attorney General of the United States in contempt and that’s what I want to press for this week,” Mr. Nunes told Fox News on Sunday.
The next step will be going to court to try to enforce the committee’s subpoena.
Mr. Nunes said he refuses to take the excuse that handing over the information would harm national security.
“How many times have we heard that argument?” he said. “This just can’t continue where we don’t get information in a timely manner.”
More here
The California Republican said his committee sent a letter requesting classified information regarding its probe into FISA abuses and counterintelligence investigations, including the targeting of Americans like former Trump campaign official Carter Page, but it was ignored.
After attempting to subpoena the classified information last week, Mr. Nunes discovered the Justice Department will not comply.
“We have to move quickly to hold the Attorney General of the United States in contempt and that’s what I want to press for this week,” Mr. Nunes told Fox News on Sunday.
The next step will be going to court to try to enforce the committee’s subpoena.
Mr. Nunes said he refuses to take the excuse that handing over the information would harm national security.
“How many times have we heard that argument?” he said. “This just can’t continue where we don’t get information in a timely manner.”
More here
Subject: Navy to resurrect fleet to protect the East Coast and North Atlantic from Russia
The U.S. Navy has reactivated a fleet responsible for overseeing the East Coast and North Atlantic - an escalation of the Pentagon's focus on a resurgent Russia and its expanding military presence.
2nd Fleet, deactivated in 2011 to preserve funds for new ships, will resume operations in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 1, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters Friday.
"This is a dynamic response to the dynamic security environment," Richardson said onboard the carrier George H.W. Bush. "So as we've seen this great power competition emerge, the Atlantic Ocean is as dynamic a theater as any and particular the North Atlantic, so as we consider high-end naval warfare, fighting in the Atlantic, that will be the 2nd Fleet's responsibility."
Navy officials had previously recommended reactivating the fleet as part of broader force structure reviews following last year's deadly row of collisions among ships at the Japan-based 7th Fleet.
More here
2nd Fleet, deactivated in 2011 to preserve funds for new ships, will resume operations in Norfolk, Virginia, on July 1, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters Friday.
"This is a dynamic response to the dynamic security environment," Richardson said onboard the carrier George H.W. Bush. "So as we've seen this great power competition emerge, the Atlantic Ocean is as dynamic a theater as any and particular the North Atlantic, so as we consider high-end naval warfare, fighting in the Atlantic, that will be the 2nd Fleet's responsibility."
Navy officials had previously recommended reactivating the fleet as part of broader force structure reviews following last year's deadly row of collisions among ships at the Japan-based 7th Fleet.
More here
National Shooting Sports Foundation Cancels Dick’s Sporting Goods Membership
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has canceled Dick’s Sporting Goods’ membership, thereby expelling the company from the organization.
The NSSF’s announcement came the day after renowned pistol and rifle maker Springfield Armory cut ties with Dick’s.
In expelling Dick’s, NSSF pointed to the company’s corporate gun control as well its efforts to lobby Congress for gun control legislation.
More here
The NSSF’s announcement came the day after renowned pistol and rifle maker Springfield Armory cut ties with Dick’s.
In expelling Dick’s, NSSF pointed to the company’s corporate gun control as well its efforts to lobby Congress for gun control legislation.
More here
Throw John Kerry in jail
The last time Sen. John McCain lay dying, he was in a North Vietnamese prison cell having been brutally tortured.
Over the propaganda loudspeaker, one of Mr. McCain’s fellow prisoners of war would later recall, the brave Americans heard the voice, clearly that of an American, testifying before Congress that it was the American forces like John McCain — not the North Vietnamese — who were committing torture and murder over in Vietnam.
American servicemen “personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blew up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam,” claimed the American, reportedly a U.S. Navy officer.
Such unverified testimony in the hands of the North Vietnamese was a massive propaganda win. And a devastating blow to American POWs, such as John McCain, who were clinging to life in such savage conditions.
Decorated Vietnam War veteran and POW Paul Galanti would later recall that it was the soft, effeminate pronunciation of “Genghis Khan” that tipped him off that the testifying turncoat was none other than John Kerry, who would later become a senator, his party’s failed presidential nominee and eventually one of the worst secretaries of state in U.S. history.
“I don’t remember hearing his name, but he’s the only human being I’ve ever heard that said ‘Genghis Khan,’” recalled Mr. Galanti, pronouncing the name “Jenjis Kahn.”
“When I heard him saying that a couple of months ago, I said, ‘My God! That’s the same guy I heard in Hanoi they were promoting as a big friend of theirs!’”
More here
Over the propaganda loudspeaker, one of Mr. McCain’s fellow prisoners of war would later recall, the brave Americans heard the voice, clearly that of an American, testifying before Congress that it was the American forces like John McCain — not the North Vietnamese — who were committing torture and murder over in Vietnam.
American servicemen “personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blew up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam,” claimed the American, reportedly a U.S. Navy officer.
Such unverified testimony in the hands of the North Vietnamese was a massive propaganda win. And a devastating blow to American POWs, such as John McCain, who were clinging to life in such savage conditions.
Decorated Vietnam War veteran and POW Paul Galanti would later recall that it was the soft, effeminate pronunciation of “Genghis Khan” that tipped him off that the testifying turncoat was none other than John Kerry, who would later become a senator, his party’s failed presidential nominee and eventually one of the worst secretaries of state in U.S. history.
“I don’t remember hearing his name, but he’s the only human being I’ve ever heard that said ‘Genghis Khan,’” recalled Mr. Galanti, pronouncing the name “Jenjis Kahn.”
“When I heard him saying that a couple of months ago, I said, ‘My God! That’s the same guy I heard in Hanoi they were promoting as a big friend of theirs!’”
More here
Soros Funding Smartphone App to Help Illegal Immigrants Avoid Law Enforcement
A George Soros-funded smartphone app is meant to explicitly help the undocumented evade federal authority.
In an interview with Fox Business’s Lou Dobbs, Judicial Watch Director of Research Chris Farrell called the smartphone application “pretty outrageous.” In order to escape arrest, Farrell said that the app “provides notice to their friends and family, it alerts their attorney.” The app will also have automated alerts of any impending interaction with an immigration official, whether with the person in question, their family, or even their lawyer.
According to its website, it “gives you and your family a help button to alert key contacts if anyone is at risk of deportation.” Prospective users are told to “simply create your messages today and you will be ready to press a button for help when you or your family needs it. Alerts are designed to inform family members, legal advocates, and other contacts that the sender may have been detained by the police or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”
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In an interview with Fox Business’s Lou Dobbs, Judicial Watch Director of Research Chris Farrell called the smartphone application “pretty outrageous.” In order to escape arrest, Farrell said that the app “provides notice to their friends and family, it alerts their attorney.” The app will also have automated alerts of any impending interaction with an immigration official, whether with the person in question, their family, or even their lawyer.
According to its website, it “gives you and your family a help button to alert key contacts if anyone is at risk of deportation.” Prospective users are told to “simply create your messages today and you will be ready to press a button for help when you or your family needs it. Alerts are designed to inform family members, legal advocates, and other contacts that the sender may have been detained by the police or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”
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Meet the Uber of ambulances
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States has the highest motor vehicle crash death rate among high-income countries, with nearly 1.3 million deaths annually, or about 3,300 per day. Though responders often have just minutes to save a person’s life, average ambulance response time is 15 minutes, 19 seconds.
This is a serious problem, but U.S. emergency responders should know that help is on the way. A small country that most people could hardly locate on a map has not only solved the problem, but can help every major American city do the same.
United Hatzalah (“rescue” in Hebrew) provides Israelis with rapid, professional, pre-ambulance emergency care with a record-breaking average response time of three minutes — and in major cities across Israel, often 90 seconds. The organization’s free services are available to all 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To achieve these spectacular results, the organization’s founder, Eli Beer, had to solve two problems. First, he needed to construct a highly trained network of people all over the country. Second, he had to create a system to ensure that medics would be able to treat victims almost immediately.
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This is a serious problem, but U.S. emergency responders should know that help is on the way. A small country that most people could hardly locate on a map has not only solved the problem, but can help every major American city do the same.
United Hatzalah (“rescue” in Hebrew) provides Israelis with rapid, professional, pre-ambulance emergency care with a record-breaking average response time of three minutes — and in major cities across Israel, often 90 seconds. The organization’s free services are available to all 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To achieve these spectacular results, the organization’s founder, Eli Beer, had to solve two problems. First, he needed to construct a highly trained network of people all over the country. Second, he had to create a system to ensure that medics would be able to treat victims almost immediately.
More
Trump: ‘Weakness Gets You Nuclear War’
President Donald Trump on Friday pushed back against critics who claimed his tough posture toward North Korea would lead to nuclear war with the rogue regime, saying, "Weakness gets you nuclear war."
Trump brought up his North Korea policy while addressing the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Dallas, Texas, where he needled those voices that said his rhetoric and pressure campaign could trigger a nuclear confrontation on the Korean peninsula.
"With respect to North Korea, remember how strong it was when they were saying, ‘This is going to be nuclear war. We're going to have nuclear'—No," Trump said. "You know what gets you nuclear war? Weakness gets you nuclear war. Being weak gets you nuclear war. That's what gets you nuclear war."
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Trump brought up his North Korea policy while addressing the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Dallas, Texas, where he needled those voices that said his rhetoric and pressure campaign could trigger a nuclear confrontation on the Korean peninsula.
"With respect to North Korea, remember how strong it was when they were saying, ‘This is going to be nuclear war. We're going to have nuclear'—No," Trump said. "You know what gets you nuclear war? Weakness gets you nuclear war. Being weak gets you nuclear war. That's what gets you nuclear war."
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How the Russian collusion myth was hatched by Team Hillary immediately after her loss
The Russian Collusion mythology is the most dominant story in the news media and has been for the past eighteen months… dating back to November 7, 2016. And when one examines the contemporaneous reporting by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes in their excellent book Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign-- Allen and Parnes had incredible access to the entire Clinton campaign infrastructure because their book was really meant to be a historical account of the triumphant campaign for the first female president in American history.
As we know, it didn’t work out that way. And the authors’ account of the immediate aftermath tells us much about how the media were spoon-fed the collusion narrative:
“She’s not being particularly self-reflective,” said one longtime ally who was on calls with her shortly after the election. Instead, Hillary kept pointing her finger at Comey and Russia. “She wants to make sure all these narratives get spun the right way,” this person said.
And if the Clinton campaign was good at anything, it was making sure narratives were “spun the right way.”
So, the entire team, within 24 hours of the devastating loss, assembled to hatch the story...
As we know, it didn’t work out that way. And the authors’ account of the immediate aftermath tells us much about how the media were spoon-fed the collusion narrative:
“She’s not being particularly self-reflective,” said one longtime ally who was on calls with her shortly after the election. Instead, Hillary kept pointing her finger at Comey and Russia. “She wants to make sure all these narratives get spun the right way,” this person said.
And if the Clinton campaign was good at anything, it was making sure narratives were “spun the right way.”
So, the entire team, within 24 hours of the devastating loss, assembled to hatch the story...
Rosie O’Donnell Used 5 Addresses, 4 Names in Over-Sized Dem Donations
Rosie O’Donnell used several different New York addresses and marked down different variations of her name while donating a combined $5,400 in contributions over the limit to the five political candidates, federal filings show.
An analysis conducted by the New York Post presents potential legal trouble Rosie O’Donnell could face if authorities discover that the former View co-host used different variations of her name and different addresses to exceed the legal donation limit to the same political candidate.
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An analysis conducted by the New York Post presents potential legal trouble Rosie O’Donnell could face if authorities discover that the former View co-host used different variations of her name and different addresses to exceed the legal donation limit to the same political candidate.
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Maryland County Mulls $373,956 Fund to Pay Legal Expenses for Illegal Aliens Facing Deportation
The Montgomery County, Maryland Council is considering a special appropriation to its budget of $373,956 to pay legal expenses for illegal aliens fighting deportation.
The council held a contentious meeting last week, where a standing-room-only crowd cheered and jeered speakers who favor or oppose the move.
If passed, the fund would be given to the Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition (CAIR), which would screen “low-income” illegal aliens who are facing deportation proceedings, eliminating those convicted of crimes or involved in gang activities.
More here
The council held a contentious meeting last week, where a standing-room-only crowd cheered and jeered speakers who favor or oppose the move.
If passed, the fund would be given to the Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition (CAIR), which would screen “low-income” illegal aliens who are facing deportation proceedings, eliminating those convicted of crimes or involved in gang activities.
More here
Forget about sending humans to Mars -- we need a permanent moon base
NASA’s successful launch Saturday of the InSight lander on an exploratory mission to Mars – costing taxpayers about $814 million – is just the latest example of the long fascination people have had with the Red Planet. The lander will study earthquakes – make that marsquakes – to learn more about our neighbor in the solar system.
And on Tuesday the three-day Human to Mars Summit kicks off in Washington to discuss the far more ambitious mission of sending men and women to Mars. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine is one of many NASA officials scheduled to speak, along with officials of companies interested in space exploration, scientists, engineers, people from the entertainment industry and many others.
Humans have been wondering what’s on Mars for centuries, imaging at times that it was populated by intelligent beings, lined with canals, and all sorts of other things that have no basis in fact.
We now know that we don’t need to worry about Martians sending a fleet of spaceships to attack us. Sending humans there would do nothing to enhance our national security.
But curiosity is a strong human impulse. So it’s only natural that in addition to sending unmanned exploratory vehicles to Mars we pull out the national checkbook and spend billions of dollars to send astronauts there to explore for themselves, right?
Actually, it would be wrong. Sending humans to Mars – at least any time in the next few decades – would be a costly mistake.
Instead, we need to use our limited resources to return to the moon and set up a permanent base, and do more to protect our Earth-orbiting satellites. This is a mission our national security demands..
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http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/05/06/forget-about-sending-humans-to-mars-need-permanent-moon-base-instead.html
And on Tuesday the three-day Human to Mars Summit kicks off in Washington to discuss the far more ambitious mission of sending men and women to Mars. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine is one of many NASA officials scheduled to speak, along with officials of companies interested in space exploration, scientists, engineers, people from the entertainment industry and many others.
Humans have been wondering what’s on Mars for centuries, imaging at times that it was populated by intelligent beings, lined with canals, and all sorts of other things that have no basis in fact.
We now know that we don’t need to worry about Martians sending a fleet of spaceships to attack us. Sending humans there would do nothing to enhance our national security.
But curiosity is a strong human impulse. So it’s only natural that in addition to sending unmanned exploratory vehicles to Mars we pull out the national checkbook and spend billions of dollars to send astronauts there to explore for themselves, right?
Actually, it would be wrong. Sending humans to Mars – at least any time in the next few decades – would be a costly mistake.
Instead, we need to use our limited resources to return to the moon and set up a permanent base, and do more to protect our Earth-orbiting satellites. This is a mission our national security demands..
More
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/05/06/forget-about-sending-humans-to-mars-need-permanent-moon-base-instead.html
Public Meetings Set On Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study
As part of the Chesapeake Bay Crossing Study: Tier 1 NEPA (Bay Crossing Study), the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) is hosting a series of public meetings to provide all interested parties an update on the project. At the meetings, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about:
- the project’s Purpose and Need,
- scoping activities and public comments received to date,
- the environmental review process,
- the alternative corridor development and screening process.
The purpose of the Bay Crossing Study is to consider corridors for providing additional traffic capacity and access across the Chesapeake Bay to improve mobility, travel reliability and safety at the existing Bay Bridge, while considering financial viability and environmental responsibility. The range of corridors will not be presented at these meetings.
Staff will be available to answer questions. No formal presentation will be given, and the same information will be provided at each meeting. All meeting materials will be available at baycrossingstudy.com to view prior to the meetings and for those who choose not to attend in person. Comments may be provided at the meetings, online or by email/U.S. mail.
Locations will be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Individuals who require auxiliary aids should contact the MDTA at 410-537-1000 (711 for MD Relay) no later than three business days before the date they wish to attend.
Click READ MORE for dates and times
Click READ MORE for dates and times
Kerry Engaging in ‘Shadow Diplomacy’ with Iran to Save Nuclear Deal
The Boston Globe reported on Friday that former Secretary of State John Kerry has been secretly working with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif to save the Iran nuclear deal, which the Trump administration has strongly criticized and might renegotiate or cancel within the next two weeks.
The Boston Globe describes Kerry’s activities as “shadow diplomacy” and an “aggressive yet stealthy” effort to save “one of his most significant accomplishments”:
John Kerry’s bid to save one of his most significant accomplishments as secretary of state took him to New York on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, where, more than a year after he left office, he engaged in some unusual shadow diplomacy with a top-ranking Iranian official.
He sat down at the United Nations with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to discuss ways of preserving the pact limiting Iran’s nuclear weapons program. It was the second time in about two months that the two had met to strategize over salvaging a deal they spent years negotiating during the Obama administration, according to a person briefed on the meetings.
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The Boston Globe describes Kerry’s activities as “shadow diplomacy” and an “aggressive yet stealthy” effort to save “one of his most significant accomplishments”:
John Kerry’s bid to save one of his most significant accomplishments as secretary of state took him to New York on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, where, more than a year after he left office, he engaged in some unusual shadow diplomacy with a top-ranking Iranian official.
He sat down at the United Nations with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to discuss ways of preserving the pact limiting Iran’s nuclear weapons program. It was the second time in about two months that the two had met to strategize over salvaging a deal they spent years negotiating during the Obama administration, according to a person briefed on the meetings.
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CrimeReports Alerts for Salisbury Crime
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| Your CrimeReports alert for the day: May 05, 2018.This update includes all incidents added to the map since the last update you received. | ||||||
| Note: Alert areas are calculated using a standard-sized monitor. Depending on the size of your browser window, you may see a different number of incidents when you click the "map incidents" link. | ||||||
| Location: Salisbury Crime | ||||||
| Map Incidents | ||||||
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| Due to ongoing investigations, some incidents are not immediately added to the database. These incidents have been added since your last alert. | ||||||
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Giuliani: ‘Nobody Seems to Care’ That Kerry is ‘Violating the Logan Act’
President Donald Trump's top personal attorney Rudy Giuliani on Sunday said that "nobody seems to care" that former Secretary of State John Kerry is ‘violating the Logan Act' by quietly trying to save the Iran nuclear deal.
Giuliani appeared on ABC's "This Week" where he was initially discussing Trump and what he knew about the $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, but then pivoted and talked about how nobody seemed to care about Kerry violating the Logan Act, which prohibits American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments, including unauthorized members of Congress
"Certainly before April 5, 2018, the president knew that Michael Cohen had made these payments because he in fact had reimbursed Michael Cohen for it," Host George Stephanopoulos said.
Giuliani said that he didn't know and said that it wasn't relevant anymore before shifting the conversation to Kerry.
"This is another tangent like chasing the [Michael] Flynn tangent when it turns out that John Kerry is now violating the Logan Act and nobody seems to care. You haven't asked me about it," Giuliani said.
More here
Giuliani appeared on ABC's "This Week" where he was initially discussing Trump and what he knew about the $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, but then pivoted and talked about how nobody seemed to care about Kerry violating the Logan Act, which prohibits American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments, including unauthorized members of Congress
"Certainly before April 5, 2018, the president knew that Michael Cohen had made these payments because he in fact had reimbursed Michael Cohen for it," Host George Stephanopoulos said.
Giuliani said that he didn't know and said that it wasn't relevant anymore before shifting the conversation to Kerry.
"This is another tangent like chasing the [Michael] Flynn tangent when it turns out that John Kerry is now violating the Logan Act and nobody seems to care. You haven't asked me about it," Giuliani said.
More here
Boy Regains Consciousness After Parents Sign Papers To Donate His Organs
(CBSNEWS) – A 13-year-old boy who suffered severe brain trauma in an accident regained consciousness after his parents signed paperwork to donate his organs. Trenton McKinley of Mobile, Alabama, suffered the injury two months ago when a small utility trailer he was riding flipped over.
“I hit the concrete, and the trailer landed on top of my head. After that, I don’t remember anything,” he told WALA-TV.
He suffered seven skull fractures in the accident, and his parents were told that Trenton would never be the same.
His mother, Jennifer Reindl, said she signed the papers to donate Trenton’s organs because five kids needing transplants were a match.
“A man from the UAB organ donation came and talked to us in the family conference room about donating five organs to UAB children’s hospital that would save five other children. We said yes, that also insured that they would continue to keep Trenton alive to clean his organs for the donation,” Reindl told CBS News on Sunday.
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“I hit the concrete, and the trailer landed on top of my head. After that, I don’t remember anything,” he told WALA-TV.
He suffered seven skull fractures in the accident, and his parents were told that Trenton would never be the same.
His mother, Jennifer Reindl, said she signed the papers to donate Trenton’s organs because five kids needing transplants were a match.
“A man from the UAB organ donation came and talked to us in the family conference room about donating five organs to UAB children’s hospital that would save five other children. We said yes, that also insured that they would continue to keep Trenton alive to clean his organs for the donation,” Reindl told CBS News on Sunday.
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'I Blame Obama'
Owens, communications director for Turning Point USA, said that conservative African-Americans have long been ignored.
She became involved in a national political conversation after rapper Kanye West voiced his support of her in April, saying, "I love the way Candace Owens thinks."
"It’s been so black and white, the conversation, and I blame [Barack] Obama," Owens said on "Fox & Friends."
"His eight years in office did a lot of damage in terms of race relations in this country."
"Hillary [Clinton] didn't help much when she kept calling everybody racist and sexist, so the language has changed and the rhetoric has changed," Owens said.
More here
http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/05/06/candace-owens-blasts-barack-obama-damaging-race-relations-while-office
Two officers Killed By Illegal After Montgomery County Detention Center Ignores Ice Detainer
ICE Arrests Driver Involved in Fatal I-270 Crash That Killed Two Law Enforcement Agents
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested the driver of the vehicle involved in the fatal crash which took the lives to two law enforcement officers on I-270 in December of last year.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson Justine Whelan confirmed that on Thursday, May 3, ICE officers arrested 28-year-old Roberto A. Garza Palacios at his residence in Maryland. Whelan identified Garza Palacios as an “unlawfully present Guatemalan national” and said he was taken into custody and charged with violating the terms and conditions of his work visa after overstaying the authorized period of stay in 2009.
On Tuesday, May 1, Maryland State Police announced that traffic charges had been filed against Garza Palacios, who was identified as the driver of the vehicle involved in the December 8, 2017 collision on I-270 which resulted in the deaths of Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Sander Cohen and FBI Special Agent Carlos Wolff.
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, determined Garza Palacios was to be charged with negligent driving, a violation of Transportation Article 21-901.1(b), said the Maryland State Police in a press release. 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.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested the driver of the vehicle involved in the fatal crash which took the lives to two law enforcement officers on I-270 in December of last year.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson Justine Whelan confirmed that on Thursday, May 3, ICE officers arrested 28-year-old Roberto A. Garza Palacios at his residence in Maryland. Whelan identified Garza Palacios as an “unlawfully present Guatemalan national” and said he was taken into custody and charged with violating the terms and conditions of his work visa after overstaying the authorized period of stay in 2009.
On Tuesday, May 1, Maryland State Police announced that traffic charges had been filed against Garza Palacios, who was identified as the driver of the vehicle involved in the December 8, 2017 collision on I-270 which resulted in the deaths of Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Sander Cohen and FBI Special Agent Carlos Wolff.
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, determined Garza Palacios was to be charged with negligent driving, a violation of Transportation Article 21-901.1(b), said the Maryland State Police in a press release. 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.
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Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision in Worcester County
Date and Time: 5/6/2018 @ 1009 PM
Location: MD 589 & Gum Point Road Berlin, Worcester County, MD
On 5/6/2018 at approximately 1009 PM Troopers from the Berlin Barrack responded to the area of MD 589 & Gum Point Road, Berlin, Worcester County, MD for a motor vehicle collision involving a bicycle. Upon troopers arrival, it was determined the operator of the bicycle suffered severe trauma. The bicycle operator was transported to Atlantic General Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The operator has been identified but his name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The operator of the involved motor vehicle fled from the scene. A person of interest has been identified and is being sought for questioning regarding this collision: Jonathan Torin Kider, 59 YOA of Berlin, Maryland. Anyone having contact with Kider are asked to contact the Maryland State Police. During the investigation the Maryland State Police was assisted by many departments including the Worcester County Sheriff’s Dept, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Ocean City Police Department, Delaware State Police, Berlin Fire Department and MD State Highway Administration.
Bombshell: FEC Records Indicate Hillary Campaign Illegally Laundered $84 Million
The mainstream media took no notice of a federal court filing that exposes a $84 million money-laundering conspiracy Democrats executed during the 2016 presidential election.
The press continues to feed the dying Russia collusion conspiracy theory, spending Friday’s news cycle regurgitating Democrat talking points from the just-filed Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit against the Trump campaign, WikiLeaks, and Russia.
Yet the mainstream media took no notice of last week’s federal court filing that exposes an $84 million money-laundering conspiracy the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign executed during the 2016 presidential election in violation of federal campaign-finance law.
That lawsuit, filed last week in a DC district court, summarizes the DNC-Clinton conspiracy and provides detailed evidence from Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings confirming the complaint’s allegations that Democrats undertook an extensive scheme to violate federal campaign limits.
More
The press continues to feed the dying Russia collusion conspiracy theory, spending Friday’s news cycle regurgitating Democrat talking points from the just-filed Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit against the Trump campaign, WikiLeaks, and Russia.
Yet the mainstream media took no notice of last week’s federal court filing that exposes an $84 million money-laundering conspiracy the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign executed during the 2016 presidential election in violation of federal campaign-finance law.
That lawsuit, filed last week in a DC district court, summarizes the DNC-Clinton conspiracy and provides detailed evidence from Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings confirming the complaint’s allegations that Democrats undertook an extensive scheme to violate federal campaign limits.
More
Authors on Delmarva Series To Feature Carol Psaros
Authors on Delmarva Series To Feature Carol Psaros
Think lower Delaware in the mid-1930s -- what comes to mind? Well, maybe – Chickens (the beginning of Delmarva Poultry industry) and plenty of low, swampy land swarming with Mosquitos! And the Great Depression.
Carol Kelley Psaros is a Delaware native who has written a fascinating account of this part of Delmarva during those times. But it is also a picture of the resiliency of the human spirit and a great depiction of friendships carved out of hard times. Central to the story is the friendship that was created in those times between Carol Psaros’ father Jim Kelley of Delmar and Jack Lewis, Delaware artist who painted the people and places they knew. Even more than all that, Psaros book, whose sub-title is The Art of Uncertain Times, recalls “the riverside playgrounds of Oak Orchard, Riverdale, and Rosedale Beach where jazz greats Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and Louis Armstrong performed. It resurrects daily life in the CCC barracks camp in Lewes, at Fort DuPont …, and at the Seaford Nylon Plant as its employees worked around the clock to produce nylon for the war effort.”
The popular series of “book talks” by authors who live on Delmarva and write about Delmarva will present Dr. Psaros in this year’s second talk, and her book is called “Chickens and Mosquitos – Depression Day Delaware.” Psaros is a retired Delaware educator with experience as a high school and community college teacher, counselor, coach, and public school administrator. She began her career teaching English, health, and physical education at Dover High School in 1966 and retired in 2000 as Assistant Secretary of Education for the State of Delaware. She also is the author of Come Back To Bethany (2008), a story of families who live in Bethany Beach, DE during three different centuries.
This series is offered by Westside Historical Society as part of their mission to preserve and promote the rich heritage of the Nanticoke watershed/western Wicomico area. Programs begin with a meet-and-greet the author followed by an informal talk about his work. Audience members are encouraged to ask questions and comment and participate in the discussion. There will be an opportunity to buy copies of the featured book at the end of the program. This series is free and light refreshments are provided. For more information email westsidehistorical@gmail.com , phone Westside Hist. Soc. At 410-726-8047 or Laura Layton at Layton’s Chance at 410-228-1205.