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Friday, June 01, 2018

Little Miss Chelsea Has a Tantrum

The Democrats have a favorite technique where they accuse Trump and the Republicans of some abuse that has been committed by the Democrats themselves. It just happened again. This time, the perpetrator is the heiress apparent to the Clinton Crime Family, Chelsea Clinton.

During an interview in the Guardian, Little Miss Chelsea said of Trump:

I don't agree with what he's doing to degrade what it means to be an American[.] ... I think that the way that our president and many people around him have not only mainstreamed hate, but mainlined it, is so deeply dangerous.

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Trump Issues Full Pardon for Conservative Activist Dinesh D'Souza



President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will issue a full pardon to conservative activist Dinesh D'Souza.

"Will be giving a Full Pardon to Dinesh D’Souza today," Trump tweeted, adding that D'Souza was treated unfairly by the government. "He was treated very unfairly by our government!"
Back in 2014, D'Souza plead guilty to using straw donors to make $20,000 in illegal campaign donations to a Republican candidate in a senate race. A federal court sentenced D'Souza to five years probation. The FBI released a statement about the sentencing.

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Virginia Senate passes Medicaid expansion

The Virginia state Senate on Wednesday approved an expansion of Medicaid, likely ensuring the state becomes the 33rd to expand the healthcare program under Obamacare.

The state budget, which includes the long-battled expansion, now goes back to the state House of Delegates, which has already passed a version of the expansion. Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam is expected to sign it as he has pushed for the move to extend coverage to 400,000 state residents.

The provision, created under Obamacare, will allow people who make less than roughly $16,643 a year to enroll in Medicaid, a health insurance program the government pays for. Residents will be allowed to start signing up for the program beginning Jan. 1.

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Welcome to Babcock Ranch: America’s First Solar-Powered Town

The Florida city bills itself as a utopia for the environmentally conscious. After decades of planning, people are finally starting to move in.

Syd Kitson is an ex-NFL guard for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. He's also a real estate developer and the hopeful, optimistic developer of Babcock Ranch, the first almost entirely solar-powered town in the country.

Kitson has been planning the development of this southwest Florida community for more than a decade. In 2006, he purchased the Babcock Preserve from the Babcock family and almost immediately sold 73,000 acres -- 80 percent of the land -- back to the state to retain its nature preservation status. For the remaining 20 percent of the land, he hatched an ambitious plan.

“It’s going to be a thriving community, with several thousand people living here,” Kitson says of his vision for the town, located just outside Fort Myers. “I want to be driving down the road [one day] in an autonomous vehicle and see people walking, riding bikes, eating at our farm-to-table restaurant, running businesses, kids walking to school.”

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DHS Announces Additional Visas for Foreign Workers to Assist American Businesses at Risk of Failing

On May 25, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced that an additional 15,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas will be available for Fiscal Year 2018. In this determination, Secretary Nielsen determined there are not sufficient, qualified, U.S. workers available to perform temporary non-agriculture labor to satisfy the needs of American businesses in FY18. This allocation is in addition to the 66,000 visas already issued this year. Secretary Nielsen made this decision after consulting with Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta, members of Congress, and business owners.

“The limitations on H-2B visas were originally meant to protect American workers, but when we enter a situation where the program unintentionally harms American businesses it needs to be reformed,” said Secretary Nielsen. “I call on Congress to pass much needed reforms of the program and to expressly set the number of H-2B visas in statute. We are once again in a situation where Congress has passed the buck and turned a decision over to DHS that would be better situated with Congress, who knows the needs of the program. As Secretary, I remain committed to protecting U.S. workers and strengthening the integrity of our lawful immigration system and look forward to working with Congress to do so.”

The H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker program was designed to serve U.S. businesses unable to find a sufficient number of qualified U.S. workers to perform nonagricultural work of a temporary nature. Congress set the annual H-2B visa cap at 66,000. A maximum of 33,000 H-2B visas are available during the first half of the fiscal year, and the remainder, including any unused H-2B visas from the first half of that fiscal year, is available starting April 1 through September 30.

On February 27, 2018, USCIS determined that it had received sufficient H-2B petitions to meet the full FY 2018 statutory cap of 66,000.

In the FY 2018 Omnibus, Congress delegated its authority to the Secretary to increase the number of temporary nonagricultural worker visas available to U.S. employers through September 30, just as it did in the FY 2017 Omnibus. In the intervening time since enactment of the FY 2018 Omnibus, the Secretary consulted with the Secretary of Labor on the issue, in accordance with Congressional requirements, and developed this rule.

Starting today, eligible petitioners for H-2B visas can file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. Eligible petitioners must submit a supplemental attestation on Form ETA 9142-B-CAA-2with their petition.

Details on eligibility and filing requirements are available in the final temporary rule published today and on the Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2018 webpage.

DHS is committed to ensuring that our immigration system is implemented lawfully and that American workers are protected. If members of the public have information that a participating employer may be abusing this program, DHS invites them to submit information to ReportH2BAbuse@uscis.dhs.gov and include information identifying the H-2B petitioning employer and relevant information that leads them to believe that the H-2B petitioning employer is abusing the H-2B program.

How Roger Williams Started a Free Society

Formation of a Radical

Kings never impressed him. And Roger Williams was exposed to Kings from early in his life.

As a youth, he worked for Sir Edward Coke, who was a lawyer, judge, and held other similar political posts in 17th century England. Williams accompanied him daily into the chambers of Parliament and other Councils.

Coke trailblazed many decent government policies for the time. One was that a man’s home is his castle. This helped set the tone for individual rights in England, even against royal opposition. It was Ye Olde Stand Your Ground.

Williams would later take this foundation and build on it. He didn’t believe that the power of Kings truly came from God. Rather, political power derives from the people. The point of government, to Williams, was to organize society for the best interests of individuals so they could pursue their own path, especially when it came to religion.

Williams’ views on religion evolved over his life. By the end of it, he argued for absolute autonomy to practice whatever religion one wished. He even thought atheism should be tolerated, which was radical at that time. Though personally, he remained strongly against atheism, he realized that it was not the government’s role to enforce subjective values.

John M. Barry gives a detailed history of Roger Williams in his book, Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul: Church, State, and the Birth of Liberty.

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Welcome To Debt Serfdom: 'Real World' Costs Triple Since 2001

Welcome to debt-serfdom, the only possible output of the soaring cost of living.

Long-time readers may recall the Burrito Index, my real-world measure of inflation. The Burrito Index: Consumer Prices Have Soared 160% Since 2001 (August 1, 2016). The Burrito Index tracks the cost of a regular burrito since 2001. Since we keep detailed records of expenses (a necessity if you’re a self-employed free-lance writer), I can track the cost of a regular burrito at our favorite taco truck with great accuracy: the cost of a regular burrito has gone up from $2.50 in 2001 to $5 in 2010 to $6.50 in 2016.

It's time for an update: the cost of a regular burrito has now reached $7.50, triple the 2001 cost. That's a 200% increase in 17 years. According to the federal government, inflation since 2001 has risen about 40%: what $1 bought in 2001 now costs $1.43, according to the BLS Inflation calculator.

The Burrito Index is five times the official inflation rate. As I noted in The Disaster of Inflation--For the Bottom 95% (October 28, 2016) and Inflation Isn't Evenly Distributed: The Protected Are Fine, the Unprotected Are Impoverished Debt-Serfs (May 25, 2017), the gross under-reporting of inflation (i.e. the loss of purchasing power of "money" and labor) is only part of the distortion: some of the populace is protected by subsidies from the real ravages of inflation, while those exposed to the unsubsidized real-world costs are being savaged by supposedly benign inflation.

Lest you reckon only burritos have tripled in cost since 2001--have you checked out college tuition or rents lately? Consider a typical public university:

University of California at Davis:

2004 in-state tuition $5,684

2018 in state tuition $14,463

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Islam Is Incompatible with Liberty

As Islam repelled me, something about America attracted me like a powerful magnet. It was the heart and soul of America. It is called liberty. Liberty embodies the most precious treasures of humanity by encompassing seven forms of freedom that collectively make us human. Without liberty, we are simply another species of primates. Islam is anathema to each and every one of these freedoms.

Dennis Prager's Still the Best Hope succinctly lists what constitutes this overarching charter of being human. Through this book, I will present indisputable evidence proving Islam's incompatibility with them. The choice is either liberty or Islam. We can't have it both ways.

Political freedom

The right to freely elect the government and the government rule by the consent of the people. Islam by definition is a belief of surrender – the surrender of the people's right to choose their government to Allah's rule as ordained by his infallible one and only final emissary, Muhammad. In countries where Islam wields great power, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, people have no choice whatsoever in choosing their governments. Any attempt by the people to exercise this precious form of freedom is brutally dealt with by the authorities. The Earth is Allah's, people are vessels of Allah, and the rulers are Allah's appointed shepherds of his flock – so goes the belief.

Religious freedom and freedom from religious coercion

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WSJ Asks Why We Should Keep Listening To James Clapper's "Disinformation Campaign"

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper - a central figure in the "Russiagate" spy scandal, has earned quite the reputation for various misstatements, lies and even perjury.

Clapper appeared before the Senate to discuss surveillance programs in the midst of a controversy over warrantless surveillance of the American public. He was asked directly, “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions, or hundreds of millions of Americans?”

There was no ambiguity or confusion and Clapper responded, “No, sir. … Not wittingly.” That was a lie and Clapper knew it when he said it. -John Turley

Since the 2016 election, Clapper has landed a job as a paid CNN commentator while peddling a new book, Facts and Fears - all while trying to shift the narrative on the FBI spying on the Trump campaign and pushing unfounded Russian conspiracy theories.

To that end, the Wall Street Journal's Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. asks: Why does a former intelligence chief make claims he can’t back up?

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Rickards: The Threat Of Contagion "Is Now More Dangerous Than Ever"

Each crisis is bigger than the one before. In complex dynamic systems such as capital markets, risk is an exponential function of system scale. Increasing market scale correlates with exponentially larger market collapses.

This means that the larger size of the system implies a future global liquidity crisis and market panic far larger than the Panic of 2008.

Today, systemic risk is more dangerous than ever.

Too-big-to-fail banks are bigger than ever, have a larger percentage of the total assets of the banking system and have much larger derivatives books.

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Feds pay $670 a day to make unaccompanied alien children ‘comfortable’

The image of two illegal immigrant children sleeping on the floor in a chain-link fence “cage” swept the internet last weekend, sparking misdirected anger from activists who blamed President Trump for the conditions — which were actually from 2014, when the photo was taken, under President Obama.

Here is another image: illegal immigrant children set up in comfy dormitories, coloring with “multicultural crayons,” watching their favorite soccer teams from back home on the extensive cable system, even kicking the ball around themselves on a beautiful new soccer field — all paid for by taxpayers.

There’s “Spanish language yoga” for those that want it and trips to go bowling, to visit museums and even to hit up the amusement park, at $49 a ticket, also on taxpayers’ tab. The children chow on three meals a day plus snacks, since federal rules say they must be fed “until they are full.”

Both images are accurate: two distinct snapshots of different parts of the massive U.S. immigration system that handles hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied alien children, or UAC, who have streamed over the border over the past five years, challenging first the Obama administration and now Mr. Trump.

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American health-care workers committing suicide in unprecedented numbers

As America focuses on one epidemic — the opioid crisis — another goes entirely ignored. American health-care workers are dying by suicide in unprecedented numbers. Earlier this month, a medical student and a resident at NYU medical school completed suicide less than a week apart.

My junior colleague took her life just 11 days before her 35th birthday. I had supervised her as she transitioned into practice from fellowship. She said that the way I said her name foretold if the conversation pointed to a weakness or a strength in her patient assessment. My last sight of her was as she drove off to her new job. Less than six months later, she made a life-ending choice.

A scan of her suicide note, asking that I be notified, was emailed to me. I did not show it to anyone. The news of her suicide was announced by an email in the department. We all went about our business, as if suicide by a young colleague is usual. And perhaps, in a way it is.

After all, physician suicide — and more broadly health-care worker suicide — is a huge issue in the U.S. In my own experience, I have lost six colleagues to suicide — five physicians and one physician assistant. That does not include the suicides that I have heard about through the whisper network at work.

My junior colleague was among an estimated 400 physicians who took their lives in 2016.

More here

CNN Audience Plunges 25% As Fox News Dominates Prime Time

In a new TV ratings report published Wednesday by Nielsen Media Research, Fox News Channel continues to reign supreme in the cable news wars, while CNN’s primetime audience has collapsed by a shocking 25%.

” Fox News extended its run of consecutive months at number one to a staggering 197, while building hitting another impressive milestone: Fox News has now beaten every other network in basic cable for 23 months straight, based on total day ratings, with an average total day audience in May of 1.4 million viewers,” said Forbes.

“In prime time, Fox News destroyed its competition, with an average total audience of 2.381 million viewers, compared to MSNBC’s 1.384 million and CNN’s 835,000. Among viewers 25-54, the group most coveted by advertisers, Fox News shook off a challenge in recent months from MSNBC to claim a clear victory: 461,000 viewers, well ahead of MSNBC (329,000) and CNN (265,000).”

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THESE ARE ACTUAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY "THOMAS COOK VACATIONS" FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS

1. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax."

2. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."

3. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish."

4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price."

5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room."

6. "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow."

7. "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallartato close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time -- this should be banned."

8. "No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared."

9. "Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers."

10. "I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."

11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun."

12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair."

13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller."

14. "The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the resort.' We're trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service."

15. "When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners."

16. "We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning."

17. "It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."

18. "I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes."

19. "My fiancée and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."

Study Says Seafood Is Sexy, Leads To More Love Making And Babies

A new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests seafood could also give your sex life a boost.

It suggests that couples who load up on fruits from the sea tend to have more sex and conceive faster than other couples trying to get pregnant.

The study is welcome news for one couple who enjoys both seafood and its sexy impact on their sex life.

“There’s some truth to it… in fact we’re about to head out to test that theory here if I get my oysters,” said John Siener over lunch.

His partner Belle Hayes wasn’t surprised by the findings either.

“I’m not surprised at all. Seafood makes him very happy no matter what time of day it is,” she said.

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Trump says he’s considering pardoning Martha Stewart, Rod Blagojevich

President Trump said Thursday he was considering pardoning or commuting the sentences of Martha Stewart and former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, following his announcement earlier in the day of a full pardon for conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza.

The president’s comments came during a gaggle with reporters on Air Force One enroute to Houston, Texas.

Trump called the former governor’s sentence on corruption charges “really unfair” and added that “plenty of other politicians could have said a lot worse.”

The president said that Blagojevich said something dumb, but that "lots of politicians" do.

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/31/trump-says-s-considering-pardoning-martha-stewart-rod-blagojevich.html

Obama's right-hand man: Trump used our playbook to beat Clinton

A forthcoming memoir by Obama confidant Ben Rhodes includes the startling admission that the 44th president’s inner circle should have seen Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss coming – because President Trump was essentially using the Obama playbook to discredit her.

The New York Times published excerpts of the book, "The World As It Is," which describes outgoing President Barack Obama’s shock and disbelief at Trump’s election victory.

But Rhodes also seems to acknowledge that Trump used some of the same lines of attack employed by Obama during the hard-fought 2008 presidential primary against Clinton – minus what Rhodes describes as the “racism and misogyny.”

“I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have seen it coming,” Rhodes writes in the book. “Because when you distilled it, stripped out the racism and misogyny, we’d run against Hillary eight years ago with the same message Trump had used: She’s part of a corrupt establishment that can’t be trusted to bring change.”

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/31/obamas-right-hand-man-trump-used-our-playbook-to-beat-clinton.html

Professor Shad Ewart to speak on Maryland Cannabis Industry June 21

(Salisbury, Md.)—The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly General Membership Luncheon Thursday June 21 at La Quinta Inn and Suites of Salisbury beginning at 12 p.m. The featured speaker will be Professor Shad Ewart of Anne Arundel Community College, discussing the cannabis industry in Maryland.

During his presentation, Ewart plans to elaborate on job creation in the Maryland cannabis supply chain, economic development and job opportunities in the ancillary business of the industry, as well as what the future hold may hold including challenges and adult and recreational use.

Ewart has been a professor and administrator at Anne Arundel Community College since 2001.

Prior to that he was a professor of business at Mount Vernon College in Washington, DC. At Anne Arundel Community College, he has served as Department Chair and Director of Business Programs. He

has also been responsible for the design and developments of the first course to explore the entrepreneurial opportunities created by the legalization of cannabis for medical use in the state of Maryland. He is currently developing the first college credit program for those interested in entry level jobs in the cannabis industry.

Tickets for the luncheon are $25 for Chamber members and $35 for future members. They can be purchased online at salisburyarea.com or by contacting Director of Events Lauren Barnas at 410-749-0144.

Starbucks Quietly Walks Back "Homeless Shelter" Bathroom Policy In New "Color Brave" Employee Manual

Starbucks has quietly walked back their "all inclusive" bathroom policy, perhaps after realizing that their employees and customers alike weren't responding well to the prospect of vagrants using their stores as a homeless shelter.

As part of their new "Third Place Policy" which the company shuttered 8,000 stores to pound into employees heads on Tuesday, Starbucks says "We want our stores to be the third place, a warm and welcoming environment where customers can gather and connect. Any customer is welcome to use Starbucks spaces, including our restrooms, cafes and patios, regardless of whether they make a purchase."

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Silver Spring Man Arrested for Armed Robbery

OCEAN CITY, MD – On Saturday, May 26, 2018 just before midnight, Ocean City police were dispatched to the area of 62nd Street for a report of an armed robbery with a handgun. Three victims stated that they were approached by three suspects behind a nearby restaurant. The suspects demanded money from the victims then fled on Coastal Highway with nearly $3,000 in cash from the victims. The victims were able to provide a description of the suspects to officers.

A short time later, officers located three individuals matching the description of the suspects on Coastal Highway near 70th Street. When officers approached the individuals, they split up and fled. One suspect, later identified as Isaac N. Koroma, Jr., 19, of Silver Spring, MD, was located on 72nd Street under a parked car. A large portion of the stolen cash was located nearby.

Koroma was charged with three counts of robbery, four counts of armed robbery, two counts of first-degree assault, one count of theft $1,500 to under $25,000, one count of possession of a handgun, and one count of use of a handgun to commit a violent crime. Koroma was seen by a Maryland District Court Commissioner and transferred to the Worcester County Jail where he is being held without bond.

The 'Holy Grail' of cancer research is discovered: New blood test that can detect 10 different types of cancer YEARS before someone gets ill

A blood test that can detect 10 types of cancer potentially years before someone becomes ill has been described as the 'holy grail' of cancer research.

Scientists in the US have found a simple test can pick up early signs of cancers including breast, ovarian, bowel and lung cancer.

It works by picking up fragments of DNA released into the blood by fast-growing cancer cells.

In a study of more than 1,400 people, the triple test achieved up to 90 per cent accuracy.

Among four cancer-free people who tested positive, the US authors say two women were diagnosed with ovarian and endometrial cancer just months later.

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REPORT: MERKEL RAN FOR OFFICE AFTER TRUMP’S ELECTION TO “DEFEND THE LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER”

New scandal involving asylum rulings further damages Merkel’s credibility

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made the decision to run for re-election following Donald Trump’s victory in 2016, according to a former advisor to President Obama, after claiming she felt obligated to “protect the liberal international order” from Trump.

“Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany told Mr. Obama that she felt more obliged to run for another term because of Mr. Trump’s election to defend the liberal international order,” according to excerpts from a soon-to-be-released book by Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser to former President Barack Obama.

According to Rhodes, when Obama and Merkel parted ways for the final time, “Ms. Merkel had a single tear in her eye. ‘She’s all alone,’ Mr. Obama noted.”

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Mueller Probe Spending Tops $17 Million

Department previously reported $6.7 mil spent from May – September 2017

The Justice Department has spent more than $17 million on its Russia investigation since special counsel Robert Mueller’s appointment last May, according to a government report released Thursday.

The latest DOJ totals reflect $10 million spent from October until March — a particularly productive period for Mueller. During that timespan, Mueller netted five guilty pleas and 17 indictments of people and companies as part of his examination of Moscow’s meddling in the 2016 election, and whether the Kremlin coordinated its efforts with the Trump campaign.

Mueller’s office in a statement said its spending was “within the approved budget,” though it’s still likely to draw complaints from President Donald Trump and his allies who have already found fault with the open-ended nature of the special counsel’s fiscal setup. The president has long labeled the investigation a “witch hunt” that has strayed far from its original mandate.

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O’Donnell on ‘The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier’

Historian and best-selling author Patrick K. O’Donnell joined Breitbart News Daily on May 28 to discuss his new book chronicling the creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery during World War One.

O’Donnell’s book, The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home, follows how U.S. commanding General John “Blackjack” Pershing selected eight of America’s most decorated, battle-hardened veterans to serve as casket bearers to accompany the remains of an unknown soldier back to America and its final resting place in Arlington Cemetery.

The bearers appropriately spanned America’s service branches and specialties, O’Donnell said.

The soldiers tasked with ushering the unknown soldier from the killing fields of Europe back to the U.S. included “a cowboy who relived the charge of the light brigade, an American Indian who heroically breached mountains of German barbed wire, a salty New Englander who dueled a U-boat for hours in a fierce gunfight, a tough New Yorker who sacrificed his body to save his ship, and an indomitable gunner who, though blinded by gas, nonetheless overcame five machine-gun nests.”

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Report: Google, Wikipedia List ‘Nazism’ as California GOP’s Top Ideology

Google briefly listed “Nazism” as an official ideology of the California Republican Party, due to the search engine’s dependence on unreliable information from Wikipedia.

Until earlier today, a Google search for the California Republican Party brought up a list of ideologies in the “knowledge panel” that sometimes appears on the right-hand side of search results. These ideologies included “Nazism, Conservatism, Market liberalism, fiscal conservatism, green conservatism.” The story was first reported by Vice.

Sadly, this is just the latest incident in a disturbing trend to slander conservatives. These damaging actions must be held to account. #StopTheBias https://t.co/6ztyuc772s

— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) May 31, 2018

After press coverage and attention from House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the “ideology” infobox section has now disappeared. Searches for other California parties, like the California Green Party, still show an “ideology” infobox. Other state GOP parties also display the infobox.

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Donald Trump to Disney’s Bob Iger: Where’s My Apology?

President Donald Trump questioned Disney CEO Bob Iger on Wednesday for personally calling Valerie Jarrett to apologize for a tweet from former ABC television star Roseanne Barr.

“Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that ‘ABC does not tolerate comments like those’ made by Roseanne Barr,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

“Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn’t get the call?”

Iger moved quickly to control the fallout from Barr’s comments, canceling the show and apologizing to Jarrett in response to a public uproar.

“There was only one thing to do here and that was the right thing,” he said after issuing the decision.

Trump supporters compared Iger’s response to similar controversies, such as when ABC News reporter Brian Ross reported false information about the Russia investigation or when The View co-host Joy Behar criticized Vice President Mike Pence as “mentally ill” because he was a Christian. Additionally, ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has repeatedly attacked the president’s wife Melania Trump.

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MSNBC, NBC News silent as controversy builds over Joy Reid's pre-fame blog

MSNBC is remaining stone silent as old blog posts that seem to fly in the face of star Joy Reid’s alleged progressive values continue to pile up, one after another.

Two more damaging entries were unearthed on Wednesday, as BuzzFeed and Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” each revealed content that contradicts Reid's emergence as a hero of the liberal #Resistance movement.

BuzzFeed reported that Reid once encouraged her readers to check out “Loose Change,” a documentary on a conspiracy theory that alleges the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 were planned by the United States government. The widely debunked film was co-produced by Info Wars’ Alex Jones.

Shortly after the BuzzFeed bombshell was published, “Tucker Carlson Tonight” revealed that Reid used to tout “American First” immigration policies. Carlson revealed that Reid’s blog argued that, among other things, native-born Americans, not “low-paid Mexican workers” should rebuild New Orleans, agreed with Lou Dobbs on immigration, and even criticized flying the Mexican flag on U.S. soil.

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Judicial Watch Battles FBI for Anti-Trumper Text Messages

Here is a sliver of good news in Judicial Watch’s efforts to find out the truth about the extent of corruption infecting the senior ranks of the FBI, specifically in their lawsuit to get documents about “anti-Trump” senior FBI officials Lisa Page and Peter Strzok.

Judicial Watch was just informed by the Justice Department that, “the FBI plans to send letters to Peter Strzok and Lisa Page asking them to preserve agency records on their personal accounts and personal devices and requesting confirmation that they are doing so.” Judicial Watch made the preservation request to the FBI as part of their Freedom of Information (FOIA) lawsuit for records of the two current and former FBI officials. (Page recently retired, but Mr. Strzok is still at the FBI.)

It’s promising news that the FBI reversed course. On May 2, the FBI wrote a letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) saying it had not requested information from the personal email accounts of Strzok and Page.

What about the documents the FBI does have? A few days ago (May 21), U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered the FBI to begin processing 13,000 pages of previously undisclosed emails exchanged exclusively between FBI officials Strzok and Page between February 1, 2015, and December 2017. The first 500 pages of records are to be processed by June 29, 2018.

This is what the court order requires:

City sued by fed-up residents over 'ridiculous' fines for chipped paint, driveway cracks

Hilda Brucker went down to the municipal court in October 2016 after receiving a phone call. She hadn’t received a formal summons or known of any wrongdoing; instead, she thought she needed to clear a ticket.

But when she arrived at the Doraville, Georgia, courthouse, Brucker said she was placed before a judge and prosecutor who accused her of violating city code -- because of cracks in her driveway.

She was fined $100 and sentenced to six months criminal probation, even though this was the first time she was made aware her driveway was considered a problem.

Eventually the charges were dropped, but Brucker said Doraville “went too far” in going after her for the driveway’s appearance.

Brucker isn’t the only Doraville citizen to fall “victim” to its fees. Jeff Thornton, a neighbor, was fined $1,000 and threatened with an arrest warrant because he had a “disorganized” pile of wood in his backyard, according to IJ. Thornton told the nonprofit that he used the wood for cooking or building birdhouses.

More here

AMA President Cheers Group’s Jump into Gun Control Advocacy

The president of the American Medical Association (AMA) expressed support over the weekend for proposals that would expand the group's advocacy for new gun control laws.

Dr. David O. Barbe, president of the group, told Forbes that he believes gun violence is a matter of public health and that wide-ranging policies are needed to address it.

"Gun violence in America today is a public health crisis, one that requires a comprehensive and far-reaching solution," he said. "This is an important issue, as demonstrated by an unprecedented number of gun violence prevention proposals that physicians have submitted for discussion during the upcoming AMA policy-making meeting."

Forbes reported that the AMA's House of Delegates will consider adopting a number of gun control positions at their upcoming annual meeting June 9 through June 13. Banning so-called "assault weapons" and "high capacity" magazines as well as banning ownership of any firearms by adults under 21-years-old are among the positions being considered. Barbe said he believes AMA members want to use their "considerable political muscle" to pass new gun control measures.

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16-Year-Old Kills Home Invader with Deer Rifle

A 16-year-old Ackerman, Mississippi, resident used a deer rifle to shoot and kill a home invader Tuesday.

The Associated Press reports that Choctaw County Chief Deputy Lee Upchurch identified the deceased individual (pictured) as Jerry Lee Robinson. He said Robinson tried to make entry into the home while holding a hatchet and then “made an aggressive move” toward the 16-year-old.

The Miami Herald reports that the teen then fired one shot at Robinson with .270 rifle. Officers arrived on scene to find Robinson unresponsive.

Robinson, the uncle of the 16-year-old who shot him, had allegedly threatened the family two weeks before. The boy’s mother told WCBI, “I have some videos where he came into my yard with two machetes, threatening my husband, and everything.”

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Summer Hiring is Raising Wages Before Election

Almost half of hourly-wage employers will “offer the maximum hourly wage they feel their business can afford” this summer, up from just one-third of employers in 2017, says a survey of 1,000 employers by Snag, a job-advertising firm.

Snag reported:

With record low unemployment at 3.9 percent, employers are vying to stay competitive with more employers willing to offer the maximum hourly wage they feel their business can afford (46 percent in 2018 versus 31 percent in 2017) rather than the minimum required by law (12 percent in 2018 versus 18 percent in 2017).

The pressure is also pushing three out of four employers to offer wages of $11 or more:

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The U.S. economy added 223,000 jobs in May, topping expectations as hiring remained robust. The jobless rate dipped to 3.8 percent.

The Labor Department’s official hiring and unemployment figures provided the latest snapshot of the American economy.

TRUMP 2020

Troopers Investigating Serious Crash-Selbyville

Selbyville - Delaware State Police are investigating a serious crash that occurred on Lighthouse Road (SR 54) at the entrance to Mallard Lakes earlier this morning.

The incident occurred on Friday, June 1, 2018 at approximately 2:26 a.m. when a 2017 Volkswagen passenger vehicle, was traveling westbound on SR 54 approaching the Mallard Lakes entrance. A Harley Davidson TriGlide trike motorcycle, was also traveling westbound SR 54, behind the Volkswagen. The operator of the Volkswagen, a 41-year-old Uber driver from Willards, MD, was driving two passengers from Ocean City to a residence in Mallard Lakes. One of the passengers initially provided the driver with a final destination/ landmark of Smitty McGee’s, located across SR 54 from the entrance to Mallard Lakes. As the driver was merging into the left turn lane to turn into the parking lot for Smitty McGee’s the passenger instructed him to instead turn right into Mallard Lakes where his residence was located. The driver, then turned right causing the right front of his vehicle to hit the left side of the motorcycle. The impact caused the operator of the motorcycle, a 47-year-old male from Rehoboth Beach, and his 42-year-old female passenger to be ejected. The Volkswagen was able to come to a controlled stop and remained at the scene.

The operator of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet and was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Beebe Medical Center, where he was later transferred to the Christiana Hospital. His passenger, who was also not wearing a helmet was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, MD., with serious non-life threatening injuries. It is unknown at this time if impairment is a factor on behalf of the driver.

The operator of the Volkswagen was properly restrained and was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, MD with minor non-life threatening injuries. Both of the passengers in the Volkswagen were properly secured and uninjured. Impairment does not appear to be a factor on behalf of the driver.

The roadway was closed for approximately 4.5 hours while the investigation was conducted and the roadway was cleared.

This case continues to remain under investigation by the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.

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Obama Allies Scheme to Kneecap Trump’s New National Security Team

Organizations and individuals entrenched in the Obama administration's pro-Iran echo chamber are engaging in a new plot to defame top White House national security officials, a campaign that mirrors a successful effort by these same groups to oust former Trump administration National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, according to sources familiar with the new effort.

After targeting Flynn, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and former senior Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka, organizations closely tied to the Obama administration are setting their sights on National Security Adviser John Bolton and his newly formed team.

Recent attacks by groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, have centered on Fred Fleitz, a former CIA analyst who was recently tapped by Bolton to serve as his chief of staff on the White House National Security Council.

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Researchers 3D-Print A Human Cornea, May Save Millions From Blindness

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, UK (CBS Local) – Researchers at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom have successfully created the first ever 3D-printed cornea, giving millions at risk of going blind new hope.

British scientists combined human stem cells with a mixture of alginate and collagen to produce a “bio-ink” that can be used by a 3D printer. The durable yet flexible combination can reportedly be turned into the outer lens of the eye, which light passes through on its way to the retina in less than 10 minutes.

“Our unique gel… keeps the stem cells alive whilst producing a material which is stiff enough to hold its shape but soft enough to be squeezed out the nozzle of a 3D printer,” Prof. Che Connon said in auniversity release.

“Now we have a ready to use bio-ink containing stem cells allowing users to start printing tissues without having to worry about growing the cells separately.”

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Racist, bigoted, and stupid: The rules that govern the media's Trump coverage

I’d like to think that if it weren’t for Roseanne Barr’s remark about Valerie Jarrett looking like a Muslim monkey-human hybrid that we would have spent much of this week still laughing in a resigned way about how liberals and reporters shared Obama-era photos of illegal immigrant children sleeping in cages, having wrongfully thought that they were new images of President Trump’s immigration policies at work.

But that’s not what would have happened, whether Barr had made her comment or not. Whenever the media make shocking accusations about Trump that turn out to be wrong, we’re expected to accept a casual correction and quickly move on.

Many may have forgotten what happened this past weekend in light of the blanket coverage of a TV actress’s tweet, but in short, some journalists and other liberals passed around a news article Saturday on social media that showed how illegal immigrant children are kept in federal facilities when they’re apprehended at the Mexican border in Arizona.

The photos showed kids in metal cages and sleeping on the floor.

A CNN reporter shared the article on Twitter and described the images as the “first photos of separated migrant at [a] holding facility.”

The point behind promoting the photos was obviously to inspire outrage over the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegals (as if Trump wasn’t ever clear about where he stood on immigration during the 2016 campaign, before he was elected) but people eventually pointed out that the images were from 2014.

Then all those tweets disappeared..

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ABC could be out $60M in lost ad revenue after cancelling ‘Roseanne’

“The abrupt cancellation of ‘Roseanne’ will not come cheap,” saidLacey Rose, television editor for The Hollywood Reporter.

“Although the decision was widely viewed as necessary given the racist nature of star Roseanne Barr’s social media attack on senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, several sources with knowledge of the situation suggest that ABC and parent company Disney could be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars,” Rose reported.

“And that doesn’t include the foregone ad revenue,” she said, citing an industry report from Kantar Media that said that the revival of the 1990s-era sitcom was expected to drive $60 million in advertising dollars.

“The ‘Roseanne’ aftermath: who gets paid?” Ms. Rose summarized.

She also said that her sources reveal that ABC producers won’t be able to invoke the “force majeure clause,” which allows them to cancel contracts due to unforeseen, catastrophic events.

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FGA Report: Food Stamp Work Requirements Help Free Recipients From Government Dependency

A federal farm bill that would have stiffened work requirements on those receiving nutritional help was defeated earlier this month, even as new research argued such requirements would help free aid recipients from government dependency.

Members of the House of Representatives voted down the 2018 Agriculture and Nutrition Act, which contained more than $800 billion in spending as well as stricter work requirements on those receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

A new report from the Foundation for Government Accountability argues that such work requirements are justified and that states have been abusing the current system by seeking waivers from the requirements.

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How even atheists benefit from religious freedom

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced a gathering of “like-minded” political counterparts from foreign nations to discuss ways to advance religious freedoms around the globe.

Atheists will no doubt scream, criticizing the openly, unapologetically Christian-believing Pompeo for daring to tie foreign policy to what they see as a figment of imaginations, God. But they shouldn’t.

Fact is, as America’s own history shows, religious freedom is foundational to a lasting free society. And that’s something that benefits all, believers and atheists alike.

But first, here’s what’s happening on the political end: Pompeo, on the heels of the State Department’s release of its most recent annual International Religious Freedom report, announced that he would be hosting a first-of-its-kind meeting this July to determine how America, and U.S. allies, might fight for religious freedom around the world via policy and pressure.

The two-day forum will not just be a “discussion group,” Pompeo vowed..

Bill Press: Behar Was ‘Right’ to Say Pence’s Christian Faith Is a ‘Mental Illness’

Liberal radio host Bill Press on Thursday mocked Vice President Mike Pence's Christian faith by doubling down on ABC's "The View" co-host Joy Behar's disparaging comment about him having a "mental illness" for his religious views.

Behar mocked Pence's Christian faith back in February, saying it was indicative of "mental illness" to think Jesus was talking to him. Her comments were in response to former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman's commentary on "Celebrity Big Brother," which reflected on her time in the Trump administration.

Behar received backlash in response to the comment, prompting her to apologize for falling short of respecting all religions and to say she was "wrong" to make the comment. Despite Behar's apology, Press pushed back against her admonition of wrongdoing and said she was "right" to mock Pence on his religious views.

Press played an audio clip of White House press secretary Sara Huckabee Sanders slamming Disney CEO Bob Iger for bias after he apologized to former President Barack Obama official Valerie Jarrett but ignored other examples of hateful speech on Disney networks. The former Obama official received the apology after she was the the subject of an insulting, racially-charged tweet from "Roseanne" star Roseanne Barr.

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Justices could determine limits of courts’ ability to check Trump administration

The Supreme Court over the next month is poised to upend the way the country picks representatives to Congress, decide whether the First Amendment protects people who refuse to do business with same-sex couples and rule on whether President Trump’s tweets can be used in court to derail his agenda.

After what analysts described as a lackluster term last year, this year is shaping up to deliver a series of blockbuster rulings that will signal to lower courts how they should treat the unorthodox Mr. Trump.

The biggest test comes on the president’s travel ban. His opponents have begged the justices to hold Mr. Trump’s campaign-era tweets against him, saying his comments about Muslims taint the travel policy he announced once he took office.

Led by Hawaii, the case is also the first big test of the blue state anti-Trump resistance to reach the high court, and analysts said it will test how far the court will go in acting as a brake on the administration.

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Prosecutors interview Comey as they consider whether to charge McCabe

Investigators from the District of Columbia U.S. Attorney's Office recently interviewed former FBI director James Comey as part of a probe into whether his deputy, Andrew McCabe, broke the law by lying to federal agents - an indication the office is seriously considering whether McCabe should be charged with a crime, a person familiar with the matter said.

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz accused McCabe in April of misleading investigators and Comey four times - three of them under oath - about authorizing a disclosure to the media. Horowitz referred the findings to the District's U.S. Attorney's Office to determine whether criminal charges were warranted.

Lying to federal investigators can carry a five-year prison sentence, though McCabe disputes that he intentionally misled anyone. Comey's interview, while significant, does not indicate prosecutors have reached any conclusions, and people familiar with the process said it is not surprising given the allegations McCabe faces. A referral from the inspector general does not guarantee charges will be filed.

Michael Bromwich, McCabe's lawyer, said in a statement: "A little more than a month ago, we confirmed that we had been advised that a criminal referral to the U.S. Attorney's Office had been made regarding Mr. McCabe. We said at that time that we were confident that, unless there is inappropriate pressure from high levels of the Administration, the U.S. Attorney's Office would conclude that it should decline to prosecute. Our view has not changed."

He added that "leaks concerning specific investigative steps the US Attorney's Office has allegedly taken are extremely disturbing."

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Vocabulary


NRA Membership Jumps Past 6 Million Mark

The National Rifle Association marked a milestone in its storied history when it revealed the lobby group now has over 6 million members.

The Second Amendment advocacy group made the announcement on Memorial Day, including its new tally in a tweet that also paid homage to America’s fallen soldiers.

“The six million members of the NRA remember all the brave men and women who died fighting for our country and gave us our freedom,” the tweet read. “We stand with the families and loved ones of these heroes today and every day. They will never be forgotten.”

According to the Daily Caller, the boost in numbers comes on the heels of the political left’s media-hyped push for stricter gun control laws following the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. Since the tragedy, the NRA has been vilified in almost every sense of the word. In a way, the demonization appears to be a blessing in disguise as more Americans concerned about the future of their constitutional rights are joining the group that promises to fight on behalf of them.

The membership surge has been in part attributed to the group’s new leadership, led by President Oliver North. Just in April, the NRA vowed to boost its numbers by 100,000. Apparently, it has far exceeded that goal. The group previously boasted 5 million members.

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Thank God Its Friday 6-1-18

What will you be doing this weekend?

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Breaking News: Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain lost a no-confidence vote on Friday, ousting one of Europe’s longest-serving leaders from office over a major corruption scandal within his conservative party. Read More »

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain lost a no-confidence vote on Friday, ousting one of Europe’s longest-serving leaders from office over a major corruption scandal within his conservative party.

Time To Change Your Party Affiliation To Republican


Paying It Forward?


Wicomico County Fair returns to WinterPlace Park August 17-19

(Salisbury, MD) The Wicomico Farm & Home Show and Wicomico County are proud to announce the return of the Wicomico County Fair, August 17-19 at WinterPlace Park. This year’s event will celebrate 82 years of fair traditions, and is presented by Perdue Farms and the Pohanka Automotive Group.

The Wicomico County Fair serves to showcase the importance of agriculture on the Eastern Shore in a family-friendly atmosphere. Fair events include livestock showings, educational poultry exhibits, petting farm, horse shows, Maryland High School Rodeo, Mason-Dixon Deputies-sanctioned mounted shooting competition, tractor pulls, car and motorcycle shows, baking and craft competitions, carnival rides, 5’ fry pan, live music, fireworks and more.

New activities include the Chase the Chicken 3K Fun Run & Walk, Wicomico County Fair Queen Pageant and 4-H Fashion Review.

“I am very proud to announce that in our first three years we exceeded all expectations in regards to attendance and programming,” said Zach Evans, Wicomico County Fair chair. “This year, we are excited to enhance our program offerings through our new partnership with Wicomico County, and continue to highlight the lifestyle and culture on the Lower Eastern Shore. We would also like to thank our numerous partners including but not limited to the University of MD Extension, 4-H, FFA, Wicomico County Executive’s Office, Wicomico County Council, and the City of Salisbury.”

Admission and parking at the Fair is free. For more information, visit www.WicomicoFair.com.

Glen Ave. Road Closure Announced for Wicomico County High School Commencement Ceremonies

Salisbury, MD – The Wicomico Youth & Civic Center will host Wicomico County high school commencement ceremonies on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2. To protect the safety of graduates and their families, a portion of Glen Ave. in front of the WY&CC will close on Friday, June 1 from 4 – 11 p.m. and Saturday, June 2 from 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. The closed portion runs from Civic Avenue to St. Albans Drive.

Governor Larry Hogan, UMBC Training Centers Announce New Cyber Apprenticeship Program

Will Bridge Apprenticeship And College Degree Through Simultaneous Training And Classroom Instruction

ANNAPOLIS, MD –
Governor Larry Hogan, the Maryland Department of Labor, and UMBC Training Centers today announced a new registered apprenticeship program that will bridge the gap between apprenticeship and a college education. The new model will allow apprentices to earn semester credit toward specific bachelor’s degree programs, while simultaneously receiving the benefits of a traditional apprenticeship. The governor will unveil the new program in an address to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) apprenticeship graduation ceremony at the UMBC Retriever Center on Thursday.

“Our administration is committed to expanding opportunities and building lasting career pathways for our citizens,” said Governor Hogan. “This innovative apprenticeship program breaks the mold by allowing participants to earn semester credits towards degree programs, while also receiving the on-the-job training and classroom instruction of a traditional apprenticeship.”

The program will train apprentices to be certified cyber analyst/operators, a new occupation for the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program and an example of the program’s growing appeal to non-traditional industries.

“With innovative programs like this one, Marylanders no longer have to choose between apprenticeships or college,” said Labor Secretary Kelly Schulz. “This program creates a new and accelerated career path for Marylanders seeking on-the-job experience and industry certified credentials in cyber and IT. It also gives flexibility to apply the apprenticeship toward a two or four-year college degree.”

Why Are Gonorrhea Cases Skyrocketing in Alaska?

The number of new gonorrhea cases in Alaska increased by 51 percent in 2017 compared to the year before, a statistic that's concerning to public health officials, the state health department said.

"This is kind of alarming," said Susan Jones, HIV and STD program manager for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. "Alaskans need to know what's going on to protect themselves."

According to preliminary data, Alaska had the second highest rate of gonorrhea in the country last year, behind Mississippi. In 2016, Alaska ranked fourth for the sexually transmitted disease.

If left untreated, gonorrhea can result in serious health problems, including pregnancy complications and pelvic inflammatory disease, a painful infection of a female's reproductive organs. It can also lead to infertility in both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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