America’s economy has been progressing steadily. First quarter real GDP growth came in 2.2%. The official unemployment rate is 3.8%. Inflation, according to the Fed’s preferred measure is 2%.
But how accurate are those numbers?
“Nonsensical,” says John Williams, founder of Shadow Government Statistics, who has been tracking U.S. government data for more than three decades.
Williams reckons that, using traditional calculation methodologies, true inflation is likely running above 6% and the unemployment rate over 20%.
Most importantly, Williams’ calculations suggest that the US economy has been in a two decade-long depression. His line of reasoning is worth a look.
Underestimating inflation
Williams argues that U.S. statistical agencies overestimate GDP data by underestimating the inflation deflator they use in the calculation.
Manipulating the inflation rate, Williams argues in Public Comment on Inflation Measurement , also enables the US government to pay out pensioners less than they were promised, by fudging cost of living adjustments.
This manipulation has ironically taken place quite openly over decades, as successive Republican and Democratic administrations made “improvements” in the way they calculated the data.
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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, June 11, 2018
Austria’s Government Plans to Shutdown Seven Mosques and Expel 60 Turkish-Funded Imams
The conservative Austrian government announced plans this week to shutter seven mosques and expel 60 Turkish-funded radical imams.
The Turkish government blasted the move as an act of Islamophobia.
Austria said it could expel up to 60 Turkish-funded imams and their families and would shut down seven mosques as part of a crackdown on ‘political Islam’ that was described as ‘just the beginning’, triggering fury in Ankara.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the government is shutting a hardline Turkish nationalist mosque in Vienna and dissolving a group called the Arab Religious Community that runs six mosques.
His coalition government, an alliance of conservatives and the far right, came to power soon after Europe’s migration crisis on promises to prevent another influx and clamp down on benefits for new immigrants and refugees.
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The Turkish government blasted the move as an act of Islamophobia.
Austria said it could expel up to 60 Turkish-funded imams and their families and would shut down seven mosques as part of a crackdown on ‘political Islam’ that was described as ‘just the beginning’, triggering fury in Ankara.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the government is shutting a hardline Turkish nationalist mosque in Vienna and dissolving a group called the Arab Religious Community that runs six mosques.
His coalition government, an alliance of conservatives and the far right, came to power soon after Europe’s migration crisis on promises to prevent another influx and clamp down on benefits for new immigrants and refugees.
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Guidance from DPI on animal welfare issues
Good morning. With a group aiming to ban the sale of all meat in Philadelphia attracting news coverage in Delaware this week about how chickens are raised, I want to make sure you have a fuller understanding of all the ways farmers raising chicken care for them.
You can find a lot of carefully researched, reputable information on the lives on chickens on farms at Chicken Check-In, an educational site produced by the National Chicken Council with support from state chicken-community organizations like Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. There, short videos explain how farmers and chicken companies carefully tailor feed to each stage of life, use computer-controlled ventilation systems to keep the birds comfortable, and safeguard chickens from disease.
If you’re reporting the Philadelphia group’s sensational claims about how chickens are raised, I hope you’ll also consider this information, put together by the people who actually care for chickens on their farms day in and day out.
https://www.chickencheck.in/day-in-the-life/
You can find a lot of carefully researched, reputable information on the lives on chickens on farms at Chicken Check-In, an educational site produced by the National Chicken Council with support from state chicken-community organizations like Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. There, short videos explain how farmers and chicken companies carefully tailor feed to each stage of life, use computer-controlled ventilation systems to keep the birds comfortable, and safeguard chickens from disease.
If you’re reporting the Philadelphia group’s sensational claims about how chickens are raised, I hope you’ll also consider this information, put together by the people who actually care for chickens on their farms day in and day out.
https://www.chickencheck.in/day-in-the-life/
More Than Half Of American Homes Are Overvalued, CoreLogic Warns
A history of economic cycles dating back to the mid-1800s reveals a troubling outlook for today’s Central Bank induced bull market of hopes and dreams, which could be in the later innings.
It is quite evident that Americans have quit saving as their gig-economy jobs have left them in financial ruin - now being squeezed by the higher cost of living.
The charades of economic stability could continue for a little longer, with President Trump’s stealth quantitative easing program to Wall Street via debt-financed tax reform, which has induced a massive wave of more than $2.5 trillion in stock buybacks — a gift to corporate America.
No matter where one looks, the valuation of many financial assets are overextended, and new evidence today from CoreLogicshows this troubling picture very late into an economic cycle: More than half of U.S. residential real estate markets were overvalued in April.
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It is quite evident that Americans have quit saving as their gig-economy jobs have left them in financial ruin - now being squeezed by the higher cost of living.
The charades of economic stability could continue for a little longer, with President Trump’s stealth quantitative easing program to Wall Street via debt-financed tax reform, which has induced a massive wave of more than $2.5 trillion in stock buybacks — a gift to corporate America.
No matter where one looks, the valuation of many financial assets are overextended, and new evidence today from CoreLogicshows this troubling picture very late into an economic cycle: More than half of U.S. residential real estate markets were overvalued in April.
More
Ten Ways the Democratic Northern Hemisphere Nations Became the Orwellian West
In his book, “1984”, George Orwell envisioned a future crushed by the iron grip of a collectivist oligarchy. The narrative told of the INGSOC Partywhich maintained power through a system of surveillance and brutality designed to monitor and control every aspect of society. From the time of the book’s release in 1949, any ensuing vision of a dark dystopia depicting variations of jackboots stomping on human faces, forever, has been referenced as being “Orwellian”. This is because Orwell’s narrative illustrated various disturbing and unjust conceptualizations of control,crime, and punishment.
For example, “Newspeak” represented the language of mind control, whereas “crimethink”, “thoughtcrime”, and “crimeface” manifested as transgressions against the state. Guilty citizens were captured by the“Thought Police”, and the ultimate punishment consisted of“vaporization”; which eliminated every last vestige of a person’s existence.
In the horrifying world of 1984, the nation of Oceania was divided into three concentric groups: The Inner Party, the Outer Party, and the Proles, or proletariat. The Proles constituted 85% of the population and lived in extreme privation. The Inner Party represented the elite powerbrokers who led lives of comprehensive luxury compared to the minions in the Outer Party.
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For example, “Newspeak” represented the language of mind control, whereas “crimethink”, “thoughtcrime”, and “crimeface” manifested as transgressions against the state. Guilty citizens were captured by the“Thought Police”, and the ultimate punishment consisted of“vaporization”; which eliminated every last vestige of a person’s existence.
In the horrifying world of 1984, the nation of Oceania was divided into three concentric groups: The Inner Party, the Outer Party, and the Proles, or proletariat. The Proles constituted 85% of the population and lived in extreme privation. The Inner Party represented the elite powerbrokers who led lives of comprehensive luxury compared to the minions in the Outer Party.
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London: Massive Crowds Gather to Hear Geert Wilders Demand Tommy Robinson’s Release
Massive crowds turned out in London on Saturday to rally for free speech and hear Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders demand the release of Tommy Robinson from prison.
“It’s so good to see so many of you here today, you are all heroes for being here today,” said the Freedom Party leader, an outspoken critic of radical Islam who rose to second place in the Dutch national elections last year.
Wilders told the crowd he had come to Britain to tell Robinson’s supporters they “will never walk alone” and to “tell the world, and the UK government in particular: Free Tommy Robinson!”
“At this very moment, thousands of people all over the world are demonstrating in front of British embassies, from LA to Sydney, and over half a million people have already signed the petition for Tommy,” he told the crowd.
“And all with the one important message: Free Tommy!
“So, Downing Street is just around the corner, so maybe once again, as loud as possible as we can, let them hear our message: Free Tommy Robinson!” he cried, prompting extended chants of ‘Oh, Tommy Tommy, Tommy Tommy Tommy Tommy Robinson!’ and ‘We want Tommy out!’
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“It’s so good to see so many of you here today, you are all heroes for being here today,” said the Freedom Party leader, an outspoken critic of radical Islam who rose to second place in the Dutch national elections last year.
Wilders told the crowd he had come to Britain to tell Robinson’s supporters they “will never walk alone” and to “tell the world, and the UK government in particular: Free Tommy Robinson!”
“At this very moment, thousands of people all over the world are demonstrating in front of British embassies, from LA to Sydney, and over half a million people have already signed the petition for Tommy,” he told the crowd.
“And all with the one important message: Free Tommy!
“So, Downing Street is just around the corner, so maybe once again, as loud as possible as we can, let them hear our message: Free Tommy Robinson!” he cried, prompting extended chants of ‘Oh, Tommy Tommy, Tommy Tommy Tommy Tommy Robinson!’ and ‘We want Tommy out!’
More
When Will Investors Care About The Dollar Shortage Crisis?
Former Federal Reserve Chairman – Ben ‘Helicopter’ Bernanke – just threw cold water on the mainstream growth narrative. He said the economy by 2020 is going to go right over the cliff.
Although rarely – I do agree with Helicopter Ben about something. . .
President Trump’s $1.5 trillion in personal and corporate tax cuts – plus $300 billion in increased federal spending – was done at the “very wrong moment.”
The huge tax cuts and government spending requires a significant amount of new debt to be issued, all while the Fed’s tightening and unwinding their balance sheet via Quantitative Tightening (QT).
This is going to cause an evaporation of dollar liquidity – making the markets extremely fragile.
Putting it simply – the soaring U.S. deficit requires an even greater amount dollars from foreigners to fund the U.S. Treasury. But if the Fed is shrinking their balance sheet, that means the bonds they’re selling to banks are sucking dollars out of the economy (the reverse of Quantitative Easing which was injecting dollars into the economy). This is creating a shortage of U.S. dollars – the world’s reserve currency – therefore affecting every global economy.
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Although rarely – I do agree with Helicopter Ben about something. . .
President Trump’s $1.5 trillion in personal and corporate tax cuts – plus $300 billion in increased federal spending – was done at the “very wrong moment.”
The huge tax cuts and government spending requires a significant amount of new debt to be issued, all while the Fed’s tightening and unwinding their balance sheet via Quantitative Tightening (QT).
This is going to cause an evaporation of dollar liquidity – making the markets extremely fragile.
Putting it simply – the soaring U.S. deficit requires an even greater amount dollars from foreigners to fund the U.S. Treasury. But if the Fed is shrinking their balance sheet, that means the bonds they’re selling to banks are sucking dollars out of the economy (the reverse of Quantitative Easing which was injecting dollars into the economy). This is creating a shortage of U.S. dollars – the world’s reserve currency – therefore affecting every global economy.
More
Revamped Lawsuit Vows to Expose 'Discrimination' in Obama FAA's Diversity Hiring
A federal judge breathed new life into a lawsuit over the Federal Aviation Administration’s race-based hiring practices for air traffic controllers.
The D.C. federal judge’s ruling not only allows plaintiff Andrew Brigida’s suit to move forward, but reignites the controversy over what critics call the Obama administration’s decision to put “diversity over safety” at the FAA.
“We are grateful that the court will allow us to pursue the remedy that can make Andrew Brigida whole for his injuries,” Christian Corrigan, an attorney at the Mountain States Legal Foundation, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich overturned a 2016 federal court decision to dismiss Brigida’s suit against the FAA.
Friedrich, a Trump appointee, is the same judge who smacked down special counsel Robert Mueller’s request to delay the court hearing for Russian citizens and internet companies facing criminal charges for their actions during the 2016 election.
“The Court does not reconsider prior orders lightly,” Friedrich wrote in her opinion, granting Brigida’s motion for reconsideration.
“But these errors, if left undisturbed, would work injustice by preventing Brigida from pursuing relief to which he may be entitled,” Friedrich wrote.
“Going forward, we are determined to expose the discrimination that was perpetrated at the highest levels of the Obama FAA and vindicate the constitutional rights of thousands of qualified air traffic control applicants,” Corrigan said.
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The D.C. federal judge’s ruling not only allows plaintiff Andrew Brigida’s suit to move forward, but reignites the controversy over what critics call the Obama administration’s decision to put “diversity over safety” at the FAA.
“We are grateful that the court will allow us to pursue the remedy that can make Andrew Brigida whole for his injuries,” Christian Corrigan, an attorney at the Mountain States Legal Foundation, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich overturned a 2016 federal court decision to dismiss Brigida’s suit against the FAA.
Friedrich, a Trump appointee, is the same judge who smacked down special counsel Robert Mueller’s request to delay the court hearing for Russian citizens and internet companies facing criminal charges for their actions during the 2016 election.
“The Court does not reconsider prior orders lightly,” Friedrich wrote in her opinion, granting Brigida’s motion for reconsideration.
“But these errors, if left undisturbed, would work injustice by preventing Brigida from pursuing relief to which he may be entitled,” Friedrich wrote.
“Going forward, we are determined to expose the discrimination that was perpetrated at the highest levels of the Obama FAA and vindicate the constitutional rights of thousands of qualified air traffic control applicants,” Corrigan said.
More
Average New Vehicle Auto Payment Hits Record High $523 Per Month
Database firm Experian notes U.S. Monthly Auto Payments Reach Record High in First Quarter.
New vehicle loans averaged $31,455
The average monthly payment for a new vehicle hit at record $523/month
Consumers are lengthening loan terms, with six years being the most common, to adjust to the higher costs and rising interest rates.
Outstanding loan balances reached a record high of $1.108 trillion
Loans for used vehicles reached $19,536, also a record
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BREAKING NEWS: Possible Missing Person Update
Dave Insley Jr., Dive Master for Salisbury Fire Department Has Passed Away
Dave was captain on the Salisbury Fire Department
BREAKING NEWS: Possible Missing Person In Worcester County / OC Bay Area
More to come...
Here Are The Schools With The Best ROI In Each State
The average US student today is graduating with $39,400 in student-loan debt, an enormous sum, particularly for liberal arts grads with few reliable employment options allowing them to earn more than $30,000 a year right out of school. The aggregate figure is even more egregious: Nationally, students owe more than $1.4 trillion on their loans, nearly 50% more than all credit card debt in the US. Given this enormous sum, Brookings Institute projects that nearly 40% of student loan borrowers will default by 2023. And yet, most Americans still believe that college is a sound investment.
But students who bother to conduct an ROI analysis will find that the return on a degree varies widely depending on the school. Which is why, in a recent study, HowMuch.com and Payscale decided to calculate the schools with the best 20-year ROI in each state. Many of the names may not be widely familiar to people - and some might be downright surprising (particularly the winner for Connecticut, where the Coast Guard Academy beat out Yale). Indeed, across the US, technical colleges and military academies appear to outrank big-name schools at every turn.
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But students who bother to conduct an ROI analysis will find that the return on a degree varies widely depending on the school. Which is why, in a recent study, HowMuch.com and Payscale decided to calculate the schools with the best 20-year ROI in each state. Many of the names may not be widely familiar to people - and some might be downright surprising (particularly the winner for Connecticut, where the Coast Guard Academy beat out Yale). Indeed, across the US, technical colleges and military academies appear to outrank big-name schools at every turn.
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Cannabis Surpasses The Wine Industry In Southern Oregon
When California voters legalized recreational marijuana in November 2016, they also passed a measure which permits people with cannabis offenses to either clear their records completely or downgrade their offenses. The measure, in theory, stands to benefit hundreds of thousands in the state, but few have taken advantage of it because, up until now, the process has been confusing and often expensive.
Now, a new technology designed to automatically expunge cannabis records may change that. The initiative—called the Clear My Record program—is being led by Code for America, a non-profit organization that harnesses modern technology to make the relationship between the government and the public more easy to navigate. It aims to clear 250,000 cannabis convictions in California by the year 2019.
The organization recently announced that they’re teaming up with the San Francisco District Attorney’s office to automatically expunge cannabis records in the city. Perhaps most importantly, this means that these cannabis records will no longer be seen by prospective employers who might discriminate or even be accessible through a criminal background check.
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Now, a new technology designed to automatically expunge cannabis records may change that. The initiative—called the Clear My Record program—is being led by Code for America, a non-profit organization that harnesses modern technology to make the relationship between the government and the public more easy to navigate. It aims to clear 250,000 cannabis convictions in California by the year 2019.
The organization recently announced that they’re teaming up with the San Francisco District Attorney’s office to automatically expunge cannabis records in the city. Perhaps most importantly, this means that these cannabis records will no longer be seen by prospective employers who might discriminate or even be accessible through a criminal background check.
More
Diabetes Study: Spice More Effective Treatment Than Drug
A recent study published by Biochemistry and Biophysical Research Communications found that curcumin, a component of the popular East Asian spice turmeric, is 400 times more powerful than the common diabetes drug, metformin, in improving insulin sensitivity and helping to reverse Type 2 diabetes.
Turmeric has been used as a spice in curry for centuries and recently has been touted for its extraordinary health benefits. To date there have been over 6,000 peer-reviewed research studies published proving the benefits of turmeric and specifically curcumin, one of turmeric’s highly regarded healing compounds.
Out of the thousands of studies, one of the most interesting findings is that when turmeric is compared to pharmaceutical medications, the benefits are often equal or better without dangerous side effects.
More here
Turmeric has been used as a spice in curry for centuries and recently has been touted for its extraordinary health benefits. To date there have been over 6,000 peer-reviewed research studies published proving the benefits of turmeric and specifically curcumin, one of turmeric’s highly regarded healing compounds.
Out of the thousands of studies, one of the most interesting findings is that when turmeric is compared to pharmaceutical medications, the benefits are often equal or better without dangerous side effects.
More here
Facebook, Amazon, Google And Twitter All Work With Left-Wing SPLC
Four of the world’s biggest tech platforms have working partnerships with a left-wing nonprofit that has a track record of inaccuracies and routinely labels conservative organizations as “hate groups.”
Facebook, Amazon, Google and Twitter all work with or consult the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in policing their platforms for “hate speech” or “hate groups,” a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found.
The SPLC is on a list of “external experts and organizations” that Facebook works with “to inform our hate speech policies,” Facebook spokeswoman Ruchika Budhraja told TheDCNF in an interview.
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Facebook, Amazon, Google and Twitter all work with or consult the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in policing their platforms for “hate speech” or “hate groups,” a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found.
The SPLC is on a list of “external experts and organizations” that Facebook works with “to inform our hate speech policies,” Facebook spokeswoman Ruchika Budhraja told TheDCNF in an interview.
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Ocean City Police Issue over 100 Alcohol Citations in One Night
On Wednesday, June 6, 2018, Ocean City police working this detail issued over 100 citations for underage alcohol possession, 94 of which were issued at a single underage house party. Police responded to the property, located on Pine Tree Road, after receiving a noise complaint from area residents.
Graduates are reminded that underage alcohol citations will lead to hefty fines, court appearances, possible license suspension or other serious consequences affecting future endeavors. Similar to adults, drinking alcohol can reduce an individual’s mental and physical abilities, possibly leading to injury. Additionally, underage drinking puts individuals at an increased risk of becoming a victim of a crime.
Graduates are encouraged to take advantage of the Play It Safe program during their stay. Play It Safe offers free and fun events for high school seniors. Additionally, by attending Play It Safe events, graduates are eligible to purchase a discounted weekly bus pass. To view the calendar of events, visit: playitsafeoceancity.com.
Ex-Senate Aide Charged in Leak Case
A former Senate Intelligence Committee aide was arrested on Thursday in an investigation of classified information leaks where prosecutors also secretly seized years’ worth of a New York Times reporter’s phone and email records.
The former aide, James A. Wolfe, 57, was charged with lying repeatedly to investigators about his contacts with three reporters. According to the authorities, Mr. Wolfe made false statements to the F.B.I. about providing two of them with sensitive information related to the committee’s work. He denied to investigators that he ever gave classified material to journalists, the indictment said.
Mr. Wolfe, the Intelligence Committee’s director of security, was slated to appear before a federal judge on Friday in Washington. Reached on Thursday evening before his arrest, Mr. Wolfe declined to comment.
Mr. Wolfe’s case led to the first known instance of the Justice Department going after a reporter’s data under President Trump. The seizure was disclosed in a letter to the Times reporter, Ali Watkins, who had been in a three-year relationship with Mr. Wolfe.
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The former aide, James A. Wolfe, 57, was charged with lying repeatedly to investigators about his contacts with three reporters. According to the authorities, Mr. Wolfe made false statements to the F.B.I. about providing two of them with sensitive information related to the committee’s work. He denied to investigators that he ever gave classified material to journalists, the indictment said.
Mr. Wolfe, the Intelligence Committee’s director of security, was slated to appear before a federal judge on Friday in Washington. Reached on Thursday evening before his arrest, Mr. Wolfe declined to comment.
Mr. Wolfe’s case led to the first known instance of the Justice Department going after a reporter’s data under President Trump. The seizure was disclosed in a letter to the Times reporter, Ali Watkins, who had been in a three-year relationship with Mr. Wolfe.
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Trump Slams Schumer: 'I Don't Need His Advice' on NKorea
President Donald Trump on Friday slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer through a tweet, saying his administration doesn't "need his advice" when it comes to negotiating with North Korea.
Obama, Schumer and Pelosi did NOTHING about North Korea, and now weak on Crime, High Tax Schumer is telling me what to do at the Summit the Dems could never set up. Schumer failed with North Korea and Iran, we don’t need his advice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2018
The president's attack comes after Schumer warned through a tweet of his own Thursday afternoon that Trump should not take the negotiations lightly.
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Obama, Schumer and Pelosi did NOTHING about North Korea, and now weak on Crime, High Tax Schumer is telling me what to do at the Summit the Dems could never set up. Schumer failed with North Korea and Iran, we don’t need his advice!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 8, 2018
The president's attack comes after Schumer warned through a tweet of his own Thursday afternoon that Trump should not take the negotiations lightly.
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DOJ Won't Defend Obamacare in Lawsuit Brought by 20 States
The Trump administration said in a court filing late Thursday that it will no longer defend key parts of the Affordable Care Act, including the requirement that people have health insurance and provisions that guarantee access to health insurance regardless of any medical conditions.
The decision, announced in a filing in a federal court in Texas, is a rare departure from the Justice Department's practice of defending federal laws in court. Texas and other Republican-led states are suing to strike down the entire law because Congress recently repealed a provision that people without health insurance must pay a fine. The repeal takes effect next year.
Texas says that without the fine in place the requirement to have health insurance is unconstitutional and that the entire law should be struck down as a result.
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The decision, announced in a filing in a federal court in Texas, is a rare departure from the Justice Department's practice of defending federal laws in court. Texas and other Republican-led states are suing to strike down the entire law because Congress recently repealed a provision that people without health insurance must pay a fine. The repeal takes effect next year.
Texas says that without the fine in place the requirement to have health insurance is unconstitutional and that the entire law should be struck down as a result.
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Russian Military Building Vast Computing Cloud for Future Wars
The Russian military is building a giant cloud as a backup internet that in wartime will let the country go into Internet exile — and in peace, keep it operating in case of a global internet connection loss or hack, Defense One reported.
"Russian Armed Forces will receive a . . . closed 'cloud' storage for proprietary and confidential information," Izvestia reported, according to the news outlet. The cloud will rely on data centers slated for completion by 2020, Izvestia reported.
According to Defense One, the first center has already been established in a Russian military district that includes the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula and parts of eastern Ukraine.
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"Russian Armed Forces will receive a . . . closed 'cloud' storage for proprietary and confidential information," Izvestia reported, according to the news outlet. The cloud will rely on data centers slated for completion by 2020, Izvestia reported.
According to Defense One, the first center has already been established in a Russian military district that includes the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula and parts of eastern Ukraine.
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Report of Explosive Device In Ocean City
The Ocean City Police, Fire Marshall and bomb squad are on the scene at 26th Street and the beach for a report of a possible explosive device in a back pack. AVOID THE AREA
The Shocking Influence of the Media on Suicide Attempts
With the suicides of fashion designer Kate Spade and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain both in the past week, many people are wondering this weekend why those who seem to have it all would choose to end it all.
Mental health problems can affect anyone, of course.
And wealth and popularity do not insulate anyone from the devastating effects of depression or life’s sudden storms.
“We’re surrounded by these celebrities, and in a sense, we feel like we know them,” Catherine Glenn Foster, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, a nonprofit in the Washington, D.C., area that is America’s first national pro-life organization, told LifeZette. “We feel such a connection to so many of the people we’ve lost, including some of the more accessible celebrities, like Bourdain and Spade and Robin Williams. But they had internal struggles.”
Perhaps a fast-paced, very public lifestyle even adds to the pressure to be “perfect.”
“In certain professions, you do have to put on that face and arguably get used to covering up how you feel,” said Foster. “They maybe get a little more adept at covering internal struggles. And maybe they’re not as accustomed to reaching out to others for support.”
A critical component often overlooked during the national conversation on suicide is the media’s reporting on it. “People are surrounded by media stories about successful suicides, but there is less discussion about failed suicides — and about those who failed in their attempt and also regretted it,” said Foster. “We need more of those hopeful stories.”
Experts also emphasize that everyone must always ask that hard and direct question of anyone they worry about: "Are you considering suicide?"
More here
Mental health problems can affect anyone, of course.
And wealth and popularity do not insulate anyone from the devastating effects of depression or life’s sudden storms.
“We’re surrounded by these celebrities, and in a sense, we feel like we know them,” Catherine Glenn Foster, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, a nonprofit in the Washington, D.C., area that is America’s first national pro-life organization, told LifeZette. “We feel such a connection to so many of the people we’ve lost, including some of the more accessible celebrities, like Bourdain and Spade and Robin Williams. But they had internal struggles.”
Perhaps a fast-paced, very public lifestyle even adds to the pressure to be “perfect.”
“In certain professions, you do have to put on that face and arguably get used to covering up how you feel,” said Foster. “They maybe get a little more adept at covering internal struggles. And maybe they’re not as accustomed to reaching out to others for support.”
A critical component often overlooked during the national conversation on suicide is the media’s reporting on it. “People are surrounded by media stories about successful suicides, but there is less discussion about failed suicides — and about those who failed in their attempt and also regretted it,” said Foster. “We need more of those hopeful stories.”
Experts also emphasize that everyone must always ask that hard and direct question of anyone they worry about: "Are you considering suicide?"
More here
In Rare Decision, Navy Upgrades Discharge for Sexual Assault Survivor
His assailants were relentless.
Heath Phillips was 17 -- a fresh young sailor on his first Navy ship. There, a gang of six sailors zeroed in on their prey, raping, beating and sodomizing him repeatedly. He tried reporting them, but for 45 days, his superiors shrugged off his complaints and sent him back for more.
Terrified, Phillips went absent without leave. He got caught and sent back and was molested again so he went AWOL again.
After five times, desperate to get out, he agreed to an "other than honorable" discharge from the Navy.
He's been fighting to get that reversed ever since.
He told his story to anyone who would listen. Became the voice of male sexual trauma in the military. He helped advocate for other survivors and stood before Congress testifying to his own shame and trauma as he pressed for reform.
More
Heath Phillips was 17 -- a fresh young sailor on his first Navy ship. There, a gang of six sailors zeroed in on their prey, raping, beating and sodomizing him repeatedly. He tried reporting them, but for 45 days, his superiors shrugged off his complaints and sent him back for more.
Terrified, Phillips went absent without leave. He got caught and sent back and was molested again so he went AWOL again.
After five times, desperate to get out, he agreed to an "other than honorable" discharge from the Navy.
He's been fighting to get that reversed ever since.
He told his story to anyone who would listen. Became the voice of male sexual trauma in the military. He helped advocate for other survivors and stood before Congress testifying to his own shame and trauma as he pressed for reform.
More
Salmonella found in pre-cut melon sickens 60 people, CDC says
Officials urged people to throw out pre-cut melon sold in major supermarket chains after a salmonella outbreak linked to the fruit sickened 60 people in five states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.
Caito Foods, LLC recalled its packages of pre-cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut medley products containing these melons after people reported feeling ill after eating the fruits, the CDC said in a news release. The fruit was produced in a facility in Indianapolis, Ind.
Officials said people reported contracting salmonella after eating pre-cut melon between April 30 and May 28. At least 31 people were hospitalized.
The melon was sold in plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon. They were distributed in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio.
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Caito Foods, LLC recalled its packages of pre-cut watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and fresh-cut medley products containing these melons after people reported feeling ill after eating the fruits, the CDC said in a news release. The fruit was produced in a facility in Indianapolis, Ind.
Officials said people reported contracting salmonella after eating pre-cut melon between April 30 and May 28. At least 31 people were hospitalized.
The melon was sold in plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon. They were distributed in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio.
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http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/06/10/salmonella-found-in-pre-cut-melon-sickens-60-people-cdc-says.html
Joint Investigation Leads to the Arrest of a Correctional Officer
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| Corey C. Davis |
The investigation began on Monday, June 4, 2018 when Troop 4 Major Crimes Unit received information from the Department of Correction, regarding a Correctional Officer, 47-year-old Corey C. Davis of Delmar who was employed at the Sussex Correctional Institution, located at 23203 Dupont Boulevard. An internal investigation conducted by the Department of Correction, led to the discovery of Davis communicating with family and friends of inmates while on duty between May 1, 2018 and June 4, 2018. Further investigation led to the discovery that Davis was bringing in contraband to prisoners on his tier. Davis would make arrangements with the inmates' family and friends to obtain items and then bring them into the prison to distribute to the prisoners. These items included; coffee, sunflower seeds, workout supplements, food and crest white stripes. In exchange for these items, Davis would receive an undisclosed amount of cash directly deposited into a cash application by these family and friends.
It was also discovered that Davis would allow inmates access the State's computer when no other officers were around. Davis would also communicate with the inmates' family members on the computer while the inmates were standing with him. Davis also accessed the Delaware Automated Correctional System and obtained information on inmates that he would distribute to family members of the inmates.
Davis was subsequently arrested on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, at approximately 2:39 p.m. and taken into custody at the Sussex Correctional Institution. He was charged with Receiving a Bribe (Felony), Misuse of Computer System Information, 2 counts of Prison Contraband with Intent to Deliver, and Official Misconduct with Unauthorized Exercise of Official Functions. Davis was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court 2 and released on $8,000.00 unsecured bond.
Gohmert SLAMS Mueller: ‘He’s Covering Up His Involvement in Uranium One While Trying to Have a Coup Against the President’
Rep Louie Gohmert (R-TX) appeared on Fox & Friends Saturday to discuss thenew amendment that just passed the House calling for an audit of Mueller’s multi-million dollar witch hunt.
Rep. Gohmert said not only is Mueller wasting millions of taxpayer dollars, he’s covering up his own involvement in the Uranium One scandal while trying to have a coup against the President.
Rep. Gohmert said not only is Mueller wasting millions of taxpayer dollars, he’s covering up his own involvement in the Uranium One scandal while trying to have a coup against the President.
Czech PM Rejects Merkel's "Flexible" EU Immigration Plan As Aftermath of Migrant Crisis Intensifies
European Union member states remained mostly divided to start June over how to embrace and share burdens of the aftermath of the migrant crisis in a troubling sign, that political divisions will continue to develop.
While millions of people have escaped the world’s worst war zones and poverty-stricken areas in Africa and the Middle East, they have made the treacherous journey by land and sea to Europe. In 2015, the number of people applying for asylum in Europe peaked at 1.26 million and triggered the current migration crisis, which has created unwanted stress for numerous member states in the Eurozone.
In particular, Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has had enough with Brussels. Babis on Monday rejected a new “flexible” European Union strategy for refugee migration peddled by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis arrives at a news conference at government headquarters in Prague, Czech Republic, March 2018. (Source: Reuters)
Over the weekend, Merkel proposed a “flexible system with division of labor” which could severely penalize member states that refuse to take in migrants and refugees.
Prague, along with numerous other European member states, has rejected a new quota system drawn up by the European Commission to redistribute asylum seekers around the bloc, said Reuters.
“We don’t want to compensate, why should we compensate with a contribution?” Babiš said in an interview with the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“We have said clearly: it is our people, our businesses who will decide who will work and live with us.”
Merkel’s proposal for a “flexible” system could see some European member states like the Czech Republic who reject Brussels’ request to take in refugees — instead provide financial assistance to other member states on the front lines of the crisis.
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While millions of people have escaped the world’s worst war zones and poverty-stricken areas in Africa and the Middle East, they have made the treacherous journey by land and sea to Europe. In 2015, the number of people applying for asylum in Europe peaked at 1.26 million and triggered the current migration crisis, which has created unwanted stress for numerous member states in the Eurozone.
In particular, Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has had enough with Brussels. Babis on Monday rejected a new “flexible” European Union strategy for refugee migration peddled by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis arrives at a news conference at government headquarters in Prague, Czech Republic, March 2018. (Source: Reuters)
Over the weekend, Merkel proposed a “flexible system with division of labor” which could severely penalize member states that refuse to take in migrants and refugees.
Prague, along with numerous other European member states, has rejected a new quota system drawn up by the European Commission to redistribute asylum seekers around the bloc, said Reuters.
“We don’t want to compensate, why should we compensate with a contribution?” Babiš said in an interview with the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“We have said clearly: it is our people, our businesses who will decide who will work and live with us.”
Merkel’s proposal for a “flexible” system could see some European member states like the Czech Republic who reject Brussels’ request to take in refugees — instead provide financial assistance to other member states on the front lines of the crisis.
More
Striking UPS Workers Will Disrupt Business Nationwide With Largest US Walkout In Decades
UPS is facing its largest labor strike in decades - as over 90% of the shipping company's union members have voted to stop working if a deal can't be reached on the Teamsters' current labor contract which expires on August 1, according to CBS News.
At issue is how employees will be compensated under a rumored plan to deliver packages seven days a week. UPS began delivering on Saturdays last year to keep up with demand. The company is now proposing a two-tier wage structure that would shift part-time workers making $15/hour to full-time at the same wage. Drivers currently make an average of $36 an hour, or around $75,000 per year.
With UPS's roughly 19 million shipments per day accounting for roughly 6% of the nation's GDP, a labor dispute could disrupt the US economy. The company transports around 36% of deliveries between the top three logistics providers, while the U.S. Postal Service stands at 35% and FedEx comes in third at 17%.
The vote "gives the negotiating committees bargaining leverage this week and during subsequent negotiations for the national contract and the supplements," said Teamsters director and co-chairman of the bargaining committee, Denis Taylor.
That said, the Teamsters are deeply divided on the proposal, making a deal more difficult to reach and a strike more likely.
An opposition group within the union, UPS Teamsters United, argues that the delivery company, which posted a $5 billion profit in 2017, should pay new full time workers the same as existing workers. -CNN
"Most people understand in the world of Amazon (AMZN) and e-commerce, UPS isn't going to be Monday to Friday or even Monday to Saturday any more, it's going to be a seven-day operation," said David Levin, spokesman for UPS Teamsters United. "But they made record profits. They don't need concessions to do that."
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At issue is how employees will be compensated under a rumored plan to deliver packages seven days a week. UPS began delivering on Saturdays last year to keep up with demand. The company is now proposing a two-tier wage structure that would shift part-time workers making $15/hour to full-time at the same wage. Drivers currently make an average of $36 an hour, or around $75,000 per year.
With UPS's roughly 19 million shipments per day accounting for roughly 6% of the nation's GDP, a labor dispute could disrupt the US economy. The company transports around 36% of deliveries between the top three logistics providers, while the U.S. Postal Service stands at 35% and FedEx comes in third at 17%.
The vote "gives the negotiating committees bargaining leverage this week and during subsequent negotiations for the national contract and the supplements," said Teamsters director and co-chairman of the bargaining committee, Denis Taylor.
That said, the Teamsters are deeply divided on the proposal, making a deal more difficult to reach and a strike more likely.
An opposition group within the union, UPS Teamsters United, argues that the delivery company, which posted a $5 billion profit in 2017, should pay new full time workers the same as existing workers. -CNN
"Most people understand in the world of Amazon (AMZN) and e-commerce, UPS isn't going to be Monday to Friday or even Monday to Saturday any more, it's going to be a seven-day operation," said David Levin, spokesman for UPS Teamsters United. "But they made record profits. They don't need concessions to do that."
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America Goes Full Imbecile
Credit has a wicked way...
...of magnifying a person’s defects. Even the most cautious man, with unlimited credit, can make mistakes that in retrospect seem absurd. But an average man, with unlimited credit, is preeminently disposed to going full imbecile.
Let us not forget about this important skill… [PT]
Several weeks ago we came across a woeful tale of Mike Meru. Somehow, this special fellow, while of apparent sound mine and worthy intent, racked up over $1 million dollars in student loan debt – all to become an orthodontist.
Surely, with several good text books, and a disciplined self-study program, Meru could have learned everything there was to possibly know about adjusting malpositioned teeth for roughly $200 bucks. Instead, with the full backing of Uncle Sam’s loan program, he went full imbecile.
Yet Meru isn’t alone. According to the Department of Education, there are 101 people in the U.S. who are a million dollars or more in federal student loan debt. What’s more, there are 2.5 million people who owe at least $100,000. What could they have possibly learned that could be so doggone valuable?
Did they discover how to turn nickels into dimes? Did they solve the geometry of a four-sided triangle? Did they learn the secrets of the universe? Did they get an insider’s peek at something more than what happens under the sun?
Delusions of Grandeur
Only at rare moments are people capable of understanding the full implications of the catastrophes of their making. These rare moments, often just before dawn, are the precise instants when they gain full clarity to the hopeless fact that they have gone full imbecile. That every decision they have ever made has led them to this exact place – where they find themselves to be completely and utterly screwed.
Nations, like the people who compose them, have also demonstrated that they are unqualified to responsibly function in a world of unlimited credit. Here in The United States of Debt, federal debt has exceeded $21 trillion, corporate debt has topped $6 trillion [ed note: this is only the amount of non-financial corporate debt issued in the form of bonds – the actual total is around $20 trillion (PT)], and total household debt has reached a record high of over $13 trillion. In other words, the country, as a whole, has gone full imbecile.
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...of magnifying a person’s defects. Even the most cautious man, with unlimited credit, can make mistakes that in retrospect seem absurd. But an average man, with unlimited credit, is preeminently disposed to going full imbecile.
Let us not forget about this important skill… [PT]
Several weeks ago we came across a woeful tale of Mike Meru. Somehow, this special fellow, while of apparent sound mine and worthy intent, racked up over $1 million dollars in student loan debt – all to become an orthodontist.
Surely, with several good text books, and a disciplined self-study program, Meru could have learned everything there was to possibly know about adjusting malpositioned teeth for roughly $200 bucks. Instead, with the full backing of Uncle Sam’s loan program, he went full imbecile.
Yet Meru isn’t alone. According to the Department of Education, there are 101 people in the U.S. who are a million dollars or more in federal student loan debt. What’s more, there are 2.5 million people who owe at least $100,000. What could they have possibly learned that could be so doggone valuable?
Did they discover how to turn nickels into dimes? Did they solve the geometry of a four-sided triangle? Did they learn the secrets of the universe? Did they get an insider’s peek at something more than what happens under the sun?
Delusions of Grandeur
Only at rare moments are people capable of understanding the full implications of the catastrophes of their making. These rare moments, often just before dawn, are the precise instants when they gain full clarity to the hopeless fact that they have gone full imbecile. That every decision they have ever made has led them to this exact place – where they find themselves to be completely and utterly screwed.
Nations, like the people who compose them, have also demonstrated that they are unqualified to responsibly function in a world of unlimited credit. Here in The United States of Debt, federal debt has exceeded $21 trillion, corporate debt has topped $6 trillion [ed note: this is only the amount of non-financial corporate debt issued in the form of bonds – the actual total is around $20 trillion (PT)], and total household debt has reached a record high of over $13 trillion. In other words, the country, as a whole, has gone full imbecile.
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The mysterious engraved rock that could finally reveal the fate of English settlers in the 'Lost Colony of Roanoke' - or be one of America's biggest hoaxes
An engraved rock discovered nearly 100 years ago at the North Carolina-Virginia border has sparked a decades-long debate about clues that could help solve one of the oldest mysteries in the nation.
It’s been over 400 years since the Roanoke Colony on Chesapeake Bay disappeared without a trace, save for the word ‘Croatoan’ carved into a fence post.
Over 100 settlers went unaccounted for, and all buildings had been dismantled.
In 1937, however, a middle-aged man presented scholars with a 21-pound stone he claimed to have found – and, etched into its surface appeared to be a message from a member of the Lost Colony, detailing a bloody massacre that took place at the site, according to National Geographic.
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It’s been over 400 years since the Roanoke Colony on Chesapeake Bay disappeared without a trace, save for the word ‘Croatoan’ carved into a fence post.
Over 100 settlers went unaccounted for, and all buildings had been dismantled.
In 1937, however, a middle-aged man presented scholars with a 21-pound stone he claimed to have found – and, etched into its surface appeared to be a message from a member of the Lost Colony, detailing a bloody massacre that took place at the site, according to National Geographic.
More
Where The Hell Have You Been, Lady? Pelosi's Remarks On The Economy Aren't Grounded In Reality
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) could be talking the way out of a 2018 midterm win. It’s still possible, however. A lot of indicators have shifted away from the Democrats in that endeavor. The generic ballot advantage Democrats enjoyed has been chipped away. The messaging is off. They’re now fighting the same losing battles with Trump, like defending trashing the American flag and the national anthem, with the most recent giving cover to MS-13 gang members as folks…who aren’t so bad. Sorry, no—they’re garbage human beings who are thugs, rapists, and murderers, devoid of any humanity. They deserve to be treated as such. Lock ‘em up and throw away the key. Dehumanization of a cancerous and dangerous criminal element in our society is not a bad thing; it’s a necessity. Pelosi did step on a rake defending MS-13, but we’re going to talk about how she is absolutely divorced from reality on the issue of the economy.
The May jobs report was stellar, with 223,000 jobs created. It was solid. That is a fact. But Pelosi decided to take the position that they were worthless. Oh, and unemployment reached an 18-year low; black unemployment reached historic lows as well.
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The May jobs report was stellar, with 223,000 jobs created. It was solid. That is a fact. But Pelosi decided to take the position that they were worthless. Oh, and unemployment reached an 18-year low; black unemployment reached historic lows as well.
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May Report: 20% of US Prison Population is Criminal Aliens
The United States having a significant foreign national population residing within the nations boundaries, be they legally or illegally present in the country, unfortunately includes those who commit crimes.
The extent and impact of foreign national crime on the U.S. citizens and residents of this country is explicitly revealed by a simple search on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates statistics website under the heading of inmate citizenship.
Here are the countries of origin, moreover, the number and percentage of those countries citizens recently incarcerated in the U.S. BOP prison system (The most recent BOP crime numbers available were from May 26, 2018.).
Inmate Citizenship:
– México 23,532 inmates, 12.8 percent;
– Colombia 1,677 inmates, 0.9 percent;
– Dominican Republic 1,461 inmates, 0.8 percent;
– Cuba 1,156 inmates, 0.6 percent;
– Other / unknown countries 9,063 inmates, 4.9 percent;
– United States 146,331 inmates, 79.9 percent;
Total Inmates: 183,220 inmates.
To clarify the meaning of these preceding criminal alien inmate numbers and percentages, I will translate them into words:
More
The extent and impact of foreign national crime on the U.S. citizens and residents of this country is explicitly revealed by a simple search on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates statistics website under the heading of inmate citizenship.
Here are the countries of origin, moreover, the number and percentage of those countries citizens recently incarcerated in the U.S. BOP prison system (The most recent BOP crime numbers available were from May 26, 2018.).
Inmate Citizenship:
– México 23,532 inmates, 12.8 percent;
– Colombia 1,677 inmates, 0.9 percent;
– Dominican Republic 1,461 inmates, 0.8 percent;
– Cuba 1,156 inmates, 0.6 percent;
– Other / unknown countries 9,063 inmates, 4.9 percent;
– United States 146,331 inmates, 79.9 percent;
Total Inmates: 183,220 inmates.
To clarify the meaning of these preceding criminal alien inmate numbers and percentages, I will translate them into words:
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5 Reasons Trump Will Win 40 States in 2020
Delusional progressives are powerless to stop it. Ineffective never-trump laughingstock are dwindling into oblivion.
After every curve-ball has been thrown at him from every conceivable direction, Donald Trump will win 40 states, and do so in a most extraordinary way.
He will have made Americans believe in American greatness once again!
He already is.
In 2006 a full two years prior to his election I was the first to predict that Barack Obama would be elected President.
No one believed me, but I based it on five instinctive realities I could see forming. I indicated if as few of three of the five occurred he’d likely be elected. Four of the five came true.
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After every curve-ball has been thrown at him from every conceivable direction, Donald Trump will win 40 states, and do so in a most extraordinary way.
He will have made Americans believe in American greatness once again!
He already is.
In 2006 a full two years prior to his election I was the first to predict that Barack Obama would be elected President.
No one believed me, but I based it on five instinctive realities I could see forming. I indicated if as few of three of the five occurred he’d likely be elected. Four of the five came true.
More
State-level Dems funneled $84M to Clinton's campaign, lawsuit alleges
As many as 40 state-level Democratic parties may have been involved in a scheme to funnel as much as $84 million to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, a campaign finance lawyer contends.
Dan Backer, an attorney based in Virginia, has filed a lawsuit alleging that a plan was in place to circumvent campaign contribution limits set by the federal government, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
“You had individuals giving $300,000,” Backer told the newspaper Friday. “They’re not doing it because they care about Nevada’s or Arkansas’ state party. They’re doing it to curry favor with and buy influence with Hillary Clinton.”
Backer told the paper he filed his lawsuit because the FEC failed to meet a deadline for taking action.
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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/06/09/state-level-dems-funneled-84m-to-clintons-campaign-lawsuit-alleges.html
Dan Backer, an attorney based in Virginia, has filed a lawsuit alleging that a plan was in place to circumvent campaign contribution limits set by the federal government, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
“You had individuals giving $300,000,” Backer told the newspaper Friday. “They’re not doing it because they care about Nevada’s or Arkansas’ state party. They’re doing it to curry favor with and buy influence with Hillary Clinton.”
Backer told the paper he filed his lawsuit because the FEC failed to meet a deadline for taking action.
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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/06/09/state-level-dems-funneled-84m-to-clintons-campaign-lawsuit-alleges.html
Bipartisan Infrastructure Funding Package on Way
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is working on an infrastructure package to help America’s poorest communities, Breitbart News has learned.
The package, which will sell off government debt assets and split the money between deficit reduction and infrastructure spending, would cost taxpayers nothing–as it would transition wasteful government assets into serving as a revenue-raising tool.
The concept is that the bill, per a draft press release obtained by Breitbart News, “would require the Department of Agriculture to sell their distressed debt assets and the proceeds will be distributed between funding much needed infrastructure projects across the country and further paying down U.S. national debt.”
The release draft says this...
The package, which will sell off government debt assets and split the money between deficit reduction and infrastructure spending, would cost taxpayers nothing–as it would transition wasteful government assets into serving as a revenue-raising tool.
The concept is that the bill, per a draft press release obtained by Breitbart News, “would require the Department of Agriculture to sell their distressed debt assets and the proceeds will be distributed between funding much needed infrastructure projects across the country and further paying down U.S. national debt.”
The release draft says this...
Pence Demands USAID Break Through Bureaucratic Gridlock to Help Iraqi Christians, Yazidis
Incensed over bureaucratic attempts to thwart a direct White House executive order, Vice President Mike Pence is dispatching U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green to Iraq to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars are going to help save Christian and Yazidi communities decimated by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Pence issued the announcement Friday afternoon after waiting months for USAID to comply with a promise he issued during a dinner last October.
"President Trump and Vice President Pence made restoring the rights and property of Iraq's Christian and Yazidi communities, who were nearly wiped out by ISIS's genocidal campaign against them, a top and unceasing priority of this administration," Pence spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said in a statement Friday afternoon.
"The vice president will not tolerate bureaucratic delays in implementing the administration's vision to deliver the assistance we promised to the people we pledged to help," she added.
The Vice President, she said, has directed USAID Administrator Mark Green to travel to Iraq in the coming weeks to report back with an "immediate comprehensive assessment addressing issues that could delay the process of aid distribution."
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Pence issued the announcement Friday afternoon after waiting months for USAID to comply with a promise he issued during a dinner last October.
"President Trump and Vice President Pence made restoring the rights and property of Iraq's Christian and Yazidi communities, who were nearly wiped out by ISIS's genocidal campaign against them, a top and unceasing priority of this administration," Pence spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said in a statement Friday afternoon.
"The vice president will not tolerate bureaucratic delays in implementing the administration's vision to deliver the assistance we promised to the people we pledged to help," she added.
The Vice President, she said, has directed USAID Administrator Mark Green to travel to Iraq in the coming weeks to report back with an "immediate comprehensive assessment addressing issues that could delay the process of aid distribution."
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Subject: Donald Trump: It will ‘Only Take A Minute’ to See if Kim Jong-un is Serious
President Donald Trump said it wouldn’t take long to know whether or not Kim Jong-un was serious about giving up his nuclear weapons.
“I think within the first minute I’ll know,” Trump said. “Just my touch, my feel. That’s what I do.”
The president made his remarks on Saturday in a press conference prior to departing the G7 summit of world leaders in Canada for the meeting with Kim in Singapore.
Trump cited the common saying that it only took five seconds to decide whether or not you would like someone to explain his comment.
“I think that very quickly I’ll know whether or not something good is going to happen,” Trump said.
He appeared optimistic that Kim was ready to deal with the United States and its allies.
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“I think within the first minute I’ll know,” Trump said. “Just my touch, my feel. That’s what I do.”
The president made his remarks on Saturday in a press conference prior to departing the G7 summit of world leaders in Canada for the meeting with Kim in Singapore.
Trump cited the common saying that it only took five seconds to decide whether or not you would like someone to explain his comment.
“I think that very quickly I’ll know whether or not something good is going to happen,” Trump said.
He appeared optimistic that Kim was ready to deal with the United States and its allies.
More
How A Black Detective Infiltrated The KKK
In 1978, Ron Stallworth was working as a detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department when he came across a classified ad to find out more about the Ku Klux Klan — and answered it. Two weeks later, he got a call on the police department's undercover operations line. It was the local KKK organizer. He asked why Stallworth wanted to join the Klan.
"I said I wanted to join because I was a pure, Aryan, white man who was tired of the abuse of the white race by blacks and other minorities," Stallworth recalls.
But Stallworth — a highly decorated law enforcement veteran — is actually black. In his new memoir, Black Klansman, he tells the story of how he hoodwinked the Ku Klux Klan into thinking he was one of them. (As you might imagine, this conversation includes some racist language.)
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"I said I wanted to join because I was a pure, Aryan, white man who was tired of the abuse of the white race by blacks and other minorities," Stallworth recalls.
But Stallworth — a highly decorated law enforcement veteran — is actually black. In his new memoir, Black Klansman, he tells the story of how he hoodwinked the Ku Klux Klan into thinking he was one of them. (As you might imagine, this conversation includes some racist language.)
More
Bureaucrat Subpoenas Records of Homeschoolers to Build Case for Regulation
The head of the Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate has subpoenaed records of homeschoolers as she intends to explore a regulatory “framework” for parents who choose the home education model.
Child Advocate Sarah Eagan is looking to regulate homeschooling in the state in the wake of the failure of a school system and the state child protection agency to prevent a young autistic teen’s death via his mother’s negligence and abuse.
“I know parents want to make sure their right to direct the education of their children is a very important right,” Eagan told local WTIC radio. “We strongly support the right of parents to do just that – to direct the education of their children in the way they think is most appropriate for them or their child.”
Parental rights to homeschool children, however, says Eagan, can be a “pretext” or “a guise” to keep children hidden from authorities.
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Child Advocate Sarah Eagan is looking to regulate homeschooling in the state in the wake of the failure of a school system and the state child protection agency to prevent a young autistic teen’s death via his mother’s negligence and abuse.
“I know parents want to make sure their right to direct the education of their children is a very important right,” Eagan told local WTIC radio. “We strongly support the right of parents to do just that – to direct the education of their children in the way they think is most appropriate for them or their child.”
Parental rights to homeschool children, however, says Eagan, can be a “pretext” or “a guise” to keep children hidden from authorities.
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Maine Voters To Decide On Whether They'll Rank Candidates In Future Elections
In just a few days, Maine primary voters will participate in a ranked-choice voting experiment so unprecedented that the state's top election official sometimes compares what's about to happen to a dangerous and high-stakes mission in space.
"This is a little bit like Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star," Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said of the upcoming June 12 primary. "You get one pass."
In asking voters to rank candidates in order of preference, Maine becomes the first U.S. state to adopt a system also used in Australia, Ireland, several other countries, as well as a smattering of U.S. cities.
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"This is a little bit like Luke Skywalker blowing up the Death Star," Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said of the upcoming June 12 primary. "You get one pass."
In asking voters to rank candidates in order of preference, Maine becomes the first U.S. state to adopt a system also used in Australia, Ireland, several other countries, as well as a smattering of U.S. cities.
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Colorado baker slammed with hostile reviews, protests after Supreme Court victory
Colorado baker Jack Phillips received a standing ovation Saturday at the Western Conservative Summit, which came as a change of pace after a week of protests and negative reviews following his Supreme Court victory.
Since the high court ruled Monday in his favor, the owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood has been faced with protesters and a deluge of one-star reviews on Yelp, but he’s not complaining.
Conservatives hailed the ruling as a victory for First Amendment rights, while critics held a protest hours after the decision’s release featuring Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper at the state capital in Denver.
Meanwhile, the Masterpiece Cakeshop’s page on Yelp has been slammed with hundreds of politically motivated one-star reviews accusing Mr. Phillips of “bigotry,” some with photos of same-sex marriage ceremonies.
“Giving a one-star review because the menu doesn’t include ‘hatred and bigotry’ as options,” said one commenter.
Said another: “Food made with hate does not taste good. This establishment is homophobic.”
A band of activists turned up at the cake shop Friday for a protest called “Gay Party at Bigot Bakery,” backed by groups including the People for Bernie Sanders and Millennials for Revolution, but they were met by dozens of counter-protesters in support of Mr. Phillips.
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Since the high court ruled Monday in his favor, the owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood has been faced with protesters and a deluge of one-star reviews on Yelp, but he’s not complaining.
Conservatives hailed the ruling as a victory for First Amendment rights, while critics held a protest hours after the decision’s release featuring Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper at the state capital in Denver.
Meanwhile, the Masterpiece Cakeshop’s page on Yelp has been slammed with hundreds of politically motivated one-star reviews accusing Mr. Phillips of “bigotry,” some with photos of same-sex marriage ceremonies.
“Giving a one-star review because the menu doesn’t include ‘hatred and bigotry’ as options,” said one commenter.
Said another: “Food made with hate does not taste good. This establishment is homophobic.”
A band of activists turned up at the cake shop Friday for a protest called “Gay Party at Bigot Bakery,” backed by groups including the People for Bernie Sanders and Millennials for Revolution, but they were met by dozens of counter-protesters in support of Mr. Phillips.
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Tyson recalls over 3k Pounds of frozen chickens
Tyson Foods has recalled over 3,000 pounds of frozen chicken after it was discovered there were pieces of plastic in the chicken's breading ingredients.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Friday the chicken may be contaminated by pieces of "blue and clear soft plastic."
The chicken was sold in 3-pound plastic bags of “UNCOOKED, BREADED, ORIGINAL CHICKEN TENDERLOINS,” with a lot code of 1378NLR02, the USDA said.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Friday the chicken may be contaminated by pieces of "blue and clear soft plastic."
The chicken was sold in 3-pound plastic bags of “UNCOOKED, BREADED, ORIGINAL CHICKEN TENDERLOINS,” with a lot code of 1378NLR02, the USDA said.
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Indiana GOP overwhelmingly votes to keep marriage definition as 'between a man and a woman'
Indiana Republican Party activists overwhelmingly voted Saturday to reaffirm language first inserted in their platform when Vice President Mike Pence was governor that defines marriage as a union “between a man and a woman.”
The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported that delegates to the party’s biennial state convention chose the existing plank in its party platform over one floated by Gov. Eric Holcomb’s hand-picked party chairman that was intended to be more inclusive of same-sex couples.
Chairman Kyle Hupfer’s proposal would have recognized a variety of families, including “all loving adults” rearing children.
The vote was a victory for Pence-era social conservatives who inserted the affirmation of what they call a “traditional family” into the platform in 2014, when he was governor.
More here
The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported that delegates to the party’s biennial state convention chose the existing plank in its party platform over one floated by Gov. Eric Holcomb’s hand-picked party chairman that was intended to be more inclusive of same-sex couples.
Chairman Kyle Hupfer’s proposal would have recognized a variety of families, including “all loving adults” rearing children.
The vote was a victory for Pence-era social conservatives who inserted the affirmation of what they call a “traditional family” into the platform in 2014, when he was governor.
More here
Amazon Blasted Over China Echo Factory Conditions
A watchdog group is calling on Amazon.com Inc. to improve conditions for factory workers in China who make Echo speakers and Kindle e-readers, renewing criticisms that CEO Jeff Bezos became the world’s wealthiest man on the backs of low-paid laborers.
The New York-based China Labor Watch released a report at the weekend following a nine-month investigation of working conditions at a factory in the city of Hengyang owned by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the company known as Foxconn, which manufactures products for Amazon. It offers the first behind-the-scenes glimpse of how Amazon produces voice-activated speakers that cost as little as $40.
The report, which paints a picture of low pay and intense working conditions, includes the following findings:
The New York-based China Labor Watch released a report at the weekend following a nine-month investigation of working conditions at a factory in the city of Hengyang owned by Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the company known as Foxconn, which manufactures products for Amazon. It offers the first behind-the-scenes glimpse of how Amazon produces voice-activated speakers that cost as little as $40.
The report, which paints a picture of low pay and intense working conditions, includes the following findings:
Obama-era cash traced to Iran-backed terrorists
The U.S. government has traced some of the $1.7 billion released to Iran by the Obama administration to Iranian-backed terrorists in the two years since the cash was transferred.
According to knowledgeable sources, Iran has used the funds to pay its main proxy, the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, along with the Quds Force, Iran’s main foreign intelligence and covert action arm and element of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The U.S. money supplied to Iran as part of an arms settlement dating back to the 1970s also has been traced to Iran’s backing of Houthi rebels seeking to take power in Yemen. Iran has been supporting the Yemen rebels as part of a bid to encircle and eventually take control of Saudi Arabia.
“The enormous financial windfall the Iranian regime received because of the deal — access to more than $100 billion, including $1.8 billion in cash — has not been used to better the lives of the Iranian people,” Mr. Trump said Jan. 12. “Instead, it has served as a slush fund for weapons, terror, and oppression, and to further line the pockets of corrupt regime leaders.”
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According to knowledgeable sources, Iran has used the funds to pay its main proxy, the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, along with the Quds Force, Iran’s main foreign intelligence and covert action arm and element of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The U.S. money supplied to Iran as part of an arms settlement dating back to the 1970s also has been traced to Iran’s backing of Houthi rebels seeking to take power in Yemen. Iran has been supporting the Yemen rebels as part of a bid to encircle and eventually take control of Saudi Arabia.
“The enormous financial windfall the Iranian regime received because of the deal — access to more than $100 billion, including $1.8 billion in cash — has not been used to better the lives of the Iranian people,” Mr. Trump said Jan. 12. “Instead, it has served as a slush fund for weapons, terror, and oppression, and to further line the pockets of corrupt regime leaders.”
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Obama’s Treason: Even Worse Than We Thought
But 'Leftist Privilege' will prevent him from ever being held accountable.
The Washington Free Beacon reported Wednesday that “the Obama administration skirted key U.S. sanctions to grant Iran access to billions in hard currency despite public assurances the administration was engaged in no such action, according to a new congressional investigation.”
And it gets even worse: “The investigation, published Wednesday by the House Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, further discloses secret efforts by top Obama administration officials to assure European countries they would receive a pass from U.S. sanctions if they engaged in business with Iran.”
This revelation comes after the news that came to light in February, that, according to Bill Gertz in the Washington Times, “the U.S. government has traced some of the $1.7 billion released to Iran by the Obama administration to Iranian-backed terrorists in the two years since the cash was transferred.”
There is a law that applies to this situation. U.S. Code 2381 says: “Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”
In a sane political environment, Barack Obama would be tried for treason.
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The Washington Free Beacon reported Wednesday that “the Obama administration skirted key U.S. sanctions to grant Iran access to billions in hard currency despite public assurances the administration was engaged in no such action, according to a new congressional investigation.”
And it gets even worse: “The investigation, published Wednesday by the House Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, further discloses secret efforts by top Obama administration officials to assure European countries they would receive a pass from U.S. sanctions if they engaged in business with Iran.”
This revelation comes after the news that came to light in February, that, according to Bill Gertz in the Washington Times, “the U.S. government has traced some of the $1.7 billion released to Iran by the Obama administration to Iranian-backed terrorists in the two years since the cash was transferred.”
There is a law that applies to this situation. U.S. Code 2381 says: “Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”
In a sane political environment, Barack Obama would be tried for treason.
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Troopers Investigating Break-in at Milford Marine Center
Milford – The Delaware State Police are investigating a break-in at a Milford marine center in which property was stolen from multiple boats that were stored on the property.
The incident occurred at approximately 12:37 a.m., Friday, June 8, 2018 at Taylor Marine, located at 22699 Argos Corner Road, Milford. The initial investigation has determined that two unknown suspects cut the secured chain link perimeter fence to gain access to the interior of the property. Once inside the fence line, the suspects removed high end electronics from multiple privately owned boats.
No surveillance images are available at this time.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Troop 4 Property Crimes Unit at 302-752-3832.
Information may also be provided by calling Delaware crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com
The incident occurred at approximately 12:37 a.m., Friday, June 8, 2018 at Taylor Marine, located at 22699 Argos Corner Road, Milford. The initial investigation has determined that two unknown suspects cut the secured chain link perimeter fence to gain access to the interior of the property. Once inside the fence line, the suspects removed high end electronics from multiple privately owned boats.
No surveillance images are available at this time.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Troop 4 Property Crimes Unit at 302-752-3832.
Information may also be provided by calling Delaware crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com
Former Navy Sailor Pardoned by Trump Says He's Suing Comey and Obama
A former Navy sailor who is one of five people to receive a pardon from President Donald Trump is planning to file a lawsuit against Obama administration officials, alleging that he was subject to unequal protection of the law.
Specifically, Kristian Saucier, who served a year in federal prison for taking photos of classified sections of the submarine on which he worked, argues that the same officials who meted out punishment to him for his actions chose to be lenient with Hillary Clinton in her use of a private email server and handling of classified information.
His lawyer, Ronald Daigle, told Fox News on Monday that the lawsuit, which he expects to file soon in Manhattan, will name the U.S. Department of Justice, former FBI Director James Comey and former President Barack Obama as defendants, among others.
"They interpreted the law in my case to say it was criminal," Saucier told Fox News, referring to prosecuting authorities in his case, "but they didn't prosecute Hillary Clinton. Hillary is still walking free. Two guys on my ship did the same thing and weren't treated as criminals. We want them to correct the wrong."
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Specifically, Kristian Saucier, who served a year in federal prison for taking photos of classified sections of the submarine on which he worked, argues that the same officials who meted out punishment to him for his actions chose to be lenient with Hillary Clinton in her use of a private email server and handling of classified information.
His lawyer, Ronald Daigle, told Fox News on Monday that the lawsuit, which he expects to file soon in Manhattan, will name the U.S. Department of Justice, former FBI Director James Comey and former President Barack Obama as defendants, among others.
"They interpreted the law in my case to say it was criminal," Saucier told Fox News, referring to prosecuting authorities in his case, "but they didn't prosecute Hillary Clinton. Hillary is still walking free. Two guys on my ship did the same thing and weren't treated as criminals. We want them to correct the wrong."
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Maryland State Police Tackling Underage Drinking, Impaired Driving With ‘Lose the Booze’ Initiative
(EASTON, Md.) — As high school graduates are heading down to Ocean City for Senior Week and more people are planning summer vacations, Maryland State Police are ready for an expected increase in underage drinking, along with impaired, aggressive and distracted drivers on the Eastern Shore.
Under the “Lose the Booze” campaign, Maryland State Police, along with assistance from the Easton Police Department, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, conducted over 900 traffic stops and issued 301 citations, 634 warnings, 25 civil citations and five citations for underage drinking between June 1-3, 2018 in Dorchester, Talbot and Caroline counties. Troopers also made 11 DUI arrests and seven CDS arrests during that span in the same area.
Among the Maryland State Police units that participated in the campaign were the Easton Barrack, the State Police Impaired Driving Effort (SPIDRE) team, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Motor Unit and K-9 Unit. The initiative will continue throughout the summer.
According to state law, those under 21 cited for possession of alcohol could be fined up to $500. Those cited for supplying alcohol to those under 21 could be fined up to $2,500 in Maryland.
Under the “Lose the Booze” campaign, Maryland State Police, along with assistance from the Easton Police Department, Talbot County Sheriff’s Office and the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office, conducted over 900 traffic stops and issued 301 citations, 634 warnings, 25 civil citations and five citations for underage drinking between June 1-3, 2018 in Dorchester, Talbot and Caroline counties. Troopers also made 11 DUI arrests and seven CDS arrests during that span in the same area.
Among the Maryland State Police units that participated in the campaign were the Easton Barrack, the State Police Impaired Driving Effort (SPIDRE) team, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, Motor Unit and K-9 Unit. The initiative will continue throughout the summer.
According to state law, those under 21 cited for possession of alcohol could be fined up to $500. Those cited for supplying alcohol to those under 21 could be fined up to $2,500 in Maryland.
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