The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from the Consulate at Bergen, Norway.
Reports from fishermen, seal hunters and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard of temperatures in the Arctic zone.
Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes. Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the gulf stream still very warm. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared.
Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic,while vast shoals of herring and smelts which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds.
Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coast cities uninhabitable.
Oh! I must apologize. I neglected to mention that this report was from November 2, 1922, as reported by the AP and published in The Washington Post 96 years ago. This must have been caused by the Model T Ford's or possibly from horse and cattle"emissions."
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, March 22, 2019
South Carolina Democrats Fight Against University Constitution Course
South Carolina Democrats argued for more than an hour to prevent legislation that would require state universities to teach a “Constitution 101” course Tuesday.
The Republican-proposed bill would update an existing 1924 requirement to teach the course, which the University of South Carolina has hitherto ignored. The legislation has already passed in the Senate, but Democrats in a Tuesday House subcommittee hearing argued the update would be too burdensome on students both financially and academically.
The bill would require students to take a three-credit, semester-long class covering America’s founding documents, including the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Federalist Papers.
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The Republican-proposed bill would update an existing 1924 requirement to teach the course, which the University of South Carolina has hitherto ignored. The legislation has already passed in the Senate, but Democrats in a Tuesday House subcommittee hearing argued the update would be too burdensome on students both financially and academically.
The bill would require students to take a three-credit, semester-long class covering America’s founding documents, including the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Federalist Papers.
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'Second Amendment Sanctuary' Cities, Counties, & States Spring Up Across The Country
A growing number of states, counties, cities, and towns are declaring themselves “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” and are refusing to enforce gun-control laws that infringe on the Constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
While adopting ordinances and resolutions to defy gun laws isn’t a new tactic, momentum is rapidly building – likely in response to increasing calls for more gun control at state and federal levels.
Sheriffs in several states say they will NOT enforce gun control laws.
Sanctuary counties and towns are passing resolutions that state no funding will be used to enforce unconstitutional laws and that the sheriff will uphold his oath to the Constitution instead of enforcing laws that violate the Second Amendment.
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Texas House passes bill to legalize kids' lemonade stands
Lemonade lovers just got some sweet news in the Lone Star State.
Texas is one step closer to allowing kids to sell the popular curbside beverage after the state House passed a bill Wednesday legalizing temporary lemonade stands run by minors.
Texas House Rep. Matt Krause sponsored the legislation, declaring Tuesday “lemonade freedom day” after the bill received initial approval. After the bill's passage he said, "Yesterday was one small step for lemonade, today is one giant leap for young entrepreneurs," according to the Dallas Morning News.
Texas law prohibits the sale of the lemonade because homemade drinks are illegal under the Texas Food Establishment Rules due to health concerns.
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Texas is one step closer to allowing kids to sell the popular curbside beverage after the state House passed a bill Wednesday legalizing temporary lemonade stands run by minors.
Texas House Rep. Matt Krause sponsored the legislation, declaring Tuesday “lemonade freedom day” after the bill received initial approval. After the bill's passage he said, "Yesterday was one small step for lemonade, today is one giant leap for young entrepreneurs," according to the Dallas Morning News.
Texas law prohibits the sale of the lemonade because homemade drinks are illegal under the Texas Food Establishment Rules due to health concerns.
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Auschwitz to visitors: Stop posing on the railroad tracks
The Auschwitz memorial on Wednesday urged visitors to stop posing for photos on the railroad tracks outside the former concentration camp.
A number of tourists have recently posted photos of themselves balancing on the tracks outside the Auschwitz Memorial Museum, the museum said on Twitter.
“When you come to @AuschwitzMuseum remember you are at the site where over 1 million people were killed,” the museum wrote.
“Respect their memory,” they added. “There are better places to learn how to walk on a balance beam than the site which symbolizes deportation of hundreds of thousands to their deaths.”
It’s not the first time social media photos at the memorial have caused controversy.
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A number of tourists have recently posted photos of themselves balancing on the tracks outside the Auschwitz Memorial Museum, the museum said on Twitter.
“When you come to @AuschwitzMuseum remember you are at the site where over 1 million people were killed,” the museum wrote.
“Respect their memory,” they added. “There are better places to learn how to walk on a balance beam than the site which symbolizes deportation of hundreds of thousands to their deaths.”
It’s not the first time social media photos at the memorial have caused controversy.
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American Farmers Confront Mental Health Crisis
The worst agricultural downturn since the 1980s is taking its toll on the emotional well-being of American farmers.
In Kentucky, Montana and Florida, operators at Farm Aid’s hotline have seen a doubling of contacts for everything from financial counseling to crisis assistance. In Wisconsin, Dale Meyer has started holding monthly forums in the basement of his Loganville church following the suicide of a fellow parishioner, a farmer who’d fallen on hard times. In Minnesota, rural counselor Ted Matthews says he’s getting more and more calls.
“Can you imagine doing your job and having your boss say ‘well you know things are bad this year, so not only are we not going to pay you, but you owe us’,” Matthews said by telephone. “That’s what’s happened with farmers.’’
Glutted grain markets have sparked a years-long price slump made worse by a trade war with top buyer China. As their revenues decline, farmers have piled on record debt -- to the tune of $427 billion. The industry’s debt-to-income ratio is the highest since the mid 1980s, when Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert.
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In Kentucky, Montana and Florida, operators at Farm Aid’s hotline have seen a doubling of contacts for everything from financial counseling to crisis assistance. In Wisconsin, Dale Meyer has started holding monthly forums in the basement of his Loganville church following the suicide of a fellow parishioner, a farmer who’d fallen on hard times. In Minnesota, rural counselor Ted Matthews says he’s getting more and more calls.
“Can you imagine doing your job and having your boss say ‘well you know things are bad this year, so not only are we not going to pay you, but you owe us’,” Matthews said by telephone. “That’s what’s happened with farmers.’’
Glutted grain markets have sparked a years-long price slump made worse by a trade war with top buyer China. As their revenues decline, farmers have piled on record debt -- to the tune of $427 billion. The industry’s debt-to-income ratio is the highest since the mid 1980s, when Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert.
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If $15 Minimum Wage Is Such a Good Idea, Why Did AOC's Bar Close Down?
The brilliant Thomas Sowell, when in college, considered himself a Marxist. Asked what changed him, Sowell said, “Evidence.”
After completing undergrad at Harvard and obtaining a master’s in economics, Sowell landed a summer internship with the Department of Labor. While there, he researched the impact of minimum wage law on employment. Sowell learned two things, both of which he found startling. First, minimum wage laws create job loss by pricing the unskilled out of the labor force. Second, Sowell discovered that “the people in the labor department really were not interested in that, because the administration of the minimum wage was supplying one-third of the money that was keeping the labor department going. … I realized that institutions have their own agendas and their own incentives.” In short, Sowell found that the Department of Labor did not care about the real-world effects of the minimum wage law. He credits this experience, this search for evidence, with having the “biggest” impact on his thinking.
The left refers to the skeptics of “climate change” alarmism as “anti-science.” But when it comes to left-wing passions like the $15 minimum wage, a “universal basic income” and the “wealth tax,” it is the left that ignores evidence.
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After completing undergrad at Harvard and obtaining a master’s in economics, Sowell landed a summer internship with the Department of Labor. While there, he researched the impact of minimum wage law on employment. Sowell learned two things, both of which he found startling. First, minimum wage laws create job loss by pricing the unskilled out of the labor force. Second, Sowell discovered that “the people in the labor department really were not interested in that, because the administration of the minimum wage was supplying one-third of the money that was keeping the labor department going. … I realized that institutions have their own agendas and their own incentives.” In short, Sowell found that the Department of Labor did not care about the real-world effects of the minimum wage law. He credits this experience, this search for evidence, with having the “biggest” impact on his thinking.
The left refers to the skeptics of “climate change” alarmism as “anti-science.” But when it comes to left-wing passions like the $15 minimum wage, a “universal basic income” and the “wealth tax,” it is the left that ignores evidence.
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Most Amazing Intersection in the World!
MESKEL SQUARE - ADDIS ABABA - TRAFFIC
Most Amazing Intersection in the World!
This is how this intersection operates with NO white or yellow lines, NO directional arrows, NO traffic lights and no one directing traffic.
In this time lapse video we see the intersection at Meskel Square, the nerve centre of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Check out the pedestrians as they navigate this chaos. Driving this intersection is not for the timid, patient or slow-thinking driver. Driving this intersection takes guts, split second timing, a brake and gas pedals that work!
Note: there are no skid marks in the intersection.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UEIn8GJIg0E?rel=0
Most Amazing Intersection in the World!
This is how this intersection operates with NO white or yellow lines, NO directional arrows, NO traffic lights and no one directing traffic.
In this time lapse video we see the intersection at Meskel Square, the nerve centre of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Check out the pedestrians as they navigate this chaos. Driving this intersection is not for the timid, patient or slow-thinking driver. Driving this intersection takes guts, split second timing, a brake and gas pedals that work!
Note: there are no skid marks in the intersection.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/UEIn8GJIg0E?rel=0
GUILFOYLE: PRESIDENT TRUMP — THE ONLY ONE IN WASHINGTON WHO TAKES HIS OATH SERIOUSLY
Congress tried to veto reality.
Instead, President Trump vetoed Congress.
When Congress voted to block President Trump’s emergency declaration on the southern border, the president vetoed their measure.
No matter how hard Congress tries to ignore, deny and dodge reality, we have a humanitarian, security and enforcement crisis at the border. As Homeland Security Secretary Kirsten Nielsen said, it is beyond a national emergency — it’s a total meltdown of our immigration system.
Sadly, their willful ignorance, ideological blindfold and hatred of President Trump prevent Congress from acknowledging it.
Illegal immigrant apprehensions on our southern border are at the highest level in a decade. But even that statistic doesn’t tell the whole story.
The number of migrant families with young children is higher than ever. In the first five months of this year, over 136 thousand were apprehended — that’s almost a third higher than were apprehended all of last year.
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Instead, President Trump vetoed Congress.
When Congress voted to block President Trump’s emergency declaration on the southern border, the president vetoed their measure.
No matter how hard Congress tries to ignore, deny and dodge reality, we have a humanitarian, security and enforcement crisis at the border. As Homeland Security Secretary Kirsten Nielsen said, it is beyond a national emergency — it’s a total meltdown of our immigration system.
Sadly, their willful ignorance, ideological blindfold and hatred of President Trump prevent Congress from acknowledging it.
Illegal immigrant apprehensions on our southern border are at the highest level in a decade. But even that statistic doesn’t tell the whole story.
The number of migrant families with young children is higher than ever. In the first five months of this year, over 136 thousand were apprehended — that’s almost a third higher than were apprehended all of last year.
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Chesapeake Beach Councilman Charged With Illegal Wiretapping
CHESAPEAKE BEACH, Md. (WJZ) — A former Maryland State police officer and current member of the Chesapeake Beach City Council was charged Thursday with illegal wiretapping.
Between July and November 2018, Stewart Cumbo allegedly made approximately 275 unlawful recordings without notifying the person he was speaking with that they were being recorded.
The statute that Cumbo was charged with is a felony under Maryland’s wiretapping laws.
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Between July and November 2018, Stewart Cumbo allegedly made approximately 275 unlawful recordings without notifying the person he was speaking with that they were being recorded.
The statute that Cumbo was charged with is a felony under Maryland’s wiretapping laws.
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Hepatitis C Settlement Guarantees 'Cure to All Prisoners' in Minnesota
Minnesota prisoners with chronic hepatitis C infections must be provided with highly effective but costly antiviral drugs following a class-action lawsuit settlement.
A group of five inmates infected with the virus sued the Department of Corrections in 2015, accusing the agency of withholding the drugs from them despite the medications having a 95 percent cure rate.
“The settlement will provide a cure to all prisoners at every stage of progression,” said Andrew Mohring, an attorney for the prisoners. “It puts Minnesota in the forefront for treatment and care of its prisoners who have chronic hepatitis C.”
The prisoners were not awarded any money as part of the settlement. However, the DOC must reimburse their attorneys $325,000 in fees and another $41,000 in costs. The medications, known as “direct acting antiviral” (DAA) drugs, range in cost from $26,400 to more than $100,000 per patient. In court filings, the DOC has said that providing the drugs to all inmates could “result in a fundamental alteration to the DOC or its programming.”
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A group of five inmates infected with the virus sued the Department of Corrections in 2015, accusing the agency of withholding the drugs from them despite the medications having a 95 percent cure rate.
“The settlement will provide a cure to all prisoners at every stage of progression,” said Andrew Mohring, an attorney for the prisoners. “It puts Minnesota in the forefront for treatment and care of its prisoners who have chronic hepatitis C.”
The prisoners were not awarded any money as part of the settlement. However, the DOC must reimburse their attorneys $325,000 in fees and another $41,000 in costs. The medications, known as “direct acting antiviral” (DAA) drugs, range in cost from $26,400 to more than $100,000 per patient. In court filings, the DOC has said that providing the drugs to all inmates could “result in a fundamental alteration to the DOC or its programming.”
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Colorado AG: Sheriffs Who Will Not Enforce Gun Confiscation ‘Should Resign’
Colorado Attorney General (AG) Phil Weiser (D) said sheriffs who refuse to enforce gun confiscation laws “should resign” their posts.
Democrat lawmakers are pushing a red flag law that will allow a court to issue confiscatory order empowering police to go to a gun owner’s home and take away his firearms. As of March 12, 2019, ten Colorado counties had declared themselves “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” to signal that they would support their sheriffs in refusing to enforce the confiscation law.
Numerous sheriffs have subsequently taken a stand against the red flag law, and the Colorado Sun quotes AG Weiser saying those sheriffs “should resign.”
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Democrat lawmakers are pushing a red flag law that will allow a court to issue confiscatory order empowering police to go to a gun owner’s home and take away his firearms. As of March 12, 2019, ten Colorado counties had declared themselves “Second Amendment Sanctuaries” to signal that they would support their sheriffs in refusing to enforce the confiscation law.
Numerous sheriffs have subsequently taken a stand against the red flag law, and the Colorado Sun quotes AG Weiser saying those sheriffs “should resign.”
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Man Who Cashed Dead Mother’s Social Security Checks for 37 Years Jailed
Walter Terrell, 76, will serve six months in jail for fraudulently collecting his dead mother’s social security checks.
Terrell has been convicted of stealing more than $280,000 from the U.S. government over nearly four decades of collecting his deceased parent’s social security benefits. Authorities attempted to contact Terrell’s mother when her medicare benefits went unused, but Terrell allegedly claimed she was on vacation, or had someone else impersonate her.
“Every single time you write the false name on the check, you sign somebody’s name that is not yours, that is a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. “Eventually this was direct deposited into his account. So the defendant had to lie to get the direct deposit into his account.”
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Terrell has been convicted of stealing more than $280,000 from the U.S. government over nearly four decades of collecting his deceased parent’s social security benefits. Authorities attempted to contact Terrell’s mother when her medicare benefits went unused, but Terrell allegedly claimed she was on vacation, or had someone else impersonate her.
“Every single time you write the false name on the check, you sign somebody’s name that is not yours, that is a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. “Eventually this was direct deposited into his account. So the defendant had to lie to get the direct deposit into his account.”
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County Agrees To Room Tax Hike
SNOW HILL – County officials agreed to move forward with increasing the room tax rate at the request of the Town of Ocean City.
On Tuesday, the Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with plans to increase the room tax from 4.5 percent to 5 percent. The jump comes at the request of Ocean City leaders.
“What we would like to do is raise the room tax to be used for tourism related issues only, for destination marketing, for economic development, for special events, and to offset the costs of operating and having those special events on a year-round basis in Ocean City,” Mayor Rick Meehan told the commissioners Tuesday.
Meehan said the room tax hadn’t been raised in a decade but that it needed to be increased now to provide more money for marketing as well as to go toward the increased costs that came as a result of tourism. According to Meehan, Ocean City has seen more than $700,000 in increased expenses related to tourism. Police, EMS and public works costs have gone up.
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On Tuesday, the Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously to proceed with plans to increase the room tax from 4.5 percent to 5 percent. The jump comes at the request of Ocean City leaders.
“What we would like to do is raise the room tax to be used for tourism related issues only, for destination marketing, for economic development, for special events, and to offset the costs of operating and having those special events on a year-round basis in Ocean City,” Mayor Rick Meehan told the commissioners Tuesday.
Meehan said the room tax hadn’t been raised in a decade but that it needed to be increased now to provide more money for marketing as well as to go toward the increased costs that came as a result of tourism. According to Meehan, Ocean City has seen more than $700,000 in increased expenses related to tourism. Police, EMS and public works costs have gone up.
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Catastrophic Flooding In Midwest Could Last "For Months", Threatens US Food Production
The worst flooding disaster in the history of the Midwest is just getting started, and as this crisis unfolds we are all going to be feeling the pain. The “bomb cyclone” that recently brought hurricane-force winds and blizzard conditions to the middle of the nation was the spark that set off this catastrophic flooding, and now all of the snow from one of the snowiest winters in decades is going to be feeding into rivers that have already shattered all-time flood records. As you will see below, most of the Great Plains and Upper Midwest is currently covered by more than 10 inches of snow, and all of that water has to go somewhere. As all of that snow melts, we are going to witness an agricultural disaster that is far beyond anything that we have ever seen before in modern American history.
If you think that I am exaggerating even a little bit, please read this article all the way to the end.
As I did research for this article, I was floored by the immense devastation that has already taken place. But if the crisis was over, at least farmers could start picking up the pieces.
Unfortunately, the crisis is not over. In fact, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is saying that we are “just getting started”. The following comes from a USA Today article entitled “‘It looked like an ocean’: Severe Midwest flooding could last all spring”
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If you think that I am exaggerating even a little bit, please read this article all the way to the end.
As I did research for this article, I was floored by the immense devastation that has already taken place. But if the crisis was over, at least farmers could start picking up the pieces.
Unfortunately, the crisis is not over. In fact, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is saying that we are “just getting started”. The following comes from a USA Today article entitled “‘It looked like an ocean’: Severe Midwest flooding could last all spring”
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It’s hard to learn when classrooms are cold
BALTIMORE -- In the winter, it gets very cold in some of the classrooms at Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School (Mervo), where I’m a sophomore. In November, Ms. (Swetha) Mohan, a geometry teacher, wrote this on the board to prevent students from badgering her about the cold temperature in her classroom.
Frigid temperatures in classrooms are a big problem across Baltimore, which has some of the oldest and most rundown school buildings in the state, according to the Baltimore Sun. I decided to interview students and teachers at my school to learn how cold temperatures affect their ability to learn and teach.
Some said they are frustrated when Baltimore schools remain open in terrible weather and other counties close. Students talked about the frustration they have with the lack of heat at Mervo and the difficulty of getting to school on public transportation when its cold. Teachers talked about how hard it is to teach in a cold climate, partly because student attendance is so low.
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Frigid temperatures in classrooms are a big problem across Baltimore, which has some of the oldest and most rundown school buildings in the state, according to the Baltimore Sun. I decided to interview students and teachers at my school to learn how cold temperatures affect their ability to learn and teach.
Some said they are frustrated when Baltimore schools remain open in terrible weather and other counties close. Students talked about the frustration they have with the lack of heat at Mervo and the difficulty of getting to school on public transportation when its cold. Teachers talked about how hard it is to teach in a cold climate, partly because student attendance is so low.
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2020: Top Dem Donors Tell Joe Biden They Won’t Raise Money for Him
A handful of leading Democrat donors recently told former Vice President Joe Biden that they would not raise early-stage campaign funds for him if he were to run for president in 2020, according to a report.
According to CNBC, several donors declined Biden’s request to bundle campaign contributions due to their skepticism regarding whether the 76-year-old establishmentarian could survive a bruising Democrat primary.
CNBC reports:
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According to CNBC, several donors declined Biden’s request to bundle campaign contributions due to their skepticism regarding whether the 76-year-old establishmentarian could survive a bruising Democrat primary.
CNBC reports:
Biden, who has yet to announce whether he will run, has reached out to leading financiers over the past week to see whether they will help him raise money for a presidential run. His pitch: He will need their assistance to compete against candidates, such as Beto O’Rourke and Bernie Sanders, who have raised millions of dollars over the first 24 hours of their campaigns, according to people familiar with the deliberations.
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Island Protection Bill Voted Down
OCEAN CITY – A bill introduced in the General Assembly which would have transferred ownership of the temporary islands created in the coastal bays behind Ocean City to the state for conservation purposes died this week when it failed to make it out of a House committee.
House Bill 54, introduced at the request of the chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, would have transferred authority of any lands formed in coastal bays in Worcester County by depositing material dredg-ed from the Ocean City Inlet or other navigational channels in and around the resort area from the state’s Department of the Environment (MDE) to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
When the federal Army Corps of Engineers dredged the navigation channels around the resort a few years back, roughly 400,000 cubic yards of sand and dredged material was dedicated to restoring some of the islands in the coastal bays that hadn’t been seen on charts since the 1930s, including a roughly four-acre spit now known as Tern Island.
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House Bill 54, introduced at the request of the chair of the House Environment and Transportation Committee, would have transferred authority of any lands formed in coastal bays in Worcester County by depositing material dredg-ed from the Ocean City Inlet or other navigational channels in and around the resort area from the state’s Department of the Environment (MDE) to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
When the federal Army Corps of Engineers dredged the navigation channels around the resort a few years back, roughly 400,000 cubic yards of sand and dredged material was dedicated to restoring some of the islands in the coastal bays that hadn’t been seen on charts since the 1930s, including a roughly four-acre spit now known as Tern Island.
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Do Corporate Tax Incentives Work? 20 States, and Most Cities, Don't Know.
The aircraft manufacturer Boeing has received roughly $1 billion in tax incentives and credits from Washington state over the past four years. That includes tens of millions of dollars for activities in 2017 related to production equipment for the 737 MAX jets, all of which have been grounded in the past week after two fatal crashes.
That information is known because Washington state has one of the more well-established tax incentive evaluation programs in the country. As corporate tax breaks -- like the ones used to lure Amazon’s HQ2 -- have come under increasing scrutiny, more states are tracking them and attempting to ensure that the businesses that receive them are holding up their end of the deals.
But, 20 states still don’t regularly assess their corporate giveaways at all, and few cities have established systems to routinely track these incentives.
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That information is known because Washington state has one of the more well-established tax incentive evaluation programs in the country. As corporate tax breaks -- like the ones used to lure Amazon’s HQ2 -- have come under increasing scrutiny, more states are tracking them and attempting to ensure that the businesses that receive them are holding up their end of the deals.
But, 20 states still don’t regularly assess their corporate giveaways at all, and few cities have established systems to routinely track these incentives.
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Poll: TV Viewers Are Tired of Saturday Night Live's Political Obsession
While many Americans were busy quaffing green beer last Sunday for St. Patrick's Day, our teetotaling president was expressing his displeasure about a once-funny American entertainment institution:
As the weekly target of Saturday Night Live's "humor," President Trump's disgruntlement with the show is understandable. According to a new poll conducted by The Hollywood Reporter and Morning Consult, however, it isn't just him who has grown weary of SNL's shtick.
The poll found that 39 percent of the respondents feel that SNL is now "too political."
Almost half of the sample feel that the show in its present incarnation is "more liberal," while five percent of those polled live in some Bizarro world where they feel it's "more conservative."
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As the weekly target of Saturday Night Live's "humor," President Trump's disgruntlement with the show is understandable. According to a new poll conducted by The Hollywood Reporter and Morning Consult, however, it isn't just him who has grown weary of SNL's shtick.
The poll found that 39 percent of the respondents feel that SNL is now "too political."
Almost half of the sample feel that the show in its present incarnation is "more liberal," while five percent of those polled live in some Bizarro world where they feel it's "more conservative."
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Jeff Bezos invented a Trump-Saudi collusion hoax. What are the consequences?
The beginning of February was a rough stretch for Jeff Bezos. The National Enquirer obtained evidence that he was engaged in a long-running extramarital affair, and he knew the paper was moments away from publishing exclusive details from the hugely embarrassing saga. Bezos had a decision to make. He could do the decent thing and apologize for his wrongdoing. Instead, he chose a different path — the warpath.
Far from owning up to his misdeeds, the billionaire founder of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post went on offense. In a Medium post published February 4, Bezos concocted a mind-blowing conspiracy involving the Trump administration, Saudi Arabia, and international espionage. He claimed that President Trump and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were attempting an extensive “extortion and blackmail” campaign against him. He proposed that his ownership of the Washington Post put a target on his back. As owner of the Post, Bezos claimed that he was on Trump’s enemies list. He also insisted that it was no coincidence that President Trump and David Pecker, the publisher of the National Enquirer, had a professional working relationship. Moreover, Bezos claimed that Saudi Arabia must be targeting him due to the Washington Post’s “unrelenting coverage” of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
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Far from owning up to his misdeeds, the billionaire founder of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post went on offense. In a Medium post published February 4, Bezos concocted a mind-blowing conspiracy involving the Trump administration, Saudi Arabia, and international espionage. He claimed that President Trump and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were attempting an extensive “extortion and blackmail” campaign against him. He proposed that his ownership of the Washington Post put a target on his back. As owner of the Post, Bezos claimed that he was on Trump’s enemies list. He also insisted that it was no coincidence that President Trump and David Pecker, the publisher of the National Enquirer, had a professional working relationship. Moreover, Bezos claimed that Saudi Arabia must be targeting him due to the Washington Post’s “unrelenting coverage” of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
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The Science is Settled: Research Shows Gun Control Laws Do Not Reduce Violent Crime or Suicides
Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership sees lots of “studies” marketed as gun control justification that we don’t have time to report on in detail, though they all should be. Thankfully, they often are reviewed by other Second Amendment advocates. We thought we’d catch up on a few.
“California’s comprehensive background check and misdemeanor violence prohibition policies and firearm mortality” by Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH, et al, in February’s Annals of Epidemiology.
We love this one, because it is one of the few from either the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (Webster) or UC-Davis (Wintemute) that is reasonably well designed, following changes in the same location over time (trend analysis) rather than comparing different locations at the same time (cross-sectional analysis).
They found that neither California’s comprehensive background checks (UBCs) nor it’s prohibition of misdemeanor violence conviction status for firearm purchases made any difference in the incidence of firearm homicides or suicides—i.e., in “gun violence”. They were left advocating for “permit to purchase”, naturally, an escalation of infringement rather than admitting that their “gun violence” solutions are not.
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“California’s comprehensive background check and misdemeanor violence prohibition policies and firearm mortality” by Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH, et al, in February’s Annals of Epidemiology.
We love this one, because it is one of the few from either the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (Webster) or UC-Davis (Wintemute) that is reasonably well designed, following changes in the same location over time (trend analysis) rather than comparing different locations at the same time (cross-sectional analysis).
They found that neither California’s comprehensive background checks (UBCs) nor it’s prohibition of misdemeanor violence conviction status for firearm purchases made any difference in the incidence of firearm homicides or suicides—i.e., in “gun violence”. They were left advocating for “permit to purchase”, naturally, an escalation of infringement rather than admitting that their “gun violence” solutions are not.
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2020 Dems Alienating Voters With Abortion
A leading Democratic activist is worried that the 2020 candidates' defense of late-term abortion may deal long-term damage to the party.
Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life, said that her party's embrace of late-term abortion may win fundraising dollars from mega-donors like Planned Parenthood and NARAL, but will alienate voters come the general election.
"This abortion position is the most extreme it has ever been," she told the Washington Free Beacon. "They're all fighting for the abortion lobby vote and that could turn around and hurt them all in the general election."
Her comments came two days after former Rep. Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke endorsed abortion in the third trimester. O'Rourke was playing catch-up to the declared Democratic nominees in the Senate, all of whom voted against a bill that would guarantee care for children who survive abortions. The defense of not only late-term abortions but allowing newborns to die on the table, has been an eye-opening departure from former President Bill Clinton's hope of making abortion "safe, legal, and rare."
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Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life, said that her party's embrace of late-term abortion may win fundraising dollars from mega-donors like Planned Parenthood and NARAL, but will alienate voters come the general election.
"This abortion position is the most extreme it has ever been," she told the Washington Free Beacon. "They're all fighting for the abortion lobby vote and that could turn around and hurt them all in the general election."
Her comments came two days after former Rep. Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke endorsed abortion in the third trimester. O'Rourke was playing catch-up to the declared Democratic nominees in the Senate, all of whom voted against a bill that would guarantee care for children who survive abortions. The defense of not only late-term abortions but allowing newborns to die on the table, has been an eye-opening departure from former President Bill Clinton's hope of making abortion "safe, legal, and rare."
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Caribbean Joe’s now open in WOC near Alamo Motel
Joe Albero opened the beach-themed bar adjacent to The Alamo Motel well into the offseason in late January, a bold move for a restaurant in the resort town.
“Everybody said, ‘Don’t open up in the winter … you’re going to lose money,’” Albero said. “We didn’t care about that. We wanted to open up before we hit the heavy season and make sure that we’ve got all the kinks taken care of before we do hit the heavy season. We’ve swung the doors [open] here in the wintertime and we’re in the black. It says a lot to be able to open up a business and not be digging into your pockets real deep to survive.”
Albero first took over the restaurant portion of the motel when the owner of The Alamo, Mark Odachowski, asked him to participate in a partnership with him. The two-acre property began undergoing renovation last August.
“We wanted to network together because we really believe a lot of people in Ocean City don’t want to come over the bridge to West Ocean City – and people from West Ocean City don’t want to go over the bridge into Ocean City – and that’s part of the impact of why you’re seeing so much growth here,” Albero said.
“Everything I’ve done business-wise has always been from the ground up … and I’ve been really good and successful at it,” he continued. “Here was the biggest challenge. This place was really, really bad.”
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Wicomico CIP Approval Tabled Again
SALISBURY – Officials in Wicomico County agreed this week to extend the date for adopting the fiscal years 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program for a second time.
On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council approved a resolution to extend the date for adopting the fiscal years 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) from March 19 to June 4. The decision comes one month after the county council voted to extend the date of adoption from February 19 to March 19.
“The resolution before council today is to extend the adoption of the Capital Improvement Program for a second time to June 4, 2019,” said Council Administrator Laura Hurley. “The reason is that state legislation has been introduced that may have a fiscal impact on the county, and administration has requested to take a look at the projects in the CIP.”
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On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council approved a resolution to extend the date for adopting the fiscal years 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) from March 19 to June 4. The decision comes one month after the county council voted to extend the date of adoption from February 19 to March 19.
“The resolution before council today is to extend the adoption of the Capital Improvement Program for a second time to June 4, 2019,” said Council Administrator Laura Hurley. “The reason is that state legislation has been introduced that may have a fiscal impact on the county, and administration has requested to take a look at the projects in the CIP.”
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Economic models indicate Trump on track to win re-election in 'landslide': report
Despite low approval ratings and the cloud of the Mueller probe, President Trump would easily win a second term in office if the election were held today, according to economic models with a history of correctly picking presidential victors.
According to a report in Politico, a flourishing U.S. economy – featuring low unemployment numbers, cheaper gas prices and rising wages – paired with the historical advantage that incumbent presidents enjoy give Trump a strong shot at winning a second term in a "landslide."
“The economy is just so damn strong right now and by all historic precedent the incumbent should run away with it,” Donald Luskin, the chief investment officer of TrendMacrolytics, a research firm that predicted Trump’s 2016 win, told Politico. “I just don’t see how the blue wall could resist all that.”
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-on-track-to-win-reelection-by-landslide-economic-models-predict
According to a report in Politico, a flourishing U.S. economy – featuring low unemployment numbers, cheaper gas prices and rising wages – paired with the historical advantage that incumbent presidents enjoy give Trump a strong shot at winning a second term in a "landslide."
“The economy is just so damn strong right now and by all historic precedent the incumbent should run away with it,” Donald Luskin, the chief investment officer of TrendMacrolytics, a research firm that predicted Trump’s 2016 win, told Politico. “I just don’t see how the blue wall could resist all that.”
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-on-track-to-win-reelection-by-landslide-economic-models-predict
Montgomery Co. Public Schools to look into more ‘all-gender’ bathrooms
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland’s largest school system, plans to look into the cost of of putting more “all-gender” bathrooms in schools.
“We’ll take a look at retrofit as well as construction,” Montgomery County Public Schools CEO Andrew Zuckerman told school board members at a meeting last week.
Zuckerman brought up the issue after a Bethesda mother of two high school children asked the board to consider it.
She said it should be considered for children who are uncomfortable about using gender-specific restrooms.
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“We’ll take a look at retrofit as well as construction,” Montgomery County Public Schools CEO Andrew Zuckerman told school board members at a meeting last week.
Zuckerman brought up the issue after a Bethesda mother of two high school children asked the board to consider it.
She said it should be considered for children who are uncomfortable about using gender-specific restrooms.
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Sharpton: Trump Kowtowing to ‘Core White Constituents’ — Will Not Call Out Racists and Bigots
Wednesday on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” MSNBC host Al Sharpton said President Donald Trump only cared about “his core white constituents,” and therefore he will not attack racists and bigots.
Sharpton said, “As we look at what has been transpiring around the whole question of 50 people being killed in New Zealand, now we have been dealing with this for over a week, and we have not yet heard this president reach out to the Muslim community in this country. And by name deal with the Islamophobia and anti-immigration spirit that the one responsible for this charged by police in New Zealand had expressed.”
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Sharpton said, “As we look at what has been transpiring around the whole question of 50 people being killed in New Zealand, now we have been dealing with this for over a week, and we have not yet heard this president reach out to the Muslim community in this country. And by name deal with the Islamophobia and anti-immigration spirit that the one responsible for this charged by police in New Zealand had expressed.”
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Wave of legislation on wages, tobacco and beer passes General Assembly
ANNAPOLIS — Minimum wage workers in Maryland will eventually earn $15 an hour, the state Senate and House agreed on Wednesday.
Each chamber approved a compromise bill that will increase the minimum non-tipped wage from $10.10 an hour to $15 an hour by 2025. The bill will head next to the desk of Gov. Larry Hogan (R).
“We are getting it up to $15 an hour. That’s a win,” Sen. Ron Young (D-Frederick) said after the vote.
However, there will be no wage increase for tipped workers, and non-tipped workers in businesses with fewer than 14 employees will not reach $15 an hour until 2026. The slower phase-in for small businesses remained a point of concern for Young, who said $15 an hour then might not be worth much more than $10.10 is now.
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Each chamber approved a compromise bill that will increase the minimum non-tipped wage from $10.10 an hour to $15 an hour by 2025. The bill will head next to the desk of Gov. Larry Hogan (R).
“We are getting it up to $15 an hour. That’s a win,” Sen. Ron Young (D-Frederick) said after the vote.
However, there will be no wage increase for tipped workers, and non-tipped workers in businesses with fewer than 14 employees will not reach $15 an hour until 2026. The slower phase-in for small businesses remained a point of concern for Young, who said $15 an hour then might not be worth much more than $10.10 is now.
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Illegal Alien Accused of Murdering Mollie Tibbetts Granted $3.2K in Taxpayer Money for Expert Witness
The illegal alien accused of murdering 20-year-old college student Mollie Tibbetts in Brooklyn, Iowa, has been granted $3,200 in state taxpayer funds for an expert witness in the upcoming murder trial.
In August 2018, Cristhian Bahena-Rivera, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged with Tibbetts’ murder after police said he admitted to confronting and chasing down the young woman. Tibbetts’ body was found in a cornfield in Poweshiek County after a statewide search for her. The illegal alien lived in a region of Iowa that was surrounded by sanctuary cities, as Breitbart News noted, and worked on a dairy farm using a stolen ID and Social Security card after allegedly crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as a child.
Bahena-Rivera has been granted $3,200 in state taxpayer money by 8th Judicial District Judge Joel Yates this week that will pay for an expert witness to help the illegal alien fight the murder charge, according to the Gazette.
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In August 2018, Cristhian Bahena-Rivera, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged with Tibbetts’ murder after police said he admitted to confronting and chasing down the young woman. Tibbetts’ body was found in a cornfield in Poweshiek County after a statewide search for her. The illegal alien lived in a region of Iowa that was surrounded by sanctuary cities, as Breitbart News noted, and worked on a dairy farm using a stolen ID and Social Security card after allegedly crossing the U.S.-Mexico border as a child.
Bahena-Rivera has been granted $3,200 in state taxpayer money by 8th Judicial District Judge Joel Yates this week that will pay for an expert witness to help the illegal alien fight the murder charge, according to the Gazette.
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Decision To Convert Former Correctional Facility To Recovery Center Delayed
SALISBURY – Citing the need for additional information and public input, officials in Wicomico County last week opted to table a vote on accepting a $972,000 state grant to convert a shuttered correctional facility into a drug treatment and recovery center.
Last Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council agreed to table a resolution to accept grant funding in the amount of $972,684, which would be used to repurpose the Poplar Hill Pre-Release Unit in Quantico into a substance use treatment and recovery center.
Since last July, Wicomico County has spearheaded efforts to convert the shuttered, state-owned correctional facility into a treatment and recovery center. The idea is to provide a 23-hour facility for detox services, residential treatment and recovery housing.
“There isn’t currently a 24-7 ability to provide treatment and services to those who need it,” said Weston Young, the county’s assistant director of administration.
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Last Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council agreed to table a resolution to accept grant funding in the amount of $972,684, which would be used to repurpose the Poplar Hill Pre-Release Unit in Quantico into a substance use treatment and recovery center.
Since last July, Wicomico County has spearheaded efforts to convert the shuttered, state-owned correctional facility into a treatment and recovery center. The idea is to provide a 23-hour facility for detox services, residential treatment and recovery housing.
“There isn’t currently a 24-7 ability to provide treatment and services to those who need it,” said Weston Young, the county’s assistant director of administration.
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COMING SOON: $5.00 1/2 Pound Burger Night
Now that Spring has arrived, it's time to expand our open days to Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Soon enough we'll be open 7 days a week.
So many of you have been coming from Hebron, Mardela, Delmar, Willards and so on and we can't thank you enough for giving us a try.
Millsboro Police Seek Public’s help in locating subject, **UPDATED**
UPDATE: Subject turned himself in.
Update: Some bills have passed, some have died, some still in play at crossover
By Diane Rey
For Maryland Reporter
Monday (March 18) marked “crossover day” in the Maryland General Assembly, the day bills must be sent to the opposite chamber in order to be guaranteed a hearing before the legislative session ends April 8.
Here’s an update on some of the bills that Maryland Reporter has tracked this session:
HB399 / SB311 End-of-Life Option
Lead Sponsors: Del. Shane Pendergrass, D-Howard, Sen. Will Smith, D-Montgomery
Summary: Allows a physician to prescribe life-ending drugs to a patient over age 18 who is terminally ill with less than 6 months to live, after the patient has made the request on at least three separate occasions and at least once in writing.
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For Maryland Reporter
Monday (March 18) marked “crossover day” in the Maryland General Assembly, the day bills must be sent to the opposite chamber in order to be guaranteed a hearing before the legislative session ends April 8.
Here’s an update on some of the bills that Maryland Reporter has tracked this session:
HB399 / SB311 End-of-Life Option
Lead Sponsors: Del. Shane Pendergrass, D-Howard, Sen. Will Smith, D-Montgomery
Summary: Allows a physician to prescribe life-ending drugs to a patient over age 18 who is terminally ill with less than 6 months to live, after the patient has made the request on at least three separate occasions and at least once in writing.
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Drafting Guys Over 70
Instead of sending 18-year olds off to fight, they ought to take us old guys. You shouldn't be able to join a military unit until you're at least 55.
For starters, researchers say 18-year-olds think about sex every 10 seconds. Old guys only think about sex a couple of times a month, leaving us more than 280,000 additional seconds per day to concentrate on the enemy.
Young guys haven't lived long enough to be cranky, and a cranky soldier is a dangerous soldier. 'My back hurts! I can't sleep, I'm tired and hungry.' We are bad-tempered and impatient, and maybe letting us kill some asshole that desperately deserves it will make us feel better and shut us up for a while.
An 18-year-old doesn't even like to get up before 10 am. Old guys always get up early to pee, so what the hell. Besides, like I said, I'm tired and can't sleep and since I'm already up, I may as well be up killing some fanatical son-of-a-bitch.
If captured, we couldn't spill the beans because we'd forget where we put them. In fact, name, rank, and serial number would be a real brainteaser.
Boot camp would be easier for old guys. We're used to getting screamed and yelled at and we're used to soft food. We've also developed an appreciation for guns. We've been using them for years as an excuse to get out of the house, away from the screaming and yelling.
They could lighten up on the obstacle course however. I've been in combat and never saw a single 20-foot wall with rope hanging over the side, nor did I ever do any pushups after completing basic training.
Actually, the running part is kind of a waste of energy, too. I've never seen anyone outrun a bullet.
An 18-year-old has the whole world ahead of him. He's still learning to shave, to start a conversation with a pretty girl. He still hasn't figured out that a baseball cap has a brim to shade his eyes, not the back of his head.
These are all great reasons to keep our kids at home to learn a little more about life before sending them off into harm's way.
Let us old guys track down those terrorists. The last thing an enemy would want to see is a couple million pissed off old farts with bad attitudes and automatic weapons who know that their best years are already behind them.
HEY!! How about recruiting Women over 50... in menopause!!! You think MEN have attitudes?? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh my God!!! If nothing else, put them on border patrol. They'll have it secured the first night!
Send this to all of your senior friends... it's in big type so they can read it.
Why Is the Mona Lisa So Famous?
The Mona Lisa is perhaps the most recognizable piece of art in the world, but have you ever wondered just why is the Mona Lisa so famous? There are a number of reasons behind this work's enduring fame, and combined, they create a fascinating story that has survived through the ages. To understand why the Mona Lisa remains one of the art world's most iconic images, we have to look at her mysterious history, famous theft attempts, and innovative art techniques.
Interesting Facts: The Mona Lisa
Interesting Facts: The Mona Lisa
- The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci and is believed to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco Giocondo.
- For such a famous painting, it is surprisingly small; it measures just 30 inches by 21 inches (77 cm by 53 cm).
- The painting uses a number of unique art techniques to draw the viewer in; Leonardo's skill is sometimes referred to as the Mona Lisa Effect.
- The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, and wasn't recovered for over two years; she is now housed behind bulletproof glass to protect her from vandals.
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