The public is invited to join the Delmar VFW for a Rib Eye Steak and/or Shrimp Dinner on Friday, April 26, from 5 - 8 p.m. at the VFW Post, 200 West State St., Delmar, MD.
The dinner includes a tossed salad with choice of dressings, a baked potato with sour cream and/or butter, and a dinner roll. Cost is determined by the dinner option chosen.
Carry outs may be ordered in person only after 5 p.m.
Proceeds benefit the many local charities and organizations supported by the Delmar VFW.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
When No News Isn't Good News: What the Decline of Newspapers Means for Government
Last month, after years of layoffs, the Cleveland Plain Dealer announced it was cutting even more jobs. A newspaper that had a unionized staff of 340 at the dawn of the century will drop down to 33.
What happened at the Plain Dealer isn't unusual.
Around the country, major regional newspapers -- including the Charlotte Observer, The Wichita Eagle, The Denver Post and The San Jose Mercury News -- have shed 80 to 90 percent of their reporting and editing staffs. Between 2008 and 2017, newsroom employment dropped by 23 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. Already this year, more than 2,000 media jobs have been lost.
That’s bad news for journalists. It’s also bad for politics, government -- and even the environment.
Recent academic studies show that newspaper closures and declining coverage of state and local government in general have led to more partisan polarization, fewer candidates running for office, higher municipal borrowing costs and increased pollution.
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What happened at the Plain Dealer isn't unusual.
Around the country, major regional newspapers -- including the Charlotte Observer, The Wichita Eagle, The Denver Post and The San Jose Mercury News -- have shed 80 to 90 percent of their reporting and editing staffs. Between 2008 and 2017, newsroom employment dropped by 23 percent, according to the Pew Research Center. Already this year, more than 2,000 media jobs have been lost.
That’s bad news for journalists. It’s also bad for politics, government -- and even the environment.
Recent academic studies show that newspaper closures and declining coverage of state and local government in general have led to more partisan polarization, fewer candidates running for office, higher municipal borrowing costs and increased pollution.
More
Watch: AZ Teachers Union Head Pressures Members to Intimidate Colleagues to Join #RedforEd Walk Outs
Arizona Education Association (AEA) president Joe Thomas was caught on video telling teachers who act as union liaisons in their schools to intimidate any colleagues who refuse to participate in walkouts apparently planned in anticipation of future #RedforEd rallies at the State Capitol in Phoenix.
Michelle Dillard, an organizer of a group designed to push back against the AEA and #RedforEd in Arizona called Purple for Parents, tweeted the video of Thomas’ rant on Sunday:
#AngryUnionBoss Joe Thomas giving orders to #RedForEd to coerce & intimidate our teachers. Disgusting union bully tactics. Hostile work environment. Teachers are welcome in #PurpleForParents #WalkAway pic.twitter.com/xExUSu8bKD
— • michelle • (@Meeeech_L) April 21, 2019
“So if you have people that say by God I don’t want to walk out again, I’ll never do that again, you better make sure they’re in a red shirt every Wednesday,” Thomas said at the beginning of the 24 second video, in which he spoke to several teachers wearing trademark #RedforEd red shirts.
“And if you have people that don’t want to walk out, that don’t want to go back down to the Capitol, don’t want to leave their classrooms, they better be out on that walk out, that stand out, excuse me,” Thomas said at the end of the brief video.
More/video here
Michelle Dillard, an organizer of a group designed to push back against the AEA and #RedforEd in Arizona called Purple for Parents, tweeted the video of Thomas’ rant on Sunday:
#AngryUnionBoss Joe Thomas giving orders to #RedForEd to coerce & intimidate our teachers. Disgusting union bully tactics. Hostile work environment. Teachers are welcome in #PurpleForParents #WalkAway pic.twitter.com/xExUSu8bKD
— • michelle • (@Meeeech_L) April 21, 2019
“So if you have people that say by God I don’t want to walk out again, I’ll never do that again, you better make sure they’re in a red shirt every Wednesday,” Thomas said at the beginning of the 24 second video, in which he spoke to several teachers wearing trademark #RedforEd red shirts.
“And if you have people that don’t want to walk out, that don’t want to go back down to the Capitol, don’t want to leave their classrooms, they better be out on that walk out, that stand out, excuse me,” Thomas said at the end of the brief video.
More/video here
Harris: If Congress Doesn’t Take Action on Gun Control, I Will Take Executive Action as President
Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) said on Monday night that as president she would give Congress 100 days to take action on gun control before she would take executive action.
"Upon being elected I will give the United States Congress 100 days to get their act together and have the courage to pass reasonable gun safety laws. And if they fail to do it, then I will take executive action," Harris told a CNN town hall in New Hampshire. "And specifically what I will do is put in place a requirement that for anyone who sells more than five guns a year, they are required to do background checks when they sell those guns. I will require that for any gun dealer that breaks the law the ATF take their license."
Ben Bernier, a University of New Hampshire student, told Harris that he was nervous about becoming a target of a mass shooting as he studies to become an educator.
"I am really bothered that public schools are being targets for mass shootings. Two days ago was the 20th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, but two decades later no major gun control legislation has been passed," Bernier said. "As president how will you go about keeping our schools safe and keeping guns out of the hands of those who should not have them?"
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"Upon being elected I will give the United States Congress 100 days to get their act together and have the courage to pass reasonable gun safety laws. And if they fail to do it, then I will take executive action," Harris told a CNN town hall in New Hampshire. "And specifically what I will do is put in place a requirement that for anyone who sells more than five guns a year, they are required to do background checks when they sell those guns. I will require that for any gun dealer that breaks the law the ATF take their license."
Ben Bernier, a University of New Hampshire student, told Harris that he was nervous about becoming a target of a mass shooting as he studies to become an educator.
"I am really bothered that public schools are being targets for mass shootings. Two days ago was the 20th anniversary of the Columbine massacre, but two decades later no major gun control legislation has been passed," Bernier said. "As president how will you go about keeping our schools safe and keeping guns out of the hands of those who should not have them?"
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HUGE! Rep. John Ratcliffe Confirms How Comey, Yates, McCabe and Rosenstein Were Caught Lying on FISA Warrants to Spy on Trump (VIDEO)
On Monday night Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) a former US Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas joined former Rep. Jason Chaffetz on The Ingraham Angle to discuss the latest developments in the deep state attempted coup on President Donald Trump.
Former Rep. Trey Guowdy and Ratcliffe were the only Republicans to see the probable cause evidence and read the the evidence last year behind the FISA warrants to spy on Trump campaign operatives. And the evidence centered around the Steele dossier — an unverified piece of political garbage thrown together and paid for by the Clinton campaign.
Ratcliffe told former Rep. Jason Chaffetz that Comey, Sally Yates, McCabe and Rod Rosenstein who verified the document have explaining to do.
They all posted in big bold letters “VERIFIED APPLICATION” all in capitals on all of their warrants to the FISA Court to spy on Carter Page and the Trump campaign.
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Former Rep. Trey Guowdy and Ratcliffe were the only Republicans to see the probable cause evidence and read the the evidence last year behind the FISA warrants to spy on Trump campaign operatives. And the evidence centered around the Steele dossier — an unverified piece of political garbage thrown together and paid for by the Clinton campaign.
Ratcliffe told former Rep. Jason Chaffetz that Comey, Sally Yates, McCabe and Rod Rosenstein who verified the document have explaining to do.
They all posted in big bold letters “VERIFIED APPLICATION” all in capitals on all of their warrants to the FISA Court to spy on Carter Page and the Trump campaign.
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Tackling Questions About Colorado’s Red Flag Law and the Second Amendment
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, this month signed into law a bill allowing a person to be temporarily disarmed if a court finds that he or she poses a significant risk of harm to self or others.
This makes Colorado the 15th state to enact such a law, known in Colorado as an extreme risk protection order and, colloquially, as a red flag law.
The state Legislature’s push for red flag legislation came after a man with a long history of untreated mental health problems shot and killed a 29-year-old sheriff’s deputy, Zach Parrish, who responded to 911 calls regarding a mental health crisis.
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This makes Colorado the 15th state to enact such a law, known in Colorado as an extreme risk protection order and, colloquially, as a red flag law.
The state Legislature’s push for red flag legislation came after a man with a long history of untreated mental health problems shot and killed a 29-year-old sheriff’s deputy, Zach Parrish, who responded to 911 calls regarding a mental health crisis.
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Texas Cancer Center Ousts 3 Chinese Scientists Over Concerns Of Data Theft
Prominent cancer center MD Anderson in Houston has ousted three of five scientists whom federal authorities identified as being involved in Chinese efforts to steal American research.
Peter Pisters, the president of MD Anderson Cancer Center, told the Houston Chronicle that the National Institutes of Health wrote to the cancer center last year detailing conflicts of interest and unreported foreign income by five faculty members, and gave it 30 days to respond.
“As stewards of taxpayer dollars invested in biomedical research, we have an obligation to follow up,” Pisters said. MD Anderson received $148 million in NIH grants last year.
The center provided internal documents to the Chronicle regarding the cases but the names of the scientists were redacted. The newspaper said all three are ethnically Chinese. Two of them resigned ahead of termination proceedings and the third is challenging the dismissal.
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Peter Pisters, the president of MD Anderson Cancer Center, told the Houston Chronicle that the National Institutes of Health wrote to the cancer center last year detailing conflicts of interest and unreported foreign income by five faculty members, and gave it 30 days to respond.
“As stewards of taxpayer dollars invested in biomedical research, we have an obligation to follow up,” Pisters said. MD Anderson received $148 million in NIH grants last year.
The center provided internal documents to the Chronicle regarding the cases but the names of the scientists were redacted. The newspaper said all three are ethnically Chinese. Two of them resigned ahead of termination proceedings and the third is challenging the dismissal.
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Physician Burnout Jumps Dramatically In 3-Year Study
Physicians may be more stressed than ever — one recent survey found that half were thinking about hanging up their stethoscopes for good. New research continues to demonstrate the demise of doctors, with burnout levels jumping dramatically over just a three-year span.
According to researchers at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, physician burnout increased from 45.5% to 54.4% between 2011 and 2014. The researchers say doctors aren’t more depressed or exhausted by their home life, but rather at their jobs.
The researchers compared data from between 2011 and 2014 on physician burnout and their satisfaction with their work-life balance. They found that physician burnout indicators are the highest in the fields of emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Alexander and Ballou also hypothesized that five transformational medical practice events which occurred between 2011 and 2014 contributed to the spike in physician burnout.
“These are hospital purchases of medical groups, rising drug prices, the Affordable Care Act, ‘pay for performance’ in which providers are offered financial incentives to improve quality and efficiency, and mandated electronic health records,” explains Alexander.
“Doctors now spend more time with electronic health records than they do with patients. Electronic health records were pushed by the government at great expense and without regard to the effects upon patient or physician health. Go into any hospital and look for the nurses and the doctors. You will find them sitting in front of computers. They are not happy, and their patients are not healthier.”
More here
According to researchers at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, physician burnout increased from 45.5% to 54.4% between 2011 and 2014. The researchers say doctors aren’t more depressed or exhausted by their home life, but rather at their jobs.
The researchers compared data from between 2011 and 2014 on physician burnout and their satisfaction with their work-life balance. They found that physician burnout indicators are the highest in the fields of emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Alexander and Ballou also hypothesized that five transformational medical practice events which occurred between 2011 and 2014 contributed to the spike in physician burnout.
“These are hospital purchases of medical groups, rising drug prices, the Affordable Care Act, ‘pay for performance’ in which providers are offered financial incentives to improve quality and efficiency, and mandated electronic health records,” explains Alexander.
“Doctors now spend more time with electronic health records than they do with patients. Electronic health records were pushed by the government at great expense and without regard to the effects upon patient or physician health. Go into any hospital and look for the nurses and the doctors. You will find them sitting in front of computers. They are not happy, and their patients are not healthier.”
More here
Central American Migrants Paid Human Smugglers $2.3B in 2017
A RAND Corporation report released Monday reveals that Central American migrants paid human smugglers more than $2 billion in 2017 to get them into the United States.
RAND Corporation’s Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center reveals Central American migrants paid human smugglers, including transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) up to about $2.5 billion in smuggling fees and “taxes” in 2017.
During Fiscal Year 2017, Border Patrol agents apprehended migrants crossing the border in near-record low levels. Agents apprehended only 303,916 migrants during that fiscal year, including 75,622 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA) and 41,435 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC), according to the FY2017 Southwest Border Migration Report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Cartels + criminal organizations run a profit-driven enterprise trafficking human beings across our border,” U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) tweeted in response to the RAND report.
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RAND Corporation’s Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center reveals Central American migrants paid human smugglers, including transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) up to about $2.5 billion in smuggling fees and “taxes” in 2017.
During Fiscal Year 2017, Border Patrol agents apprehended migrants crossing the border in near-record low levels. Agents apprehended only 303,916 migrants during that fiscal year, including 75,622 Family Unit Aliens (FMUA) and 41,435 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC), according to the FY2017 Southwest Border Migration Report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Cartels + criminal organizations run a profit-driven enterprise trafficking human beings across our border,” U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) tweeted in response to the RAND report.
More
Christians under attack worldwide at a rapidly rising rate
Violence against Christians — like the bomb attacks that killed at least 311 people in Catholic churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday — has been escalating steadily over the past few years, international observers say.
In just the past few weeks, stark reminders of the danger Christians face around the world abound: an underground priest is dragged from his pickup truck in Xuanhua Diocese in China, a Christian couple in India are beaten by a father accusing them of trying to convert his son, 17 Christians are killed during a child dedication service in Nigeria.
Open Doors USA, a mission for persecuted Christians, estimates that violent attacks on the faithful doubled from 2017 to 2018, with approximately 11 Christians dying every day for their faith.
“There’s a specific pattern of violence around Christian holy days, such as Easter and Christmas,” said Sarah Cunningham, senior director of communications for Open Doors USA.
Nearly 50 worshippers were killed on Palm Sunday 2017 by bombers who targeted Coptic Christians in Cairo. That same year, at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan, nine Christians were killed a week before Christmas by suicide bombers linked to the Islamic State.
Whereas international organizers tracking attacks against Christians a generation ago concentrated on the officially atheistic Soviet Union, today the focus is on militant and extremist Muslim factions.
“Militant Islamic camps are definitely one of the primary sources of Christian persecution in these countries,” said Ms. Cunningham, noting that Christians are being targeted beyond the former borders of the now-scattered Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
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In just the past few weeks, stark reminders of the danger Christians face around the world abound: an underground priest is dragged from his pickup truck in Xuanhua Diocese in China, a Christian couple in India are beaten by a father accusing them of trying to convert his son, 17 Christians are killed during a child dedication service in Nigeria.
Open Doors USA, a mission for persecuted Christians, estimates that violent attacks on the faithful doubled from 2017 to 2018, with approximately 11 Christians dying every day for their faith.
“There’s a specific pattern of violence around Christian holy days, such as Easter and Christmas,” said Sarah Cunningham, senior director of communications for Open Doors USA.
Nearly 50 worshippers were killed on Palm Sunday 2017 by bombers who targeted Coptic Christians in Cairo. That same year, at Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan, nine Christians were killed a week before Christmas by suicide bombers linked to the Islamic State.
Whereas international organizers tracking attacks against Christians a generation ago concentrated on the officially atheistic Soviet Union, today the focus is on militant and extremist Muslim factions.
“Militant Islamic camps are definitely one of the primary sources of Christian persecution in these countries,” said Ms. Cunningham, noting that Christians are being targeted beyond the former borders of the now-scattered Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
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Wisconsin Democrat Governor to Veto ‘Born Alive’ Bill
Gov. Tony Evers (D., Wisc.) will veto a bill which would punish doctors with up to life in prison if they failed to provide medical care to babies born alive after a failed abortion attempt.
Evers referenced existing protections in state law when he explained why he will veto the bill, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
"I think those protections already exist," Evers said on Monday. "We have all sorts of issues to deal with in the state of Wisconsin and to pass a bill that is redundant seems to be not a productive use of time. And clearly I ran on the belief — and I still believe — that women should be able to make choices about their health care. But this deals with a specific issue that's already been resolved."
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, a Republican, explained the rationale for the bill.
"We wanted to reaffirm the fact that babies that survive abortions have the right to anything any other living, breathing individual in the state does," Steineke said. "And doctors have the responsibility to care for that child as they would for any other person who was living and breathing."
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Evers referenced existing protections in state law when he explained why he will veto the bill, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
"I think those protections already exist," Evers said on Monday. "We have all sorts of issues to deal with in the state of Wisconsin and to pass a bill that is redundant seems to be not a productive use of time. And clearly I ran on the belief — and I still believe — that women should be able to make choices about their health care. But this deals with a specific issue that's already been resolved."
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, a Republican, explained the rationale for the bill.
"We wanted to reaffirm the fact that babies that survive abortions have the right to anything any other living, breathing individual in the state does," Steineke said. "And doctors have the responsibility to care for that child as they would for any other person who was living and breathing."
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SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS 37 PEOPLE, PUBLICLY DISPLAYS ONE, FOR TERRORISM CRIMES
Saudi Arabia executed 37 people, most of them Shiites — or people who practice Shia Islam — and publicly pinned one of the bodies and its severed head to a pole for terrorism-related crimes on Tuesday.
Ratified by Saudi Arabian King Salman, the executions took place across the country and were in accordance with Islamic Law, according to the country’s Interior Ministry who used language that indicated they were all beheadings.
Those who were executed were found guilty by the Specialized Criminal Court of attacking security installations, killing a number of security officials and working with enemy organizations against the country’s interest.
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Ratified by Saudi Arabian King Salman, the executions took place across the country and were in accordance with Islamic Law, according to the country’s Interior Ministry who used language that indicated they were all beheadings.
Those who were executed were found guilty by the Specialized Criminal Court of attacking security installations, killing a number of security officials and working with enemy organizations against the country’s interest.
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Cher: Does Bernie Really Believe Child Molesters, Boston Bomber Deserve the Right to Vote
Pop icon Cher questioned the wisdom of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) recent declaration that felons, even terrorists, should have the right to vote.
“Does Bernie Sanders Really Believe Ppl In Prison Who Are Murderers⁉️ Rapists⁉️ Child Molesters⁉️ BOSTON BOMBERS.…STILL DESERVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE⁉️” Cher asked in a social media post Tuesday.
Bernie Sanders voiced his belief that felons should not be deprived of a right to vote earlier this month. During a CNN town hall Monday night, Sanders was again asked about his position by host Don Lemon.
“Yes, even for terrible people because once you start chipping away — you say, ‘That guy committed a terrible crime, we’re not going to let him vote,’ or ‘that person did that,’ you’re running down a slippery slope,” the socialist candidate said. “So, I believe people who commit crimes, they pay the price and they get out of jail, they certainly should have the right to vote…I believe even if they are in jail, they’re paying the price to society, but that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.”
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“Does Bernie Sanders Really Believe Ppl In Prison Who Are Murderers⁉️ Rapists⁉️ Child Molesters⁉️ BOSTON BOMBERS.…STILL DESERVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE⁉️” Cher asked in a social media post Tuesday.
Bernie Sanders voiced his belief that felons should not be deprived of a right to vote earlier this month. During a CNN town hall Monday night, Sanders was again asked about his position by host Don Lemon.
“Yes, even for terrible people because once you start chipping away — you say, ‘That guy committed a terrible crime, we’re not going to let him vote,’ or ‘that person did that,’ you’re running down a slippery slope,” the socialist candidate said. “So, I believe people who commit crimes, they pay the price and they get out of jail, they certainly should have the right to vote…I believe even if they are in jail, they’re paying the price to society, but that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.”
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CDC: Blood-sucking 'Kissing Bug' Confirmed in Delaware
Public health officials have confirmed the presence of the so-called “kissing bug” in Delaware for the first time in the state's history.
The insect—Triatoma sanguisuga—is a blood-sucking creature that feeds on animals and humans, and has a particular fondness for biting faces. While the bites themselves are not necessarily dangerous, the bugs can transmit a parasite that causes Chagas disease—a potentially serious illness.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a family from Kent County Delaware contacted local health authorities in July 2018 after an insect had bitten their child’s face while she was watching television.
The family told officials that they lived near a heavily wooded area and had not traveled recently outside the region.
The parasite that kissing bugs sometimes carry causes Chagas disease—which can lead to serious cardiac and gastrointestinal complications. According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease can cause a sudden, brief (acute) illness or it may advance to a long-lasting (chronic) condition. Symptoms range from mild to severe, although many people don’t experience anything until the chronic stage.
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The insect—Triatoma sanguisuga—is a blood-sucking creature that feeds on animals and humans, and has a particular fondness for biting faces. While the bites themselves are not necessarily dangerous, the bugs can transmit a parasite that causes Chagas disease—a potentially serious illness.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a family from Kent County Delaware contacted local health authorities in July 2018 after an insect had bitten their child’s face while she was watching television.
The family told officials that they lived near a heavily wooded area and had not traveled recently outside the region.
The parasite that kissing bugs sometimes carry causes Chagas disease—which can lead to serious cardiac and gastrointestinal complications. According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease can cause a sudden, brief (acute) illness or it may advance to a long-lasting (chronic) condition. Symptoms range from mild to severe, although many people don’t experience anything until the chronic stage.
More
CNN Hits Harris for Repeatedly Dodging Questions: ‘Could Be a Big Problem for Her’
CNN reporter Maeve Reston said Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) could have a "big problem" with her habit of dodging direct questions, pointing on Tuesday to a town hall where the presidential candidate consistently said she wanted to have a "conversation" but wouldn't commit to policy stances.
Anchor Brooke Baldwin introduced a montage of Harris dodging direct answers to policy questions at Monday's CNN town hall with Democratic voters in New Hampshire, calling the "conversation" line Harris's "go-to." Harris is considered one of the top Democratic presidential candidates, although she's lagging considerably in early polling behind former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), the former of whom isn't a declared candidate yet.
On the voting age being lowered to 16 ("I'm really interested in having that conversation"), supporting reparations ("we should study it and see"), eliminating student loan debt ("I support anything that is about reducing the debt of student loans, and I think that's an important conversation to have"), and extending the vote to convicted killers like the Boston Marathon bomber ("I think we should have that conversation"), Harris wouldn't give straight answers to questioners on Monday.
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Anchor Brooke Baldwin introduced a montage of Harris dodging direct answers to policy questions at Monday's CNN town hall with Democratic voters in New Hampshire, calling the "conversation" line Harris's "go-to." Harris is considered one of the top Democratic presidential candidates, although she's lagging considerably in early polling behind former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), the former of whom isn't a declared candidate yet.
On the voting age being lowered to 16 ("I'm really interested in having that conversation"), supporting reparations ("we should study it and see"), eliminating student loan debt ("I support anything that is about reducing the debt of student loans, and I think that's an important conversation to have"), and extending the vote to convicted killers like the Boston Marathon bomber ("I think we should have that conversation"), Harris wouldn't give straight answers to questioners on Monday.
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Couple gets 7 years in prison for forcing young girl to work in their home for 16 years
The pair has now been sentenced to seven years each in prison and nearly $300,000 in restitution, according to a Monday news release from the Justice Department.
Mohamed Toure, 58, and Denise Cros-Toure, 58, were convicted in January of forced labor, conspiracy to harbor an alien and alien harboring.
They both are citizens of Guinea -- where the young girl was taken from -- and lawful permanent residents of the US, but may lose their US immigration status and be deported to Guinea, the Justice Department said.
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Our Imploding Educational System
Education in the U.S. is imploding. The Horatio Alger ideals of education depicting the conditions for successful fulfillment of one’s ambitions have been superseded by the ideas and ideals of John Dewey. His ideals enunciated inSchool and Society and in A Common Faith suggest the replacement of self-conscious, ambitious individuality with the replacement of a highly socialized citizen whose “faith” is in democracy and working together with others as a useful citizen. The great books curricula, popular in the 1890s, was debunked. Despite his romanticization of socialistic concepts (hidden behind the word “democracy,” a tactic not unlike that of Sen. Bernie Sanders), his views represent an attack on the individual, the family, and the foundation of America in Judeo-Christian values.
For millions, school today is simply a developmental requirement with its institutional mores and requirements, a series of hurdles to be overcome and disengaged from as soon as one reaches adulthood. The Deweyan ideal of collectivization and conformity to the industrial demands of mass production of everything from medical care to toilet paper has supplanted the Horatio Alger ideals of pre-industrial, Christian, individualistic American society. Today’s updated Deweyans on the left are more apt to admire Alger Hiss than Horatio Alger.
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For millions, school today is simply a developmental requirement with its institutional mores and requirements, a series of hurdles to be overcome and disengaged from as soon as one reaches adulthood. The Deweyan ideal of collectivization and conformity to the industrial demands of mass production of everything from medical care to toilet paper has supplanted the Horatio Alger ideals of pre-industrial, Christian, individualistic American society. Today’s updated Deweyans on the left are more apt to admire Alger Hiss than Horatio Alger.
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Maryland man indicted for defrauding program for disabled veterans
A Bowie, Maryland, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly using his security company to defraud a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs program for disabled military veterans out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Francis Engles, 63, was charged in a 20-count indictment alleging he used Engles Security Training School, which he co-owned and operated, to overcharge the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment program for services that either were shortened, or not rendered at all.
Engles allegedly presented the VA with documents stating he was providing 15 veterans with courses for 40 hours per week and over 600 hours over the course of several months, only to frequently cancel classes without notice or offer significantly shorter sessions than promised.
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Francis Engles, 63, was charged in a 20-count indictment alleging he used Engles Security Training School, which he co-owned and operated, to overcharge the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment program for services that either were shortened, or not rendered at all.
Engles allegedly presented the VA with documents stating he was providing 15 veterans with courses for 40 hours per week and over 600 hours over the course of several months, only to frequently cancel classes without notice or offer significantly shorter sessions than promised.
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2020 DEMOCRATS PUSH FOR NON-NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS TO VOTE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ELECTION
A handful of Senate Democrats vying for the presidency are rallying around Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in an effort to eliminate a law that prevents college students from voting in the Granite state unless they are permanent residents.
Sheehan reached out to the 2020 hopefuls on Monday to sign a petition “protecting the integrity of New Hampshire’s voting process” by allowing university students residing in the state during their schooling to vote in elections, despite permanently residing in other states.
The petition is in response to a recent law that requires out-of-state residents, such as college students, to obtain a state driver’s license and register their vehicles within 60 days of casting an election ballot, reported The Hill. The law is set to go into effect in July.
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Sheehan reached out to the 2020 hopefuls on Monday to sign a petition “protecting the integrity of New Hampshire’s voting process” by allowing university students residing in the state during their schooling to vote in elections, despite permanently residing in other states.
The petition is in response to a recent law that requires out-of-state residents, such as college students, to obtain a state driver’s license and register their vehicles within 60 days of casting an election ballot, reported The Hill. The law is set to go into effect in July.
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New Pool Surface At Caribbean Joe's
Texas High School targets parents with dress code requirements
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- No more hair rollers, shower caps, pajama pants or torn jeans if you intend to visit Madison High School.
The Houston ISD school sent a mandate to parents earlier this month asking them to model appropriate attire, in an effort to teach their children how to dress when applying for a job, or going nearly anywhere outside of the home setting.
The note stated, "We are preparing our children for the future and it begins here."
The school's new principal, Carlotta Outley Brown, signed off on the parent dress code.
Banned items include sagging pants and shorts, pajamas of any kind, shower caps, hair rollers and revealing clothing.
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The Houston ISD school sent a mandate to parents earlier this month asking them to model appropriate attire, in an effort to teach their children how to dress when applying for a job, or going nearly anywhere outside of the home setting.
The note stated, "We are preparing our children for the future and it begins here."
The school's new principal, Carlotta Outley Brown, signed off on the parent dress code.
Banned items include sagging pants and shorts, pajamas of any kind, shower caps, hair rollers and revealing clothing.
More
Speed trap by Florida police foiled by handmade sign to alert driv
Authorities in Florida were getting ready to crack down on speeding drivers last week when they discovered they couldn't catch any because someone tipped off drivers.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that officers were initially set up to conduct a speed enforcement operation in the Golden State Estates neighborhood after requests from residents.
"After a significant amount of time had passed they were puzzled," police said Wednesday. "Traffic was steady, so why had they identified just one driver who was traveling over the speed limit?"
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The Collier County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that officers were initially set up to conduct a speed enforcement operation in the Golden State Estates neighborhood after requests from residents.
"After a significant amount of time had passed they were puzzled," police said Wednesday. "Traffic was steady, so why had they identified just one driver who was traveling over the speed limit?"
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-speed-trap-police-sign-painted-drivers
Oh Goody, Hillary Clinton Has Some Opinions on the Mueller Report
The wandering woman from the woods and twice failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton just can't help herself.
Today, she's weighing in on the Mueller report and arguing President Trump should be facing criminal charges. Her remarks came during an interview at the TIME 100 Summit in New York City.
“Any other person who had engaged in those acts would certainly have been indicted, but because of the rule in the Justice Department that you can’t indict a sitting President, the whole matter of obstruction was very directly sent to the Congress," Clinton said. “I’m really of the mind that the Mueller report is part of the beginning. It’s not the end."
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Today, she's weighing in on the Mueller report and arguing President Trump should be facing criminal charges. Her remarks came during an interview at the TIME 100 Summit in New York City.
“Any other person who had engaged in those acts would certainly have been indicted, but because of the rule in the Justice Department that you can’t indict a sitting President, the whole matter of obstruction was very directly sent to the Congress," Clinton said. “I’m really of the mind that the Mueller report is part of the beginning. It’s not the end."
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This Supreme Court Case Threatens the Left’s View of Group Identity, Victimhood
Oral arguments heard at the Supreme Court Tuesday were ostensibly about whether the 2020 census could include a question about citizenship.
But don’t be fooled. The reason this case rocketed to the Supreme Court and has been so hotly contested is that the debate hinges, at bottom, on two starkly different visions of America.
In one vision, what matters is loyalty to and affiliation with a nation-state that is self-contained, independent, civic, and colorbind. In the other vision, priority is given to one’s membership in a subnational group that is based on subjective self-identity (like race or sexual orientation), and association with that group yields benefits and preferences in everything, from hiring to contracting, employment, housing, and even electoral redistricting.
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But don’t be fooled. The reason this case rocketed to the Supreme Court and has been so hotly contested is that the debate hinges, at bottom, on two starkly different visions of America.
In one vision, what matters is loyalty to and affiliation with a nation-state that is self-contained, independent, civic, and colorbind. In the other vision, priority is given to one’s membership in a subnational group that is based on subjective self-identity (like race or sexual orientation), and association with that group yields benefits and preferences in everything, from hiring to contracting, employment, housing, and even electoral redistricting.
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FBI Admits Hillary Clinton Emails Found in Obama White House
Judicial Watch announced today that a senior FBI official admitted, in writing and under oath, that the agency found Clinton email records in the Obama White House, specifically, the Executive Office of the President. The FBI also admitted nearly 49,000 Clinton server emails were reviewed as result of a search warrant for her material on the laptop of Anthony Weiner.
E.W. (Bill) Priestap, assistant director of the FBI Counterintelligence Division, made the disclosure to Judicial Watch as part of court-ordered discovery into the Clinton email issue.
U.S District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Obama administration senior State Department officials, lawyers, and Clinton aides, as well as Priestap, to be deposed or answer writer questions under oath. The court ruled that the Clinton email system was “one of the gravest modern offenses to government transparency.”
Priestap testifies that 48,982 emails were reviewed as a result of a warrant for Clinton email account information from the laptop of Anthony Weiner, who had been married to top Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
“This astonishing confirmation, made under oath by the FBI, shows that the Obama FBI had to go to President Obama’s White House office to find emails that Hillary Clinton tried to destroy or hide from the American people.” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “No wonder Hillary Clinton has thus far skated – Barack Obama is implicated in her email scheme.”
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E.W. (Bill) Priestap, assistant director of the FBI Counterintelligence Division, made the disclosure to Judicial Watch as part of court-ordered discovery into the Clinton email issue.
U.S District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Obama administration senior State Department officials, lawyers, and Clinton aides, as well as Priestap, to be deposed or answer writer questions under oath. The court ruled that the Clinton email system was “one of the gravest modern offenses to government transparency.”
Priestap testifies that 48,982 emails were reviewed as a result of a warrant for Clinton email account information from the laptop of Anthony Weiner, who had been married to top Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
“This astonishing confirmation, made under oath by the FBI, shows that the Obama FBI had to go to President Obama’s White House office to find emails that Hillary Clinton tried to destroy or hide from the American people.” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “No wonder Hillary Clinton has thus far skated – Barack Obama is implicated in her email scheme.”
More here
Bowie woman charged in crash that killed five children, one adult
A Bowie woman who was the only survivor of a February crash that killed a man and five children was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on six counts of vehicular manslaughter and six counts of vehicular homicide, according to Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.
Dominique R. Taylor, 32, of Bowie, was charged after an investigation showed she was driving with at least twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system.
Five children — all from the same extended family — died in the car crash early Feb. 2. The children were not wearing their seat belts, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Braveboy said Taylor lost control of the vehicle around 4:25 a.m. on Feb. 2 on Route 301 between Route 214 and Pointer Ridge Drive. The 2005 Chrysler Pacifica van veered off the highway and hit multiple trees, ejecting the five children inside and injuring the Taylor and an adult passenger in the front seat. Cornell D. Simon, 23, died about a week and a half later from his injuries on Feb. 15.
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Dominique R. Taylor, 32, of Bowie, was charged after an investigation showed she was driving with at least twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system.
Five children — all from the same extended family — died in the car crash early Feb. 2. The children were not wearing their seat belts, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Braveboy said Taylor lost control of the vehicle around 4:25 a.m. on Feb. 2 on Route 301 between Route 214 and Pointer Ridge Drive. The 2005 Chrysler Pacifica van veered off the highway and hit multiple trees, ejecting the five children inside and injuring the Taylor and an adult passenger in the front seat. Cornell D. Simon, 23, died about a week and a half later from his injuries on Feb. 15.
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Bernie Sanders: Let Terrorists, Sex Predators, Murderers Vote From Prison
Socialist Bernie Sanders said during a CNN Democratic town hall event that he would let the Boston Marathon bomber, sex predators, and murderers vote in U.S. elections while in prison.
"Would [you] support enfranchising people like the Boston Marathon bomber, a convicted terrorist and murderer?" Sanders was asked by an audience member. "Do you think those convicted of sexual assault should have the opportunity to vote for politicians who could have a direct impact on women’s rights?"
"Thank you for the question, and let me just say this: What our campaign is about and what I believe is creating a vibrant democracy," Sanders responded while complaining about voter turnout in the U.S.
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"Would [you] support enfranchising people like the Boston Marathon bomber, a convicted terrorist and murderer?" Sanders was asked by an audience member. "Do you think those convicted of sexual assault should have the opportunity to vote for politicians who could have a direct impact on women’s rights?"
"Thank you for the question, and let me just say this: What our campaign is about and what I believe is creating a vibrant democracy," Sanders responded while complaining about voter turnout in the U.S.
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‘Truly a miracle:’ Child thrown from third floor of Mall of America has no brain damage, pastor says
The 5-year-old boy who was thrust over the railing on the third floor of the Mall of America, ultimately falling to the ground, has zero brain damage from the incident, according to his doctors.
Medical results from an MRI showed positive signs of recovery. Doctors told Mac Hammond, who is a pastor at the church the boy’s family attends, that the images conveyed the injury as being no worse than if the boy “fell off a bicycle instead of off the third floor of the mall.”
Hammond said the results are “truly a miracle” for the family.
So far, a GoFundMe has raised close to $1 million for the boy.
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Medical results from an MRI showed positive signs of recovery. Doctors told Mac Hammond, who is a pastor at the church the boy’s family attends, that the images conveyed the injury as being no worse than if the boy “fell off a bicycle instead of off the third floor of the mall.”
Hammond said the results are “truly a miracle” for the family.
So far, a GoFundMe has raised close to $1 million for the boy.
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More than 12,000 Boy Scout members were victims of sexual abuse, expert says
An expert who has been working with the Boy Scouts revealed that there may have been as many as 7,819 allegedly sexually abusive troop leaders and volunteers in the storied organization, according to newly released court documents.
More than 7,800 individuals allegedly abused 12,254 victims, according to the court testimony.
These figures were released Tuesday by attorney Jeff Anderson, whose firm regularly represents victims of sexual abuse and has been involved in numerous clerical sexual abuse cases.
The new testimony was entered into the court record as part of a January trial about child sex abuse at a Minnesota children's theater company.
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More than 7,800 individuals allegedly abused 12,254 victims, according to the court testimony.
These figures were released Tuesday by attorney Jeff Anderson, whose firm regularly represents victims of sexual abuse and has been involved in numerous clerical sexual abuse cases.
The new testimony was entered into the court record as part of a January trial about child sex abuse at a Minnesota children's theater company.
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Williams College Students Demand Censorship on Campus Because ‘Free Speech Harms’
Williams College is planning to review and revise its policies due to student outrage over a faculty petition to adopt principles in favor of free speech on campus. Student protesters claim that “free speech harms” minorities and therefore, must be curtailed.
Faculty at Williams College are seeking to adopt the “Chicago principles,” which free speech advocates consider “the gold standard of free speech philosophy,” according to a report by Inside Higher Ed. The proposal has reportedly sparked backlash among students, who are demanding that speech be curtailed on campus.
The Chicago principles, formally known as the “Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression,” are a set of guidelines that were published by the University of Chicago, acknowledging that universities should uphold free speech on their campuses. The guidelines are also endorsed and championed by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).
“Students were just screaming that we were trying to ‘kill them,'” said associate professor Luana S.Maroja. She said that the students eventually started to yell at the white male professors, demanding that they sit down and “acknowledge their privilege.”
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[Flashback: Williams College Student Newspaper Endorses Racially Segregated Housing]
Faculty at Williams College are seeking to adopt the “Chicago principles,” which free speech advocates consider “the gold standard of free speech philosophy,” according to a report by Inside Higher Ed. The proposal has reportedly sparked backlash among students, who are demanding that speech be curtailed on campus.
The Chicago principles, formally known as the “Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression,” are a set of guidelines that were published by the University of Chicago, acknowledging that universities should uphold free speech on their campuses. The guidelines are also endorsed and championed by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).
“Students were just screaming that we were trying to ‘kill them,'” said associate professor Luana S.Maroja. She said that the students eventually started to yell at the white male professors, demanding that they sit down and “acknowledge their privilege.”
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[Flashback: Williams College Student Newspaper Endorses Racially Segregated Housing]
Berlin Mayor Indicates Incremental Tax Hikes Not Possible; 50 Businesses Sign Letter Opposing ‘Unprecedented Hike’
BERLIN – Merchants, real estate agents and residents voiced their opposition to the town’s proposed 29% tax increase at a meeting Monday.
As the Berlin Town Council introduced an ordinance that would set the town’s property tax rate at $.88 per $100 of assessed value on Monday, citizens once again expressed their frustration with the drastic increase. In advance of the May 13 public hearing on the proposed increase, officials agreed to host another budget work session April 29. Currently, the council is set to adopt a tax rate May 13 and a budget June 10.
“Honestly, I think it’s a good foot forward, but I can’t vote for it the way it is right this moment,” said Councilman Zack Tyndall, who suggested the work session.
As officials formally introduced an ordinance that would change the town’s tax rate from $.68 to $.88 in front of a packed council chamber, Mayor Gee Williams outlined the issues facing the town’s finances — the sewer system’s debt, capital projects and economic development. Williams said that while the town had relied on new development to cover sewer debt for many years, he believed the utility needed a more dependable source of revenue. In addition to the need to pay back the money borrowed from the general fund in recent years, the wastewater utility has outstanding debt of about $15 million.
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As the Berlin Town Council introduced an ordinance that would set the town’s property tax rate at $.88 per $100 of assessed value on Monday, citizens once again expressed their frustration with the drastic increase. In advance of the May 13 public hearing on the proposed increase, officials agreed to host another budget work session April 29. Currently, the council is set to adopt a tax rate May 13 and a budget June 10.
“Honestly, I think it’s a good foot forward, but I can’t vote for it the way it is right this moment,” said Councilman Zack Tyndall, who suggested the work session.
As officials formally introduced an ordinance that would change the town’s tax rate from $.68 to $.88 in front of a packed council chamber, Mayor Gee Williams outlined the issues facing the town’s finances — the sewer system’s debt, capital projects and economic development. Williams said that while the town had relied on new development to cover sewer debt for many years, he believed the utility needed a more dependable source of revenue. In addition to the need to pay back the money borrowed from the general fund in recent years, the wastewater utility has outstanding debt of about $15 million.
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Tomorrow Is $5.00 Burger Day At Caribbean Joe's
Jurors See Body-Worn Camera Video From Baltimore Co. Police Officer's Fatal Encounter
Baltimore County police officers who responded before paramedics arrived also testified on their efforts to save Caprio, who was struck and killed last year, allegedly by Harris. A jury was seated Monday.
Defense attorney J. Wyndal Gordon, in his opening statement, called Caprio's death an accident. He said his client was "scared 16-year-old" who didn't know how to react when confronted by Caprio, and said Caprio "threw herself in the pathway of a moving vehicle."
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Trump Suggests John Kerry’s Meetings with Iran ‘Big Violation of Logan Act’
“Iran is being given VERY BAD advice by John Kerry and people who helped him lead the U.S. into the very bad Iran Nuclear Deal,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Big violation of Logan Act?”
In 2018, Kerry admitted meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif “three or four times” to discuss Obama’s signature nuclear deal with Iran that Trump ripped up.
“What Secretary Kerry has done is unseemly and unprecedented,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in reaction to the news. “This is a former secretary of state engaged with the largest state sponsor of terror.”
The Logan Act criminalizes unauthorized negotiations between American citizens and foreign governments who have disputes with the United States.
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