DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, July 11, 2019
'Frankly, Megan, I don't give a damn'
The ladies won, and let's salute them. The TV ratings were great, and everyone is happy.
How does this translate to more people watching women play soccer in the U.S.? I hope it does, but women's pro soccer has not been good at selling tickets.
Actually, not everyone is happy. I am not happy, and lots of people I've heard from are not happy.
First, the tournament showed that international women's soccer is a total mismatch. In other words, there aren't enough good women's soccer teams in the world. The U.S. is obviously "the queen" of soccer and will only get better because our young women have more resources.
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How does this translate to more people watching women play soccer in the U.S.? I hope it does, but women's pro soccer has not been good at selling tickets.
Actually, not everyone is happy. I am not happy, and lots of people I've heard from are not happy.
First, the tournament showed that international women's soccer is a total mismatch. In other words, there aren't enough good women's soccer teams in the world. The U.S. is obviously "the queen" of soccer and will only get better because our young women have more resources.
More
Lawsuit filed against Hershey over White Reese's packaging
Winston and Doe are officially suing The Hershey Company "over deceptive trade practices, negligent misrepresentation, breach of express and implied warranty, fraud and unjust enrichment." Simply put, they believe that the company misled consumers.
Legal Newsline reports the plaintiffs will be not only be arguing over the implication, but also for the fact that Hershey exploited the consumers' assumptions in order to get away with using "cheaper substitutes like compound or confectionary coating made from vegetable oils."
As legitimate as that sounds, here's the thing: Nowhere on the packaging does it actually say that the product is made with white chocolate. And on the Reese's website, these treats are officially named the White Crème Peanut Butter Cup.
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Legal Newsline reports the plaintiffs will be not only be arguing over the implication, but also for the fact that Hershey exploited the consumers' assumptions in order to get away with using "cheaper substitutes like compound or confectionary coating made from vegetable oils."
As legitimate as that sounds, here's the thing: Nowhere on the packaging does it actually say that the product is made with white chocolate. And on the Reese's website, these treats are officially named the White Crème Peanut Butter Cup.
More
Recycle or Burn? Local Governments Must Choose for the Long Term.
One of the great responsibilities of public office is to know when and how to use its power to change a dangerous trend. At this time of recycling disruption and municipal-waste crisis, local governments have an urgent challenge and opportunity to steer America in the right direction. Their decisions about whether to invest in recycling or regress to just burning our trash will impact environmental trends for decades to come.
Over the past 30 years, recycling went from being an aspiration to an American habit and a significant waste-management practice. When I was governor of Indiana in the early 1990s, I worked with the legislature to create and implement local recycling grants to encourage that nascent trend. There was bipartisan interest in recycling at the time, and Indiana's grant program is still robust today.
Indiana was part of a nationwide phenomenon that benefited from good public-policy decisions. But as much as Americans came to understand and appreciate recycling, most did not know that our wholesome blue-bin habit was overly dependent on the appetite of China's recycling industry. It was so affordable to ship recyclables overseas that a strong American recycling industry never developed. Our environmentally healthy habit had a dangerously unstable foundation.
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Over the past 30 years, recycling went from being an aspiration to an American habit and a significant waste-management practice. When I was governor of Indiana in the early 1990s, I worked with the legislature to create and implement local recycling grants to encourage that nascent trend. There was bipartisan interest in recycling at the time, and Indiana's grant program is still robust today.
Indiana was part of a nationwide phenomenon that benefited from good public-policy decisions. But as much as Americans came to understand and appreciate recycling, most did not know that our wholesome blue-bin habit was overly dependent on the appetite of China's recycling industry. It was so affordable to ship recyclables overseas that a strong American recycling industry never developed. Our environmentally healthy habit had a dangerously unstable foundation.
More
Trump praises Home Depot's Bernie Marcus following boycott threats
President Trump praised Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus on Tuesday after some shoppers vowed to boycott the home improvement chain after the billionaire said he would support the president’s 2020 re-election bid.
“A truly great, patriotic & charitable man, Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot who, at the age of 90, is coming under attack by the Radical Left Democrats with one of their often used weapons. They don’t want people to shop at those GREAT stores because he contributed to your favorite President, me!” Trump wrote in a two-part tweet Tuesday night.
“These people are vicious and totally crazed, but remember, there are far more great people (‘Deplorables’) in this country, than bad. Do to them what they do to you. Fight for Bernie Marcus and Home Depot!” he added.
Marcus told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in late June that he plans to support Trump in the upcoming presidential election. The 90-year-old was a top donor to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
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https://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/trump-home-depot-bernie-marcus-boycott-chain-president-support
“A truly great, patriotic & charitable man, Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot who, at the age of 90, is coming under attack by the Radical Left Democrats with one of their often used weapons. They don’t want people to shop at those GREAT stores because he contributed to your favorite President, me!” Trump wrote in a two-part tweet Tuesday night.
“These people are vicious and totally crazed, but remember, there are far more great people (‘Deplorables’) in this country, than bad. Do to them what they do to you. Fight for Bernie Marcus and Home Depot!” he added.
Marcus told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in late June that he plans to support Trump in the upcoming presidential election. The 90-year-old was a top donor to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
More
https://www.foxbusiness.com/business-leaders/trump-home-depot-bernie-marcus-boycott-chain-president-support
Jilted Marine, 23, 'bound his former prom date, 20, strangled and stabbed her
A murder trial is under way in Baltimore for a US Marine who prosecutors say tied up, beat and stabbed to death his former prom date, leaving her bloodied body to be discovered in a high school’s bleachers.
Prosecutors presented evidence on Tuesday they say proves Christopher Rather, 23, killed his ex-girlfriend, 20-year-old Jasmine Pierce-Morris, last June.
Rather’s defense attorney, Paul Batchelor, maintains he is innocent. He says investigators mishandled evidence and set out to blame the ex-boyfriend for the slaying.
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Prosecutors presented evidence on Tuesday they say proves Christopher Rather, 23, killed his ex-girlfriend, 20-year-old Jasmine Pierce-Morris, last June.
Rather’s defense attorney, Paul Batchelor, maintains he is innocent. He says investigators mishandled evidence and set out to blame the ex-boyfriend for the slaying.
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Ivanka Trump's women's initiative unveils $27 million in new grants
A White House initiative led by Ivanka Trump announced Wednesday its first slate of grants worth $27 million to economically benefit women in the developing world.
Trump said the money from the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (WGDP) would be complemented by $160 million from hundreds of nongovernmental organizations and private sector companies to buoy the initiative's efforts.
The money will go to 14 projects in 22 countries, which Trump said would benefit 100,000 women.
“We’re very, very excited about the private sector and NGO community coming alongside of us to amplify and accelerate our work,” she said at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Discussion on Women's Economic Empowerment.
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Trump said the money from the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (WGDP) would be complemented by $160 million from hundreds of nongovernmental organizations and private sector companies to buoy the initiative's efforts.
The money will go to 14 projects in 22 countries, which Trump said would benefit 100,000 women.
“We’re very, very excited about the private sector and NGO community coming alongside of us to amplify and accelerate our work,” she said at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Discussion on Women's Economic Empowerment.
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Ivory Coast passes legislation encouraged by Ivanka Trump
“Ivanka Trump is applauding the recent passage of legislation in Ivory Coast related to changes she pushed during her April trip to Africa,” Jill Colvin and Alexis Adele report forThe Associated Press.
“The country is in the process of updating its family code to make it more equitable to women — a move President Donald Trump’s eldest daughter and senior adviser praised as ‘a great step forward.’” The new law will support women’s ownership rights and their equal management of household assets.
Click here to read more.
REPORT: ALEX ACOSTA SAID HE WAS TOLD JEFFREY EPSTEIN ‘BELONGED TO INTELLIGENCE’ AND ‘TO LEAVE IT ALONE’
Epstein’s name, I was told, had been raised by the Trump transition team when Alexander Acosta, the former U.S. attorney in Miami who’d infamously cut Epstein a non-prosecution plea deal back in 2007, was being interviewed for the job of labor secretary. The plea deal put a hard stop to a separate federal investigation of alleged sex crimes with minors and trafficking.
“Is the Epstein case going to cause a problem [for confirmation hearings]?” Acosta had been asked. Acosta had explained, breezily, apparently, that back in the day he’d had just one meeting on the Epstein case. He’d cut the non-prosecution deal with one of Epstein’s attorneys because he had “been told” to back off, that Epstein was above his pay grade. “I was told Epstein ‘belonged to intelligence’ and to leave it alone,” he told his interviewers in the Trump transition, who evidently thought that was a sufficient answer and went ahead and hired Acosta. (The Labor Department had no comment when asked about this.)
[…] In 2007 and 2008, as the FBI prepared a 53-page indictment that would charge Epstein with sex crimes, Epstein’s powerful legal team played the influence card.
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“Is the Epstein case going to cause a problem [for confirmation hearings]?” Acosta had been asked. Acosta had explained, breezily, apparently, that back in the day he’d had just one meeting on the Epstein case. He’d cut the non-prosecution deal with one of Epstein’s attorneys because he had “been told” to back off, that Epstein was above his pay grade. “I was told Epstein ‘belonged to intelligence’ and to leave it alone,” he told his interviewers in the Trump transition, who evidently thought that was a sufficient answer and went ahead and hired Acosta. (The Labor Department had no comment when asked about this.)
[…] In 2007 and 2008, as the FBI prepared a 53-page indictment that would charge Epstein with sex crimes, Epstein’s powerful legal team played the influence card.
More
Sugar in fruit juice may raise risk of cancer, study finds
Drinking large amounts of fruit juice may raise your risk of cancer, according to a big study which has found a link between the regular consumption of all kinds of sugary drinks and the likelihood of developing the disease.
The study, carried out in France, is the first substantial piece of research to find a specific association between sugar and cancer. Sugary drinks such as colas, lemonade and energy drinks have been linked to obesity, which is a cause of cancer, but the French researchers suggest there could also be other reasons sugar could trigger it.
The study, published in the BMJ, finds the association with cancer is just as strong with fruit juices as it is with colas. “When the group of sugary drinks was split into 100% fruit juices and other sugary drinks, the consumption of both beverage types was associated with a higher risk of overall cancer,” it says.
More
The study, carried out in France, is the first substantial piece of research to find a specific association between sugar and cancer. Sugary drinks such as colas, lemonade and energy drinks have been linked to obesity, which is a cause of cancer, but the French researchers suggest there could also be other reasons sugar could trigger it.
The study, published in the BMJ, finds the association with cancer is just as strong with fruit juices as it is with colas. “When the group of sugary drinks was split into 100% fruit juices and other sugary drinks, the consumption of both beverage types was associated with a higher risk of overall cancer,” it says.
More
Drag Queen Story Hour is ‘Indoctrination’ of Children Into LGBTQ Culture
The spreading practice of men dressed in drag reading to very young children in public libraries -- and in some Barnes & Noble book stores -- is a way to "indoctrinate" kids into the LGBTQ world and imprint "perversion" in their young minds, said Peter LaBarbera, founder and president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality. He added that the entire experience is "like mental rape."
LaBarbera, whose organization defends the natural law, the natural family, and a biblical worldview, made his remarks during a June 25 interview on VCY America, hosted by Jim Schneider.
Commenting on the "Drag Queen Story Hours," LaBarbera said, “Like the public schools, the elites, the leftists running these libraries – and they’re social leftists, many of them, completely pro-LGBTQ – they view the children as, sort of, their children, in the sense that they don’t want the parents there."
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LaBarbera, whose organization defends the natural law, the natural family, and a biblical worldview, made his remarks during a June 25 interview on VCY America, hosted by Jim Schneider.
Commenting on the "Drag Queen Story Hours," LaBarbera said, “Like the public schools, the elites, the leftists running these libraries – and they’re social leftists, many of them, completely pro-LGBTQ – they view the children as, sort of, their children, in the sense that they don’t want the parents there."
More
UCLA professor guilty of conspiring to steal missile secrets for China
A jury found an electrical engineer and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) professor guilty of exporting stolen U.S. military technology to China.
UCLA adjunct professor Yi-Chi Shih was convicted June 26 on 18 federal charges, Newsweek reported, and could now lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, while also facing up to 219 years behind bars for numerous violations of the law. These include conspiracy to break the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), committing mail and wire fraud, lying to a government agency, subscribing to a false tax return, and conspiring to gain unauthorized access to information on a protected computer, according to a Department of Justice news release.
Shih and co-defendant Kiet Ahn Mai tried to hack a protected computer owned by a U.S. company that manufactured semiconductor chips called monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). MMICs are used by the Air Force and Navy in fighter jets, missiles and missile guidance technology, and electronic military defense systems.
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UCLA adjunct professor Yi-Chi Shih was convicted June 26 on 18 federal charges, Newsweek reported, and could now lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, while also facing up to 219 years behind bars for numerous violations of the law. These include conspiracy to break the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), committing mail and wire fraud, lying to a government agency, subscribing to a false tax return, and conspiring to gain unauthorized access to information on a protected computer, according to a Department of Justice news release.
Shih and co-defendant Kiet Ahn Mai tried to hack a protected computer owned by a U.S. company that manufactured semiconductor chips called monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). MMICs are used by the Air Force and Navy in fighter jets, missiles and missile guidance technology, and electronic military defense systems.
More
Another Judicial Roadblock to Census Citizenship Question
The legal wrangling over the citizenship question on the 2020 census took another bizarre turn Tuesday, when U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman ruled that the Justice Department cannot replace nine lawyers working on implementing the question so late in the game without sufficient explanation. With just three days remaining in the appeal process, Furman wrote, “Defendants provide no reasons, let alone ‘satisfactory reasons,’ for the substitution of counsel.”
Furman is the same judge who initially blocked the question itself in January, so this is no surprise.
A brief refresher is in order...
Furman is the same judge who initially blocked the question itself in January, so this is no surprise.
A brief refresher is in order...
WATCH: Best-Selling Author Reveals Why Trump Kicked Epstein Out Of Mar-A-Lago
Best-selling author James Patterson — who wrote "Filthy Rich: The Billionaire's Sex Scandal--The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein" — told Fox News on Tuesday that then-private citizen Donald Trump threw alleged pedophile Jeffrey Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago after he was notified about complaints being made against Epstein.
Patterson made the remarks while appearing on "The Daily Briefing" with host Dana Perino. Epstein, 66, was arrested on Saturday on child sex trafficking charges and faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
President Trump was asked about Epstein — a billionaire who rubbed shoulders with celebrities and world leaders — while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
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Patterson made the remarks while appearing on "The Daily Briefing" with host Dana Perino. Epstein, 66, was arrested on Saturday on child sex trafficking charges and faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
President Trump was asked about Epstein — a billionaire who rubbed shoulders with celebrities and world leaders — while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
More
Ocasio-Cortez Suggests Pelosi Is Targeting Her Because Pelosi Is Racist
Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during multiple recent interviews, going as far as to say that she believes that Pelosi is targeting her because Pelosi is racist.
"I think sometimes people think that we have a relationship," Ocasio-Cortez told The New Yorker Radio Hour. "Not particularly."
"The last time I kind of spoke to her one on one was when she asked me to join the Select Committee on Climate Change," Ocasio-Cortez continued. "I was assigned to some of the busiest committees and four subcommittees. So my hands are full. And sometimes I wonder if they’re trying to keep me busy."
Ocasio-Cortez suggested to The Washington Post on Wednesday that Pelosi was a racist: "When these comments first started, I kind of thought that she was keeping the progressive flank at more of an arm's distance in order to protect more moderate members, which I understood. But the persistent singling out . . . it got to a point where it was just outright disrespectful . . . the explicit singling out of newly elected women of color."
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"I think sometimes people think that we have a relationship," Ocasio-Cortez told The New Yorker Radio Hour. "Not particularly."
"The last time I kind of spoke to her one on one was when she asked me to join the Select Committee on Climate Change," Ocasio-Cortez continued. "I was assigned to some of the busiest committees and four subcommittees. So my hands are full. And sometimes I wonder if they’re trying to keep me busy."
Ocasio-Cortez suggested to The Washington Post on Wednesday that Pelosi was a racist: "When these comments first started, I kind of thought that she was keeping the progressive flank at more of an arm's distance in order to protect more moderate members, which I understood. But the persistent singling out . . . it got to a point where it was just outright disrespectful . . . the explicit singling out of newly elected women of color."
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LIRR overtime ‘cheat’ hung out at home on the clock, retired with full pension anyway
A Long Island Rail Road worker who raked in more than $280,000 in pay last year — more than half from overtime — was busted hanging out at home while on the clock, according to a report obtained by The Post.
But he was allowed to retire before he could be punished — and collect his full pension on the public dime.
Raymond Murphy, a foreman with the LIRR’s Buildings and Bridges department who’d been at the agency since 1996, was caught by the MTA’s Inspector General at or near his home on 10 occasions when he was on duty in April, May and June 2018, the Aug. 8 report says.
But he says he has nothing to apologize for.
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But he was allowed to retire before he could be punished — and collect his full pension on the public dime.
Raymond Murphy, a foreman with the LIRR’s Buildings and Bridges department who’d been at the agency since 1996, was caught by the MTA’s Inspector General at or near his home on 10 occasions when he was on duty in April, May and June 2018, the Aug. 8 report says.
But he says he has nothing to apologize for.
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Mike Rowe Weighs In On Nike Dropping American Flag Shoe At Kaepernick's Behest
Last week, news broke that Nike canceled an American flag-style shoe at the behest of famed national anthem kneeler, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who’s a big-name sponsor for the athletic gear brand. Kaepernick apparently found the patriotic shoe, which showcased a Betsy Ross flag, racially “offensive.”
As noted by The Wall Street Journal, the heel of the sneaker has a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, “a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag.” Notably, the supposedly racist Revolution era flag was flown during the inauguration of former President Barack Obama.
The move sparked backlash from big-name conservatives, including Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who called for a boycott. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, also announced he’d be withdrawing financial incentives promised to Nike.
Popular former “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe reiterated via Facebook that Nike and Kaepernick are completely free to pull the patriotic shoe, but emphasized how illogical it is to consider the Betsy Ross flag as racist.
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As noted by The Wall Street Journal, the heel of the sneaker has a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, “a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag.” Notably, the supposedly racist Revolution era flag was flown during the inauguration of former President Barack Obama.
The move sparked backlash from big-name conservatives, including Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who called for a boycott. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, also announced he’d be withdrawing financial incentives promised to Nike.
Popular former “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe reiterated via Facebook that Nike and Kaepernick are completely free to pull the patriotic shoe, but emphasized how illogical it is to consider the Betsy Ross flag as racist.
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Majority of Hispanic voters APPROVE of citizenship question on U.S. census
Two-thirds of voters approve of a citizenship question on the 2020 census, and that includes a majority of Hispanic voters — despite claims by Democrat lawmakers that the inquiry would discourage participation in Latino communities.
A Harvard University Center for American Political Studies/Harris poll found that 67% of all registered U.S. voters say the census should ask the citizenship question when the time comes. That includes 88% of Republicans, 63% of independents and 52% of Democrats.
Most notably, the poll found that 55% of Hispanic voters favor the idea.
Also in agreement: 74% of rural voters, 59% of black voters, 58% of urban voters and 47% of voters who backed Hillary Clinton in 2016. At 44%, liberal voters were the least likely to favor the citizenship question.
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[This poll should eviscerate the 'racism' argument. --Editor]
A Harvard University Center for American Political Studies/Harris poll found that 67% of all registered U.S. voters say the census should ask the citizenship question when the time comes. That includes 88% of Republicans, 63% of independents and 52% of Democrats.
Most notably, the poll found that 55% of Hispanic voters favor the idea.
Also in agreement: 74% of rural voters, 59% of black voters, 58% of urban voters and 47% of voters who backed Hillary Clinton in 2016. At 44%, liberal voters were the least likely to favor the citizenship question.
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[This poll should eviscerate the 'racism' argument. --Editor]
Project Veritas: 1,000 Google Employees Signed Internal Anti-Breitbart Petition
An internal Google petition “to end Google’s business with Breitbart” was recently leaked to Project Veritas. The petition — which over 1,000 Google employees have signed — calls for labeling Breitbart News as “prohibited content” to block the news outlet from “all Google-served ads.”
A Google insider says that a petition has been circulated among Google employees, calling on banning Breitbart News from Google’s advertising networks, in order to cut off the news platform from ad revenue, according to a recent report by Project Veritas.
“These people are employees of Google,” said a Google insider to James O’Keefe of Project Veritas, “They are unhappy with the election, and they are unhappy with the narratives that are being put out there that contradict the mainstream media’s narrative.”
More here
A Google insider says that a petition has been circulated among Google employees, calling on banning Breitbart News from Google’s advertising networks, in order to cut off the news platform from ad revenue, according to a recent report by Project Veritas.
“These people are employees of Google,” said a Google insider to James O’Keefe of Project Veritas, “They are unhappy with the election, and they are unhappy with the narratives that are being put out there that contradict the mainstream media’s narrative.”
More here
Acceptance of gay sex in decline in UK
Thirty years of increasingly liberal attitudes towards gay sex may be coming to an end after the number of people who said they considered it wrong rose for the first time since the Aids crisis.
In 1987 when every household received sombre leaflets warning “don’t die of ignorance”, nine out of 10 people thought there was something wrong with sexual relations between two adults of the same sex.
Every year since, tolerance had increased, but now the British Social Attitudes Survey has found the number of people believing there is nothing wrong with gay sex has fallen, leaving a third of the population in some way opposed.
The finding, based on a survey of 2,884 people, coincided with the first dip in more than a decade in people saying they think sex before marriage is not at all wrong, with people from non-Christian religious groups the most likely to disapprove.
“Liberalisation of attitudes does seem to be slowing down,” said the independent social research agency NatCen, which carried out the research.
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In 1987 when every household received sombre leaflets warning “don’t die of ignorance”, nine out of 10 people thought there was something wrong with sexual relations between two adults of the same sex.
Every year since, tolerance had increased, but now the British Social Attitudes Survey has found the number of people believing there is nothing wrong with gay sex has fallen, leaving a third of the population in some way opposed.
The finding, based on a survey of 2,884 people, coincided with the first dip in more than a decade in people saying they think sex before marriage is not at all wrong, with people from non-Christian religious groups the most likely to disapprove.
“Liberalisation of attitudes does seem to be slowing down,” said the independent social research agency NatCen, which carried out the research.
More
Axios: Breitbart Defines Democratic Presidential Field by Dominating Social Media
Despite widespread, documented cases of bias against conservative media by social media platforms, Breitbart News and other conservative media have dominated online coverage of the Democrat party primaries, according to Axios.
In an article titled “Axios-NewsWhip 2020 attention tracker: The might of right-wing media,” Axios published data from its online media tracker, which tracks the attention received by individual Democrat presidential candidates from stories shared on social media.
Axios notes the potential impact that conservative dominance is having on emerging narratives about the Democrat candidates. The news website admits that conservative media is “shaping the way a big chunk of the electorate looks at these candidates and exposing potential lines of attack for Trump to exploit.”
The data, gathered by Axios and the social media analytics company Newswhip, shows that even on topics focused on the Democrat primaries, articles from conservative sources like Breitbart News generate significantly more traffic than their left-wing competitors.
More here
In an article titled “Axios-NewsWhip 2020 attention tracker: The might of right-wing media,” Axios published data from its online media tracker, which tracks the attention received by individual Democrat presidential candidates from stories shared on social media.
Axios notes the potential impact that conservative dominance is having on emerging narratives about the Democrat candidates. The news website admits that conservative media is “shaping the way a big chunk of the electorate looks at these candidates and exposing potential lines of attack for Trump to exploit.”
The data, gathered by Axios and the social media analytics company Newswhip, shows that even on topics focused on the Democrat primaries, articles from conservative sources like Breitbart News generate significantly more traffic than their left-wing competitors.
More here
Court Favors Trump Twitter Trolls
“The First Amendment does not permit a public official who utilizes a social media account for all manner of official purposes to exclude persons from an otherwise-open online dialogue because they expressed views with which the official disagrees,” declared Judge Barrington Parker in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against President Donald Trump for blocking critics from his Twitter account. The Second Circuit’s ruling upheld the decision of a district court.
This rather confusing ruling has opened the door for more lawsuits, as demonstrated by an almost immediate suit against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for her similar practice of blocking people from her Twitter account.
There are several issues here — some of which the court addressed and others it indicated it would intentionally avoid. The first and biggest was the question of First Amendment rights, specifically the free-speech rights of all Americans. The court noted that government officials are not allowed to prevent individuals’ access to publicly presented information, nor may public officials prevent private individuals from speaking freely on that information. Essentially, the court asserted that Twitter was a public forum because Trump was using it as such.
This, however, is the crux of the issue: Twitter is a private company that explicitly notes in its user agreement that it holds full authority over whatever content a user may place on its platform.
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This rather confusing ruling has opened the door for more lawsuits, as demonstrated by an almost immediate suit against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) for her similar practice of blocking people from her Twitter account.
There are several issues here — some of which the court addressed and others it indicated it would intentionally avoid. The first and biggest was the question of First Amendment rights, specifically the free-speech rights of all Americans. The court noted that government officials are not allowed to prevent individuals’ access to publicly presented information, nor may public officials prevent private individuals from speaking freely on that information. Essentially, the court asserted that Twitter was a public forum because Trump was using it as such.
This, however, is the crux of the issue: Twitter is a private company that explicitly notes in its user agreement that it holds full authority over whatever content a user may place on its platform.
More
Marilyn Mosby testifies on marijuana reform during a Congressional hearing
(WBFF) -- Marilyn Mosby provided testimony during a congressional hearing on marijuana reform.
Mosby spoke about the need for federal decriminalization of marijuana, the need for reform specific to marijuana enforcement, and for the necessity for second chances for individuals with drug offenses.
To “right the past wrongs” of failed “war on drugs” policies, Mosby suggested congress remove Marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance, regulate it similar to alcohol and tobacco and create economic incentives for reinvestment in communities most adversely impacted.
Source
Mosby spoke about the need for federal decriminalization of marijuana, the need for reform specific to marijuana enforcement, and for the necessity for second chances for individuals with drug offenses.
To “right the past wrongs” of failed “war on drugs” policies, Mosby suggested congress remove Marijuana as a scheduled controlled substance, regulate it similar to alcohol and tobacco and create economic incentives for reinvestment in communities most adversely impacted.
Source
WATCH: Megan Rapinoe Is Asked About 'Equal Pay,' Agrees With Conservative Critics
On Tuesday night, U.S. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe appeared on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show” to discuss her team’s World Cup win, and of course, politics. During the interview, Rapinoe actually made the same point about the so-called “gender wage gap” that has been made countless times from the Right: women are paid less than men because they generate less revenue.
Maddow highlighted that U.S. soccer fans in France chanting “equal pay” in the moments after the women’s team won another World Cup final and asked the star forward how fans can help make “equal pay” a reality.
“Fans can come to games, obviously national team games will be hot ticket, but we have nine teams in the NWSL, you can go to your league games, you can support that way, you can buy players’ jerseys, you can lend your support that way, you can tell your friends about it, you can become season ticket holders,” Rapinoe responded.
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Maddow highlighted that U.S. soccer fans in France chanting “equal pay” in the moments after the women’s team won another World Cup final and asked the star forward how fans can help make “equal pay” a reality.
“Fans can come to games, obviously national team games will be hot ticket, but we have nine teams in the NWSL, you can go to your league games, you can support that way, you can buy players’ jerseys, you can lend your support that way, you can tell your friends about it, you can become season ticket holders,” Rapinoe responded.
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White Communities, Black Students: Counties With the Biggest School Race Gap
In Rockland County, an affluent patch of suburbia north of New York City, 64 percent of the children are non-Hispanic whites. But a solid majority of the public school pupils are non-white. There’s a simple reason for that: Nearly half of the kids are in private school. Many of them are from Orthodox Jewish families who sent their children to yeshivas. As in much of the country, public student enrollment doesn’t closely reflect the population of children living in the community.
To show where this kind of mismatch exists, Governing compiled aggregate K-12 enrollment data for all larger U.S. counties reported to the Department of Education. Census estimates covering the under-18 population for 2013-2017 were then compared with average public-school enrollment over the same period.
Nationally, public schools are less white than their communities, with blacks and Hispanics generally over-represented in those schools. The discrepancy isn’t very large in most places at the county level, typically a few percentage points. But the gap is far larger in some jurisdictions, and it’s in these areas where there can be a serious disconnect between taxpayers and support for public schools. Under- or over-representation is often much more apparent in smaller areas within counties, such as individual towns and districts.
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To show where this kind of mismatch exists, Governing compiled aggregate K-12 enrollment data for all larger U.S. counties reported to the Department of Education. Census estimates covering the under-18 population for 2013-2017 were then compared with average public-school enrollment over the same period.
Nationally, public schools are less white than their communities, with blacks and Hispanics generally over-represented in those schools. The discrepancy isn’t very large in most places at the county level, typically a few percentage points. But the gap is far larger in some jurisdictions, and it’s in these areas where there can be a serious disconnect between taxpayers and support for public schools. Under- or over-representation is often much more apparent in smaller areas within counties, such as individual towns and districts.
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White House rallies conservatives to social media summit, snubs Facebook, Twitter, Google
WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) — The White House social media summit is scheduled to take place Thursday afternoon and representatives from the largest platforms in the industry are not expected to attend.
Facebook confirmed that they did not receive an invitation. Twitter and Google's Alphabet, which owns YouTube, also did not receive invitations, according to reports. Company representatives would not provide comment.
With the big three social media players sidelined from the event, it has left a lot of open space for other voices.
Based on the confirmed list of attendees, the summit will almost certainly focus on allegations of censorship and anti-conservative political bias by platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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Facebook confirmed that they did not receive an invitation. Twitter and Google's Alphabet, which owns YouTube, also did not receive invitations, according to reports. Company representatives would not provide comment.
With the big three social media players sidelined from the event, it has left a lot of open space for other voices.
Based on the confirmed list of attendees, the summit will almost certainly focus on allegations of censorship and anti-conservative political bias by platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
More
WATCH: Hockey Coach’s Viral Message To Players About Respecting The Flag: ‘We’re Not Women’s Soccer’
An unidentified hockey coach has lit up social media with a speech to his players about respecting the national anthem, telling them they should go ahead and "get the f*** out" if they plan on dishonoring either the American or Canadian national anthems, like players from women's soccer and the National Football League.
"You guys, listen up for a second. First day of camp, something really important," the coach, who is yet to be identified, told a locker room full of players. "We’re not women’s soccer, we’re not the NFL. If there’s anybody here that's going to be disrespectful to either the American or the Canadian national anthem, grab your gear and get the f*** out now — because you’ll never see the ice in this arena."
"We don’t have that problem in hockey — we’re better than that — but there was no sense in wasting anybody’s time if that sh** was going to happen," he continued. "I don't believe it would happen here. We're the most patriotic sport that they have out there. So, just keep that in mind. Thank you."
More/Video
"You guys, listen up for a second. First day of camp, something really important," the coach, who is yet to be identified, told a locker room full of players. "We’re not women’s soccer, we’re not the NFL. If there’s anybody here that's going to be disrespectful to either the American or the Canadian national anthem, grab your gear and get the f*** out now — because you’ll never see the ice in this arena."
"We don’t have that problem in hockey — we’re better than that — but there was no sense in wasting anybody’s time if that sh** was going to happen," he continued. "I don't believe it would happen here. We're the most patriotic sport that they have out there. So, just keep that in mind. Thank you."
More/Video
Greet and Meet Mayoral Candidate Wayne King
Please come down and meet me, your GOP Conservative candidate for Mayor of Salisbury. Write down your questions for the Greet and Meet.
My administration will be totally transparent and I want to hear from everyone. Tell me your concerns and suggestions. I do not pretend to know everything. Let's join together to help our beloved city.
I look forward to seeing and meeting you.
Best,
Wayne
Where: Brew River
Date: Thursday, July 18th
Time: 6pm
Hatemonger vandalizes Megan Rapinoe posters in subway station
More than a half-dozen posters of US Women’s Soccer sensation Megan Rapinoe were defaced inside the Bryant Park subway station in what police are investigating as a possible hate crime, authorities said.
The bigoted vandal scribbled marker over Rapinoe’s face and forehead Monday morning on more than six posters displayed throughout the mezzanine level of the station near Sixth Avenue and West 42nd Street, cops said Tuesday.
The hateful messages included “shemale” and “screw this ho,” police sources said.
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The bigoted vandal scribbled marker over Rapinoe’s face and forehead Monday morning on more than six posters displayed throughout the mezzanine level of the station near Sixth Avenue and West 42nd Street, cops said Tuesday.
The hateful messages included “shemale” and “screw this ho,” police sources said.
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REPORT: Remember How Kavanaugh Accuser Christine Blasey Ford Had No Social Media Footprint? Here's Why.
When Christine Blasey Ford came forward to accuse then-U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of decades-old sexual assault, little was known about her; in fact, she had no social media footprint at all — an extreme oddity for modern times.
But according to a new book set for release on Tuesday, penned by two prominent conservative politicos, Blasey Ford “completely scrubbed” her digital footprint weeks before sending the sexual assault allegation to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in the form of a letter.
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway and her co-author, Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network, suggest in “Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court” that this social media history scrubbing had been done to cover up Blasey Ford's far-left politics and her expressed "antipathy" toward President Donald Trump, who tapped Kavanaugh for the position on the highest court.
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But according to a new book set for release on Tuesday, penned by two prominent conservative politicos, Blasey Ford “completely scrubbed” her digital footprint weeks before sending the sexual assault allegation to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in the form of a letter.
Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway and her co-author, Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network, suggest in “Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court” that this social media history scrubbing had been done to cover up Blasey Ford's far-left politics and her expressed "antipathy" toward President Donald Trump, who tapped Kavanaugh for the position on the highest court.
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GOP campaign tells female journalist she can't shadow candidate without male colleague
A female reporter in Mississippi is accusing a Republican gubernatorial candidate of sexism after he refused her request to shadow him on the campaign trail.
Rep. Robert Foster's, R-Hernando, campaign reportedly told Larrison Campbell of Mississippi Today that her presence might stoke speculation about an affair between the two.
Colton Robison, Foster's campaign director, offered Campbell an opportunity to follow the candidate but said she would need a male colleague accompanying her, she said in an article in her paper Tuesday.
“Perception is everything," Campbell quoted Robison as saying. "We are so close to the primary. If (trackers) were to get a picture and they put a mailer out, we wouldn’t have time to dispute it. And that’s why we have to be careful."
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-campaign-tells-female-journalist-she-cant-shadow-candidate-without-male-colleague
Rep. Robert Foster's, R-Hernando, campaign reportedly told Larrison Campbell of Mississippi Today that her presence might stoke speculation about an affair between the two.
Colton Robison, Foster's campaign director, offered Campbell an opportunity to follow the candidate but said she would need a male colleague accompanying her, she said in an article in her paper Tuesday.
“Perception is everything," Campbell quoted Robison as saying. "We are so close to the primary. If (trackers) were to get a picture and they put a mailer out, we wouldn’t have time to dispute it. And that’s why we have to be careful."
More
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-campaign-tells-female-journalist-she-cant-shadow-candidate-without-male-colleague
BET founder Robert Johnson praises Trump, says Democratic Party 'moved too far to the left'
Black Entertainment Television founder and longtime Democrat Robert Johnson said in an interview that aired Tuesday that the Democratic Party has become too liberal to defeat President Trump in 2020, unless major changes are made.
“The party in my opinion, for me personally, has moved too far to the left,” Johnson told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
Johnson – the country’s first African-American billionaire, according to Forbes – went on to say that because the party has become so liberal, he isn’t supporting a particular 2020 candidate at this time.
“I think at the end of the day, if a Democrat is going to beat Trump, then that person, he or she, will have to move to the center and you can’t wait too long to do that,” Johnson said. “The message of some of the programs that Democrats are pushing are not resonating with the majority of the American people.”
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https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bet-founder-robert-johnson-says-democratic-party-moved-too-far-to-the-left?
“The party in my opinion, for me personally, has moved too far to the left,” Johnson told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
Johnson – the country’s first African-American billionaire, according to Forbes – went on to say that because the party has become so liberal, he isn’t supporting a particular 2020 candidate at this time.
“I think at the end of the day, if a Democrat is going to beat Trump, then that person, he or she, will have to move to the center and you can’t wait too long to do that,” Johnson said. “The message of some of the programs that Democrats are pushing are not resonating with the majority of the American people.”
More
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bet-founder-robert-johnson-says-democratic-party-moved-too-far-to-the-left?
Get ready, We Are There!
This is what all of us 70 - 80 year-olds have to look forward to!
This happened at an assisted living center. The people who lived there have small apartments but they all eat at a central cafeteria.
One morning one of the residents didn't show up for breakfast, so another guy's wife went upstairs and knocked on his door to see if everything was OK. She could hear him through the door and he said that he was running late and would be down shortly, so she went back to the dining area.
An hour later he still hadn't arrived so she went back up towards his room and she found him on the stairs. He was coming down the stairs but was having a hard time. He had a death grip on the handrail and seemed to have trouble getting his legs to work right.
She told him she was going to call an ambulance but he told her no, he wasn't in any pain and just wanted to have his breakfast. So, she helped him the rest of the way down the stairs and he had his breakfast.
When he tried to return to his room he was completely unable to get up even the first step so they called an ambulance for him. A couple hours later she called the hospital to see how he was doing. The receptionist there said he was fine, he just had both of his legs in one leg of his boxer shorts.
I am sending this to my children so that they don't sell the house before they know the facts.
This happened at an assisted living center. The people who lived there have small apartments but they all eat at a central cafeteria.
One morning one of the residents didn't show up for breakfast, so another guy's wife went upstairs and knocked on his door to see if everything was OK. She could hear him through the door and he said that he was running late and would be down shortly, so she went back to the dining area.
An hour later he still hadn't arrived so she went back up towards his room and she found him on the stairs. He was coming down the stairs but was having a hard time. He had a death grip on the handrail and seemed to have trouble getting his legs to work right.
She told him she was going to call an ambulance but he told her no, he wasn't in any pain and just wanted to have his breakfast. So, she helped him the rest of the way down the stairs and he had his breakfast.
When he tried to return to his room he was completely unable to get up even the first step so they called an ambulance for him. A couple hours later she called the hospital to see how he was doing. The receptionist there said he was fine, he just had both of his legs in one leg of his boxer shorts.
I am sending this to my children so that they don't sell the house before they know the facts.
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