DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Drinking Coffee and Alcohol Every Day Could Actually Help You Live Longer
A new study suggests that drinking alcohol and coffee may help you live longer.
Perhaps coming as good news in the break between Christmas and New Year’s, a study from the University of California Irvine suggests that people who “drank moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee lived longer than those who abstained.”
“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,” Dr. Claudia Kawas, one of the study’s main researchers, said earlier this year at a conference for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Perhaps coming as good news in the break between Christmas and New Year’s, a study from the University of California Irvine suggests that people who “drank moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee lived longer than those who abstained.”
“I have no explanation for it, but I do firmly believe that modest drinking improves longevity,” Dr. Claudia Kawas, one of the study’s main researchers, said earlier this year at a conference for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
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Veteran shoots and kills robbery suspect during attempted heist
A military veteran working behind the counter of a convenience store in San Francisco, California, shot and killed one of two men who attempted to rob the store.
Mark Kasprowicz was manning the cash register inside the store over the weekend when two armed, masked men walked into the establishment, according to NBC Bay Area.
Video of the incident shows one of the masked men, brandishing a semiautomatic weapon, jump behind the counter where Kasprowicz was working and beat him in the head with it. Bloodied and bruised, Kasprowicz struggled to gain control of a gun he had stashed behind the counter. After the suspect's gun misfired, the attacker ran off. Footage shows Kasprowicz firing his weapon at the fleeing suspect, striking him once.
More/Video
Mark Kasprowicz was manning the cash register inside the store over the weekend when two armed, masked men walked into the establishment, according to NBC Bay Area.
Video of the incident shows one of the masked men, brandishing a semiautomatic weapon, jump behind the counter where Kasprowicz was working and beat him in the head with it. Bloodied and bruised, Kasprowicz struggled to gain control of a gun he had stashed behind the counter. After the suspect's gun misfired, the attacker ran off. Footage shows Kasprowicz firing his weapon at the fleeing suspect, striking him once.
More/Video
China will rewrite the Bible and the Quran to 'reflect socialist values' amid crackdown on Muslim Uighur minority
China will rewrite the Bible and Quran to 'reflect socialist values' amid crackdown on the country's religious groups, a report has revealed.
New editions must not contain any content that goes against the beliefs of the Communist Party, according to a top party official. Paragraphs deemed wrong by the censors will be amended or re-translated.
Though the Bible and Quran were not mentioned specifically, the party called for a 'comprehensive evaluation of the existing religious classics aiming at contents which do not conform to the progress of the times'.
The order was given in November during a meeting held by the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which oversees the ethnic and religious matters in China.
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New editions must not contain any content that goes against the beliefs of the Communist Party, according to a top party official. Paragraphs deemed wrong by the censors will be amended or re-translated.
Though the Bible and Quran were not mentioned specifically, the party called for a 'comprehensive evaluation of the existing religious classics aiming at contents which do not conform to the progress of the times'.
The order was given in November during a meeting held by the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which oversees the ethnic and religious matters in China.
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Hunter Biden is linked to multiple criminal probes involving fraud, money laundering and counterfeiting, and owns stunning Hollywood Hills home, paternity court case documents claim
Hunter Biden is reportedly linked to multiple criminal probes and has been quietly keeping a sprawling home in the Hollywood Hills, according to new court documents which he wanted to keep private.
The papers alleged that the 49-year-old 'is the subject of more than one criminal investigation involving fraud, money laundering and a counterfeiting scheme'.
The allegations were filed by private-eye firm, D&A Investigations on Monday in relation to Hunter's paternity case involving his baby mama Lunden Roberts.
They seek to lay bare his finances in an attempt to recoup child support.
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The papers alleged that the 49-year-old 'is the subject of more than one criminal investigation involving fraud, money laundering and a counterfeiting scheme'.
The allegations were filed by private-eye firm, D&A Investigations on Monday in relation to Hunter's paternity case involving his baby mama Lunden Roberts.
They seek to lay bare his finances in an attempt to recoup child support.
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Franklin Graham Again Slams Christianity Today for Anti-Trump Stance
Christian evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham on Monday took to social media to once again blast Christianity Today for describing President Donald Trump as “profoundly immoral” in a recently released opinion-editorial.
Graham wrote in a Facebook post:
"Liberal-leaning Christianity Today said that President Donald J. Trump should be removed from office because he is “profoundly immoral.” Really? Profoundly? What does that even mean? Is profoundly immoral worse than mildly immoral, or slightly immoral, or worse than just being plain old immoral? It’s like when someone tells a lie—does it matter if it was an all-out lie or just a little white lie? No, both are lies. The Bible says all have sinned. That’s clear. The Bible doesn’t call us big sinners or little sinners, we’re just all sinners. The most important question is whether we have been forgiven.
"Speaking as someone who is profoundly immoral, I’m just thankful that I have been PROFOUNDLY FORGIVEN."
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Graham wrote in a Facebook post:
"Liberal-leaning Christianity Today said that President Donald J. Trump should be removed from office because he is “profoundly immoral.” Really? Profoundly? What does that even mean? Is profoundly immoral worse than mildly immoral, or slightly immoral, or worse than just being plain old immoral? It’s like when someone tells a lie—does it matter if it was an all-out lie or just a little white lie? No, both are lies. The Bible says all have sinned. That’s clear. The Bible doesn’t call us big sinners or little sinners, we’re just all sinners. The most important question is whether we have been forgiven.
"Speaking as someone who is profoundly immoral, I’m just thankful that I have been PROFOUNDLY FORGIVEN."
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A Viewer Writes......North Walmart
My wife works at Sam's, and had a difficult time leaving or going around Walmart @ that location.
She advised me Police were everywhere, and Walmart access was closed to everyone.
Have you recieved any info on this ?
Merry Christmas,
Your faithful readers
'Hollywood Slave': Bill Cosby publicist slams Eddie Murphy SNL monologue
Bill Cosby's spokesman ripped into Eddie Murphy after the comic mocked Cosby during his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live last weekend.
“If you had told me 30 years ago that I would be this boring stay-at-home house dad and Bill Cosby would be in jail, even I would’ve took that bet,” said Murphy to cheers from the SNL audience.
Murphy continued by joking, “Who's America’s dad now?”
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“If you had told me 30 years ago that I would be this boring stay-at-home house dad and Bill Cosby would be in jail, even I would’ve took that bet,” said Murphy to cheers from the SNL audience.
Murphy continued by joking, “Who's America’s dad now?”
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House Judiciary Committee claims "urgent need" for Don McGahn's testimony regarding impeachment
House Judiciary Committee lawyers and the Justice Department have each filed briefs in the appeals case over whether former White House counsel Don McGahn should be forced to testify before Congress. While the Justice Department argued that President Trump's impeachment by the House means there's no rush to compel McGahn's testimony, the House countered that his testimony is still needed because it further supports arguments on the second article, which says that Mr. Trump obstructed Congress.
The case is scheduled to be heard by a federal appeals court on January 3.
On Monday, the Justice Department argued that the House lawsuit compelling McGahn's testimony should be dismissed. Because the House passed articles of impeachment against President Trump, the department suggested, there's no rush for a court to weigh in. If a court were to do so, "it would appear to be weighing in on a contested issue in any impeachment trial," Justice Department lawyers wrote.
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The case is scheduled to be heard by a federal appeals court on January 3.
On Monday, the Justice Department argued that the House lawsuit compelling McGahn's testimony should be dismissed. Because the House passed articles of impeachment against President Trump, the department suggested, there's no rush for a court to weigh in. If a court were to do so, "it would appear to be weighing in on a contested issue in any impeachment trial," Justice Department lawyers wrote.
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Joe Who? Obama Privately Telling Top Donors To Rally Around Warren
While Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) spent most of her campaign railing against the donor class while refusing to accept large checks from Democratic bundlers, former President Obama has been privately talking up the 2020 candidate who formerly identified as a Native American.
According to The Hill, Obama has advised reluctant donors to back the Massachusetts Democrat despite her plans to separate them from as much of their wealth as she can. If she becomes the nominee, according to Obama, donors will have no choice but to throw their support behind her.
According to The Hill, Obama has advised reluctant donors to back the Massachusetts Democrat despite her plans to separate them from as much of their wealth as she can. If she becomes the nominee, according to Obama, donors will have no choice but to throw their support behind her.
The former president has stopped short of an endorsement of Warren in these conversations and has emphasized that he is not endorsing in the Democratic race.More
But he also has vouched for her credentials, making it clear in these private sessions that he deems her a capable candidate and potential president, sources say. -The Hill
Former NSA Director is cooperating with the Durham investigation
Earlier Ed noted that John Durham’s investigation was taking a close look at former CIA Director John Brennan and his involvement with the Steele dossier. This afternoon, the Intercept reports that former NSA Director Mike Rogers is cooperating with the investigation and has already met with Durham several times.
It’s a bit hard to tease out but it appears that there is some bad blood between Rogers and former Defense Secretary Ash Carter as well as former director of national intelligence James Clapper. In November of 2016, after Trump’s election, the NY Times reported that Obama was considering firing Rogers from his post at NSA and was being urged to do so by Carter and Clapper:
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It’s a bit hard to tease out but it appears that there is some bad blood between Rogers and former Defense Secretary Ash Carter as well as former director of national intelligence James Clapper. In November of 2016, after Trump’s election, the NY Times reported that Obama was considering firing Rogers from his post at NSA and was being urged to do so by Carter and Clapper:
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Democrat Legal Expert: Trump Isn’t Impeached Until Articles Go to Senate
Harvard Law School professor Noah Feldman, who testified as a Democrat witness in the House Judiciary Committee’s public hearings on impeachment, argues President Donald Trump is technically not impeached until the House submits the articles to the Senate.
In a Bloomberg News opinion-editorial published Thursday, Feldman writes the definition of impeachment, according to the framers, “assumed that impeachment was a process, not just a House vote,” and impeachment is official only when the articles are transmitted to the Senate, where lawmakers are “obliged by the Constitution to hold a trial.”
The debate over whether President Trump is formally impeached comes as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) remains non-committal about sending the articles to the Senate, citing recent Democrat concerns a trial held by the upper chamber will not be “fair” and that senator won’t be “impartial” jurors.
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In a Bloomberg News opinion-editorial published Thursday, Feldman writes the definition of impeachment, according to the framers, “assumed that impeachment was a process, not just a House vote,” and impeachment is official only when the articles are transmitted to the Senate, where lawmakers are “obliged by the Constitution to hold a trial.”
The debate over whether President Trump is formally impeached comes as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) remains non-committal about sending the articles to the Senate, citing recent Democrat concerns a trial held by the upper chamber will not be “fair” and that senator won’t be “impartial” jurors.
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Democrats Seek To Outlaw Suburban, Single-Family House Zoning, Calling It Racist And Bad For The Environment
Democrats in Virginia may override local zoning to bring high-density housing, including public housing, to every neighborhood statewide — whether residents want it or not.
The measure could quickly transform the suburban lifestyle enjoyed by millions, permitting duplexes to be built on suburban lots in neighborhoods previously consisting of quiet streets and open green spaces. Proponents of “upzoning” say the changes are necessary because suburbs are bastions of segregation and elitism, as well as bad for the environment.
The move, which aims to provide “affordable housing,” might be fiercely opposed by local officials throughout the state, who have deliberately created and preserved neighborhoods with particular character — some dense and walkable, others semi-rural and private — to accommodate people’s various preferences.
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The measure could quickly transform the suburban lifestyle enjoyed by millions, permitting duplexes to be built on suburban lots in neighborhoods previously consisting of quiet streets and open green spaces. Proponents of “upzoning” say the changes are necessary because suburbs are bastions of segregation and elitism, as well as bad for the environment.
The move, which aims to provide “affordable housing,” might be fiercely opposed by local officials throughout the state, who have deliberately created and preserved neighborhoods with particular character — some dense and walkable, others semi-rural and private — to accommodate people’s various preferences.
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What's In The Box: Christmas Edition
What's in the Box❓
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 24, 2019
Christmas edition 🎁 pic.twitter.com/9QHNvppHiT
Happy One-Year Anniversary Of "The Phone Call Heard 'Round The World"
The Battle of Concord in 1775 had "the shot heard round the world," which began the American Revolutionary War and led to the creation of the United States of America.
New York Giants baseball player Bobby Thomson hit the "shot heard 'round the world" to win the National League pennant in 1951.
United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Terner Mnuchin had the "phone call heard 'round the world" exactly one year ago today.
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New York Giants baseball player Bobby Thomson hit the "shot heard 'round the world" to win the National League pennant in 1951.
United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Terner Mnuchin had the "phone call heard 'round the world" exactly one year ago today.
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Merry Christmas From The White House
Click and hold on the picture with your mouse and you can see all around the room
Nike Releases Colin Kaepernick’s Signature Shoe Two Days Before Christmas
Nike released its Air Force 1 ’07 x Colin Kaepernick shoe on Monday, featuring a celebration of the first time Kaepernick began protesting during the national anthem. The shoe was an early Christmas gift to the sportswear giant and sold out in less than two hours.
The low sneaker features a black body with white highlights and includes a gradient swoosh on the sides. The uppers are complete with a stylized image of Kaepernick on the heel plate. But most pointedly, on the bottom of the right foot is imprinted the numbers 081416, representing the August 14 date that Kaepernick first began protesting during the anthem in 2016.
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The low sneaker features a black body with white highlights and includes a gradient swoosh on the sides. The uppers are complete with a stylized image of Kaepernick on the heel plate. But most pointedly, on the bottom of the right foot is imprinted the numbers 081416, representing the August 14 date that Kaepernick first began protesting during the anthem in 2016.
More
Americans are at each other's throats. Here's one way out.
For a brief moment this month, we started to hear the proper words to describe what is happening in U.S. politics. Not the usual, safe and tired words like "polarization" or "incivility." But more accurate words.
At a news conference ahead of the impeachment proceedings, a reporter for a conservative outlet asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., whether she "hates" President Donald Trump. She rebuked the reporter, denying that she hates anyone. Like many questions lobbed at politicians as they walk away, that one was a trap. But it made me wonder what would have happened if the same question had been asked in a different way, not with malicious intent but with genuine curiosity.
Because hatred is what we should be talking about these days, at least as much as we talk about the facts. The American people appear to be in a "high conflict," which is a term of art among people who study conflict. A high conflict is one that feels existential and irresolvable, and it continues on its own momentum, even when specific problems could in fact be solved.
About one in every 20 conflicts operates this way, as social psychologist Peter Coleman describes in his book "The Five Percent." High conflicts can be interrupted, but not if we approach them the same way we handle normal conflicts. Left unchecked, high conflicts can become magnetic. Examples include the Middle East, Colombia, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Sudan, Angola and Northern Ireland.
"Once we are drawn in, they take control," Coleman writes. "They tend to enrage us, trap us, frustrate us, drain us of energy and other critical resources, and seem to never go away no matter what we do."
In high conflict, our brains behave differently.
At a news conference ahead of the impeachment proceedings, a reporter for a conservative outlet asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., whether she "hates" President Donald Trump. She rebuked the reporter, denying that she hates anyone. Like many questions lobbed at politicians as they walk away, that one was a trap. But it made me wonder what would have happened if the same question had been asked in a different way, not with malicious intent but with genuine curiosity.
Because hatred is what we should be talking about these days, at least as much as we talk about the facts. The American people appear to be in a "high conflict," which is a term of art among people who study conflict. A high conflict is one that feels existential and irresolvable, and it continues on its own momentum, even when specific problems could in fact be solved.
About one in every 20 conflicts operates this way, as social psychologist Peter Coleman describes in his book "The Five Percent." High conflicts can be interrupted, but not if we approach them the same way we handle normal conflicts. Left unchecked, high conflicts can become magnetic. Examples include the Middle East, Colombia, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Sudan, Angola and Northern Ireland.
"Once we are drawn in, they take control," Coleman writes. "They tend to enrage us, trap us, frustrate us, drain us of energy and other critical resources, and seem to never go away no matter what we do."
In high conflict, our brains behave differently.
Ted Cruz: Democrats will ‘Crawl Over Broken Glass’ to Win in 2020
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) told Breitbart News he believes we will see a massive Democrat turnout in the 2020 elections, because the left hates President Donald Trump so much, they’ll “crawl over broken glass to vote” and win in next year’s elections.
“In 2020, in Texas and across the country, I think we’re going to see massive Democrat turnout, because everyone on the far-left, they hate President Trump so much, they’re going to crawl over broken glass to vote,” said Cruz.
Breitbart News caught up with the senator on Friday, before he addressed thousands of students and young activists at Turning Point USA’s fifth annual Student Action Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“I think Texas is a real battleground, and it’s absolutely true that the Democrats are targeting Texas,” said Cruz of the left’s push to turn Texas blue.
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“In 2020, in Texas and across the country, I think we’re going to see massive Democrat turnout, because everyone on the far-left, they hate President Trump so much, they’re going to crawl over broken glass to vote,” said Cruz.
Breitbart News caught up with the senator on Friday, before he addressed thousands of students and young activists at Turning Point USA’s fifth annual Student Action Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“I think Texas is a real battleground, and it’s absolutely true that the Democrats are targeting Texas,” said Cruz of the left’s push to turn Texas blue.
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U.S. Heads to Court to Build Our Border Wall in Texas
Three years into Donald Trump’s presidency, the U.S. government is ramping up its efforts to seize private land in Texas to build a border wall.
Trump’s signature campaign promise has consistently faced political, legal, and environmental obstacles in Texas, which has the largest section of the U.S.-Mexico border, most of it without fencing. And much of the land along the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border in Texas, is privately held and environmentally sensitive.
Almost no land has been taken so far. But Department of Justice lawyers have filed three lawsuits this month seeking to take property from landowners. On Tuesday, lawyers moved to seize land in one case immediately before a scheduled court hearing in February.
The agency says it’s ready to file many more petitions to take private land in the coming weeks. While progress has lagged, the process of taking land under eminent domain is weighted heavily in the government’s favor.
The U.S. government has built about 90 miles (145 kilometers) of walls since Trump took office, almost all of it replacing old fencing. Reaching Trump’s oft-stated goal of 500 miles (800 kilometers) by the end of 2020 will almost certainly require stepping up progress in Texas.
Opponents have lobbied Congress to limit funding and prevent construction in areas like the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, an important sanctuary for several endangered species of jaguars, birds, and other animals, as well as the nonprofit National Butterfly Center and a historic Catholic chapel. They have also filed several lawsuits.
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Trump’s signature campaign promise has consistently faced political, legal, and environmental obstacles in Texas, which has the largest section of the U.S.-Mexico border, most of it without fencing. And much of the land along the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border in Texas, is privately held and environmentally sensitive.
Almost no land has been taken so far. But Department of Justice lawyers have filed three lawsuits this month seeking to take property from landowners. On Tuesday, lawyers moved to seize land in one case immediately before a scheduled court hearing in February.
The agency says it’s ready to file many more petitions to take private land in the coming weeks. While progress has lagged, the process of taking land under eminent domain is weighted heavily in the government’s favor.
The U.S. government has built about 90 miles (145 kilometers) of walls since Trump took office, almost all of it replacing old fencing. Reaching Trump’s oft-stated goal of 500 miles (800 kilometers) by the end of 2020 will almost certainly require stepping up progress in Texas.
Opponents have lobbied Congress to limit funding and prevent construction in areas like the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, an important sanctuary for several endangered species of jaguars, birds, and other animals, as well as the nonprofit National Butterfly Center and a historic Catholic chapel. They have also filed several lawsuits.
More
Bloomberg used prison labor to make 2020 campaign calls
Michael Bloomberg's 2020 presidential campaign hired ProCom, a New Jersey-based call center, which made calls for the campaign using labor from state prisons.
"We didn’t know about this, and we never would have allowed it if we had," the campaign told the Intercept on Tuesday after an anonymous source tipped off the publication. "We don’t believe in this practice, and we’ve now ended our relationship with the subcontractor in question."
The campaign said it learned about the company's use of prison labor through the Intercept and ended its contract with the company on Monday.
The callers were required to say Bloomberg had paid for the calls, but not that they were state prisoners.
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"We didn’t know about this, and we never would have allowed it if we had," the campaign told the Intercept on Tuesday after an anonymous source tipped off the publication. "We don’t believe in this practice, and we’ve now ended our relationship with the subcontractor in question."
The campaign said it learned about the company's use of prison labor through the Intercept and ended its contract with the company on Monday.
The callers were required to say Bloomberg had paid for the calls, but not that they were state prisoners.
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IG Report Hints James Comey Was In On FBI’s FISA Misconduct
When the Department of Justice inspector general released his report on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act abuse, coverage focused on the top-line findings contained in the executive summary. Then the news cycle whizzed by, leaving many details discussed throughout the 480-page tome unexplored.
One significant gap in media coverage concerns the potential complicity of former FBI Director James Comey in the FISA abuse—a possibility the IG report hints at in several spots. The first suggestion that something was amiss with Comey’s conduct came early in Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report, when the IG’s office spoke of the methodology underlying the FISA investigation.
“Certain former FBI employees who agreed to interviews, including Comey and Baker, chose not to request that their security clearances be reinstated for their OIG interviews,” read the IG report. “Therefore, we were unable to provide classified information or documents to them during their interviews to develop their testimony, or to assist their recollections of relevant events.”
Taken alone, this perfunctory comment might have meant little, but the IG report would stress this point several more times throughout its 400-plus-page analysis of FBI misconduct.
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One significant gap in media coverage concerns the potential complicity of former FBI Director James Comey in the FISA abuse—a possibility the IG report hints at in several spots. The first suggestion that something was amiss with Comey’s conduct came early in Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report, when the IG’s office spoke of the methodology underlying the FISA investigation.
“Certain former FBI employees who agreed to interviews, including Comey and Baker, chose not to request that their security clearances be reinstated for their OIG interviews,” read the IG report. “Therefore, we were unable to provide classified information or documents to them during their interviews to develop their testimony, or to assist their recollections of relevant events.”
Taken alone, this perfunctory comment might have meant little, but the IG report would stress this point several more times throughout its 400-plus-page analysis of FBI misconduct.
More
Hunter Biden allegedly linked to multiple criminal probes
Hunter Biden is the subject of multiple criminal investigations related to “fraud, money laundering and a counterfeiting scheme,” it’s claimed in court documents filed Monday in his Arkansas paternity case.
The claims were put forward by a Florida-based private-eye firm, D&A Investigations, in Biden’s ongoing case against alleged baby mama Lunden Alexis Roberts, a former Washington, DC, stripper who went by “Dallas.”
Soon after the claims were filed, a judge struck the allegations down because they were filed by an “intervener,” according to court papers.
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The claims were put forward by a Florida-based private-eye firm, D&A Investigations, in Biden’s ongoing case against alleged baby mama Lunden Alexis Roberts, a former Washington, DC, stripper who went by “Dallas.”
Soon after the claims were filed, a judge struck the allegations down because they were filed by an “intervener,” according to court papers.
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What I Learned Ringing the Bell
You might be surprised at what you can see and hear while ringing the Christmas Bell for the Salvation Army. These last two weeks, I saw hundreds of people going in and out of our local Walmart, all coming within just a few feet of my Salvation Army Bell and Red Kettle. Soon after I started ringing the bell, a few people stopped to chat, and it was then that I realized that I had a great opportunity to learn some new things. I found that I was in the presence of authentic people living life, who were wanting and striving toward the best life they could create for themselves and their loved ones.
Let me share with you a few insights garnered from the people I was lucky enough to meet.
I saw a 60-ish daughter with her 85-ish mom carefully making their way into the store. Mom had a cane in one hand and a firm grip on her daughter's arm with the other hand, slowed down by an ankle that was obviously a bit off center. Clearly, Mom and daughter were on the same page, fighting together to preserve every bit of freedom and mobility Mom could possibly retain.
Several people came out of the store befuddled, as they had no recollection of where they had parked their vehicles. None of them was upset — just amused to be facing another little hill to climb in the pursuit of a well lived life. One clever gentleman had an app on his phone to help him locate his car.
More here
Let me share with you a few insights garnered from the people I was lucky enough to meet.
I saw a 60-ish daughter with her 85-ish mom carefully making their way into the store. Mom had a cane in one hand and a firm grip on her daughter's arm with the other hand, slowed down by an ankle that was obviously a bit off center. Clearly, Mom and daughter were on the same page, fighting together to preserve every bit of freedom and mobility Mom could possibly retain.
Several people came out of the store befuddled, as they had no recollection of where they had parked their vehicles. None of them was upset — just amused to be facing another little hill to climb in the pursuit of a well lived life. One clever gentleman had an app on his phone to help him locate his car.
More here
McConnell fires back at impeachment trial critics
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fired back at critics Monday who have accused him of not being an impartial juror in the impeachment trial for President Trump.
“Do you think Chuck Schumer is impartial? Do you think Elizabeth Warren is impartial? Bernie Sanders is impartial? So let’s quit the charade. This is a political exercise,” the Kentucky Republican told “Fox & Friends.”
His comments come after Democrat lawmakers accused Mr. McConnell of working too closely with the White House’s legal team in preparation for an impeachment trial next month for Mr. Trump after the House Democrats passed articles of impeachment accusing the president of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress last week by a party-line vote.
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“Do you think Chuck Schumer is impartial? Do you think Elizabeth Warren is impartial? Bernie Sanders is impartial? So let’s quit the charade. This is a political exercise,” the Kentucky Republican told “Fox & Friends.”
His comments come after Democrat lawmakers accused Mr. McConnell of working too closely with the White House’s legal team in preparation for an impeachment trial next month for Mr. Trump after the House Democrats passed articles of impeachment accusing the president of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress last week by a party-line vote.
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Sharpton: Pro-Trump Evangelicals ‘Would Sell Jesus Out’
Monday, during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” network host Al Sharpton offered further reaction to Christianity Today Mark Galli’s editorial calling for President Donald Trump’s impeachment to proceed on moral grounds.
According to Sharpton, his interpretation of the Christianity Today piece was that evangelical leaders backing Trump “would sell Jesus out” in exchange for something.
“We had Mark Galli, the editor of Christianity Today on ‘PoliticsNation’ last night,” he said. “And he made it very clear. This is not a political position. It’s a moral one. And by raising it to that level and putting it in that perspective, he not only exposes the president, but he exposes a lot of the evangelical leaders saying ‘I support the president on his judicial nominees. I support the president on a lot of things,’ which I don’t, but he does. He says, ‘But you can’t get away from his immorality. you can’t get away from his divisiveness, his lying, his race-baiting.’ He laid it out. I think there’s a scripture that said what profits a man to gain the world and lose his own soul, he’s actually challenging them that are you bargaining and selling your soul for some judicial appointments and some other things that the right wants, but you’ve given up the soul of the church? What do we stand for?"
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According to Sharpton, his interpretation of the Christianity Today piece was that evangelical leaders backing Trump “would sell Jesus out” in exchange for something.
“We had Mark Galli, the editor of Christianity Today on ‘PoliticsNation’ last night,” he said. “And he made it very clear. This is not a political position. It’s a moral one. And by raising it to that level and putting it in that perspective, he not only exposes the president, but he exposes a lot of the evangelical leaders saying ‘I support the president on his judicial nominees. I support the president on a lot of things,’ which I don’t, but he does. He says, ‘But you can’t get away from his immorality. you can’t get away from his divisiveness, his lying, his race-baiting.’ He laid it out. I think there’s a scripture that said what profits a man to gain the world and lose his own soul, he’s actually challenging them that are you bargaining and selling your soul for some judicial appointments and some other things that the right wants, but you’ve given up the soul of the church? What do we stand for?"
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Pentagon warns military members DNA kits pose ‘personal and operational risks’
The Pentagon is advising members of the military not to use consumer DNA kits, saying the information collected by private companies could pose a security risk, according to a memo co-signed by the Defense Department’s top intelligence official.
A growing number of companies like 23andMe and Ancestry sell testing kits that allow buyers to get a DNA profile by sending in a cheek swab or saliva sample. The DNA results provide consumers information on their ancestry, insights into possible medical risks and can even identify previously unknown family members.
The boom in popularity of such kits has raised ethical and legal issues, since some companies have shared this data with law enforcement or sold it to third parties. The Defense Department is now expressing its own concerns about these kits.
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A growing number of companies like 23andMe and Ancestry sell testing kits that allow buyers to get a DNA profile by sending in a cheek swab or saliva sample. The DNA results provide consumers information on their ancestry, insights into possible medical risks and can even identify previously unknown family members.
The boom in popularity of such kits has raised ethical and legal issues, since some companies have shared this data with law enforcement or sold it to third parties. The Defense Department is now expressing its own concerns about these kits.
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Key To Keeping Off Those Extra Holiday Pounds? Step On A Scale Each Day, Study Finds
Everybody loves a good stocking stuffer for Christmas, but if you’re trying to avoid feeling stuffed yourself come January 2nd, a recent study has a novel suggestion for keeping off holiday pounds. Researchers say that taking a few minutes each day to step on the scale may be all it takes to keeping off the extra weight this holiday season.
For the study, which was conducted at the University of Georgia, an experimental group weighed themselves everyday for 14 weeks that started before the holiday season in November and ended after all the celebrations typically stop. Participants used university scales that also provided graphical information on weight fluctuations and targets. Meanwhile, a control group also took part in the research during the same time frame period, but these participants were not asked to weigh themselves each day.
By the end of the research period, all of the participants in the self-weighing experimental group had successfully avoided gaining weight over the holidays, with some even managing to shed some pounds. Conversely, participants in the control group gained weight.
Researchers speculate that constantly being exposed to their own weight fluctuations, as well as being provided with a visual target weight each day, incentivized the experimental group participants to stay dedicated to watching their diets.
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For the study, which was conducted at the University of Georgia, an experimental group weighed themselves everyday for 14 weeks that started before the holiday season in November and ended after all the celebrations typically stop. Participants used university scales that also provided graphical information on weight fluctuations and targets. Meanwhile, a control group also took part in the research during the same time frame period, but these participants were not asked to weigh themselves each day.
By the end of the research period, all of the participants in the self-weighing experimental group had successfully avoided gaining weight over the holidays, with some even managing to shed some pounds. Conversely, participants in the control group gained weight.
Researchers speculate that constantly being exposed to their own weight fluctuations, as well as being provided with a visual target weight each day, incentivized the experimental group participants to stay dedicated to watching their diets.
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Day 5: Nancy Pelosi Still Delaying Extremely Urgent Removal of Trump
It has now been five days since House Democrats voted to impeach President Donald Trump, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has yet to transfer the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial and removal.
Before the vote, George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley warned his fellow Democrats in his expert testimony before the House Judiciary Committee that they were in danger of carrying out “the shortest proceeding, with the thinnest evidentiary record, and the narrowest grounds ever used to impeach a president.”
But Democrats ignored his warnings, arguing that they had to impeach and remove Trump *urgently* to deter him from inviting foreign powers to intervene in the forthcoming 2020 presidential election.
More here
Before the vote, George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley warned his fellow Democrats in his expert testimony before the House Judiciary Committee that they were in danger of carrying out “the shortest proceeding, with the thinnest evidentiary record, and the narrowest grounds ever used to impeach a president.”
But Democrats ignored his warnings, arguing that they had to impeach and remove Trump *urgently* to deter him from inviting foreign powers to intervene in the forthcoming 2020 presidential election.
More here
Ben Carson: Reparations for Slave Descendants ‘Unworkable’
Speaking Monday to CBS This Morning, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Dr. Ben Carson cast doubt over the feasibility of reparations for the descendants of slaves, calling the logistics “unworkable.”
“What I would say about reparations is, you know, show me a mechanism that works,” Carson challenged interviewer Jericka Duncan when asked about the concept. “You know, I did my DNA analysis. OK. I’m 77% sub-Saharan African, 20% European, 3% Asian. So how do you proportion that out to everybody?”
“If you can prove you’re a descendant of a slave, though, do you think it’s worth having a conversation?” Duncan asked the Trump administration official.
“Yeah, but what percentage of money do you get? What percentage of reparation? No one is ever going to be able to work that out,” Carson responded.
“Proportionately, you’re not going to be able to figure it out. And where do you stop it? It’s unworkable,” he then added. “I would much rather concentrate on how do we provide the opportunities for people to get into a better economic situation now.”
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“What I would say about reparations is, you know, show me a mechanism that works,” Carson challenged interviewer Jericka Duncan when asked about the concept. “You know, I did my DNA analysis. OK. I’m 77% sub-Saharan African, 20% European, 3% Asian. So how do you proportion that out to everybody?”
“If you can prove you’re a descendant of a slave, though, do you think it’s worth having a conversation?” Duncan asked the Trump administration official.
“Yeah, but what percentage of money do you get? What percentage of reparation? No one is ever going to be able to work that out,” Carson responded.
“Proportionately, you’re not going to be able to figure it out. And where do you stop it? It’s unworkable,” he then added. “I would much rather concentrate on how do we provide the opportunities for people to get into a better economic situation now.”
More here
Former Hawaii governor calls on Tulsi Gabbard to resign days after 'present' impeachment vote
Neil Abercrombie, the former Democratic governor of Hawaii, called for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to resign from office if she wishes to continue her presidential bid.
Abercrombie, 81, said in a press conference on Monday that Gabbard has shown she cannot represent Hawaii’s 2nd District and run for president at the same time. Gabbard, 38, entered the Democratic presidential primary in January.
The Hawaii Army National Guard major has already said she will not run for reelection for her House seat. Despite the pledge, Abercrombie said that Gabbard should resign mid-term and let the governor call a special election to replace her.
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Abercrombie, 81, said in a press conference on Monday that Gabbard has shown she cannot represent Hawaii’s 2nd District and run for president at the same time. Gabbard, 38, entered the Democratic presidential primary in January.
The Hawaii Army National Guard major has already said she will not run for reelection for her House seat. Despite the pledge, Abercrombie said that Gabbard should resign mid-term and let the governor call a special election to replace her.
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Wicomico CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Wicomico County Government Offices will be closing at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 and closed Wednesday, December 25, 2019 in observance of the Christmas holiday.
CONVENIENCE CENTERS, LANDFILL, BRUSH PILE, FERRIES
On Tuesday, December 24, 2019, the Newland Park Landfill, Convenience Center and Brush Pile, all external Convenience Centers, Whitehaven Ferry and Upper Ferry will be closing at 3:00 PM and closed on Wednesday, December 25, 2019 in observance of the Christmas holiday.
For more information, please contact the Newland Park Landfill at 410-548-4935. Ferry information is available by calling 410-543-2765.
This Is How To Go Christmas Shopping
By the way, Caribbean Joe's is open at 4:00 PM tonight and Christmas day 4:00 PM to close. I'll have turkey and fixings both days.
Making A Fortune: 19 Million Public Employees Across America Cost Taxpayers Nearly $1 Trillion
For the first time in history, 19 million public employee salaries at every level of government across America have been mapped and posted online.
The work of our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com tells a compelling story: Public service is supposed to be about serving the people. However, the good intentions of America’s 19 million public employees come at a very high price for the people – nearly $1 trillion. In many cases, taxpayers generously fund these employee salaries.
Our online database is free to use and includes most employees within the federal, state, and local governments. You can search in your backyard or across the nation. Find out just how much public employees made last year. The salary records include name, salary, position title, and employer for 2017.
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The work of our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com tells a compelling story: Public service is supposed to be about serving the people. However, the good intentions of America’s 19 million public employees come at a very high price for the people – nearly $1 trillion. In many cases, taxpayers generously fund these employee salaries.
Our online database is free to use and includes most employees within the federal, state, and local governments. You can search in your backyard or across the nation. Find out just how much public employees made last year. The salary records include name, salary, position title, and employer for 2017.
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What ESPN Failed To Show.....
Packers fan or not, this is impressive.
Those who attended the game said it was extremely emotional to see the entire bowl of the stadium turn red, white and blue. It took 90 workers two weeks to get all of the colored card boards mounted under each seat. Each piece of card board had eye slits in them so the fans could hold up the colored sheet and still see through the eye slits. Every seat had to have the proper card, with no mistakes, to make this happen.
This is what ESPN failed to show you Monday night,
Apparently, they thought their commercials were more important than showing this scene for about 5 seconds.
Those who attended the game said it was extremely emotional to see the entire bowl of the stadium turn red, white and blue. It took 90 workers two weeks to get all of the colored card boards mounted under each seat. Each piece of card board had eye slits in them so the fans could hold up the colored sheet and still see through the eye slits. Every seat had to have the proper card, with no mistakes, to make this happen.
Lambeau Field
This is what ESPN failed to show you Monday night,
Apparently, they thought their commercials were more important than showing this scene for about 5 seconds.
