Joe Geoghagan, a 31-year-old Navy veteran who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, now suffers from PTSD and has to be fed through a feeding tube because he is unable to keep food down. Making matters worse, John Hawkins wrote Tuesday at Right Wing News, the VA has told Geoghagan that his stomach issues are not related to his military service and as a result, have stopped paying for his equipment and supplies.
According to Hawkins, Geoghagan recounted a horror story involving the snubs, red tape, and frustration of dealing with the VA for the last few years.
His problems began in 2008, after being discharged from the service. Hawkins said Geoghagan developed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during his service, but he didn't know it until much later. Initially, he was told by a VA doctor there was nothing wrong after a cursory 10-minute interview.
More
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, July 01, 2014
Newspaper: We Were Wrong to Endorse Obama
The Billings (Mont.) Gazette endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2008, but now that he's been in office 5½ years, the bloom is off the rose.
The Gazette on Friday published an editorial admitting its mistake in backing Obama and detailing the reasons it came to that conclusion.
"Sometimes, you have to admit you're wrong," the editorial began. "And, we were wrong."
More
The Gazette on Friday published an editorial admitting its mistake in backing Obama and detailing the reasons it came to that conclusion.
"Sometimes, you have to admit you're wrong," the editorial began. "And, we were wrong."
More
Graco Conducts Recall of Harness Buckles on Certain Infant Car Seats
Graco is recalling harness buckles used on approximately 1.9 million infant car seats manufactured between July 2010 and May 2013. Some consumers reported having difficulty or having been unable to open the buckle, which was the reason for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) investigation and the outcome announced today. As a solution, Graco will provide a free replacement buckle.
"As the industry leader in baby and parenting essentials, the decisions we make about product safety are far-reaching. We take this responsibility seriously," said Laurel Hurd, President of Graco Children's Products. "Both NHTSA and Graco investigated consumer concerns in an effort to address the issues with the buckles used on certain infant car seats. We are pleased to announce a solution that we believe is in the best interest of consumers and underscores our shared commitment to child passenger safety."
Although there have been no reported injuries associated with this issue, Graco encourages consumers to order a buckle replacement kit and install the new buckle as soon as it arrives. While waiting for replacement kits, parents and caregivers should always continue to use an appropriate car seat. If no alternative is available, the affected car seats may be safely used until replacement buckles are available. Consumers can verify if their infant car seat is affected by this recall and order a replacement kit by entering the model name and date of manufacture on GracoBuckleRecall.com or calling (877) 766-7470. This information can be found on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat carrier. Graco will provide a free replacement buckle to any consumer who has an infant car seat not included in this recall, but would like to update their buckle to Graco's current buckle design.
More
"As the industry leader in baby and parenting essentials, the decisions we make about product safety are far-reaching. We take this responsibility seriously," said Laurel Hurd, President of Graco Children's Products. "Both NHTSA and Graco investigated consumer concerns in an effort to address the issues with the buckles used on certain infant car seats. We are pleased to announce a solution that we believe is in the best interest of consumers and underscores our shared commitment to child passenger safety."
Although there have been no reported injuries associated with this issue, Graco encourages consumers to order a buckle replacement kit and install the new buckle as soon as it arrives. While waiting for replacement kits, parents and caregivers should always continue to use an appropriate car seat. If no alternative is available, the affected car seats may be safely used until replacement buckles are available. Consumers can verify if their infant car seat is affected by this recall and order a replacement kit by entering the model name and date of manufacture on GracoBuckleRecall.com or calling (877) 766-7470. This information can be found on the white label located on the bottom of the infant car seat carrier. Graco will provide a free replacement buckle to any consumer who has an infant car seat not included in this recall, but would like to update their buckle to Graco's current buckle design.
More
Chinese teens trafficked into US through Central America
The signs at the Texas border offer a glimpse of the enormity of the problem of unaccompanied minors trying to sneak into the US.
The instructions are printed in English and Spanish, of course — but also, surprisingly, the instructions for help are also in Chinese.
Hundreds of Chinese teens are slipping into the US a year, immigration groups say, mostly through Central America and Cuba.
They make their way to New York City, typically on buses, where they are farmed out across the country to work in Chinese restaurants.
More
The instructions are printed in English and Spanish, of course — but also, surprisingly, the instructions for help are also in Chinese.
Hundreds of Chinese teens are slipping into the US a year, immigration groups say, mostly through Central America and Cuba.
They make their way to New York City, typically on buses, where they are farmed out across the country to work in Chinese restaurants.
More
In Fairfax County kindergarten classes, school system’s future comes into focus
The kindergartners of the Class of 2026, who finished their first year in Fairfax County schools Wednesday, constitute the largest and one of the most ethnically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse groups of students the county has seen, a fact that school system administrators say could pose significant challenges in the decade to come.
Long an enclave of predominantly white, middle-class families with a top-class school system, Fairfax has experienced a dramatic demographic shift in recent years that is nowhere more obvious than in the county’s kindergarten classrooms. The white student population is receding and is being replaced with fast-growing numbers of poor students and children of immigrants for whom English is a second language.
More than one-third of the 13,424 kindergartners in the county this year qualified for free or reduced-price meals, a federal measure of poverty, and close to 40 percent of the Class of 2026 requires additional English instruction, among the most ever for a Fairfax kindergarten class.
More
Long an enclave of predominantly white, middle-class families with a top-class school system, Fairfax has experienced a dramatic demographic shift in recent years that is nowhere more obvious than in the county’s kindergarten classrooms. The white student population is receding and is being replaced with fast-growing numbers of poor students and children of immigrants for whom English is a second language.
More than one-third of the 13,424 kindergartners in the county this year qualified for free or reduced-price meals, a federal measure of poverty, and close to 40 percent of the Class of 2026 requires additional English instruction, among the most ever for a Fairfax kindergarten class.
More
When Hobby Lobby Picketers Find Out What The Company Pays, They’ll Crawl Back With Their Tails Between Their Legs
As of April 18, 2013 Hobby Lobby raised it’s full-time minimum wage to $14-an-hour, nearly double the national average, and raised its part-time minimum wage to $9.50-an-hour.
“We are very fortunate to be able to increase hourly wages for our employees, because we know our company would not be successful without the great work they do each day in our stores across the nation,” CEO and founder David Green said at the time.
More
Interest Rates on Student Loans Set to Rise Again
More than 70 percent of graduates will carry student debt into the real world, according to the Institute for College Access and Success. And the average debt is just shy of $30,000.
Related: Obama's New Executive Action Eases Student Loan Burden
But the news will get worse next week when interest rates on student loans are set to rise again.
Though federal student loan rates are fixed for the life of the loan, these rates reset for new borrowers every July 1, thanks to legislation that ties the rates to the performance of the financial markets. The interest rate on federal Stafford loans will go from its current fixed rate of just under 4 percent to 4.66 percent for loans that are distributed between July 1 and June 30, 2015.
For graduate students, the rate on Stafford loans will rise from just over 5 percent to 6.21 percent.
Direct PLUS Loans for graduates and parents are still the most expensive, with rates rising to 7.21 percent.
More
Man Hospitalized In Stable Condition After Jumping From Boat, Getting Hit In Head By Propeller
OCEAN CITY — A 30th birthday celebration on the water took a decided turn for the worse on Monday when a Sykesville man jumped off the bow of a rented pontoon boat while the vessel was in motion and was struck in the head, neck and shoulder by the propeller.
Around 5:10 p.m. on Monday, John Scott Hauf, 26, was on a rented pontoon boat with six other friends celebrating a 30th birthday party when he jumped off the front of the vessel while it was in motion in the Isle of Wight Bay in the area of 32nd Street. The pontoon boat ran over Hauf and he was struck by the propeller, causing severe lacerations to his left shoulder, neck and the back of his head.
Hauf’s friends were able to pull him from the water and administered First-Aid until they were able to get the vessel to port at nearby Bahia Marina. Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) and the Coast Guard responded along with Ocean City Emergency Services, which transported the victim to PRMC in Salisbury in critical condition.
More
Around 5:10 p.m. on Monday, John Scott Hauf, 26, was on a rented pontoon boat with six other friends celebrating a 30th birthday party when he jumped off the front of the vessel while it was in motion in the Isle of Wight Bay in the area of 32nd Street. The pontoon boat ran over Hauf and he was struck by the propeller, causing severe lacerations to his left shoulder, neck and the back of his head.
Hauf’s friends were able to pull him from the water and administered First-Aid until they were able to get the vessel to port at nearby Bahia Marina. Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) and the Coast Guard responded along with Ocean City Emergency Services, which transported the victim to PRMC in Salisbury in critical condition.
More
Building fire Ocean City: UPDATE
Ocean City fire has just been alerted for a structure fire.
UPDATE: Fire was confirmed at The Plaza in ocean city in the trash compactor, pushing heavy smoke into the hall ways. A tossed lit cigarette in the chute is to blame. Command quickly placed situation under control with all units returning within an hour.
UPDATE: Fire was confirmed at The Plaza in ocean city in the trash compactor, pushing heavy smoke into the hall ways. A tossed lit cigarette in the chute is to blame. Command quickly placed situation under control with all units returning within an hour.
Arizona professor's jaywalking arrest gets out of hand
(CNN) -- A jaywalking rarely makes national news, but the arrest of Arizona professor Ersula Ore has done just that.
What began as a walk home from classes at Arizona State University ended with police charging the professor with assault.
The English professor was walking in the middle of a Tempe, Arizona, street one evening last month when a campus police officer stopped her. The incident escalated, and she was handcuffed and landed on the pavement.
Appearing Monday on CNN's "New Day," Ore was asked about her own words and actions in the incident and replied, "I think I did what I was supposed to do. I was respectful. I asked for clarification. I asked to be treated with respect, and that was it."
More
What began as a walk home from classes at Arizona State University ended with police charging the professor with assault.
The English professor was walking in the middle of a Tempe, Arizona, street one evening last month when a campus police officer stopped her. The incident escalated, and she was handcuffed and landed on the pavement.
Appearing Monday on CNN's "New Day," Ore was asked about her own words and actions in the incident and replied, "I think I did what I was supposed to do. I was respectful. I asked for clarification. I asked to be treated with respect, and that was it."
More
BREAKING NEWS: US knocked out of World Cup
Belgium defeats the US 2-1 in a match that went into extra time, knocking the Americans out of the 2014 World Cup.
Safety First on the Fourth of July
(July 1, 2014) – The Ocean City Fire Department would like to remind the visitors and citizens of the danger involved with consumer fireworks as the July 4th holiday approaches. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that in 2011, fireworks caused an estimated 1,200 structure fires and 400 vehicle fires. These fires caused an estimated 40 civilian injuries and $32 million in direct property damage. On average, close to 9,000 people each year are treated for fireworks related injuries.
“On Independence Day in a typical year, fireworks account for two out of five of all reported fires, which is more than any other cause of fire,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley. “In addition to causing damage, fireworks can cause injuries and we want people to be safe during their holiday stay in Ocean City. The safety and wellbeing of all residents and visitors of the Town of Ocean City is the primary goal of the Ocean City Fire Department.”
Although the State of Maryland has approved the use of ground-based sparkling devices such as cylindrical and cone fountains, these are not legal to use or possess in Ocean City. All other fireworks that may be sold in neighboring states are not legal for use by the general public anywhere in Maryland.
Within the Town of Ocean City, products such as handheld Gold labeled sparklers, “Snap-N-Pops”, “Black Cobra Snakes”, and “Party Poppers” are allowed to be used and possessed without a license. However, injuries and property damage may still occur from these types of products, so parental supervision is always encouraged.
Maryland law prohibits the shipping or transportation of fireworks into the state if the fireworks are to be possessed, used, sold, or distributed by citizens of Maryland. Illegal fireworks found are subject to seizure by law enforcement authorities, and persons found in possession of illegal fireworks with the intent to use them run the risk of both criminal charges and the confiscation of the fireworks. Fines for possession of illegal fireworks may be as much as $250, and those found selling or distributing illegal fireworks may be fined as much as $1000.
Anyone with questions pertaining to fireworks should contact the Ocean City Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal at 410-289-8780.
Lawsuit: Former Benjamin Moore Worker Claims Certain Paint Names Are “Racially Offensive”
While in some cases it might be pretty cool to have a paint color named after you, an African-American former worker for Benjamin Moore claims in a new lawsuit that the company fired him after he complained about paint colors that seemed to be named after him.
The New Jersey man says in the suit that Benjamin Moore had “despicable and racially insulting paint colors” that in two cases, paired his first and last names separately with “brown” and “chocolate,” reports Courthouse News (viaNewJersey.com)
So for example, if his name is Joe Smith, the names were Joe Brown and Smith Chocolate — but his name is not as common as that.
He claims in the lawsuit that when he started working at the company in June 2011 in its Digital Marketing department, “it was clear to the plaintiff that he was not part of the traditional culture” of the company.
More
The New Jersey man says in the suit that Benjamin Moore had “despicable and racially insulting paint colors” that in two cases, paired his first and last names separately with “brown” and “chocolate,” reports Courthouse News (viaNewJersey.com)
So for example, if his name is Joe Smith, the names were Joe Brown and Smith Chocolate — but his name is not as common as that.
He claims in the lawsuit that when he started working at the company in June 2011 in its Digital Marketing department, “it was clear to the plaintiff that he was not part of the traditional culture” of the company.
More
U.N. To Intervene In Detroit Water Shutoffs
WND has learned that after issuing a statement last week condemning Detroit’s decision to send water shut-off notices to tens of thousands of customers behind in their payments, the U.N now plans to conduct confidential policy discussions with the Obama administration to be followed by a formal public report to the U.N. Human Rights Council.
On Monday, the U.N. Human Rights Council’s office in Geneva confirmed to WND that the U.N. plans to intervene directly in the Detroit water crisis, determined to apply international law to judge the U.S. in violation of human rights to safe water.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, DWSD, announced in March it would send shut-off notices to customers with balances more than $150 overdue or who are more than two months behind in their payments. The department, which said nearly half of the 324,000 water and sewerage accounts are overdue, has put out 46,000 notices since March. About 4,500 accounts have had their water shut off.
More
2016 Poll: Hillary Clinton drops below 50% for first time, 'lackluster' book rollout blamed
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's fumbles and bumbles in the rollout of her latest memoir, Hard Choices, has knocked the wind out if her easy sail to the White House and put her support in key 2016 presidential electionmatchups below 50 percent for the first time.
At a time when she should be padding her lead over the top Republican contenders, her underwhelming effort has cut her numbers, said pollster John Zogby.
In his latest Zogby Analytics survey taken June 27-29, for example, her commanding leads over former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have shrunk greatly, and she doesn't even receive 50 percent of the vote. Worse, her support among married and wealthy voters has plummeted.
Zogby told Secrets, “Even more than her dwindling leads over GOP contenders is that while she is pretty much running against herself, in a very high-profile book tour, she is losing ground. Her biggest problem, I have always felt, is the inevitability factor. It help do her in in 2007-2008 and right now looks to be her major nemesis. She has this whole playing field to herself and is declining in the polls.”
More
At a time when she should be padding her lead over the top Republican contenders, her underwhelming effort has cut her numbers, said pollster John Zogby.
In his latest Zogby Analytics survey taken June 27-29, for example, her commanding leads over former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie have shrunk greatly, and she doesn't even receive 50 percent of the vote. Worse, her support among married and wealthy voters has plummeted.
Zogby told Secrets, “Even more than her dwindling leads over GOP contenders is that while she is pretty much running against herself, in a very high-profile book tour, she is losing ground. Her biggest problem, I have always felt, is the inevitability factor. It help do her in in 2007-2008 and right now looks to be her major nemesis. She has this whole playing field to herself and is declining in the polls.”
More
Dems Put Court In Their '14 Cross Hairs After Contraception Ruling
Within hours of the high court’s decision that closely held companies cannot be compelled to offer contraception coverage as part of their employee health plans, Democrats were trying to raise cash and rally voters to their side.
Strategists said the issue of women’s reproductive health could play well in elections across the country, helping the party in contests that could largely be won and lost on turnout.
More
NOAA Reinstates July 1936 As Hottest Month On Record
July 2012 became the hottest month on record in the U.S. during a summer that was declared “too hot to handle” by NASA scientists. That summer more than half the country was experiencing drought and wildfires had scorched more than 1.3 million acres of land, according to NASA.
According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in 2012, the “average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during July was 77.6°F, 3.3°F above the 20th century average, marking the warmest July and all-time warmest month on record for the nation in a period of record that dates back to 1895.”
“The previous warmest July for the nation was July 1936, when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4°F,” NOAA said in 2012.
This statement by NOAA was still available on their website when checked by The Daily Caller News Foundation. But when meteorologist and climate blogger Anthony Watts went to check the NOAA data
on Sunday he found that the science agency had quietly reinstated July 1936 as the hottest month on record in the U.S.
“Two years ago during the scorching summer of 2012, July 1936 lost its place on the leaderboard and July 2012 became the hottest month on record in the United States,” Watts wrote. “Now, as if by magic, and according to NOAA’s own data, July 1936 is now the hottest month on record again. The past, present, and future all seems to be ‘adjustable’ in NOAA’s world.”
Watts had data from NOAA’s “Climate at a Glance” plots from 2012, which shows that July 2012 was the hottest month on record at 77.6 degrees Fahrenheit. July 1936 is only at 77.4 degrees Fahrenheit. [Annotations in the graph are from Watts].
More
According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in 2012, the “average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during July was 77.6°F, 3.3°F above the 20th century average, marking the warmest July and all-time warmest month on record for the nation in a period of record that dates back to 1895.”
“The previous warmest July for the nation was July 1936, when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4°F,” NOAA said in 2012.
This statement by NOAA was still available on their website when checked by The Daily Caller News Foundation. But when meteorologist and climate blogger Anthony Watts went to check the NOAA data
on Sunday he found that the science agency had quietly reinstated July 1936 as the hottest month on record in the U.S.“Two years ago during the scorching summer of 2012, July 1936 lost its place on the leaderboard and July 2012 became the hottest month on record in the United States,” Watts wrote. “Now, as if by magic, and according to NOAA’s own data, July 1936 is now the hottest month on record again. The past, present, and future all seems to be ‘adjustable’ in NOAA’s world.”
Watts had data from NOAA’s “Climate at a Glance” plots from 2012, which shows that July 2012 was the hottest month on record at 77.6 degrees Fahrenheit. July 1936 is only at 77.4 degrees Fahrenheit. [Annotations in the graph are from Watts].
More
BREAKING NEWS: FTC accuses T-Mobile of improper billing
The Federal Trade Commission accuses T-Mobile of knowingly billing customers for hundreds of millions of dollars in bogus charges.
More
More
Celebrate Independence Day By Opposing Government Tyranny
This week Americans will enjoy Independence Day with family cookouts and fireworks. Flags will be displayed in abundance. Sadly, however, what should be a celebration of the courage of those who risked so much to oppose tyranny will instead be turned into a celebration of government, not liberty. The mainstream media and opportunistic politicians have turned Independence Day into the opposite of what was intended.
The idea of opposing — by force if necessary — a tyrannical government has been turned into a celebration of tyrannical government itself!
The evidence is all around us.
How would the signers of the Declaration of Independence have viewed, for example, the Obama Administration's "drone memo," finally released last week, which claims to justify the president's killing American citizens without charge, judge, jury, or oversight? Is this not a tyranny similar to that which our Founders opposed? And was such power concentrated in one branch of government not what inspired the rebellion against the English king in the first place?
The "drone memo," released after an ACLU freedom of information request, purports to establish the president alone as the arbiter of who is or is not a terrorist subject to execution by the US government. There is no due process involved, just the determination of the president. Thus far the only American citizens killed by the president are Anwar al-Awlaki and his teenaged son, but the precedent has been established, according to the memo, that the president has the authority to kill Americans he believes are terrorists.
Even the New York Times, which generally backs whatever US administration is in power, is troubled by the White House's legal justification to claim the authority to kill Americans. A Times editorial last week concluded that:
...the memo turns out to be a slapdash pastiche of legal theories — some based on obscure interpretations of British and Israeli law — that was clearly tailored to the desired result.
I agree with the New York Times's conclusion that, "[t]his memo should never have taken so long to be released, and more documents must be made public. The public is still in the dark on too many vital questions."
More
The idea of opposing — by force if necessary — a tyrannical government has been turned into a celebration of tyrannical government itself!
The evidence is all around us.
How would the signers of the Declaration of Independence have viewed, for example, the Obama Administration's "drone memo," finally released last week, which claims to justify the president's killing American citizens without charge, judge, jury, or oversight? Is this not a tyranny similar to that which our Founders opposed? And was such power concentrated in one branch of government not what inspired the rebellion against the English king in the first place?
The "drone memo," released after an ACLU freedom of information request, purports to establish the president alone as the arbiter of who is or is not a terrorist subject to execution by the US government. There is no due process involved, just the determination of the president. Thus far the only American citizens killed by the president are Anwar al-Awlaki and his teenaged son, but the precedent has been established, according to the memo, that the president has the authority to kill Americans he believes are terrorists.
Even the New York Times, which generally backs whatever US administration is in power, is troubled by the White House's legal justification to claim the authority to kill Americans. A Times editorial last week concluded that:
...the memo turns out to be a slapdash pastiche of legal theories — some based on obscure interpretations of British and Israeli law — that was clearly tailored to the desired result.
I agree with the New York Times's conclusion that, "[t]his memo should never have taken so long to be released, and more documents must be made public. The public is still in the dark on too many vital questions."
More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)