WHY, BACK IN MY DAY ...
One of the latest bans on fun: no sledding.
Seriously, towns from Iowa to New Jersey are becoming afraid of the liability. It's safer to erect a sign in the park than to let kids enjoy a snow day. But are we really surprised? So many things these town managers and lawyers did themselves when they were children are now deemed too risky.
Like letting kids walk home alone from the bus stop, which is at the end of the driveway.
"We are just encouraged to imagine the worst-case scenario," says Lenore Skenazy, author, lecturer and founder of the organization Free Range Kids. "We're living in this society that believes you can get to zero risk."
Yet few would argue for a total return to the good ol' days. Revisit the 1970s and judge for yourself.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, February 26, 2015
10 foods to eat so you never have to diet
GARLIC
This herb does more than just give meals extra flavor and scent—it can also help keep your tummy flat through its naturally occurring chemical allicin, says registered dietitian and Nutritious Life founder Keri Glassman. “Allicin kills off harmful bacteria in your digestive tract to keep your gut healthy and functioning, which means less bloat.” Also, Korean researchers discovered that this member of the onion family may have an anti-obesity effect thanks to proteins being stimulated in the liver. Toss garlic in almost any poultry, pasta, or veggie dish, or add it to dressings and sauces.
These powerhouse foods help keep unwanted pounds at bay, and it has nothing to do with counting calories and fat grams.
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This herb does more than just give meals extra flavor and scent—it can also help keep your tummy flat through its naturally occurring chemical allicin, says registered dietitian and Nutritious Life founder Keri Glassman. “Allicin kills off harmful bacteria in your digestive tract to keep your gut healthy and functioning, which means less bloat.” Also, Korean researchers discovered that this member of the onion family may have an anti-obesity effect thanks to proteins being stimulated in the liver. Toss garlic in almost any poultry, pasta, or veggie dish, or add it to dressings and sauces.
These powerhouse foods help keep unwanted pounds at bay, and it has nothing to do with counting calories and fat grams.
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22 Ways My 2-Year-Old Is Actually Terrible
I’ve been around kids my whole life, so I pretty much knew what to expect. Yes, the two’s are terrible. But they are also kind of wonderful and exciting at the same time. All this growth and change and learning that happens in such a short period—no wonder kids this age have a short fuse. Their little minds and bodies are going through a lot! But watching them become tiny little versions of the people they will eventually grow to be is kind of fascinating to me. So much so, that I think this might be my favorite age so far.
Still, with my own little bug now just two weeks away from turning 2, I’m starting to realize there is more to this whole terrible-two's thing than I ever realized before. And as much as I love her, there are some ways in which my little girl has truly been living up to the terrible hype.
They say the two’s are terrible. We’ve all heard it. “Watch out!” Other parents will warn. “That’s just the start of the terrible two’s,” they say, as your kid writhes on the floor in the middle of some epic fit.
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Still, with my own little bug now just two weeks away from turning 2, I’m starting to realize there is more to this whole terrible-two's thing than I ever realized before. And as much as I love her, there are some ways in which my little girl has truly been living up to the terrible hype.
They say the two’s are terrible. We’ve all heard it. “Watch out!” Other parents will warn. “That’s just the start of the terrible two’s,” they say, as your kid writhes on the floor in the middle of some epic fit.
More
Police Find Hidden Cave With Live Ammo, Illegal Gambling Machines at California Home
Police responding to a 911 domestic violence call in California made a bizarre discovery after they rolled a chicken coop on a skateboard leaning against a detached garage at an East Central Fresno home, authorities said.
Police said officers uncovered a hidden underground cave with live ammunition, illegal gambling machines and a surveillance system.
Officers Robert Chavez and Angel DeLaFuente went to the home after a neighbor reported people yelling and a woman screaming for some time that sounded like it was escalating, theFresno Police Department wrote on their Facebook.
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Police said officers uncovered a hidden underground cave with live ammunition, illegal gambling machines and a surveillance system.
Officers Robert Chavez and Angel DeLaFuente went to the home after a neighbor reported people yelling and a woman screaming for some time that sounded like it was escalating, theFresno Police Department wrote on their Facebook.
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Ex-Senator Joe Lieberman to Congress: "Hear Netanyahu Out!"
In an op-ed in the Washington Post on Monday, Lieberman – who was nearly elected Vice President of the U.S. in 2000 – addresses members of Congress and outlines several reasons for them not to boycott Netanyahu's speech on March 3.
Firstly, Lieberman says that the upcoming speech "is about determining how best to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, and not just another Washington test of partisan and political loyalty."
Lieberman states that it is "absolutely clear that [Speaker John Boehner] will neither postpone nor rescind his invitation. The prime minister will be there to speak." He therefore appeals to Congressmen who are undecided as to whether or not to attend to go and "hear what the prime minister has to say."
They should go, writes the four-term senator from Connecticut, because "regardless of what you think of the leaders involved or their actions in this case, you are a strong supporter of America’s alliance with Israel, and you don’t want it to become a partisan matter."
Lieberman also notes that Netanyahu is likely to have things to say that will help Congressmen inform their exercise of the powers granted them by the Constitution to “regulate commerce with foreign nations,” “define and punish... offenses against the law of nations,” “declare war,” and “raise and support armies.”
More here
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
FDA Says It Knew Scopes That Allegedly Spread 'Superbug' Could Transmit Bacterial Infections
The revelation that contaminated endoscopes were cleaned according to manufacturer instructions but still allegedly caused seven people to become infected with a deadly drug-resistant bacteria has raised questions about whether the scopes are too difficult to clean.
Seven people have become infected with the drug-resistant "superbug" known as CRE at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after undergoing endoscopy procedures, and CRE may have played a role in two of its patients' deaths, hospital officials said Wednesday afternoon, adding that 179 people were exposed to the germ.
The scopes -- called duodenoscopes, which are inserted by mouth to access patients' small intestine, the pancreas and the liver -- were new and had only been in use since June, but they were cleaned in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, officials said yesterday. The hospital said they traced the bacteria back to two endoscopes manufactured by Olympus Corporation of the Americas.
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Seven people have become infected with the drug-resistant "superbug" known as CRE at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after undergoing endoscopy procedures, and CRE may have played a role in two of its patients' deaths, hospital officials said Wednesday afternoon, adding that 179 people were exposed to the germ.
The scopes -- called duodenoscopes, which are inserted by mouth to access patients' small intestine, the pancreas and the liver -- were new and had only been in use since June, but they were cleaned in accordance with manufacturer guidelines, officials said yesterday. The hospital said they traced the bacteria back to two endoscopes manufactured by Olympus Corporation of the Americas.
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Winter Storm Warning 2-25-15
Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 1003 PM EST WED FEB 25 2015 DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CAMBRIDGE...SALISBURY...CRISFIELD... PRINCESS ANNE...SNOW HILL...OCEAN CITY 1003 PM EST WED FEB 25 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EST THURSDAY... A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EST THURSDAY. * AREAS AFFECTED: THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE. * HAZARDS: SNOW. * ACCUMULATIONS: 3 TO 6 INCHES. * TEMPERATURES: MID TO UPPER 20S. * WINDS: NORTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH...WITH 15 TO 20 MPH AT THE IMMEDIATE COAST. * TIMING: LIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION AROUND MIDNIGHT...THEN INCREASES IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY INTO THURSDAY MORNING. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF TO LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS LATE THURSDAY MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT... FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.
4-Year-Old Alaska Boy Shot When Mom's Gun Falls From Holster
Alaska State Troopers say they took a call on the incident near Wasilla just before 11:30 a.m.
Medics were treating the boy when they arrived.
Troopers say the family was leaving a pickup when the woman's .357-caliber handgun fell out of its holster, struck the pavement on its hammer and fired.
The shot hit the 4-year-old just above the knee.
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Medics were treating the boy when they arrived.
Troopers say the family was leaving a pickup when the woman's .357-caliber handgun fell out of its holster, struck the pavement on its hammer and fired.
The shot hit the 4-year-old just above the knee.
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Former Deputy Found Dead After Allegedly Shooting Ex-Wife, Sheriff, Deputy
Authorities were searching for clues in a bizarre series of events Sunday night after a former sheriff's deputy, who was accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife, and wounding a sheriff and another deputy, was then found dead with another man.
The two officers were shot while responding to a domestic abuse call in Clarksville, Georgia, at about 7:20 p.m. ET, the state patrol told NBC Atlanta affiliate WXIA.
When the officers arrived at the home of former deputy Anthony Gianquinta, they found a woman, the suspect's ex-wife, in a garage and an armed man on the scene who took shots at them both.
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The two officers were shot while responding to a domestic abuse call in Clarksville, Georgia, at about 7:20 p.m. ET, the state patrol told NBC Atlanta affiliate WXIA.
When the officers arrived at the home of former deputy Anthony Gianquinta, they found a woman, the suspect's ex-wife, in a garage and an armed man on the scene who took shots at them both.
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Netanyahu Invited to Closed-Door Meeting with Democrats
Two senior Democrats in the United States Senate have invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a closed-door meeting with Democratic senators during his upcoming visit to Washington, Reuters reported on Monday.
According to the report, Senators Richard Durbin and Dianne Feinstein extended the invitation "to maintain Israel's dialog with both political parties in Congress," according to a letter they sent to the Israeli leader.
The invitation by the Democrats comes after weeks of quarreling between Democrats and Republicans over Netanyahu’s Congress speech.
Although some Democrats have said they would not attend Netanyahu's speech to the joint meeting of the House of Representatives and Senate, the session proposed by Durbin and Feinstein would be in addition to the address. It is not intended as an alternative, a Durbin aide said, according to the report.
The two senators have not indicated publicly whether they planned to be at the Israeli leader's address, their spokesmen said.
More here
According to the report, Senators Richard Durbin and Dianne Feinstein extended the invitation "to maintain Israel's dialog with both political parties in Congress," according to a letter they sent to the Israeli leader.
The invitation by the Democrats comes after weeks of quarreling between Democrats and Republicans over Netanyahu’s Congress speech.
Although some Democrats have said they would not attend Netanyahu's speech to the joint meeting of the House of Representatives and Senate, the session proposed by Durbin and Feinstein would be in addition to the address. It is not intended as an alternative, a Durbin aide said, according to the report.
The two senators have not indicated publicly whether they planned to be at the Israeli leader's address, their spokesmen said.
More here
Black middle schooler slams Barack Obama in epic YouTube speech
President Obama may enjoy the approval of 84% of blacks, but don’t count CJ Pearson among them.
Pearson, a 12-year-old middle school student in Georgia, has more informed opinions than many adults.
The student posted a YouTube video yesterday in which he seeks to “applaud Mayor Rudy Giuliani for his comments about President Barack Obama.”
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Pearson, a 12-year-old middle school student in Georgia, has more informed opinions than many adults.
The student posted a YouTube video yesterday in which he seeks to “applaud Mayor Rudy Giuliani for his comments about President Barack Obama.”
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Md. Releases Offer to State Employees to Leave Jobs
The state of Maryland has released details of an offer to state employees who are willing to leave their jobs to help the state save money.
In a letter made public Thursday, state employees would be offered a lump sum payment of $15,000. They also would receive an additional $200 for each year of service.
The goal of the program is to reduce the size of the state workforce by allowing employees to voluntarily leave. Employees in state agencies under the executive branch are eligible for the offer. They would have to leave no later than April 28.
Gov. Larry Hogan included the plan in his budget proposal for the next fiscal year in hopes of saving about $30 million.
Source
In a letter made public Thursday, state employees would be offered a lump sum payment of $15,000. They also would receive an additional $200 for each year of service.
The goal of the program is to reduce the size of the state workforce by allowing employees to voluntarily leave. Employees in state agencies under the executive branch are eligible for the offer. They would have to leave no later than April 28.
Gov. Larry Hogan included the plan in his budget proposal for the next fiscal year in hopes of saving about $30 million.
Source
Daughter of Obama's Ex-Pastor Sent to Jail
The daughter of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who was US President Barack Obama's pastor for 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's south side, was sent to jail Monday after violating bail terms.
Jeri L. Wright (49) was left free through a deal while waiting to be sentenced for charges of money laundering, reports the Chicago Sun Times, but it was ruled that she likely committed a separate crime of theft while on bail violating her terms, and leading to her detention.
Last March during a trial over her part in a state grant fraud, Wright was found guilty of money-laundering, as well as lying to federal investigators and to a grand jury.
According to prosecutors, even while she was on trial for that case, Wright was involved in another scheme of ghost payrolling, through which she got 13 payments of $8,192 total during a period from last February to last May. The payments were from a temporary staffing agency for work "she never performed" at a plastics factory in Indiana, according to prosecutors.
The payments were allegedly authorized by a plant manager who is being investigated for "making fraudulent credit card charges and hiring several" ghost payrollers, and who has been fired since.
In the grant-fraud case on which Wright was already on bail, she stole up to $11,000 of state money and used part of the cash to pay for a car loan, later lying to authorities and a grand jury about the theft. Wright is to be sentenced for the grant-fraud case on March 20.
Here's more
Jeri L. Wright (49) was left free through a deal while waiting to be sentenced for charges of money laundering, reports the Chicago Sun Times, but it was ruled that she likely committed a separate crime of theft while on bail violating her terms, and leading to her detention.
Last March during a trial over her part in a state grant fraud, Wright was found guilty of money-laundering, as well as lying to federal investigators and to a grand jury.
According to prosecutors, even while she was on trial for that case, Wright was involved in another scheme of ghost payrolling, through which she got 13 payments of $8,192 total during a period from last February to last May. The payments were from a temporary staffing agency for work "she never performed" at a plastics factory in Indiana, according to prosecutors.
The payments were allegedly authorized by a plant manager who is being investigated for "making fraudulent credit card charges and hiring several" ghost payrollers, and who has been fired since.
In the grant-fraud case on which Wright was already on bail, she stole up to $11,000 of state money and used part of the cash to pay for a car loan, later lying to authorities and a grand jury about the theft. Wright is to be sentenced for the grant-fraud case on March 20.
Here's more
Residents Urged to Prepare for Snow
The heaviest snow accumulations are expected to take place from midnight tonight into mid morning Thursday. Those who must venture out onto area roadways are warned to exercise extreme caution, as slick conditions and periods of low visibility will make driving hazardous.
WCES cautions that hypothermia can occur quickly when exposed to low temperatures. Bundle up if headed outdoors. Wear layers of lightweight clothing that can be added to or removed as needed and protect extremities by wearing gloves and hats. Be sure to protect pets from the cold as well by bringing them indoors and providing them with access to unfrozen water.
Documents show the expensive tastes of Jeb Bush’s low-key wife
In 1999, Columba Bush, the famously private wife of then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, was detained and fined by federal customs officials for misrepresenting the amount of clothing and jewelry she had bought while on a solo five-day shopping spree in Paris.
The incident left the Florida first lady deeply mortified and her husband politically chagrined. Jeb Bush said the first lady had misled customs officials because she did not want him to know that she had spent about $19,000 on the trip.
“The embarrassment I felt made me ashamed to face my family and friends,” Columba Bush said in a July 1999 speech to the Central Florida Make-a-Wish Foundation, not long after the incident. “It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”
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The incident left the Florida first lady deeply mortified and her husband politically chagrined. Jeb Bush said the first lady had misled customs officials because she did not want him to know that she had spent about $19,000 on the trip.
“The embarrassment I felt made me ashamed to face my family and friends,” Columba Bush said in a July 1999 speech to the Central Florida Make-a-Wish Foundation, not long after the incident. “It was the worst feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”
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Iraq Irate at US for Giving Date of Mosul Campaign
Iraqi officials have expressed irritation and analysts skepticism at the US prediction that an offensive to retake Iraq's key city of Mosul from jihadists could be launched in April-May.
Mosul is a major hub for the Islamic State (ISIS) group and holds special significance as the place where jihadist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed his "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria.
It has been under the jihadists' full control since the second day of their June offensive in Iraq, but federal and Kurdish forces have been slowly closing in, reports AFP.
An official with the US Central Command said last week that "the mark on the wall we are still shooting for is the April-May timeframe."
Iraq's defense minister, Khaled Obeidi, was irate that the Pentagon would call a date for the Mosul battle.
"A military official should not disclose the date and time of an attack," he told reporters on Sunday. "The timing is up to (Iraqi) military commanders. Where this American official got his information from, I don't know."
More here
Mosul is a major hub for the Islamic State (ISIS) group and holds special significance as the place where jihadist leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed his "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria.
It has been under the jihadists' full control since the second day of their June offensive in Iraq, but federal and Kurdish forces have been slowly closing in, reports AFP.
An official with the US Central Command said last week that "the mark on the wall we are still shooting for is the April-May timeframe."
Iraq's defense minister, Khaled Obeidi, was irate that the Pentagon would call a date for the Mosul battle.
"A military official should not disclose the date and time of an attack," he told reporters on Sunday. "The timing is up to (Iraqi) military commanders. Where this American official got his information from, I don't know."
More here
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