In a move sure to stir talk about a 2020 presidential run, Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed the Democratic candidate for mayor in Manchester, New Hampshire Friday morning.
Democrat Joyce Craig has also received help from Rep. John Delaney — who has already declared his 2020 candidacy — and rumored 2020 candidates former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.WMUR first reported that Biden endorsed Craig.
New Hampshire is the first primary state in the nation.
WATCH:
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, November 04, 2017
Billionaire Investor Robert Mercer To Step Down From Firm, Selling Stake In Breitbart
Wealthy donor Robert Mercer, whose money helped elect President Trump, is stepping down from the giant hedge fund he co-heads and is selling his stake in the conservative website Breitbart News to his daughters.
In a letter sent Thursday to his investors at Renaissance Technologies LLC, Mercer, 71, defended his brand of libertarian politics, but also expressed regret for his support of controversial former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos.
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In a letter sent Thursday to his investors at Renaissance Technologies LLC, Mercer, 71, defended his brand of libertarian politics, but also expressed regret for his support of controversial former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos.
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Nothing Really Matters, Anyone Can See
The US labor force is rapidly shrinking. Wage growth is non-existent. The vast majority of the American people have no savings and little hope for economic improvement. But none of that matters with the G-3 central banks in charge!
So today saw the latest installment of the BLSBS. If you check your "mainstream" sources, you'll be led to believe that everything is great and getting even better!
But look under the hood and you see that this is all bullshit. The unemployment rate that Drudge blares on behalf of Trump is only at its "lowest since 2000" because October saw an astonishing 968,000 people leave the labor force. This leaves the total number of peopleNOT in the labor force at a record 95,385,000. Then, as ZH notes, "this took place as the number of employed Americans declined by 484,000, however since the unemployment rate denominator dropped more, it translated into an actual decline in the unemployment rate!" Read all about it here: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-03/people-not-labor-force-soar-record-954-million-968000-drop-out-one-month
Secondly, about this notion of "hiring bouncing back" and the "economy rebounds". Do you recall this very prescient chart from Morgan Stanley? Well, the two hurricanes messed up the math BUT, since this BLSBS is all about "catch up", let's take another look:
More
So today saw the latest installment of the BLSBS. If you check your "mainstream" sources, you'll be led to believe that everything is great and getting even better!
But look under the hood and you see that this is all bullshit. The unemployment rate that Drudge blares on behalf of Trump is only at its "lowest since 2000" because October saw an astonishing 968,000 people leave the labor force. This leaves the total number of peopleNOT in the labor force at a record 95,385,000. Then, as ZH notes, "this took place as the number of employed Americans declined by 484,000, however since the unemployment rate denominator dropped more, it translated into an actual decline in the unemployment rate!" Read all about it here: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-03/people-not-labor-force-soar-record-954-million-968000-drop-out-one-month
Secondly, about this notion of "hiring bouncing back" and the "economy rebounds". Do you recall this very prescient chart from Morgan Stanley? Well, the two hurricanes messed up the math BUT, since this BLSBS is all about "catch up", let's take another look:
More
63 Sears and Kmart Stores closing - Full List
Troubled retailer Sears is closing more locations.
Sears Holding Co. announced Thursday it will close 18 Sears stores and 45 Kmart locations. The announcement comes after a brutal year for Sears, which closed hundreds of Sears and Kmart locations in the past 12 months.
Employees were informed of the closures today. The stores are set to close in late January 2018 with clearance sales starting this week.
Two Alabama stores are on the closure list: Sears in Tuscaloosa and Kmart in Albertville. The Sears Auto Center in Tuscaloosa will close in early December. The store itself will close in January 2018.
The closures are an effort to "right size" its footprint, Sears said in a statement.
"In the process, as previously announced we will continue to close some unprofitable stores as we transform our business model so that our physical store footprint and our digital capabilities match the needs and preferences of our members," the company said. "It's important to note that these stores will remain open to serve members during the holiday season."
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Sears Holding Co. announced Thursday it will close 18 Sears stores and 45 Kmart locations. The announcement comes after a brutal year for Sears, which closed hundreds of Sears and Kmart locations in the past 12 months.
Employees were informed of the closures today. The stores are set to close in late January 2018 with clearance sales starting this week.
Two Alabama stores are on the closure list: Sears in Tuscaloosa and Kmart in Albertville. The Sears Auto Center in Tuscaloosa will close in early December. The store itself will close in January 2018.
The closures are an effort to "right size" its footprint, Sears said in a statement.
"In the process, as previously announced we will continue to close some unprofitable stores as we transform our business model so that our physical store footprint and our digital capabilities match the needs and preferences of our members," the company said. "It's important to note that these stores will remain open to serve members during the holiday season."
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Papa John's CEO rips NFL Leadership over Anthem Protest
Papa John’s became the first major NFL sponsor to publicly call the NFL out over their reaction to the anthem protest, and the the fact that those protests have hurt their sales.
Now we can share the exact, stern words of Papa John’s CEO and what he thinks of the NFL’s “poor leadership.”
During a quarterly conference call, Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter echoed the lament of many fans over the past year. Saying that the protests should have been “nipped in the bud,” when they began.
“The NFL has hurt us,” Schnatter said. “We are disappointed the NFL and its leadership did not resolve this.”
Schnatter continued, “Leadership starts at the top and this is an example of poor leadership.”
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Now we can share the exact, stern words of Papa John’s CEO and what he thinks of the NFL’s “poor leadership.”
During a quarterly conference call, Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter echoed the lament of many fans over the past year. Saying that the protests should have been “nipped in the bud,” when they began.
“The NFL has hurt us,” Schnatter said. “We are disappointed the NFL and its leadership did not resolve this.”
Schnatter continued, “Leadership starts at the top and this is an example of poor leadership.”
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EVO at Hooked in OC
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Hooked is Partnering with EVO!
Tuesday, November 7th 6:00pm
Hooked in OC - Chef Christian Costantino's
FOUR Course Local Harvest Beer Dinner
& Featured EVO Pairings
$55 per person
Reservations Required
410.615.2560
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OYSTER FEST 2017
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Advance Tickets Available Now...
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Evolution Craft Brewing Company
SHUCKIN' GOOD OYSTER FEST
Saturday, November 25th / noon-4pm
Advance Tickets $39.99 / On Sale Now!
Limited Quantities Available at EVO & Online
It's always a shuckin' good time!
Live Music / Unlimited eVo Beer Tastings / OYSTERS!!
AYCE BUFFET... INCLUDES:Oysters on the Half, Single Fried Oysters, Baked Oysters, Oyster Stew & Rice, Pulled Pork & Slaw, Potato Salad, All-American Chili & Corn Bread, Unlimited EVO Craft Beer Tastings |
EVOLUTION CRAFT BREWING CO. PUBLIC HOUSE
201 E. VINE STREET SALISBURY, MD | 443.260.2337
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Navy sailor, pregnant wife shot during online purchase meet-up
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — A Navy sailor has lost sight in his left eye after he was shot in the temple during what should have been a routine OfferUp exchange on Moton Street in Portsmouth.
Frederick, 20, and his pregnant wife Emily, 18, traveled from their home in Norfolk to Portsmouth around 9 p.m. on Oct. 28 to buy a cell phone from a young girl, according to family members.
When they arrived, six young men surrounded their car and one of them started firing, according to Frederick’s father Randall.
“Somebody put a gun to [Fred’s] head and within seconds pretty much ruined his life,” said Randall, who asked 10 On Your Side not to use his family’s last name for fear of retaliation.
More/Video
Frederick, 20, and his pregnant wife Emily, 18, traveled from their home in Norfolk to Portsmouth around 9 p.m. on Oct. 28 to buy a cell phone from a young girl, according to family members.
When they arrived, six young men surrounded their car and one of them started firing, according to Frederick’s father Randall.
“Somebody put a gun to [Fred’s] head and within seconds pretty much ruined his life,” said Randall, who asked 10 On Your Side not to use his family’s last name for fear of retaliation.
More/Video
Friday, November 03, 2017
One dose of Trodusquemine can reverse heart disease signs
A new drug that 'melts away' the fat that builds up inside arteries has been hailed as a 'big breakthrough' in the fight against heart disease.
The medication has already been successful in trials for the treatment of breast cancer and diabetes and now scientists at Aberdeen University have discovered it could also boost cardiovascular health.
Just a single dose of trodusquemine tested on mice 'completely reversed' atherosclerosis, a disease that causes most heart attacks and strokes.
The disease causes arteries to become clogged with fatty substances called plaques, which over time, narrows your arteries.
Researchers believe the drug 'mimics' the effects of exercise and activates a protective enzyme. It also inhibits another enzyme that causes prolonged inflammation and hardens arteries.
Experts said their findings have the potential to ‘significantly reduce deaths’, given that heart disease is the number one cause of death globally, killing 17.7 million people a year.
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The medication has already been successful in trials for the treatment of breast cancer and diabetes and now scientists at Aberdeen University have discovered it could also boost cardiovascular health.
Just a single dose of trodusquemine tested on mice 'completely reversed' atherosclerosis, a disease that causes most heart attacks and strokes.
The disease causes arteries to become clogged with fatty substances called plaques, which over time, narrows your arteries.
Researchers believe the drug 'mimics' the effects of exercise and activates a protective enzyme. It also inhibits another enzyme that causes prolonged inflammation and hardens arteries.
Experts said their findings have the potential to ‘significantly reduce deaths’, given that heart disease is the number one cause of death globally, killing 17.7 million people a year.
More
Paul Singer and George Soros: Billionaire Bookends of Globalist Opposition to Trump Agenda
Billionaire hedge fund managers Paul Singer and George Soros define the ideological boundaries of the globalist opposition to the Trump agenda. Neither hesitates to use his substantial financial resources to stymie the populist conservative economic nationalist policies of the “Make America Great Again” coalition.
The payments by Singer-owned Washington Free Beacon to GPS Fusion for “opposition research” on candidate Donald Trump in early 2016 and the recent announcement by Soros that he was transferring billions of dollars in his own personal wealth to his Open Society Foundations are cases in point.
“The Washington Free Beacon on Friday confirmed it had originally funded research compiled by the firm Fusion GPS. But leaders from the Free Beacon, which is funded in large part by the Republican donor Paul Singer, insisted that none of the early research it received appears in the dossier released later in the year detailing explosive allegations, many uncorroborated, about Trump compiled by a former British spy,” the Associated Press reported on Friday.
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The payments by Singer-owned Washington Free Beacon to GPS Fusion for “opposition research” on candidate Donald Trump in early 2016 and the recent announcement by Soros that he was transferring billions of dollars in his own personal wealth to his Open Society Foundations are cases in point.
“The Washington Free Beacon on Friday confirmed it had originally funded research compiled by the firm Fusion GPS. But leaders from the Free Beacon, which is funded in large part by the Republican donor Paul Singer, insisted that none of the early research it received appears in the dossier released later in the year detailing explosive allegations, many uncorroborated, about Trump compiled by a former British spy,” the Associated Press reported on Friday.
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Trump Privately Blames Jared Kushner for Mueller's Indictments
Donald Trump reportedly blames his son-in-law, White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, for his role in the decision to appoint special counsel Robert Mueller, according to Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman.
On a phone call Tuesday with Breitbart News Executive Chairman and former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon, “Trump blamed Jared Kushner for his role in decisions, specifically the firings of [former National Security Adviser] Mike Flynn and [former FBI Director] James Comey, that led to Mueller’s appointment,” according to a source who was briefed on the call.
On Monday, Mueller indicted Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort on 12 counts — ranging from making false statements to “conspiracy against the United States” — as part of the ongoing, so-called “Russia Investigation.” Richard Gates, Manafort’s deputy, was also charged.
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On a phone call Tuesday with Breitbart News Executive Chairman and former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon, “Trump blamed Jared Kushner for his role in decisions, specifically the firings of [former National Security Adviser] Mike Flynn and [former FBI Director] James Comey, that led to Mueller’s appointment,” according to a source who was briefed on the call.
On Monday, Mueller indicted Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort on 12 counts — ranging from making false statements to “conspiracy against the United States” — as part of the ongoing, so-called “Russia Investigation.” Richard Gates, Manafort’s deputy, was also charged.
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Women's Listening Tour Report
Voices of Maryland Women Listening Tour Report
The Voices of Maryland Women Listening Tour traveled to Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, the heart of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. There, thirty-four individuals gathered to discuss the concerns of women in this region. The public forum was organized as a partnership between the State Senator Addie Eckardt and the Maryland Commission for Women.
The attendees at the forum included individuals, representatives of women’s and community organizations, service providers and public officials including the Mayor of Cambridge Victoria Jackson-Stanley and State’s Attorney for Talbot County, Mr. Scott G. Patterson. Representatives of both U.S. Senator Cardin and Van Hollen were also in attendance.The participants articulately identified a wide range of issues and challenges for the women of this region which includes Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne’s, Talbot and Dorchester Counties that encompasses small, historic cities and towns, popular resort and tourist attractions, along with large agricultural and seafood industry areas.
The evening began with welcoming remarks by Senator Eckardt who noted that currently there are no active county Commissions for Women in the Upper or Mid-Shore area, unlike other counties on the western side of the bay. She and the participants agreed that one outcome of this program might be to consider how Commissions for Women could be established in this region to focus on the issues addressed at the forum. The event then opened into a discussion of the challenges facing women on the Eastern Shore. The participants listed a total of 35 challenges and each participant was given five “votes” to place beside the issues she or he considered most important. From that process, five were selected as the top priorities. The group identified actions that could be taken to address each of the “top five” issues:
The attendees at the forum included individuals, representatives of women’s and community organizations, service providers and public officials including the Mayor of Cambridge Victoria Jackson-Stanley and State’s Attorney for Talbot County, Mr. Scott G. Patterson. Representatives of both U.S. Senator Cardin and Van Hollen were also in attendance.The participants articulately identified a wide range of issues and challenges for the women of this region which includes Kent, Caroline, Queen Anne’s, Talbot and Dorchester Counties that encompasses small, historic cities and towns, popular resort and tourist attractions, along with large agricultural and seafood industry areas.
The evening began with welcoming remarks by Senator Eckardt who noted that currently there are no active county Commissions for Women in the Upper or Mid-Shore area, unlike other counties on the western side of the bay. She and the participants agreed that one outcome of this program might be to consider how Commissions for Women could be established in this region to focus on the issues addressed at the forum. The event then opened into a discussion of the challenges facing women on the Eastern Shore. The participants listed a total of 35 challenges and each participant was given five “votes” to place beside the issues she or he considered most important. From that process, five were selected as the top priorities. The group identified actions that could be taken to address each of the “top five” issues:
- Lack of Public Transportation
- Reevaluate transportation funding
- Build more flexibility into the system; take advantage of technology to create an effiecient on-demand public transportation
- Develop new models of public transportation that work in rural areas rather than employing models based on urban needs
- Threats to Affordable Health Care
- Maintain affordable health care for Marylanders
- Develop incentives for provider trainng to increase the number of health care professionals in the region
- Develop career ladders within the health care professions so that employees can advance from entry level to higher positions through experience and training
- Mental Health/Addictions: Drugs, Alcohol, and Gambling
- Establish prevention programs through education
- Reevaluate sentencing guidelines for offenders
- Provide more and better mental health care services
- Expand rehab services for pregnant women and affencted newborns and for women with children
- Establish recovery centers using the Oxford House model of self-run, self-supported recovery houses
- Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Sexual Harassment
- Offer programs that teach healthy and safe relationships, starting in elementary school
- Establish more shelters and transitional housing for victims
- Provide peer-support gprograms for victims in the court system
- Redefine domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment as a men's issue and not just a women's issue: discuss the number of perpetrators, not just the number of victims
- Special Challenges for Immigrant Women
- Provide access to qualified, legitimate legal services, targeted "pop-up" legal clincs in the community
- Encourage the community to embrace its diversity and provide peer-support, family-to-family
- Provide cultural sensitivity and responsiveness training to service providers and law enforcement
To view the full report, consisting of a total of 35 issues, please visit the Maryland Commission for Women website at www.marylandwomen.org and if you were unable to attend and still want to voice your concerns, please take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VoicesofMarylandWomen
Governor Larry Hogan Announces Comprehensive Initiative to Boost Computer Science Workforce Development Statewide
Executive Order, Proposed Legislation, and $5 Million Added Funding Aim to Increase Job Readiness, Diversity in Computer Science Industries
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced a comprehensive computer science education and workforce development plan, including a new executive order, proposed legislation, and $5 million in new education funding.
The governor’s plan, known as the ACCESS Initiative (Achieving Computer Science Collaborations for Employing Students Statewide), fulfills the commitment he made in joining the National Governors Association’s Governors Partnership for K-12 Computer Science in July. In joining the Partnership, the governor committed to strengthening computer science education across states for all students in order to meet the demands of a 21st century workforce and prepare students for the jobs of the future. Current estimates indicate that there are more than 500,000 open computing jobs across the country and over 115,000 total computer science-related jobs in Maryland.
“For nearly three years, our administration has worked tirelessly to build an unrivaled ecosystem of innovation and economic growth in Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “We want to make sure that Marylanders have the tools and the skills they need to compete for 21st century jobs.
“In this rapidly-evolving job landscape, states that have access to a highly trained workforce will have a major advantage. Maryland simply must continue to lead the way, and closing this skills gap begins with a focus on education. We must spark the interest of students - particularly girls - beginning at an even younger age, and we must inspire high school and college students to pursue careers in computer science,” the governor continued.
While Maryland has a highly educated workforce and computer science-related industries are growing in the state, the demand is increasing at an even faster rate, and companies often experience difficulty in finding workers with the necessary training and skills. There are currently nearly 20,000 openings for high-paying computing-related jobs in Maryland – four times the national average – and while computing-related jobs in the state are projected to grow by another 12 percent over the next decade, in 2015, Maryland produced fewer than 3,000 computer science graduates.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced a comprehensive computer science education and workforce development plan, including a new executive order, proposed legislation, and $5 million in new education funding.
The governor’s plan, known as the ACCESS Initiative (Achieving Computer Science Collaborations for Employing Students Statewide), fulfills the commitment he made in joining the National Governors Association’s Governors Partnership for K-12 Computer Science in July. In joining the Partnership, the governor committed to strengthening computer science education across states for all students in order to meet the demands of a 21st century workforce and prepare students for the jobs of the future. Current estimates indicate that there are more than 500,000 open computing jobs across the country and over 115,000 total computer science-related jobs in Maryland.
“For nearly three years, our administration has worked tirelessly to build an unrivaled ecosystem of innovation and economic growth in Maryland,” said Governor Hogan. “We want to make sure that Marylanders have the tools and the skills they need to compete for 21st century jobs.
“In this rapidly-evolving job landscape, states that have access to a highly trained workforce will have a major advantage. Maryland simply must continue to lead the way, and closing this skills gap begins with a focus on education. We must spark the interest of students - particularly girls - beginning at an even younger age, and we must inspire high school and college students to pursue careers in computer science,” the governor continued.
While Maryland has a highly educated workforce and computer science-related industries are growing in the state, the demand is increasing at an even faster rate, and companies often experience difficulty in finding workers with the necessary training and skills. There are currently nearly 20,000 openings for high-paying computing-related jobs in Maryland – four times the national average – and while computing-related jobs in the state are projected to grow by another 12 percent over the next decade, in 2015, Maryland produced fewer than 3,000 computer science graduates.
The devastating personal toll of West Virginia’s opioid crisis
PETERSBURG, W.Va. — I haven’t come to talk about the opioid crisis. But our conversation, as with most of my conversations here, eventually turns to drugs, and the devastating toll they’ve taken on this community.
I’m sitting on the couch in Charlie Combs’ living room in Cabins, just outside Petersburg, West Virginia. On the table beside me is a Bible, and on the wall in front of me are pictures of Combs’ family, including his two sons, Brent and Ryan.
An artist’s rendering of Brent, looking stolid in a cowboy hat, strikes me as very well done. “Yeah,” says his father, a retired forest ranger and water resource inspector, “but they didn’t get the eyes quite right.”
I’ve come primarily to talk about President Trump, who in the 2016 election won the votes of 88 percent of Grant County voters, a higher share than in any of West Virginia’s other 54 counties.
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I’m sitting on the couch in Charlie Combs’ living room in Cabins, just outside Petersburg, West Virginia. On the table beside me is a Bible, and on the wall in front of me are pictures of Combs’ family, including his two sons, Brent and Ryan.
An artist’s rendering of Brent, looking stolid in a cowboy hat, strikes me as very well done. “Yeah,” says his father, a retired forest ranger and water resource inspector, “but they didn’t get the eyes quite right.”
I’ve come primarily to talk about President Trump, who in the 2016 election won the votes of 88 percent of Grant County voters, a higher share than in any of West Virginia’s other 54 counties.
More
U.S. House of Representatives Unveils Pro-Growth Tax Reform Plan
“The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is a win for middle class families and businesses that create American jobs in a global marketplace. Under this bill, a typical middle-income family of four earning $59,000 annually will receive a $1,182 tax cut. This legislation doubles the standard deduction, expands the Child Tax Credit, and maintains 401(k) and IRA retirement plans.
America’s small family owned businesses and larger employers will receive tax cuts as well – allowing businesses to invest and grow, and encouraging them to return outsourced jobs to the United States. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will stimulate economic growth and increase America’s competitiveness in the global economy.”
Trump Departs For Longest Asian Tour Since Bush Vomited On Japan's PM
President Donald Trump is leaving his administration’s push to pass comprehensive tax reform before year’s end in the hands of his trusted deputies while he embarks this morning on a 10-day tour to Asia, where he’s expected to discuss, among other topics, the security threat that North Korea poses to both the region and to the world more broadly.
As Reuters points out, it will be the longest Asia tour by a US president since George H.W. Bush vomited on Japan’s then-prime minister, Kiichi Miyazawa, during a trip to Asia in 1992 just weeks before the New Hampshire primary. While Trump, whoso gastro digestive system is in far better shape, will likely not suffer the same embarrassment, the possibility of a diplomatic fiasco is high for obvious reasons. Meanwhile, tensions run high: to underscore the seriousness of the biggest problem at hand, two US strategic bombers carried out military drills over South Korea Thursday, the U.S. Air Force said, raising tensions with North Korea, which accused the US of carrying out simulated bombing drills near its territory. In a move that is sure to further trigger the Kim regime just as Trump touches down in the region, the US has sent three aircraft carriers to participate in unprecedented 3-way drills off the Korean penninsula. Thursday’s drills were first reported by North Korean state news agency KCNA on Friday, which described the exercises involving South Korean and Japanese fighter jets were a “surprise nuclear strike drill," Reuters reported.
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As Reuters points out, it will be the longest Asia tour by a US president since George H.W. Bush vomited on Japan’s then-prime minister, Kiichi Miyazawa, during a trip to Asia in 1992 just weeks before the New Hampshire primary. While Trump, whoso gastro digestive system is in far better shape, will likely not suffer the same embarrassment, the possibility of a diplomatic fiasco is high for obvious reasons. Meanwhile, tensions run high: to underscore the seriousness of the biggest problem at hand, two US strategic bombers carried out military drills over South Korea Thursday, the U.S. Air Force said, raising tensions with North Korea, which accused the US of carrying out simulated bombing drills near its territory. In a move that is sure to further trigger the Kim regime just as Trump touches down in the region, the US has sent three aircraft carriers to participate in unprecedented 3-way drills off the Korean penninsula. Thursday’s drills were first reported by North Korean state news agency KCNA on Friday, which described the exercises involving South Korean and Japanese fighter jets were a “surprise nuclear strike drill," Reuters reported.
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STATE FIRE MARSHAL REMINDS CITIZENS THAT “SKY LANTERNS” ARE PROHIBITED IN MARYLAND
The Office of the State Fire Marshal regularly receives requests from the public concerning these devices, typically constructed with oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame, which are released into the atmosphere. A candle or fuel cell is ignited within the device causing the trapped air inside to become heated. The hot air allows the lantern to rise and float away with the upper air currents. Once airborne, they may travel significant distances away from the release site and return to earth, often before the flame is fully extinguished. This action can result in combustibles at the landing site to become engulfed in flames, potentially creating an uncontrolled fire involving a structure or vegetation.
The fire risk associated with these devices encourages fire safety officials to restrict their use in the best interest of public safety.
The Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Code 29.06.01.08T specifically addresses “Sky Lanterns”, prohibiting the use of the devices throughout the State of Maryland; where their use becomes a hazard.
Attached is a video received from a concerned citizen from Essex, Baltimore County, Maryland. The surveillance video captures a sky lantern floating into the yard, landing in the grass, and continuing to burn for approximately one and a half minutes. Luckily, the device did not land on the pool cover or any of the structures on the property. The citizens became aware of the event after waking the next morning and finding the burnt remnants, see photos attached. The video can be found at the link:https://youtu.be/JNmbG0kP4K4
The Maryland State Fire Prevention Commission updated the State of Maryland Fire Prevention Code on January 1, 2013. The updated State Fire Prevention Code is available for download at the OSFM website:http://mdsp.org/firemarshal. Access the document through the “Document Downloads‟ tab on the left side of the page.
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