DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Electoral College Opponents Attempt to Have It Both Ways
Electoral College foes have been trying to get their way in Nevada for a decade. Have they finally succeeded?
Nevada’s state Senate approved National Popular Vote legislation on Tuesday. The measure is now awaiting approval from Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat.
The governor’s signature will add Nevada to a growing movement to ditch the Electoral College. Worse, Maine and Oregon could be close behind: National Popular Vote’s plan has already been approved by both states’ senates.
After years of stagnating, National Popular Vote has obtained support from four states in just one short year—or five states, if you count Nevada.
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Nevada’s state Senate approved National Popular Vote legislation on Tuesday. The measure is now awaiting approval from Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat.
The governor’s signature will add Nevada to a growing movement to ditch the Electoral College. Worse, Maine and Oregon could be close behind: National Popular Vote’s plan has already been approved by both states’ senates.
After years of stagnating, National Popular Vote has obtained support from four states in just one short year—or five states, if you count Nevada.
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FAA investigates religious discrimination complaints after two airports exclude Chick-fil-A
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Texas’ San Antonio International Airport and New York’s Buffalo Niagara International Airport over allegations of religious discrimination following the exclusion of fast-food chain Chick-fil-A from their premises, according to a new report.
"The Department of Transportation has received complaints alleging discrimination by two airport operators against a private company due to the expression of the owner’s religious beliefs," the agency’s statement to Fox News read.
Chick-fil-A has faced nationwide backlash and calls for boycott because of its continued charitable donations to faith-based groups such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, which has outraged pro-LGBT groups. Chick-fil-A gave $1,653,416 to the fellowship and $150,000 to the Salvation Army in 2017, per tax filings released earlier this year.
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"The Department of Transportation has received complaints alleging discrimination by two airport operators against a private company due to the expression of the owner’s religious beliefs," the agency’s statement to Fox News read.
Chick-fil-A has faced nationwide backlash and calls for boycott because of its continued charitable donations to faith-based groups such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, which has outraged pro-LGBT groups. Chick-fil-A gave $1,653,416 to the fellowship and $150,000 to the Salvation Army in 2017, per tax filings released earlier this year.
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The Passing of Maureen Beebe
From Wikipedia
Misty of Chincoteague begins with an account of the wreck of a Spanish galleon on the shores of Assateague Island off the coast of Virginia. The ponies in the hold of the galleon swim to Assateague and become feral as the years and eventually the centuries pass.
The book then tells the story of two orphan children, Paul and Maureen Beebe, who move in with their grandparents after their parents die. Paul and Maureen work to earn money to buy a Chincoteague pony mare named the Phantom, who has escaped the roundup men on Pony Penning Day for the past two years. Paul and Maureen save enough to buy Phantom, and Paul is able to capture her on the roundup because she is slowed down by her new foal, Misty.
Americans Are in Desperate Need of a Lesson on the History of Slavery
Democrat hopeful Pete Buttigieg recently advocated removing Thomas Jefferson's memory from the public square and ending the practice of naming public events in his honor. The legacy of Jefferson, he said, is "problematic." "There's a lot to admire in his thinking and his philosophy," he said, "but then again if you plunge into his writings, especially his notes on the state of Virginia, you know that he knew slavery was wrong."
It's a stunning display of his ignorance, certainly. But interestingly, Buttigieg has unknowingly pinpointed precisely why Thomas Jefferson should be eternally revered by our society, which believes that enslaving other human beings is wrong.
That is, that Jefferson knew that it was wrong at the time.
Thomas Sowell explains, brilliantly as ever:
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It's a stunning display of his ignorance, certainly. But interestingly, Buttigieg has unknowingly pinpointed precisely why Thomas Jefferson should be eternally revered by our society, which believes that enslaving other human beings is wrong.
That is, that Jefferson knew that it was wrong at the time.
Thomas Sowell explains, brilliantly as ever:
More
Linda Hamilton Returns as Sarah Connor for 'Terminator: Dark Fate'
It hasn't been an easy couple of decades for fans of James Cameron's Terminatorfranchise, but the just-dropped trailer for Dark Fate looks like the magic might be back.
Released in 1984, writer-director Cameron's The Terminator didn't do much at the box office, but the sci-fi action flick became a sensation on pay cable. The low-budget special effects look dated, but still good enough to move the girl-power story along to its necessary conclusion. Then in 1991, Cameron came back with a huge budget, groundbreaking digital special effects, and a true cultural phenomenon with Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
How many lines can you recite from that movie? I think my wife and I mouth the whole script each time we watch it.
Then everything started going to hell.
The franchise went dark for a dozen years before Terminator 3: Rise of the Machinescame out in 2003. It wasn't a bad flick by any means, and even had a nice twist or two, and the action sequences were as creative and well-shot/edited as ever. The downbeat ending I thought was a particularly brave choice. But something was just not completely fulfilling about T3. I'm not sure Nick Stahl was quite right as twentysomething John Connor. Or maybe there was just no good way to cast Connor, who previously had either been a young boy or an unseen near-legend from the future.
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Neighbors Suing Spurs 'Right-to-Farm' Push
Agriculture interests this year have successfully lobbied for a host of new state laws to protect farms from litigation over foul smells, loud noises and declining water quality.
The push comes after years of nuisance lawsuits the agriculture industry blames for decimating some livestock producers. All 50 states already had a “right to farm” on their books, but the new laws will make it even more difficult to bring such lawsuits against farmers.
Some of the laws prohibit all but the nearest neighbors from filing a claim. Others limit the awards that plaintiffs can win, or hold them financially liable for a defendant’s legal fees if their lawsuit is dismissed.
Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, West Virginia and Washington enacted laws this year. Lawmakers in Louisiana, Oregon and Vermont introduced legislation that is still under consideration. In Georgia, a House bill died in a Senate committee, but the Georgia Farm Bureau intends to keep lobbying for it ahead of next year’s session.
Much of the action has been spurred by legal activity in North Carolina, home to 9 million hogs and 2,400 swine operations — and the pig waste that goes with them. The state’s pork industry has long been criticized for harming the environment, but last year a jury awarded $473.5 million to neighbors of industrial-scale hog farms over “obnoxious, recurrent odors” and other nuisances.
In a column titled “Our Right to Farm,” the American Farm Bureau Federation rallied the troops.
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The push comes after years of nuisance lawsuits the agriculture industry blames for decimating some livestock producers. All 50 states already had a “right to farm” on their books, but the new laws will make it even more difficult to bring such lawsuits against farmers.
Some of the laws prohibit all but the nearest neighbors from filing a claim. Others limit the awards that plaintiffs can win, or hold them financially liable for a defendant’s legal fees if their lawsuit is dismissed.
Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, West Virginia and Washington enacted laws this year. Lawmakers in Louisiana, Oregon and Vermont introduced legislation that is still under consideration. In Georgia, a House bill died in a Senate committee, but the Georgia Farm Bureau intends to keep lobbying for it ahead of next year’s session.
Much of the action has been spurred by legal activity in North Carolina, home to 9 million hogs and 2,400 swine operations — and the pig waste that goes with them. The state’s pork industry has long been criticized for harming the environment, but last year a jury awarded $473.5 million to neighbors of industrial-scale hog farms over “obnoxious, recurrent odors” and other nuisances.
In a column titled “Our Right to Farm,” the American Farm Bureau Federation rallied the troops.
More
Brooklyn soldier slams Mykonos hotspot over $937 lunch bill
A US Army soldier from Brooklyn is warning tourists to avoid a hotspot in Greece, saying he and his friends were ripped off to the tune of $937 for a light beachside lunch in Mykonos.
The soldier, a member of New York’s 69th Infantry Regiment, detailed his trip to DK Oyster in a terse, blistering review on TripAdvisor after getting the staggering check earlier this month for six plates of calamari, three Caesar salads, six beers, two waters and a glass of tomato juice.
“This place is a rip off, look at the picture I posted,” read the review by the Brooklyn-based soldier whose profile identifies him as Ciscorock. “AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST! No pun intended.”
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The soldier, a member of New York’s 69th Infantry Regiment, detailed his trip to DK Oyster in a terse, blistering review on TripAdvisor after getting the staggering check earlier this month for six plates of calamari, three Caesar salads, six beers, two waters and a glass of tomato juice.
“This place is a rip off, look at the picture I posted,” read the review by the Brooklyn-based soldier whose profile identifies him as Ciscorock. “AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST! No pun intended.”
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Somerset County Memorial Day Underage Alcohol Checks
On Friday May 24th, 2019 during the beginning of the Memorial Day Weekend, Troopers from the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barrack executed a covert underage alcohol buy operation in Somerset County. During the operation two underage individuals volunteered from the Wor-Wic Community College Criminal Justice Club to assist. Troopers deployed the underage volunteers into retail establishments who possess a Somerset County Liquor License to ensure they were denying sales of alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 21 years old. Both assigned volunteers, entered these establishments and attempted to purchase alcohol. In the event they were requested to furnish identification they would display their vertical Maryland Driver’s License, which clearly stated below the age of 21.
A total of 19 retail establishments were checked. Most were found to be in compliance with underage alcohol sales however, two establishments were not. The “Goose Creek” of Westover, Maryland and “Goose Creek Marina” of Westover Maryland each failed to appropriately check identification and served alcohol to the underage intern. Each of the below retail establishments that were subject to an alcohol compliance check, complied with the provisions of the law and denied the sale of alcoholic beverage to minors:
- Eden Quick Stop, Eden Maryland
- Juniors Wine Stop and Shop, Princess Anne Maryland
- Dash Inn, Westover, Maryland
- Brew Thru, Crisfield, Maryland
- Shore Stop, Crisfield, Maryland
- Crisfield Oceanic, Crisfield, Maryland
- Kash and Karry, Princess Anne, Maryland
- Washington INN, Princess Anne, Maryland
- Spikes Pub & Subs, Princess Anne, Maryland
- Goose Creek, Princess Anne, Maryland
- Peacock’s, Princess Anne, Mayland
- Becky’s Market, Princess Anne, Maryland
- Kings Creek, Princess Anne, Maryland
- Linton’s Seafood, Crisfield, Maryland
- Crab Place, Crisfield, Maryland
- Cove Market, Crisfield, Maryland
- Big Willy’s, Crisfield, Maryland
The alcohol compliance checks were made possible by funding provided by an in partnership with the Somerset County Local Management Board.
Mayor Young resolute: City will not pay to unlock ransomware
BALTIMORE —Baltimore Mayor Jack Young said he's not paying ransomware attackers who have shut down city computers for 17 days.
The Baltimore City government is being held hostage by RobbinHood ransomware that has shut down computers. Whoever is responsible is demanding 13 Bitcoins worth about $100,000 to unlock the system. Experts said the code for the virus is impossible to break.
"The data is being encrypted by a strong encryption function called RSA, which we don't know how to break without the key," said Avi Rubin, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University.
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The Baltimore City government is being held hostage by RobbinHood ransomware that has shut down computers. Whoever is responsible is demanding 13 Bitcoins worth about $100,000 to unlock the system. Experts said the code for the virus is impossible to break.
"The data is being encrypted by a strong encryption function called RSA, which we don't know how to break without the key," said Avi Rubin, a computer science professor at Johns Hopkins University.
More
2 men killed after attempting to drive car over opening drawbridge
Two men died early Friday when a driver tried to jump a car over an opening created by a pontoon swing bridge in southwestern Louisiana, state police said on Facebook.
According to the post, shortly before 2 a.m. CT, Louisiana State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash in the water at the Black Bayou Bridge on Louisiana Highway 384 near Lake Charles.
A witness told police that the driver of a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze stopped at the bridge, which was closed to vehicular traffic as a boat passed on the Intracoastal Waterway. The 165-foot section of the bridge on pontoons had been moved to allow the ship to pass.
A passenger got out of the car and pushed up a gate arm to allow the driver to continue. The driver picked up the passenger and went up to a section of the bridge that is raised as boats pass.
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According to the post, shortly before 2 a.m. CT, Louisiana State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash in the water at the Black Bayou Bridge on Louisiana Highway 384 near Lake Charles.
A witness told police that the driver of a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze stopped at the bridge, which was closed to vehicular traffic as a boat passed on the Intracoastal Waterway. The 165-foot section of the bridge on pontoons had been moved to allow the ship to pass.
A passenger got out of the car and pushed up a gate arm to allow the driver to continue. The driver picked up the passenger and went up to a section of the bridge that is raised as boats pass.
More
What's It Gonna Be...A Welfare State or Open Borders?
You can have open borders or a welfare state, but not both!
Listening to political pundits as much as I do can be frustrating. They are employed, I assume, because of their intelligence and savvy presentation. Lately I have been less and less impressed. They strap on a position and won’t take it off, even if it displays no common sense.
Geraldo Rivera of Fox News, on Friday, was arguing with fervor for open borders like we had in the early history of our country. He would be correct insofar as we had relatively open immigration until the late 1800s. But, he smoothly never mentioned that our early immigration policy never included bed, bath, and beyond..
Let this sink in deep…You Can Have Open Borders or a Welfare State, but Not Both! Financial collapse will surely result. Even Cher tweeted this realization last month, witnessing all the homeless living on the streets in Los Angeles.
After the Civil War, several states passed their own immigration laws. In 1875 the Supreme Court stepped in declaring immigration to be a federal responsibility. As a result, as immigration rose in the 1880s, with economic conditions worsening in some areas, Congress began passing immigration legislation.
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Listening to political pundits as much as I do can be frustrating. They are employed, I assume, because of their intelligence and savvy presentation. Lately I have been less and less impressed. They strap on a position and won’t take it off, even if it displays no common sense.
Geraldo Rivera of Fox News, on Friday, was arguing with fervor for open borders like we had in the early history of our country. He would be correct insofar as we had relatively open immigration until the late 1800s. But, he smoothly never mentioned that our early immigration policy never included bed, bath, and beyond..
Let this sink in deep…You Can Have Open Borders or a Welfare State, but Not Both! Financial collapse will surely result. Even Cher tweeted this realization last month, witnessing all the homeless living on the streets in Los Angeles.
After the Civil War, several states passed their own immigration laws. In 1875 the Supreme Court stepped in declaring immigration to be a federal responsibility. As a result, as immigration rose in the 1880s, with economic conditions worsening in some areas, Congress began passing immigration legislation.
More
Iran’s Secret Weapon Against America Is Our Own Sanctuary Laws
Believe it or not, there are other countries besides Russia that are a threat to the United States. Chief among them is Iran, long regarded by the U.S. government as the world’s foremost sponsor of terror.
Relations between the U.S. and Iran may now be at their lowest point since 1979, when revolutionaries took over the American embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days.
It can be argued that the situation today is far worse than 40 years ago. The hardline Iranian theocracy still regards America as “The Great Satan” while its aggressive navy acts as if it owns the Persian Gulf, a crucial part of energy markets and global economic stability. Iran has been transparent in its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and President Trump recently deployed an aircraft carrier strike force to the Gulf region to back up his strong rhetoric. If neither side blinks, this could end very badly.
Iran has become far more than just a regional irritant to the interests of the United States in the Gulf. They are now staging operations in our backyard. Iran’s primary terror client, Hezbollah, has a growing presence in Latin America. This year, Navy Admiral Craig Faller, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, warned Congress that “Iran has deepened its anti-U.S. Spanish language media coverage and has exported its state support for terrorism into our hemisphere.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently confirmed that Hezbollah also maintains “active cells” in Venezuela. Iran is clearly taking advantage of the political chaos in Venezuela to establish a terror operation within striking distance of the United States.
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Relations between the U.S. and Iran may now be at their lowest point since 1979, when revolutionaries took over the American embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days.
It can be argued that the situation today is far worse than 40 years ago. The hardline Iranian theocracy still regards America as “The Great Satan” while its aggressive navy acts as if it owns the Persian Gulf, a crucial part of energy markets and global economic stability. Iran has been transparent in its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and President Trump recently deployed an aircraft carrier strike force to the Gulf region to back up his strong rhetoric. If neither side blinks, this could end very badly.
Iran has become far more than just a regional irritant to the interests of the United States in the Gulf. They are now staging operations in our backyard. Iran’s primary terror client, Hezbollah, has a growing presence in Latin America. This year, Navy Admiral Craig Faller, commander of the U.S. Southern Command, warned Congress that “Iran has deepened its anti-U.S. Spanish language media coverage and has exported its state support for terrorism into our hemisphere.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently confirmed that Hezbollah also maintains “active cells” in Venezuela. Iran is clearly taking advantage of the political chaos in Venezuela to establish a terror operation within striking distance of the United States.
More
Sowell: Twisted history
One of the reasons our children do not measure up academically to children in other countries is that so much time is spent in American classrooms twisting our history for ideological purposes.
"How would you feel if you were a Native American who saw the European invaders taking away your land?" is the kind of question our children are likely to be confronted with in our schools. It is a classic example of trying to look at the past with the assumptions -- and the ignorance -- of the present.
One of the things we take for granted today is that it is wrong to take other people's land by force. Neither American Indians nor the European invaders believed that.
Both took other people's land by force -- as did Asians, Africans and others. The Indians no doubt regretted losing so many battles. But that is wholly different from saying that they thought battles were the wrong way to settle ownership of land.
Today's child cannot possibly put himself or herself in the mindset of Indians centuries ago, without infinitely more knowledge of history than our schools have ever taught.
Nor is understanding history the purpose of such questions. The purpose is to score points against Western society. In short, propaganda has replaced education as the goal of too many "educators."
Schools are not the only institutions that twist history to score ideological points. "Never Forget That They Owned Lots of Slaves" is the huge headline across the front page of the New York Times' book review section in its December 14th issue. Inside is an indictment of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
Of all the tragic facts about the history of slavery, the most astonishing to an American today is that, although slavery was a worldwide institution for thousands of years, nowhere in the world was slavery a controversial issue prior to the 18th century.
More from Dr. Sowell here
"How would you feel if you were a Native American who saw the European invaders taking away your land?" is the kind of question our children are likely to be confronted with in our schools. It is a classic example of trying to look at the past with the assumptions -- and the ignorance -- of the present.
One of the things we take for granted today is that it is wrong to take other people's land by force. Neither American Indians nor the European invaders believed that.
Both took other people's land by force -- as did Asians, Africans and others. The Indians no doubt regretted losing so many battles. But that is wholly different from saying that they thought battles were the wrong way to settle ownership of land.
Today's child cannot possibly put himself or herself in the mindset of Indians centuries ago, without infinitely more knowledge of history than our schools have ever taught.
Nor is understanding history the purpose of such questions. The purpose is to score points against Western society. In short, propaganda has replaced education as the goal of too many "educators."
Schools are not the only institutions that twist history to score ideological points. "Never Forget That They Owned Lots of Slaves" is the huge headline across the front page of the New York Times' book review section in its December 14th issue. Inside is an indictment of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
Of all the tragic facts about the history of slavery, the most astonishing to an American today is that, although slavery was a worldwide institution for thousands of years, nowhere in the world was slavery a controversial issue prior to the 18th century.
More from Dr. Sowell here
US Probes Suspected Chlorine Attack
A suspected chlorine attack on Sunday by the Syrian government in northwest Syria is under investigation by the United States, State Department officials say.
Syrian Special Envoy Jim Jeffrey told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the United States so far could not confirm the specific chemical agent used.
“We at this point do not have any confirmation that chlorine, which was the substance that was suggested or alleged has been used — but again, we haven’t finished our review of that,” Jeffrey said.
On Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Moran Ortagus said that the United States “continues to see signs” that Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s government “may be renewing its use of chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack in northwest Syria.” Ortagus said the Trump administration considers the use of such weapons unacceptable.
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Syrian Special Envoy Jim Jeffrey told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the United States so far could not confirm the specific chemical agent used.
“We at this point do not have any confirmation that chlorine, which was the substance that was suggested or alleged has been used — but again, we haven’t finished our review of that,” Jeffrey said.
On Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Moran Ortagus said that the United States “continues to see signs” that Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s government “may be renewing its use of chemical weapons, including an alleged chlorine attack in northwest Syria.” Ortagus said the Trump administration considers the use of such weapons unacceptable.
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Trump mends fences with Maryland crab houses
Selling crab meat has been the livelihood of Aubrey Vincent's family since at least the mid-1980s, when her father bought Lindy's Seafood on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
It's a business that relies on the federal H-2B visa program, through which migrant workers — chiefly from Mexico — are hired to pick meat out of the indigenous crustaceans from the start of the spring through the autumn.
“The program essentially has kept the Maryland crab meat industry alive,” Vincent, the sales manager at Lindy's, told the Washington Examiner. For roughly 24 years, Vincent said, Lindy's had little trouble securing the 105 visas it needs.
Then came 2018, when the Trump administration distributed visas through a lottery rather than according to the order of requests, and Lindy's and several of the crab plants on the Eastern Shore were unable to get their share of the 500 seasonal workers the industry typically requires.
The lottery compounded the problems from a decision by Congress two years earlier to let lapse a rule allowing workers from previous years return without counting toward a cap of 66,000 on new visas, which left the supply far short of demand from businesses.
As a result, Vincent's Dorchester County operation lost six months of work and 50% of its sales revenue. It wasn’t until October, as the season neared its end, that she was able to secure 75 H-2B visas after the government allotted additional ones.
If the crab house had lost the visas it needed this year, "I'm not sure we would've been able to stay in business," said Vincent, who's elated by the Trump administration's decision to allocate 30,000 more visas.
More here
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