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Monday, May 04, 2015

THE NEW GENERATION‏

THE NEW GENERATION


Daughter: "Daddy, I am coming home to get married. Take out your checkbook. I'm in love with a boy who is far away from me. I am in California and he lives in New York . We met on a dating website, became friends on Facebook, had long chats on Whatsapp, he proposed to me on Skype and now we've had two months of relationship through Viper. Dad, I need your blessings, good wishes, and a big wedding."
Father: "Wow! Really!! Then get married on Twitter, have fun on Tango, buy your kids on Amazon and pay through PayPal. And if you get fed up with your husband....sell him on Ebay."

Obama: I'll Veto Bill That Ties US Prisoners' Release to Iran Deal

President Barack Obama has vowed to veto any legislation that would make approval of the Iran nuclear deal contingent on the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini and three other Americans being held in Iranian prisons.

Despite telling Abedini's wife, Naghmeh, in January, in person, that he would do everything possible to secure her husband's release, and despite saying at the National Day of Prayer Breakfast in February, "I was recently in Boise, Idaho, and had the opportunity to meet with Pastor Abedini's beautiful wife and wonderful children and to convey to them that our country has not forgotten brother Saeed and that we're doing everything we can to bring him home," Obama will veto such legislation, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told ABC News at a recent press briefing, KTVB-TV reports.

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Telethon that Jerry Lewis memorably ran pulls plug

NEW YORK (AP) — The Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon is ending its annual Labor Day telethon, a television tradition for decades that has slowly disappeared from view since the sudden end of Jerry Lewis' role as host following the 2010 show.

The telethon was a relic from a different age, a tuxedoed Lewis oozing show biz schmaltz and hosting stars from Frank Sinatra to Jennifer Lopez over 45 years, pushing through his exhaustion to sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" as a tote board rang up millions of dollars in donations.

From 21 and a half hours in Lewis' final year, the show had been reduced to two hours the last two years on ABC.

"It's not a 21-hour world anymore," said Steve Ford, MDA executive vice president, on Friday.

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Netanyahu Rejected Kerry Proposal to Visit Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected US Secretary of State John Kerry's proposal to visit Israel following his election win in March and told him instead to come only after the new government was formed.

According to a report on Israel's Channel 2, immediately after Israel's general election on March 17, Kerry proposed that he would visit the Jewish state in order to advance various regional issues.

The Prime Minister's Office did not confirm the report on Sunday evening.

Relations between Netanyahu and the administration of US President Barack Obama have been tense over the last few months.

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Porn-Watching EPA Employees Earning $120,000 A Year Put on Paid Administrative Leave

(CNSNews.com) - An inspector general (IG) investigation found that employees at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earning $120,000 a year were watching pornography on the job and were put on paid administrative leave for almost a year before anybody tried to fire them.

“Over the past two years, the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG) has conducted investigations of multiple cases of serious misconduct carried out by EPA employees,” explained the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee at a hearing on EPA mismanagement Thursday.

“EPA OIG investigated three instances of EPA employees who were found to be viewing pornography while at work. The U.S. attorney’s office declined prosecution for two cases while the third resulted in a criminal conviction. One of these employees is still on paid administrative leave pending administrative action by the EPA while another has retired.”

“There are continued problems with EPA employees who watch pornography at work,” said Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) in his opening remarks. “Even more insulting to taxpayers is that after the inspector general reported these abuses, the porn-watching employees were placed on paid administrative leave for almost a year before anybody even tried to fire them. Now these people were being paid roughly, in the neighborhood of about $120,000 a year.

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Netanyahu to Meet With Ethiopian Community Leaders Amid Unrest

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday that he had set up meetings with leaders in the Ethiopian community for Monday after an Ethiopian soldier was filmed being beaten by police in an apparent unprovoked attack last week.

The meeting was scheduled to be attended by representatives of the Public Security Ministry, which is in charge of the country's police, as well as the chief of police, Insp.-Gen. Yohanan Danino, and representatives from the Welfare, Immigrant Absorption, and Interior Ministries.

Netanyahu was also scheduled to meet Thursday with the soldier who was beaten in the incident, Damese Pakaday.

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Japan Shut Down Radical Islam Entirely… And Here’s the Simple Way They Did It

The Japanese people are distinctly themselves which is reflected in their government, commerce and daily lives, and unlike many Western countries, they are not swayed by outside influence and political correctness.

As the influence of Islam is being spread across the globe through Muslim evangelism and immigration, Muslims remain persona non grata in Japan.

While Japan strives to maintain civil relationships with Islamic countries for economic reasons, inside the country, Muslims are required to practice their religion quietly in their own homes and are prohibited from overtly endeavoring to convert anyone to Islam.

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Anti-Police Protests Spin Out of Control in Tel Aviv

Violence engulfed Rabin Square in central Tel Aviv on Sunday night, as an anti-police brutality protest by Ethiopian-Israelis spun out of control, with protesters throwing rocks and bottles at police who fired stun grenades and charged the square repeatedly on horseback.

For hours the protest had been peaceful. The protesters – who numbered in the thousands and included a large contingent of non-Ethiopian Israelis – marched through central Tel Aviv and blocked both sides of the Ayalon freeway for over two hours during the afternoon rush hour.

After leaving the Ayalon they marched to Rabin Square, and the scene quickly changed. It’s hard to tell how it started, though some witnesses said that when Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich appeared, protesters surged towards city hall and riot police moved in. As the riot police gathered at the foot of the stairs, they were struck repeatedly by a volley of rocks, sticks, and plastic and glass bottles.

Soon a melee erupted, and on the lower deck below City Hall, a phalanx of mounted officers came under a sustained volley of rocks and bottles and charged the crowd. The protesters fell back and in a moment rallied, forcing the horses to gallop in the opposite direction as bottles and all types of projectiles – including at least one motorcycle helmet – soared at police both on foot and horseback.

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Why couldn’t $130 million transform one of Baltimore’s poorest places?

BALTIMORE — Along the street where Freddie Gray was arrested, abandoned houses are gashed with gaping holes. The roof on an old red-brick building is collapsed. A storm drain is clogged with concrete.

Sandtown-Winchester is crumbling, and there is little to suggest that two decades ago visionary developer James Rouse and city officials injected more than $130 million into the community in a failed effort to transform it. Instead there are block after block of boarded-up houses and too many people with little hope.

“It’s frustrating,” said Stefanie DeLuca, a Johns Hopkins University sociologist who has studied the neighborhood. “How much money would it take? It certainly seems on an instinctual level that $100 million should have made some difference.”

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Lauryn Hill 'May Cancel Israel Show'

BDS movement pressuring R&B, soul and hip hop singer-songwriter to cancel her planned performance in Israel.

R&B, soul and hip hop singer-songwriter Lauren Hill may cancel her planned show in Israel, scheduled for May 7 at Rishon Letzion.

Producers of the show in Israel told Walla! News that they have received messages in recent days signalling that Hill wants to cancel the performance, and that they are making “massive efforts” to avert this.

Hill is under pressure from the anti-Israel “BDS” (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement that compares Israel to apartheid-era South Africa.

“The presence of artists is routinely used by Israel to legitimize its policies and maintain its reputation as a normal member of the international community,” the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation said in an action alert urging people to press Hill to boycott Israel.

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Crowdsourcing website rejects appeal for Baltimore cops

WASHINGTON — A popular crowdsourcing website that often raises money for people and families in crisis, including legal fees, has rejected a campaign for the six Baltimore police officers who have been charged in the arrest and death of Freddy Gray.

According to a report by The Baltimore Sun, a representative of GoFundMe said it was company policy that the site does not facilitate defense assistance for anyone charged or under suspicion of “heinous crimes, violent, hateful, sexual or discriminatory acts.”

The six officers have been charged with numerous crimes in relation to the death of Gray, 25, whose spine was 80 percent severed from his neck while in police custody. In an Associated Press report Saturday, the charges stem from their detention of Gray who the prosecutors says was not armed with an illegal weapon or suspected of a crime, their failure to seat belt him in the van, and secure his safety, and their negligence in getting him medical attention when he needed it.

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Indiana Passes Bill Opposing BDS

The Indiana General Assembly has become the second-ever state legislature to pass a bill that formally opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, JNS.org reports.

Tennessee lawmakers approved a similar measure on April 21, the report noted.

Adopted in a voice vote, the Indiana Senate approved Resolution 74, which “expresses opposition to the anti-Jewish and anti-Israel” BDS movement.

The Senate’s move came after the Indiana House of Representatives unanimously, by a 93-0 vote, passed the anti-BDS House Resolution 59 on April 22. The measure now goes to Indiana Governor Mike Pence for his signature.

The Indiana bill contends that the global spread of anti-Jewish speech and violence “represents an attack, not only on Jews, but on the fundamental principles of the United States,” according to JNS.org.

The resolution goes on to thank the presidents of Indiana University and Purdue University for “strongly” condemning the boycott of Israeli academic institutions after some faculty members and other staffers at those schools voiced support for the BDS movement.

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Public comment on Wor. tax hikes, Tuesday

With budget requests from county departments and municipalities heard to the tune of $189.8 million balanced against $167.4 in revenue, the time has come to see what the public thinks about Worcester County government’s budgetary situation for the coming fiscal year.

The Worcester County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the budget proposal on Tuesday, May 5 at 7 p.m. at Snow Hill Middle School.

The county has advertised a proposed tax rate increase of 15.7 cents to cover the approximately $22 million shortfall, but have expressed the desire to reduce that rate and keep fiscal 2016’s budget in line with the current year’s spending total of $178 million.

Several sources of funding available to the county commissioners are not included in the revenue numbers, including stabilization funds, corporate tax and railroad tax. State law mandates these sources not be included when publishing an announcement for a property tax increase. The notice is required whenever a county contemplates a tax increase above the constant yield rate, according to Kathy Whited, the county’s budget officer.

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Christian Florist Targeted For 'Personal Ruin' Fights Back

Justices Ruth Ginsburg and Elena Kagan argued at the Supreme Court hearing Tuesday that granting a right to marriage to same-sex couples does no harm to the marriages of heterosexual couples.

But they apparently didn’t address the injury to citizens whose religious beliefs forbid from supporting what the Bible describes succinctly as sin.

Barronelle Stutzman could fill them in.

A notice of appeal has been filed in Washington state in the case against the florist who declined to provide flowers for a same-sex ceremony on religious grounds and since then has been targeted by the state attorney general for “personal and professional ruin.”

The notice was filed to the Washington state Supreme Court by the Alliance Defending Freedom on behalf of Stutzman and her shop, Arlene’s Flowers.

The initial filing consisted of only the notice of appeal, not the fully briefed arguments.

ADF attorney Kristen Waggoner said the “message that the attorney general and the ACLU have sent to the people of Washington in these two lawsuits [against Stutzman] is quite clear: surrender your religious liberty and freedom of speech, or face personal and professional ruin.”

She said the trial court’s ruling “affects all Americans who wish to remain free to live and work according to their faith without fear of punishment by the government.”

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Baltimore police deny report of man shot

BALTIMORE, MD - Baltimore police say they have arrested a man on a handgun charge near the scene of recent rioting over the death of a man fatally injured in officers' custody.

Police tweeted Monday that reports that the man was shot were not accurate.

Live television coverage and photos tweeted from the scene showed medics putting a man in an ambulance and a large police presence, with officers lining up to apparently block one street.

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Man shot multiple times by Baltimore police

DEVELOPING: Baltimore police shot a man Monday in the same area where massive riots broke out last week over the death of Freddie Gray.

It's unclear what prompted the shooting. A Fox News crew witnessed a young black male running from police before he was shot.

It's not known whether the unidentified man was armed. A gun was reportedly found nearby on a sidewalk.

A crowd quickly formed around the man, who was seen on a stretcher as he was being loaded into an ambulance. His condition is unknown.

The Baltimore Police tweeted the man was shot "multiple times."

Source

GOP's point man on poverty weighs in on Baltimore

In the wake of protests in Baltimore over the death of Freddie Gray, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, said that "all of us need to engage more as Americans in these communities where there is this anxiety, where this is real despair."

The House Ways and Means Chairman and 2012 vice presidential nominee has quietly focused on combating poverty since he and GOP nominee Mitt Romney lost the 2012 election to President Obama. In an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday, Ryan argued that America needs to do another round of welfare reform, "not to save money, but to save lives," and to rethink the way the government attacks the root causes of poverty.

Ryan rolled out an anti-poverty proposal last year and echoed many of the ideas from that plan in his interview with host Bob Schieffer.

"What the federal government's good at doing is providing resources. What the federal government is bad at doing is dictating solutions," he said. "Rather than measuring success based on results, outcomes, how many people are we actually getting off of poverty? And what I think the federal government has done is displaced local problem solving with top-down one size fits all and it's not working and so we need to go to an outcome-based approach and...overhaul our poverty fighting strategies to be focused on results and outcomes."

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Breaking News: Different Report From Balitmore Sun on Shooting In Baltimore

A large police presence has returned to Pennsylvania and North avenues. A commander at the scene says police tried to arrest a man with a gun and the gun fell and went off, Colin Campbell reports.

(Colin Campbell/Baltimore Sun photo)

New Move to Strip Federal Courts of Marriage Cases

As the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on whether states have the right to define marriage as they see fit and whether to recognize same-sex marriage performed in other states, one congressman is looking to take the issue away from the courts altogether.

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is sponsoring the “Restrain Judges on Marriage Act of 2015.”

“If my bill becomes law, then the states will make the decision from that point forward on marriage,” King said. “Any enforcement funds would also be blocked. In the end, states would decide what marriage is. There are only two questions: What is marriage, and who’s going to decide?”

He argued, “Not nine judges, or more likely five of nine judges, but the people need to make a decision on marriage.”

How would the bill accomplish this, given that many question whether the legislative branch can dictate what the judicial branch can and cannot review? King believes the power is clear.

Read more here

Maryland Law Changes Gun Buying Habits

In the wake of the Sandy Hook mass shooting, Maryland lawmakers passed the Firearm Safety Act of 2013 that made it harder for people to buy handguns and banned the sale of 45 shotguns, rifles and semi-automatic rifles. Two years later, it's clear that the law had a dramatic impact on gun purchases in Maryland.

A Rush to Buy Before the Law

Immediately before the law took effect in October, there was a spike in background checks as buyers rushed to purchase guns (like semi-automatic AK-47s) that would be banned under the law or avoid new licensing requirements for purchase of a handgun.

The low levels in October 2013 and onward reflect two realities: the law made it more onerous to purchase handguns and it banned 45 guns that previously required a regulated firearms application to purchase.

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Marylanders Reminded To Keep Fawns Wild

With late spring being the prime birthing time for white-tailed deer, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds anyone who encounters a fawn to avoid disturbing it. While young deer often appear to be orphaned, in most cases the doe is nearby protecting and feeding her offspring as needed. Removing these animals from the wild for care is unnecessary, dangerous and illegal.

Newborn fawns have almost no body odor and their spotted, reddish-brown coats help them blend into their surroundings. Fawns instinctively lie motionless when approached by potential predators. This seemingly helpless state is a behavioral adaptation that has helped white-tailed deer survive for ages. Despite this strategy, curious fawns will sometimes wander around their new surroundings. Too often, well-intentioned people find and remove fawns from the wild believing they are helping an orphaned animal, when the doe is usually close by.

Removing deer from the wild and keeping them in captivity is against the law. Furthermore, the unnatural conditions of life in captivity can lead to malnutrition, injury and stress at the hands of well-meaning captors. Wild animals that become accustomed to humans can pose health risks and become dangerous as they mature.

Those with questions regarding fawns or other young wild animals may contact DNR at 410-260-8540 or the USDA Wildlife Service’s Information Line, toll free, at 877-463-6497. For more information on white-tailed deer fawns visit DNR’s Deer Fawn Facts page.

Satanists Deem Abortion a ‘Religious Belief’

The pro-abortion media crowd is embracing new ally in their fight: Satanists.

“Mary” from Missouri is hoping to bypass her state’s 72-hour abortion waiting period by citing “sincerely held religious beliefs” – as a Satanist.

An atheist blog broke the story of how the Satanic Temple plans to aid a woman it calls Mary who believes in its “tenets.” The media followed suit, from a Think Progress editor expressing “love,” to a Salon editor concluding, “[R]eligious exemption laws are maybe cool when Satanists use them to get abortions.”

Damien Ba’al, the head of the Satanic Temple’s St. Louis chapter, described his group’s “Project Mary.”

“This is about a human being who has rights to control her own body and a right to her religious beliefs,” he said on the GoFundMe page raising money for Mary’s transportation to the St. Louis Planned Parenthood, lodging and daycare for her (born) child.

“Myself and the rest of the St. Louis chapter of the Satanic Temple will be helping her circumvent these obstacles,” he said, because, “according to our tenets, one’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.”

According to the Friendly Atheist, Mary will challenge her doctor in a letter “as an adherent to the principles of the Satanic Temple” to contest the waiting period. As a part of that community, she will outline her “sincerely held religious beliefs:”

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Men, women kidnapped and killed police officer to get into Virginia gang, prosecutors argue

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va – Members of a street gang accused of abducting and murdering a reserve Waynesboro police officer are scheduled to go to trial in a Charlottesville courtroom Monday. Jury selection for members of the “99 Goon Syndicate” begins at 9 a.m. in Western District Federal Court.

The six men and women were arrested after reserve Waynesboro police officer Capt. Kevin Quick’s body was found in February 2014 in a rural, timbered area near the Goochland County line. Prosecutors said four members of the gang kidnapped and murdered Quick “for the purpose of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing position in the enterprise, an enterprise engaged in racketeering activity,” according to the federal indictment. The indictment spelled out a crime spree the gang carried out over the two years prior to Quick’s death.

Online court records showed three of the nine suspects initially charged in the indictment entered guilty pleas. Daniel Mathis, Shantai Shelton, Mersadies Shelton, Kweli Uhuru, Halisi Uhuru, and Darnell Stokes will go to trial, court records show.

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Krauthammer: 'The unbelievable arrogance of the Clintons' is striking

Charles Krauthammer told viewers Thursday on “Special Report with Bret Baier” that he was struck “by the unbelievable arrogance of the Clintons.”

Krauthammer, a syndicated columnist and Fox News contributor, was reacting to new reports the Clinton Foundation allegedly received donations connected to business deals, while Hillary Clinton was the secretary of state.

“They burn the tapes, they eliminate the email. Yes, you might not have had a direct quid pro quo in the emails, but there might have been hints of things going,” said Krauthammer. He added that American people may never get to the bottom of it, because all the evidence is “gone.”

Krauthammer said he was surprised by Clintons' “full expectation [that] they’re going to get away with it.”

“While you are walking the line,” Krauthammer said while referring to Clintons. He added that ongoing scrutiny is not a big concern for the Clinton family because “they think in the end, they’re going to get away with it.”

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George Soros reportedly could face up to $7B tax bill, after delaying payment for years

George Soros may soon face a monumental tax bill -- of nearly $7 billion -- after years of playing hard-to-get with the IRS.

Despite Soros having advocated for higher taxes on the wealthy, the liberal billionaire reportedly has delayed paying his own for years thanks to a loophole in U.S. law.

That loophole was closed by Congress in 2008. But before that, Bloomberg reports, Soros used it to defer taxes on client fees. Instead, he reinvested them in his own fund, and they grew tax-free.

Bloomberg, citing Irish regulatory filings, reported that Soros has made $13.3 billion in this way. Factoring in the various tax rates that would apply, one tax expert estimated this would leave Soros with a roughly $6.7 billion bill.

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Hogan: State Of Emergency Will End This Week After National Guard Troops Leave

Gov. Larry Hogan says the Maryland National Guard has begun demobilizing the 3,000 troops brought into Baltimore after rioting broke out last week. He says that process will take about three days.

Hogan said Sunday that the state of emergency won't be lifted until the last of the national guard has left. He says he and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake spoke and they agree that it is time to get the community back to normal again. He says lifting the curfew is a good idea.

"It's been a really rough week," Hogan said. "But let's get back to normal in the city and get people back to work and back to school and get people coming back into the city to visit the shops that were really devastated this week."

Hogan says the city lost 200 businesses to rioting. He says many were minority-owned business and some of those did not have insurance. He says even those businesses that were not damaged lost business during the unrest of the last week.

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Walker a 2016 GOP Force

Wisconsin's Scott Walker has emerged as a force in the 2016 White House contest. It's a position two other Republican governors from the Midwest, lesser known but similarly ambitious, undoubtedly would like to be in.

Like Walker, John Kasich in Ohio and Rick Snyder in Michigan have strong resumes and political successes in states where the GOP often struggles. They offer a distinct form of pragmatic politics that differs sharply from that of their combative counterpart in Wisconsin.

The first debate comes in just four months, and the contest for the Republican nomination is well underway.

The early establishment favorite, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is raising money and trying to line up backers. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas have joined the race. Walker and others are expected to follow suit.

Kasich and Snyder have been afterthoughts in the early scramble for money and attention. Yet supporters note that both offer strong backgrounds and a recent record of economic success in important states.

"A resume isn't enough," said veteran Republican strategist Kevin Madden, when asked about the Midwestern governors. "You have to demonstrate you have the ability to break out of the pack with big ideas that inspire and help you build a broad coalition of supporters."

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Fraternal Order of Police lodge is asking Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby to appoint a special prosecutor to the Freddie Gray investigation because of her personal connection to the Gray family's attorney, William H. "Billy" Murphy Jr., and her marriage to a city councilman.

The letter from Gene Ryan, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, also states that none of the six officers involved in Gray's arrest and death were responsible for the 25-year-old West Baltimore man's death that spurred protests and unrest, including rioting and looting on Monday. The letter was released just minutes before Mosby announced charges against the officers.

"Not one of the officers involved in this tragic situation left home in the morning with the anticipation that someone with whom they interacted would not go home that night," the letter states. "As tragic as this situation is, none of the officers involved are responsible for the death of Mr. Gray."

Ryan requests that Mosby appoint a "Special Independent Prosecutor."

"I have very deep concerns about the many conflicts of interest presented by your office conducting an investigation in this case," the letter states.

"These conflicts include your personal and professional relations with Gray family attorney, William Murphy, and the lead prosecutor's connections with members of the local media," the letter states. "Based on several nationally televised interviews, these reporters are likely to be witnesses in any potential litigation regarding this incident."

Murphy supported Mosby during her campaign last year. He donated $5,000 to her campaign and served on her transition committee.

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Jim Ireton For Mayor.com?

On May 1, 2015 12:07 PM, "Jim Ireton" <jimiretonformayor@gmail.com> wrote:
Friends,

I bring to the attention of our neighborhoods today, an action that has taken a very important issue off the table for consideration by the Salisbury City Council.

Due to the overburdening cost of servicing houses in single family homes with exemptions for 3 or 4 people to live there, the administration has provided the City Council with an opportunity to discuss amortizing those houses and returning them to a 4-2 designation.  With 5000 calls for service to the Salisbury Police Department and single-family neighborhoods continuing to be pressured by over occupancy, this issue was put on the agenda for May 4, 2015.   And then, yesterday, it disappeared suddenly from the agenda.

In the absence of City Council President Jake Day, the Vice President, Laura Mitchell informed City Hall that the issue was coming off the agenda.  Citing a case that landlords Adams Rentals has pending before the court, Mitchell used her temporary power to take the issue off the agenda. Simply put, this was not a case of a pending legal issue for the city.  A quick search of campaign contributions for Ms. Mitchell, finds the Adams Housing name listed first.  This turn of events, while Mr. Day is out of town, and while I was engaged in preparing our city for peaceful protest is underhanded, at best.  Citizens should know that this is not the first time that Ms. Mitchell has displayed her allegiance to the rental industry and their campaign cash.  Council members Day, Spies, and Heath have indicated a willingness to discuss this issue on Monday, May 4, 2015.  Today, I requested that Ms. Mitchell, who used her powers for the rental industry yesterday, reconsider and put the integrity of our neighborhoods back on the table for discussion.  Today, at 11:11 a.m., Ms. Mitchell said “no”.

When the Jake's Away, the Mice Will Play.
Welcome to Salisbury City Council Races 2015
Authority: Ireton for Maryland. William C. Duck, Jr., Treasurer

US Marine Corps Memorial to be Restored After $5.4M Donation

ARLINGTON, Va. — The famous bronze U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial overlooking Washington that depicts Marines raising the American flag at Iwo Jima during World War II has begun turning green with age but now will be restored with a $5.37 million gift.

Philanthropist David Rubenstein announced Wednesday that he will give the National Park Foundation the funds needed to wash, wax and restore the memorial and its plaza and landscaping. Improvements are also planned for the memorial's signage and access for handicapped visitors. The project will also restore the memorial's engravings to be much brighter.

The 61-year-old memorial honors all who have given their lives in the U.S. Marine Corps. It depicts a famous incident of World War II after a bloody battle when the Americans moved to capture the island of Iwo Jima to help bring the war to an end. The monument's depiction was inspired by a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal.

This new restoration effort will be the first comprehensive refurbishment of the memorial since it was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, though it has had routine maintenance over the years, said National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis.

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Into the political flames, O'Malley says he would announce presidential bid in Baltimore

Potential 2016 presidential candidate Martin O'Malley fired back Sunday at criticism of his record as Baltimore mayor, defending his tenure amid the recent turmoil there and vowing to announce a candidacy in the city.

“I wouldn’t think of announcing any place else,” O’Malley, a Democrat and former Maryland governor, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

O’Malley’s 1990-to-2006 mayoral term started coming under heavy scrutiny after black resident Freddie Gray died last month as the result of an injury while in police custody, which sparked rioting and other violence last week in Baltimore.

The turmoil put the scrutiny specifically on O'Malley's "zero tolerance" law enforcement policies as mayor.

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National Military Appreciation Month

Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month in 1999 to ensure the nation was given the opportunity to publically demonstrate their appreciation for the sacrifices and successes made by our servicemembers - past and present. Each year the president makes a proclamation, reminding Americans of the important role the U.S. Armed Forces have played in the history and development of our country.

May was selected because it has most days set aside for celebrating and commemorating our military's achievements. These days include Loyalty Day, which was established in 1921, Victory in Europe (VE) Day commemorating the end of WWII in Europe on May 8, 1945, Armed Forces Day created in 1949, Military Spouse Appreciation Dayestablished in 1984, and of course the best known of the May holidays, Memorial Day.

Memorial Day, is the only federal holiday in May and is celebrated on the last Monday of the month. The day, dating from the Civil War era, traditionally has marked recognition of those who have died in service to the nation. Each year on Memorial Day, the White House Commission on Remembrance promotes one minute of silence at 3 p.m. local time to honor the military's fallen comrades and to pay tribute to the sacrifices by the nation's service members and veterans.

National Military Apprecation Month: What's It All About?

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Outrage as toy company creates 'crystal meth lab' for children with Breaking Bad play sets

Children can now build their own drug dens with a shocking new play kit inspired by TV show Breaking Bad.

The sell-out £160 kit, branded 'SuperLab', lets any child or adult recreate Walter White's notorious crystal meth lab.

Complete with protective masks, drug paraphernalia, figurines and a version of the car from the show, infants can even reenact scenes from the series.

The toy looks similar to a classic Lego set, although it is not connected to the Danish company in any way and was made by a separate firm.

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O’Malley 2016 Just Committed Suicide in Baltimore

He was supposed to be Hillary’s main rival. But when Martin O’Malley rode back into his battered hometown, he was told to GTFO.

It could have been a breakthrough moment for former Governor Martin O’Malley.

A former mayor/governor/turned potential presidential contender cuts short a series of paid speeches in Europe to return to the still-smoldering city he once governed and where he still lives.

“I just wanted to be present. There’s a lot of pain in our city right now, a lot of people feeling very sad,” O’Malley said Tuesday, according to The Washington Post. “Look, we’ve got to come through this together. We’re a people who’ve seen worse days, and we’ll come through this day.”

But as he hopped in and out of a black Suburban that ferried him from neighborhood to neighborhood torn apart by fire, looters, and poverty, he just became a joke. Worse, for some people, he revealed himself to be a root cause of Baltimore’s problem.

“There are a lot of cameras here in town and some people are looking for attention,” Governor Larry Hogan said Wednesday afternoon. “I’m just focused on the crisis. I’m here to answer your questions, but we’re really here trying to heal the community.”

O’Malley was even heckled, according to the Post, as he walked around the streets.

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Watch Live: Dr Ben Carson To Make Announcement at 10:30.

Wanted to remind everyone that my announcement in the morning at 10:30 AM EDT will be streamed live on my website www.bencarson.com

Posted by Dr. Ben Carson on Sunday, May 3, 2015

Mom of Baltimore rioter Allen Bullock REGRETS telling son to turn himself in after $500k bail

The mother of a rioter says she regrets telling her son to turn himself in.

Allen Bullock, 18, appeared on the front page of the Baltimore Sun last Sunday, smashing a car windscreen with a traffic cone. It was two days before a state of emergency was declared in the Maryland capital to control riots.

After seeing the newspaper, Bullock's stepfather Maurice Hawkins told him he had to 'do the right thing' and contacted police.

But now, with Bullock's bail set at $500,000 and the threat of eight years in jail, his family has wavered in their conviction.

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LAURA MITCHELL IN FAVOR OF OVER OCCUPANCY

JOE- once again Laura Mitchells two big feet are in her mouth. She has tried to table 5/4/15 meeting to stop over occupancy, in Jake Day's absence and work against home owners and side with over occupancy renters. Wish she had all the ones who are over the legal number living next to her, keeping her up all nite and in the very wee hours of dawn pulling out of parking lots (back yards) like living next to a bus terminal, and honking horns from vehicles coming to take these people to work, who are never ready for work, and the drivers return and return for them honking horns. Move in town Laura I can make some suggestions where you might want to park yourself. I hope you never win another election, and you should have never gotten elected in the first place. Stories of your drug use has been printed before on this web site, maybe we need to keep that always foremost in mind when city elections are coming up. Better yet move to Baltimore you'd fit in better there.

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Alan Dershowitz: Charges Against Baltimore Cops Won't Stick

Criminal charges filed Friday against six Baltimore police officers in the death of Freddie Gray were based on "politics and crowd control," not justice, renowned civil rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz tells Newsmax TV.

"This is a very sad day for justice . . . Today had nothing to do with justice. Today was crowd control. Everything was motivated by a threat of riots and a desire to prevent riots," Dershowitz said on "The Steve Malzberg Show."

"The mayor outrageously said we're going to get justice for the victim, the family and people of Baltimore, never mentioning the defendants. Under our Constitution, the only people who are entitled to justice are the defendants.

"They are presumed innocent, they need due process of law, and the mayor and the state attorney have made it virtually impossible for these defendants to get a fair trial. They have been presumed guilty."

Dershowitz, a Harvard Law professor emeritus and Newsmax contributor, said the case will very likely be thrown out for lack of evidence.

"I understand why the mayor and state attorney want to prevent riots . . . but that's not the job of the justice system . . . You cannot allow police officers or any other defendants to become scapegoats for crowds demanding a continuation of rioting," he told host Steve Malzberg.

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Police Union: Officers Not Responsible for Gray's Death

Baltimore's police union wants a special prosecutor in the Freddie Gray case, saying State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby has conflicts of interest because of her reported "personal connection" to the Gray family and her marriage to a city councilman.

In a stern letter released just minutes before Mosby announced charges against six officers in the troubling case, Gene Ryan, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3, declared none were responsible for Gray's April 19 death in a confrontation that been both "shocking and frightening to the public," the Baltimore Sun reports.

He said lost in the horror of Gray's death, and the rioting and looting it triggered, however, were the officers' own sorrow.

"Not one of the officers involved in this tragic situation left home in the morning with the anticipation that someone with whom they interacted would not go home that night," the letter states. "As tragic as this situation is, none of the officers involved are responsible for the death of Mr. Gray."

Ryan then ticked off the reason's Mosby should hand over the reigns of the investigation to a special prosecutor, noting "conflicts" that "include your personal and professional relations with Gray family attorney, William Murphy, and the lead prosecutor's connections with members of the local media."

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Most See Baltimore Riots As Criminal, Not Protest

Americans view the recent rioting in Baltimore as criminal behavior, not legitimate protest, and think it will only worsen the criminal justice situation in the city.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 25% of American Adults consider the mob violence in Baltimore that followed the funeral of a black man who died in police custody to be primarily legitimate outrage. Sixty-three percent (63%) instead characterize it as mostly criminals taking advantage of the situation. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

By comparison, when rioting flared up in Ferguson, Missouri last August following the shooting of a young black man by a white police officer, 25% said it was primarily legitimate outrage, while 52% saw it mostly as criminal behavior.

But as in most questions related to the criminal justice system, there is a clear racial difference of opinion. Fifty-five percent (55%) of black adults view the mob violence in Baltimore as mostly legitimate outrage. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of white and 64% of other minority Americans consider it primarily criminals taking advantage of the situation.
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Why Marilyn Mosby May Not Be Able To Convict Police On Murder Charges

Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby stepped up to the podium Friday at 10:30am. She stood in front of the city’s war memorial and announced what much of the crowd wanted to hear: her office had filed 20 separate charges (including murder and manslaughter) and issued arrest warrants for six Baltimore police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray, hopefully bringing to an end the rioting and looting that had gripped Baltimore—and spread to other cities—over the last week.

Gray, who had been arrested after fleeing from police on April 12, suffered mysterious and eventually fatal spinal injuries while in the back of a police van that was transporting him to the station. He died a week after his arrest.

Rumors immediately swirled after Gray’s mysterious death.

Some speculated that he suffered the spinal injury as a result of a ‘rough ride,’ a punishing tactic where officers leave a defendant unbuckled and swerve the van to cause him to slam against the interior.

Others thought he was beaten by officers who stopped the van several times on the way to the station. Matters were complicated further when it was rumored that the medical examiner’s report concluded that Mr. Gray had caused his own injury while slamming himself against the inside of the van out of apparent frustration over being arrested—a fact that was supported by another prisoner in the van who later partially recanted that alleged statement.

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HOLY COW! Baltimore rioters attempted an IED ATTACK on police?!

UH…. peaceful protesters anyone? But they’re definitely NOT THUGS don’t call them that because then you’re a racist! Non-thugs!! Undocumented thugs!Watch below a local news report on the device:

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After oil's high, a sharp fall may be in the cards

After a stellar month for beaten-down oil markets, the risk of another sharp slide downwards may be around the corner, analysts said Friday.

Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures, the two global benchmarks for oil prices, rose almost 20 percent last month. Oil markets delivered their best monthly gains for six years thanks to weakness in the U.S. dollar and a view that the global supply glut would abate.

The bounce followed a rout in oil markets that started last June and saw prices halve in value from peaks above $100 a barrel.

"The reality is that this rally is probably premature. Fundamentally, the market is over supplied," Energy Aspects Geopolitical Analyst, Richard Mallinson, told CNBC. He added that crude stocks were building up at a fast pace because of a period of high refinery maintenance around the world.

"Also, OPEC producers led by Saudi Arabia are putting out well above their quota," he said, referring to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which has an overall output target of 30 million barrels per day.

"I think we're in for quite a significant correction and actually, the higher prices go now, the further they'll have to correct before they can rally later in the year."

Brent crude oil prices were hovering around $66.50 a barrel on Friday, within sight of a 2015-peak of $66.93 set a day earlier.

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‘It’s Ridiculous and Enough Is Enough’: Fed-Up Former FBI Official Chews Out Baltimore Protesters for ‘Basically Advocating Anarchy’

Tom Fuentes, a former FBI assistant director and former police officer, chewed out Baltimore protesters and city officials during an on-camera interview at a rally Saturday.

“For the last two hours I have listened to this screaming over here in front of several thousand people,” Fuentes told CNN’s Poppy Harlow. “They’re not saying some police are good, some are bad, let’s work together in the community and fix the problems we have.

“They are saying all police are bad, everybody that’s been locked up is good and should be released right now, and basically advocating anarchy in a town that averages five black kids being murdered a week … and the whole crowd is buying it and cheering it on. And I just think it’s ridiculous and enough is enough.”

After Harlow asked Fuentes how it might change, he said Baltimore officials need to work together — adding in no uncertain terms that it hasn’t happened nearly enough considering who’s in charge.

“You have a black mayor, a black commissioner of police, 50 percent of the department is black, the last commissioner was black,” Fuentes pointed out. “Now if they can’t work together to try to fix what’s going on in this town and do something about the unbelievably high crime rate here and murder rate in Baltimore, then I don’t know, I think it’s almost going to be hopeless …”

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Kindergarten Registration/Prekindergarten Application for 2015-2016 School Year Begins Monday, May 4 in Schools, WELC

Registration for kindergarten and application for prekindergarten for the 2015-2016 school year will begin on Monday, May 4 at all Wicomico schools with kindergarten and prekindergarten and at the Wicomico Early Learning Center. Parents and guardians will register children at the school they will attend, based on their home address.

Children registering for kindergarten must turn 5 by Sept. 1, 2015. Children applying for prekindergarten must turn 4 by Sept. 1, 2015. (Students currently enrolled in prekindergarten-3, prekindergarten-4, or kindergarten in Wicomico County Public Schools do not need to register.)

May 4 will also mark the opening of 2015-2016 enrollment for children not in public kindergarten now who will be enrolling in the first grade for the 2015-2016 school year.

To register or apply, parents/guardians will need to bring in the following documents:

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BREAKING NEWS : Carly Fiorina announces 2016 White House bid in television interview

In a television interview, former HP CEO Carly Fiorina says she is seeking the Republican presidential nomination.

Fracking pollutes even Baltimore and DC air5: By Ray Wallace

Even though Maryland has yet to permit any hydraulic fracturing for natural gas, emissions linked to the controversial drilling technique have been detected in the air in Baltimore and Washington, according to a new study.

     In a paper published in the journal Atmospheric Environment, University of Maryland scientists reported finding that levels of ethane, a component of natural gas, rose 30 percent from 2010 through 2013 in air samples taken at a monitoring station in Essex....

     The UM researchers say they couldn't find anything in Maryland that could account for such increases....

     But in reviewing air circulation patterns in the Mid-Atlantic region,researchers found that the bulk of prevailing winds reaching Baltimore and Washington passed over areas of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio where there is widespread drilling for gas.

     -- From “Study links air pollution in Baltimore, DC to fracking outside Maryland,” by Timothy B. Wheeler, at this April 30, 2015 Baltimore Sun site:

Baltimore CVS

....Had a friend who just went to a CVS in Baltimore and said all that was left was suntan lotion and Father's Day cards......

Maryland Unites For Baltimore

Volunteers Making A Difference In Charm City

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced that over $250,000 has been donated to charities helping in the relief efforts following this week’s riots and looting in Baltimore City. In addition, over 2,600 volunteers have gone to Baltimore City to help clean up, and many more are joining in the governor’s “Maryland Unites” effort to provide assistance, food, and donations to those directly affected by the week’s events.

“I am so proud of our volunteers,” said Governor Hogan. “People all across the state are coming to Baltimore, picking up bags and brooms and cleaning up, delivering food and supplies to those in need, donating their hard-earned money to charities, and just providing a shoulder to lean on during this tough time.”

“Over 700 people have signed up to help through the Maryland Unites website, as well as through the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives (GOCI) website,” said GOCI director Steven McAdams. “Through GOCI, the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism (GOSV), and the governor’s Maryland Unites Web portals, every day, hundreds of Marylanders have asked how they can help. We are diligently working to help place citizens interested in volunteering with organizations requesting assistance.”

Today, the Maryland Food Bank made deliveries to food pantries in the following areas: Mondawmin, Druid Hill, Pimlico, Forest Park, Union Square, Howard Park, and Irvington. An estimated 1,500-2,500 cases of food (approximately 31,500 - 52,500 pounds) of primarily frozen chicken, canned goods, and water have been delivered. If more food is needed, approximately 30 pantry programs will get food shipments from the Food Bank over the weekend.

Governor Hogan launched the “Maryland Unites” Web page last Tuesday, as a way to provide information and encourage the public to lend a helping hand to the Baltimore community. Click here: www.marylandunites.org

Common Sense Obituary

Today we mourn the passing   of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: 

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why   the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- And maybe it was my fault. 

Common Sense   lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn)
  and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). 

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set  in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after  lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened  his condition. 

Common  Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they  themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. 

It declined even further  when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. 

Common Sense lost the will  to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. 

Common Sense took a  beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and
  the burglar could sue you for assault. 

Common Sense finally gave   up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. 

Common Sense was preceded in death,
-by his  parents, Truth and Trust,
-by his wife, Discretion,
-by his daughter,  Responsibility,
-and by  his son, Reason. 

He  is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;
- I Know My Rights
- I Want It Now
- Someone Else Is To Blame
- I'm A Victim
- Pay me for Doing Nothing 

Not many  attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.