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Monday, December 21, 2015

No, Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God

Wheaton College, the leading evangelical institution of higher learning in the United States, has been embroiled in a recent controversy over a hijab-wearing associate professor of political science. Dr. Larycia Hawkins, who also happens to be a fan of the whole Black Lives Matter movement, is wearing a hijab during the Christmas season in "solidarity" with her Muslim "brothers and sisters," because Christians and Muslims "worship the same God."

Wheaton has suspended Dr. Hawkins, certainly the minimum it could do, pending a further investigation. The College has issued a mushily worded statement defending the school's evangelical statement of faith, but avoiding dealing directly with the question at issue.

The school criticizes Dr. Hawkins for a lack of "theological clarity," and refers vaguely to differences of opinion about "the nature of God" between Islam and Christianity, but does not answer the question Dr. Hawkins has raised: do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?

As I have written before, there is a clear, straightforward answer to this question:

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JUST IN: Grand jury decides against indictments in Sandra Bland case

A grand jury in the case of Sandra Bland has decided not to return any indictments, according to Darrell Jordan, a special prosecutor handling the case.

Bland, an African-American woman, was found dead in her cell three days after she was arrested for allegedly failing to use her turn signal on July 10. She was 28.

Officials in Waller County, Texas, have said she hanged herself with a plastic bag. Her family and others have questioned that account.

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Bill O'Reilly: Talking Points Memo - Donald Trump's Secret Strategy

As you may know, I have known Mr. Trump for about 25 years and I can tell you he is a unique individual.

When he first started running for president, Trump was about four percent in the polls.

And he had virtually no chance to win if he conducted himself as a standard politician.

But Donald Trump saw the campaign as a mission. He sincerely believes most politicians are phonies who are not looking out for you.

He also thinks the federal government is screwed up beyond belief and only an outsider can correct things quickly.

As far as politics is concerned, Mr. Trump is the ultimate outsider.

So his campaign theme in my humble opinion is that the end justifies the means.

Trump wants to win and he knows he cannot win by playing the standard political game.

So his strategy is to get attention 24-7, starving the other candidates out.

With the media paying so much attention to Trump, you don't know all that much about John Kasich or Rand Paul or Carly Fiorina.

We see them at the debates and that's pretty much it.

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Governor Larry Hogan Announces "Governor’s Young Readers" Initiative in Baltimore City

A New Book Will Be Mailed Each Month to Participating Children
 
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Hogan today announced that every child, from infancy to age 5, in Baltimore City will be eligible to enroll, free of charge, in a new reading and book-delivery program starting in the New Year. Named “Governor’s Young Readers,” the program is a replica of country star Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the Tennessee-based nonprofit organization that mails a specifically selected, age-appropriate book each month to the homes of participating children. Maryland is the second state, after Tennessee, to adopt the Imagination Library program.

“I want children in Maryland to be excited about books and reading—and every single child should have access to books, regardless of their family’s circumstances,” said Governor Hogan. “Childhood books are incredibly important building blocks in a child’s education and I still remember my favorite one, The Little Engine That Could. My hope is that this program will foster a love of reading and learning, and help put these children on a path for lifelong success.”


Every month, each enrolled child will receive a new book specially chosen by a group of professionals in education, child development, and early childhood literacy. To help make this possible, the Governor’s Office for Children has partnered with Family League of Baltimore, a nonprofit organization that mobilizes resources, empowers communities, and builds the capacity of organizations to provide children and families with high-quality programs and services that help them reach their full potential.


Hillary Clinton Campaign Funding the Democratic National Committee

The Hillary Clinton campaign is quietly making cash transfers to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to fund state party efforts in the South.

Breitbart News has obtained an email sent by Hillary Clinton deputy national political director Brynne Craig, 30, to a state party chairman. Craig assures the chairman that the Clinton campaign will be making another “transfer” to the DNC. Then Craig said she would “follow up to let you know the amount that is transferred.”

The email sheds new light on the relationship between the financially insolvent DNC, led by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and the Clinton campaign. The Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) camp is suing the DNC in federal court ahead of Saturday night’s debate in Goffstown, New Hampshire after the DNC banned the Sanders camp from its voter targeting data after it accessed data on Hillary Clinton voters, which was originally supposed to be shared over all of the Democratic campaigns.

The Clinton campaign is clearly gearing up for the Southern Democratic Party’s vaunted “SEC primary” in March, where Hillary Clinton lost her lead for the nomination in 2008 to then-Senator Barack Obama.

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What happens to your debt after you die?

Thankfully, you can’t take it with you. Your debt, that is. When you depart this world, your debt stays behind.

That may be reassuring to a lot of consumers. According to a new survey of 1,004 U.S. adults from CreditCards.com, 1 in 5 Americans believe his or her debt will never be paid off.

But less reassuring: Your debt could cause headaches for your descendants, depending how you handle things — and how they handle everything.

The general rule of thumb is that if your loved one has a lot of debt, and there’s plenty of money to pay it off, the debt will be paid off, according to Tim Gagnon, a professor of accounting at the D’Amore-McKim School of Business at Northeastern University in Boston.

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Watch The Moment Veteran Learns He'll Get His Dogs Back After Hospital Stay

It was a combination of luck and kindness that led to a joyous reunion between two dogs and the owner who'd been forced to give them up during a hospital stay.

The dogs' owner, whose name hasn't been identified, is a veteran who landed in the hospital in September after suffering a heart attack

Bailey and Blaze had no one to take care of them. So the First State Animal Center and SPCA in Camden, Delaware, stepped in.

The situation was meant to be temporary. The shelter would care for the dogs, while the owner was incapacitated.

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NOTE: There has also been a  gofundme account set up for this gentleman. Here is the link in case you wish to donate to the veteran.  https://www.gofundme.com/z4fn4en8

Bush In New Hampshire: Trump Is 'A Jerk'

CONTOOCOOK, N.H. – Days after going toe-to-toe with Donald Trump on the debate stage, Jeb Bush seemed to relish his new role as the Republicans' chief Trump critic while campaigning on Saturday in New Hampshire.

"I've got to get this off my chest: Donald Trump is a jerk," Bush said, unprompted, between answering two voters' questions. Then he slammed the billionaire businessman for insulting women, Hispanics and people with disabilities during the campaign.

"Who is he kidding?" Bush asked the crowd. "I gave myself therapy there. Thank you for allowing me to do it," he admitted, half-jokingly.

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Have You Ever Asked Yourself This Provocative Question About Charity?

Every December, our family has chosen names off charity trees and bought presents for needy kids and families. But this act of giving felt hollow.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to give Christmas gifts to kids, but I remember the look on a mom’s face as she opened the door to accept the gifts I was delivering. She bowed her head, grabbed the bag – avoiding any eye contact. A look of shame spread across her face.

Our act of generosity may have met an immediate need, but it didn’t solve anything long term. She is still, several years later, living in poverty – and she’s not alone.

None of us want to believe that our help isn’t actually helping, but what if it isn’t?

What if our contributions aren’t empowering people to leave a harmful situation, distancing them even further from employment and a life of opportunity?

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Missing Dog In Eden



This is Rocky. He went missing a few weeks ago around the area of Meadowbridge Rd, Stevens Rd and Furnace town Rd. In the Eden area.  My contact number is 443 359 9636. Thank you!

Please share this post.  There is a little boy that wants his dog back home.  

Thanks!

Discovered: Rubio Pushed To Give Non-Citizen Aliens Access To Fiancé Visas

Observers will now have time to do what lawmakers couldn’t: Read the omnibus funding bill which Congress waved through.

For one thing, it fully-funded the President’s refugee resettlement operation. The inclusion of this provision is a policy win for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), who told Sean Hannity last month that he’d “hate to use” Congress’ power of the purse to block Obama’s refugee resettlement program.

Conservatives commentators are suggesting the omnibus could also provide new insight to a Rubio presidency.

“The Ryan Omnibus is a good preview of Priorities in a Rubio Presidency,” tweeted nationally-syndicated talk radio host Laura Ingraham.

“Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) is the new Rubio,” wrote conservative columnist Ann Coulter after the revelation that Ryan’s was whipping conservatives to fund and expand President Obama’s immigration agenda.

And now another provision has come to light in the Gang of Eight bill that could help to further define the policy contours of a Rubio administration.

Within the sprawling 1,200 page legislation, Rubio’s bill contained a provision—Section 2310 “Fiancée and Fiance Child Status Protection”— which would have dramatically expanded the controversial K-1 visa by allowing non-citizens living in the country to bring in not only their foreign fiancés, but also the children of their foreign fiancés.

The “Fiancé” visa has come under national scrutiny in recent weeks following reports that Tashfeen Malik, the Pakistani-born wife of Syed Farook, had entered the country on a K-1 visa. Together Farook and his Jihadi bride carried out the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. Farook’s presence in the United States— like his wife’s—was entirely the result of our nation’s federal policy of visa issuances: Farook’s parents were Paksitani immigrants.

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NAACP, ACLU challenge Hogan administration over scrapping Red Line

A coalition of civil rights groups and city residents filed a federal complaint against the Hogan administration Monday, claiming its cancellation of Baltimore's Red Line light rail project was racially discriminatory.

The coalition, which includes the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the ACLU of Maryland, said they are asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to launch an investigation into Gov. Larry Hogan's decision in June to scuttle the $2.9 billion transit project.

In a conference call, lawyers for the coalition said they will take the action on behalf of the Baltimore City Chapter of the NAACP, the Baltimore Regional Initiative Developing Genuine Equality (BRIDGE) and African-American city residents.

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In Virginia's Bible Belt, an Arabic lesson ignites anger

With the nation already on edge after the attacks in California, a teacher's lesson on Islam in Virginia's Bible Belt sparked an angry meeting of outraged parents that mushroomed into a national denunciation of the educator in the form of thousands of angry emails and social media postings.

As a result, an estimated 10,000 students in Augusta County's public school system got a one-day jump on the Christmas break as a precaution. The cancellation of classes Friday also wiped out a holiday concert and weekend sporting events.

Some of the tens of thousands of emails and Facebook posts "posed a risk of harm to school officials" and threatened protests, Superintendent Eric Bond said in a message to parents and employees Friday.

Augusta County Sheriff Randall D. Fisher said the emails slowly began arriving, but picked up in volume and vitriol after a national conservative radio personality discussed the lesson.

"They started becoming very threatening, very profane," he said.

Fisher said security has been assigned to Bond, the school's principal and teacher Cheryl LaPorte, who created the lesson. LaPorte is worried about herself and her family, Fisher said.

The school closings came one week after the teacher gave Riverheads High School students an assignment that involved writing a statement in Arabic - the Shahada, a profession of faith recited in Muslims' daily prayers.

The statement translated to: "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."

More here

Host Steve Harvey Leaves Contestants, Audience Mystified With ‘Horrible Mistake’ in Final Moments of Miss Universe Pageant


LAS VEGAS (TheBlaze/AP) — The Miss Universe contestant from the Philippines is this year’s winner but for one brief moment, it appeared as if it might be a repeat win for Colombia.

Colombia contestant Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo was already wearing the crown as this year’s Miss Universe winner when host Steve Harvey returned to apologize.

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Joint Chiefs Chairman Opposed Gitmo Terrorist Release

Pentagon claimed decision to transfer al Qaeda financier was ‘unanimous'

The chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff did not approve the Oct. 30 release of a terrorist held at the Guantanamo Bay prison, contrary to a Pentagon announcement that the transfer was “unanimously” approved by senior Obama administration officials.

Gen. Martin Dempsey, who retired Oct. 1 as chairman, said he did not support plans to release Aamer because of the detainee’s “conduct” after a 2009 interagency review certified him for transfer from the Cuban prison.

“It is a matter of congressional record that I recommended against releasing Shaker Aamer,” Dempsey told the Washington Free Beacon in an email.

“I acknowledge that a board recommended his release in 2009,” Dempsey added. “However, his conduct since 2009, his skills in the social media space, and the revenue that will be available to him once released caused me concern.”

Congress is currently investigating why Dempsey’s advice on Aamer was ignored by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who ordered the release.

More here

Muslim cabby fined for not allowing woman up front

A Muslim taxi driver refused to let a woman ride up front with him as her family piled into his yellow cab at Penn Station — later claiming that his religion forbids him from being that close to a female stranger.

But a city judge didn’t buy the Islam argument and socked the driver with a $350 fine for his discrimination.

Fellow Muslims on Friday said Tamsir Drammeh’s excuse was a stretch.

“There’s no such rule in Islam,” said the manager at his garage, J and I Maintenance Corp. in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, who refused to give his name. “There’s no such thing.”

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Judge Dismisses Parts of Soros-Backed Wisconsin Voter ID Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed portions of a Wisconsin lawsuit challenging the state’s voter identification laws that is backed by money from liberal billionaire George Soros.

Twin Cities reports:

U.S. District Judge James Peterson issued an order saying he has granted the state’s motion to dismiss the portion of the lawsuit challenging the voter ID requirements. He said the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has already upheld the mandate in a separate case in October 2014. But he added he’s not convinced that the requirement promotes any confidence in the electoral process.

He also rejected another section of the lawsuit alleging that statutory changes impermissibly favor voters who move to Wisconsin from out of state.

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Pocomoke City Police Press Release 12-21-15


PRESS RELEASE

December 12 – December 18, 2015

12-16-2015 Sandra Powers, age 57 Greenbush, VA was cited for Theft. She was issued a Criminal Summons and released.

12-16-2015 Angelique Jenkins, age 38 of Greenbush, VA was cited for Theft. She was issued a Criminal Citation and released.

12-17-2015 Andria Collins, age 18 of Pocomoke, MD was cited for Theft. She was issued a Criminal Citation and released.

Four (4) additional Arrests were made for various traffic violations during December 12 – December 18, 2015.

Chief William Harden Sr.
December 21, 2015

Paul Ryan Defends Massive Spending Deal, Brushes Off Conservative Critics

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Sunday an end-of-year deal to fund the government and solidify hundreds of billions of dollars of tax relief was a “cake already baked” before he stepped into leadership, but that he made the best of it and seized key GOP wins that set the table for a productive 2016.

The $1.1 trillion spending bill lifted the 40-year-old ban on U.S. oil exports, though conservatives grumbled that it unraveled the budget gains Republicans won during the previous four years without winning any of the restrictions they wanted to impose on President Obama.

They wanted to reel in his expansive use of executive power, his new rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions and his plans to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the U.S. this fiscal year.

GOP leaders also redirected a fight over Planned Parenthood funding to an Obamacare repeal bill that will be vetoed by Mr. Obama.

“In divided government, you don’t get everything you want,” Mr. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “So we fought for as much as we could get. We advanced our priorities and principles. Not every single one of them, but many of them. And then we’re going to pick up next year and pick up where we left off and keep going for more.”

He also defended a $620 billion package of tax breaks for businesses and families, rejecting critics who say it increases the deficit in a massive give-away to special interests.

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Will you try me or not?

I saw this on Facebook and really felt the need to share it. I have NEVER seen a more perfect poem, written in the saddest way.

"I destroy homes, tear families apart - take your children, and that's just the start.
I'm more costly than diamonds, more costly than gold - the sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.
And if you need me, remember I'm easily found.

I live all around you, in schools and in town.
I live with the rich, I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door.
My power is awesome - try me you'll see.
But if you do, you may never break free.
Just try me once and I might let you go, but try me twice, and I'll own your soul.


When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie.
You'll do what you have to just to get high.
The crimes you'll commit, for my narcotic charms, will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms.

You'll lie to your mother; you'll steal from your dad.
When you see their tears, you should feel sad.
But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised.
I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.
I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate from friends.
I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I'll be with you always, right by your side.

You'll give up everything - your family, your home, your friends, your money, then you'll be alone.
I'll take and I'll take, till you have nothing more to give.
When I'm finished with you you'll be lucky to live.
If you try me be warned this is no game.
If given the chance, I'll drive you insane.
I'll ravish your body, I'll control your mind.
I'll own you completely; your soul will be mine.

The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed.
The voices you'll hear from inside your head.
The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see.
I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.
But then it's too late, and you'll know in your heart, that you are mine, and we shall not part.

You'll regret that you tried me, they always do.
But you came to me, not I to you.
You knew this would happen.
Many times you were told, but you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.
You could have said no, and just walked away.

If you could live that day over, now what would you say?
I'll be your master; you will be my slave.
I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave.
Now that you have met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not?
Its all up to you.
I can bring you more misery than words can tell.

Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell."

Signed
DRUGS

Report: ISIS Has 'Tens of Thousands' of Blank Passports

The Islamic State group may have stolen "tens of thousands" of blank passports that it could use to smuggle its fighters into Europe as refugees, a German newspaper reported Sunday.

The Welt am Sonntag cited Western intelligence sources as saying that IS could have acquired the stolen travel documents in areas of Syria, Iraq and Libya it now controls.

The passports could be issued to would-be attackers to enter the European Union as asylum seekers, according to the report.

Moreover IS has already launched a money-spinning operation with the fake documents, selling them on the black market where they fetch up to 1,500 euros ($1,630) each, Welt said.

European authorities have repeatedly warned of the potential threat posed by refugees travelling with counterfeit documents.

The two unidentified Stade de France attackers in Paris have been tracked back to two fake Syrian passports used to enter Europe.

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For the Man Who Hated Christmas

Christmas Story:
For the Man Who Hated Christmas
By Nancy W. Gavin

It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. Oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it – overspending and the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma – the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was on the wrestling team at the school he attended. Shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.

DHS Sec. Protecting Muslims from McCarthyism His Communist Grandpa Lived Under

The Secretary of Homeland Security is the second high-ranking Obama administration official with a relative investigated for Communism by the U.S. government, Judicial Watch has confirmed. This is relevant because, although Islamic terrorists keep attacking America, the cabinet official responsible for the nation’s safety has vowed to protect Muslims from the type of persecution he says his grandpa suffered under McCarthyism in the 1940s.

During a recent event covered by Judicial Watch, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson compared the discrimination Muslims face in today’s climate of “fear, suspicions and prejudice” to McCarthyism, the movement to weed out Communists during the Cold War.

“In 1949, during the McCarthy era, my own grandfather was called upon to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, to deny he was a member of the Communist Party and defend the patriotism of African Americans,” Johnson said. “Today his grandson is responsible for the homeland security of this entire nation.”

Johnson’s Communist connection had not previously been revealed and it certainly wasn’t mentioned during Senate confirmation hearings before he took over the massive agency created after 9/11 to keep the nation safe.

Earlier this year JW obtained Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) files that reveal the father, maternal grandfather and father-in-law of President Obama’s trusted senior advisor, Valerie Jarrett, were all hardcore Communists under investigation by the U.S. government. Jarrett’s dad, pathologist and geneticist Dr. James Bowman, had extensive ties to Communist associations and individuals, his lengthy FBI file shows.

More here

Paul Slams Congress Over Trillion-dollar Spending Bill

A fired-up Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday he voted against the massive $1.1 trillion spending bill because not only was it rushed through Congress -- but no one had a chance to read it.

“It was over a trillion dollars, it was all lumped together, 2,242 pages, nobody read it, so frankly my biggest complaint is that I have no idea what kind of things they stuck in that bill in the middle of the night,” Paul, R-Ky., said on “The Cats Roundtable,” a New York-based radio talk show.

“I voted against it because I won’t vote for these enormous bills that no one has a chance to read,” the GOP White House hopeful said.

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A True Hero. A Real Man.

A high school football player died while shielding three girls from gunfire during a random shooting in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch broke down at a press conference discussing the young man’s heroism: “Zaevion Dobson, a 15-year-old Fulton High School student and football player, was struck and killed after he had jumped on top of three girls to shield them…to shield them from the shooters.”

A teary-eyed and choked-up Rausch paused for several seconds before he could finish the sentence.

WATE-TV reports that “three males with possible ties to a gang fired into a crowd of kids preparing to celebrate the holidays.” The television station noted that Dobson “jumped on top of three girls to shield them from the bullets.”

he died laying on top of me . I love him that’s my brother man ❤️ rest easy zae ILL NEVER FORGET YOU

— faith. (@ovofaiith) December 18, 2015

“That speaks to his character,” Fulton High School principal Rob Speas noted about Dobson’s last gallant act. “As a sophomore, he was a leader. He was a kid that other kids wanted to be around.”

More here

Phyllis Schlafly: Trump is 'Last Hope for America'

Phyllis Schlafly, an icon of the conservative movement who has been active for half a century, is warning the nation: Donald Trump is the last hope for America.

Schlafly unloaded on Republicans in Congress for passing the $1.1 trillion omnibus bill last week, a move she called a “betrayal.”

“This is a betrayal of the grassroots and of the Republican Party,” Schlafly said in an exclusive interview with WND. “We thought we were electing a different crowd to stand up for America, and they didn’t. We’re extremely outraged by what Congress has done. Nancy Pelosi couldn’t have engineered it any better. I think the people are going to react by electing Donald Trump.”

Trump put out a statement Friday to ABC News saying, “If anyone needs more evidence of why the American people are suffering at the hands of their own government, look no further than the budget deal announced by Speaker Ryan. In order to avoid a government shutdown, a cowardly threat from an incompetent president, the elected Republicans in Congress threw in the towel and showed absolutely no budget discipline.”

More here

Panel pushes to reduce prison population

Maryland incarcerates more than 20,000 people, 58 percent of them are nonviolent offenders, costing taxpayers more than $1 billion a year, according to the state's newly formed Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council.

This week, the council finalized recommendations that could reduce Maryland's prison population by roughly 4,000 people over the next decade, which the council believes could save taxpayers about $250 million. The savings could then be used to put more drug use offenders into drug-treatment programs.

"We would see lower recidivism rates," said Mike Gimbel, a drug addiction specialist who used to be Baltimore County's drug czar.

Gimbel said he gave the council ideas on how closed-down mental hospitals across the state could be turned into long-term drug treatment centers.

"Plus, it’s a third of the cost of what we pay to incarcerate them, so we get better results at a cheaper price, and we get a better human being," Gimbel said.

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Obama authorizes pay raise for federal employees in 2016

It’s official: Federal employees are getting a pay raise next year.

President Barack Obama on Friday signed an Executive Order authorizing a 1.3 percent pay raise. It comes after the passage of the $1.1 trillion spending bill.

The omnibus bill continues the pay freeze for the Vice President and senior political appointees.

The raise goes into effect Jan. 1. OPM released a memo outlining the salary tables.

The President sent a letter to congressional leaders in August authorizing across-the-board and locality pay adjustments.

“Specifically, I have determined that for 2016, across-the-board pay increases will be 1.0 percent,” he wrote. “Also, I will make a decision by November 30, 2015, regarding an alternative plan for locality payments under 5 U.S.C. 5304a. The alternative plan for locality payments will be limited so that the total combined cost of the 1.0 percent across-the-board base pay increase and the varying locality pay increases will be 1.3 percent of basic payroll, consistent with the assumption in my 2016 Budget. These decisions will not materially affect our ability to attract and retain a well-qualified Federal workforce.”

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MAJORITY OF AMERICANS: 55% – SUPPORT TRUMP’S MUSLIM BAN, 72% OF REPUBLICANS, 45% OF DEMOCRATS

The Obama White House said it “disqualifies him” from being president

Last week Donald Trump lit up the political world when he proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants to the United States following the San Bernardino terrorist attacks.


The Obama White House said it “disqualifies him” from being president.

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JUST IN: FDA updates blood donor deferral policy to reflect the most current scientific evidence and continue to ensure the safety of the U.S. blood supply



Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued final guidance outlining updated blood donor deferral recommendations to reflect the most current scientific evidence and to help ensure continued safety of the blood supply by reducing the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission by blood and blood products.

“The FDA’s responsibility is to maintain a high level of blood product safety for people whose lives depend on it,” said the FDA’s Acting Commissioner Stephen Ostroff, M.D. “We have taken great care to ensure this policy revision is backed by sound science and continues to protect our blood supply.”

The FDA reviewed its policies regarding HIV transmission through blood products to determine appropriate changes based on the most recent scientific evidence. Moving forward, the FDA will continue to reevaluate its blood donor deferral policies as new scientific information becomes available.

Courts are forcing marijuana users to get drug treatment they probably don’t need

Opponents of marijuana legalization often cite the "skyrocketing" number of people seeking treatment for marijuana addiction in their arguments. Project SAM, the nation's leading anti-legalization group, notes with some alarm that "data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that in 1993, marijuana comprised approximately 8 percent of ALL treatment admissions, but by 2009 that number had increased to 18 percent."

But new data out this month from the Department of Health and Human Services provides some important context behind those numbers. In 2013, more than half of marijuana users in treatment were sent there by the courts or the criminal justice system. That's more than the share of court-ordered referrals for any other drug, including far more deadly ones like alcohol and heroin.

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Al Sharpton is FINALLY Going to Pay a Price for Not Paying His Taxes

While Al Sharpton has been busy stoking the fires of racism and lecturing Americans about their supposed bigotry, he’s also been busy breaking the law. You see, while most Americans of every color are paying their “fair share” of taxes (as defined by the IRS code), he’s been avoiding doing the same for years. But now, read on to see how his government-bilking party may be coming to an end.

Reverend and race-baiter Al Sharpton is just one of a handful of MSNBC hosts who sticks it to the IRS while clamoring that the rich aren’t paying their fair share, so it was only a matter of time before he had his comeuppance.

Though, it’s not as harsh as it should be.

Check it out…

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Marijuana is literally the least of the nation’s drug worries, the police have announced

America's cops overwhelmingly do not see marijuana as a major threat to their communities, according to results of a survey released this week as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration's "2015 National Drug Threat Assessment Summary."

The DEA asked a nationally representative sample of over 1,000 law enforcement agencies what they saw as their biggest drug threats. Marijuana came in at the bottom of the list, named by only 6 percent of survey respondents. The share of law enforcement agencies naming pot has been declining steadily since the mid-2000s, even as states have moved to legalize medical and recreational marijuana during that time period.

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This Professor Wants To Replace ‘Merry Christmas’ With ‘Happy Federal Holiday’

University of Central Florida professor Terri Fine wants Americans to stop wishing each other “Merry Christmas” and begin using the more inclusive “Happy Federal Holiday” instead.

In a Wedneday column on the UCF website titled “A Holiday Greeting That Applies to Everyone,” Fine argues that “Happy Federal Holiday” is a more inclusive holiday greeting than saying “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Chanukah,” or even “Happy Holidays.”

Part of the problem, Dr. Fine explains, is that “People wish each other ‘Merry Christmas’ whether they know the other person’s religious background or not,” even though Christmas occurs around the same time frame as Hanukkah (which Fine refers to as “Chanukah”). Simply saying both “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Chanukah,” Fine argues, isn’t appropriate because “Christmas is one of the two holiest days for Christians, while Chanukah is a minor holiday on the calendar.”

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Somerset County Sheriff's Office Press Release 12-21-15

Travis Matthew Jarocki of Princess Anne, arrested 12-6-15 for possession of marijuana under 10 grams, and consuming alcohol in a prohibited place. Jarocki was released on citations pending District Court actions. Deputies observed Jarocki with an open container of beer, and suspected marijuana in the Princess Anne Manokin Park.  

Chauwan Antonio Matthews of Salisbury, arrested 12-8-15 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Matthews was later held on a $5,000 bond.

Gregory Lamont Cottman of Princess Anne, arrested 12-10-15 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Cottman was held on a $500.00 bond.

Brian Anthony Williams of Princess Anne, arrested 12-14-15 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Williams was later released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

Jodecii Kiiwann Purnell of Westover, arrested 12-17-15 on a warrant for violation of probation. Purnell was later held without bond.

Anthony Arzynell Butler Jr. of Crisfield  arrested 12-18-15 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Butler was later held on a $500.00 bond.

Wicomico County Department of Public Works Announces Holiday Hours

Wicomico County Department of Public Works announces the Newland Park Landfill’s Convenience Center and Brush Area will be closing at 4:00 PM on Thursday, December 24, 2015. All Convenience Centers, as well as the Newland Park Landfill, will be closed on Friday, December 25, 2015. Normal operations for all will commence on Saturday, December 26, 2015.

VIDEO: Martin O’Malley Booed At Democrat Debate For Saying This About The Age Of Hillary and Sanders

While liberals used the age of then-Presidential Candidate John McCain as a way to question his ability to be an effective President, they are now jumping to the defense of elderly candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley made an apparent joke about his opponents’ ages at Saturday night’s debate — and the crowd at Saint Anselm College booed him for it.

As Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders finished answering a question about the U.S. strategy in Syria, O’Malley cut in, asking the moderators: “May I offer a different generation’s perspective on this?”

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Americans Approve of Christmas in Public Schools

Earlier this week a New York City school superintendent ordered Christmas festivities be restored at a Brooklyn elementary school after the principal declared the small campus to be a Santa-free zone.

The nation would likely agree with the decision: A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 76 percent of Americans believe Christmas should be celebrated in public schools. Among adults with school-age children at home, 82 percent favor celebrating Christmas in the classroom.

Another 61 percent overall believe there should be more religion in those schools. Another 54 percent say there’s not enough religion in the public schools; 70 percent of Republicans, 61 percent of the parents and 44 percent of Democrats agree. The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults was conducted Dec. 10-13. Rasmussen Reports notes that the findings are virtually unchanged from similar surveys in recent years.

Meanwhile, there’s new legislation meant to protect Christmas and its traditional symbols against the politically correct demands of the public sector.

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Private Car Ownership may become a Rarity

In 25 years, the only people owning cars will be hobbyists, hot rodders and Flat Earthers

Henry Ford was a smart guy, but he never did the math when he decided to put every American household on wheels.

A century after the Model T, the world has a problem with cars. The U.S. and China will consume about 40 million light vehicles in 2015, according to IHS. Globally, we’re on track to hit 100 million vehicles in 2020.

That’s not a lot of cars. That’s an ocean of cars, an inundation, wave after wave breaking on the shores of the industrialized world. And yet policy makers and common folk alike have been powerless against the siren song of the automobile. Even in the most car-blighted burg in the world, the toxic parking lot they call Beijing, the appetite for the automobile—as status item, as luxury, as totem of personal mastery in a fragile postcolonial mind-set—is driving millions more into its smoggy embrace, despite limits on ownership and the government’s rising alarm.

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Advocates for stricter gun laws rally in Rockville

ROCKVILLE, Md. — The recent news of mass shootings has motivated dozens of people to leave their warm homes Sunday for a chilly sunset rally in Rockville to promote an end to gun violence.

“When it comes to gun violence too many people want to just look the other way,” said U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who represents portions of Montgomery, Frederick and Carroll counties.

Van Hollen, who is running for U.S. Senate, is in favor of a law that would require Americans to acquire a permit akin to a driver’s license before they could purchase a gun.

The Montgomery County chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence organized the event. One of the rally’s speakers was Cathy Mitchell, whose son was shot to death in D.C. by a 22-year-old man who had been arrested numerous times for illegal possession of a firearm.

“How can we not have gun registration? How can we not? There’s no reason,” Mitchell said during the rally.

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Minimum Wage Increases Do Not Reduce Reliance on Gov’t Assistance

Minimum wage increases do not reduce reliance on government assistance programs, according to a report from the Employment Policies Institute.

Some argue that by raising the minimum wage, individuals would participate less in social safety net programs, and in turn this would save taxpayers money. The institute has not found much proof to support this claim.

“Federal and state minimum wage increases have had no measurable impact on the use by working-age adults of SNAP, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Women, Infants, and Children program,” states the report. “In some specifications, they find evidence of an increase in the use of free and reduced-price lunches and housing subsidies following minimum wage increases.”

When looking at certain groups of minimum wage earners, the report finds that hiking the wage reduces reliance for government assistance for some at the expense of others, creating “winners and losers.” For example, after women with less work experience get a higher minimum wage, data finds some reduction in SNAP enrollment. At the same time, non-white employees and young individuals without a high-school diploma saw more reliance on the free and reduced lunch program.

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Why Isn't This All Over The Main Stream Media? (click on title)

Why isn't this front page news? Why? Why? and Why? This is absolutely disgusting. Where are these numbers and why don't we as a nation know them. WTF?

Posted by Rocco Castellano on Saturday, December 12, 2015

Md. leaders consider 'universal' voting registration

Maryland's top Democrats are looking at legislation that would automatically put every eligible state resident on the voting rolls, abandoning the traditional registration system.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch say they are seriously considering putting their weight behind a "universal voter registration" plan. If a change were approved, Maryland would join a small number of state legislatures, all led by Democrats, that passed laws to register people who did not take the initiative to register.

The policy would add hundreds of thousands of voters to rolls here — and faces deep objections from the Maryland Republican Party.

"This is all about the Democrats finding new voters. This is a joke," said Joe Cluster, executive director of the state GOP. "God forbid they actually go out there and register people to vote."

In Oregon, the first state to pass such a law, any eligible voter with a driver's license will be registered and sent a ballot by mail at election time. In California, eligible voters renewing a driver's license will be asked whether they want to opt out of registering to vote. If not, they'll be put on the rolls.

The proposal in Maryland could go further, culling information from several government databases to create a list of people who are eligible to vote and signing them up if they're not already registered. Those new voters would be notified that they could opt out if they wish.

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Third Democratic Presidential Debate: 9 Moments That Mattered

(MANCHESTER, NH.) -- At the final Democratic presidential primary debate of the year, tensions boiled over gun control, how to combat terrorism and the controversy that dominated the past 48 hours: A breach of the national party’s voter database.

The debate, hosted by ABC News and moderated by “World News Tonight” anchor David Muir and Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz, featured some of the most intense sparring yet, between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.

It began with an apology from Sanders to Clinton for a now-fired campaign employee who accessed some of her proprietary campaign data after a glitch from a Democratic National Committee’s computer vendor exposed it.

But that’s where the contrition ended.

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Troopers Investigate Possible Shots Fired During Road Rage Incident

Pike Creek, De. - The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a road rage incident in which shots were believed to be fired that occurred this evening in the Pike Creek area.

The incident occurred on Sunday, December 20, 2015, at approximately 7:07 p.m. as a 28 year old Wilmington, DE man was operating a vehicle and was traveling westbound on Stoney Batter Road when the suspect vehicle, a white Toyota Scion with an unknown Florida registration pulled out directly in front of the victim, which caused him to slam on his brakes. The suspect and the victim then both stopped at the light on Stoney Batter Road at Limestone Road and ended up next to each other. Both parties engaged in a verbal argument for a short time. The light turned green and both the suspect and the victim made a left turn and continued on Limestone Road southbound. The victim was in the left lane and the suspect sped up and pulled in front of him and slammed on his brakes. The victim then went past the suspect in the right lane, when he did the suspect threw a beverage container at this vehicle. The victim continued south on Limestone Road and entered the right turn lane for Linden Hill Road. The victim then stated that the suspect vehicle passed him in the right lane and when the suspect passed him, the victim heard four loud noises that the victim believed to be gun shots. The victim then stated that when he heard the shots, his rear driver's side passenger window shattered. The suspect vehicle then fled southbound on Limestone road (SR 7). The victim continued to turn right on Linden Hill Road and drove to the area Wawa and awaited police arrival. The victim was not injured.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 25 years of age with a thin build wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and brown hair. His vehicle is described as a white Toyota Scion with a blue tarp covering the front passenger window with an unknown Florida registration, a sticker next to the registration plate which was described as a black outline of the State of Delaware. He was possibly armed with an unknown make and model handgun.

If anyone has any information in reference to this incident, they are asked to contact Troop 6 at 302-660-3830. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, or by sending anonymous tips by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword DSP via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.

At Least One Killed, 36 Injured After Vehicle Hits Pedestrians on Las Vegas Strip

LAS VEGAS (TheBlaze/AP) — Police say a woman intentionally swerved her car onto a busy sidewalk two or three times Sunday and mowed down people outside a Las Vegas casino, killing one person and injuring at least 30 others.

Police say the black woman, who is in her 20s, had a 3-year-old child in the car with her at the time. The child was unharmed.

The woman who police said had recently arrived in Las Vegas drove a 1996 four-door Oldsmobile with Oregon license plates.

Lt. Dan McGrath says police now believe this was an intentional act by a woman in her 20s who “went up and off these streets, two or possibly three times.” The woman is being interviewed and is having her blood drawn. She is being held in jail with charges pending.

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Governor Hogan, Lt. Governor Rutherford Host Christmas Parties at Baltimore Community Centers

Governor, Lt. Governor Distribute Gifts at BIGGYS Community Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Center

ANNAPOLIS, MD –
Governor Larry Hogan today hosted a Christmas party at BIGGYS Community Center in Baltimore City. Governor Hogan was joined by First Lady Yumi Hogan, Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, and his wife, Monica. The governor and lieutenant governor handed out presents to nearly 200 children.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join with BIGGYS Community Center to celebrate Christmas today and help bring some happiness to these children,” said Governor Hogan. “BIGGYS is a shining example of people coming together to make an positive impact on their community."

"It's a pleasure to be here today with the governor and our families and help give these kids a great Christmas," said Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford. "Community centers like BIGGYS are crucial to opening up opportunities for children in urban areas and their families, and we are happy to do our part to support their efforts."

Later in the afternoon, Lt. Governor Rutherford, his wife Monica, and their two daughters, Lauren and Kristen, visited Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreational Center where they handed out presents to approximately 200 additional children.

The Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives and the Governor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism collected the presents through donations from Under Armour, Center for Social Change, and Bell Nurseries. Children and their families also enjoyed pictures with Santa as well as refreshments donated by Under Armour and local Wal-Mart stores.