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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Cajun Economics

Cajun Economics

It’s a slow day in Mamou, Louisiana. The sun is beating down and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.

On this particular day a traveling Shreveport salesman is driving through town. He stops at the Hotel Cazan and lays a $100 bill on the desk, saying he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one in which to spend the night.

As soon as the man walks upstairs, Bosco, the owner, grabs the bill and runs next door to pay his debt to Boudreaux the butcher.

Boudreaux takes the $100 and runs down the street to retire his debt to Trosclair the pig farmer.

Trosclair takes the $100 and heads off to pay his bill at T-Boy’s Farmers Co-op, the local supplier of feed and fuel.

T-Boy, at the Farmer’s Co-op, takes the $100 and runs to pay his debt to the local prostitute, Clarise, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer her services on credit.

Clarise rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill with Bosco, the hotel owner.

Bosco then places the $100 back on the counter so the travelling salesman will not suspect anything.

At that moment the salesman comes down the stairs, picks up the $100 bill, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, pockets the money, and leaves town.

The whole town is now out of debt. However, no one produced anything... no one earned anything...and no one has anything left.

And that, my friend, is how the United States Government has been conducting business lately!

Maryland State Police Arrest Cecil Co. Man on Sexual Solicitation Charges

(Cecil, MD) Maryland State Police investigators from the Maryland Computer Crimes Section, Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, arrested a Cecil County man on sexual solicitation related felony charges earlier today.

The suspect is identified as Stephen Scott., 28, of the 200 block of West Main Street, Elkton, MD. Scott was arrested without incident. He is charged with sexual solicitation of a law enforcement officer posing as a minor. Upon conviction, Scott faces up to ten years imprisonment and up to $25,000 in fines.

On Tuesday, February 14, 2017, the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted a proactive operation involving the online sexual solicitation of minors. During the covert operation Scott communicated online with an undercover police officer posing as a minor. He made statements expressing a desire to meet the minor and engage in sexual activity.

On Tuesday, February 21, 2017, Scott traveled to an undisclosed location in Elkton, MD for the encounter. Shortly after 6:30 a.m. during the operation, Scott was arrested without incident and transported and taken before a District Court Commissioner and held pending a bond hearing. Investigators from the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit conducted the covert operation.

The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is organized under the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Section. The task force is comprised of police agencies from around the state and its primary mission is to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. The Task Force works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to provide resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.

Stephen S. Scott

After an Officer Was Killed by a Just-Released Felon, Police Chief Tells Voters it’s Their Fault.

Two police officers were shot Monday in Whittier, California. Once has since died from his injuries. Now word is spreading that the suspect in the shooting was a recently released felon and this has many enraged.

Officer Keith Boyer was a 27 year veteran of the Whittier Police force. He and his partner were shot during what began as a routine traffic stop on Monday.

Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper, though, has more to say on the matter. He’s blaming the killing on a law signed by Governor Jerry Brown that aims to reduce prison overcrowding by letting inmates out early. In addition, he pointed the finger at voters who passed similar ballot initiatives.

“What I want to say to the community of Whittier, community surrounding Whittier and the state is, we need to wake up. Enough is enough. Passing these propositions, you’re creating these laws that are raising crime. It’s not good for our communities and it is not good for our officers. What you have today is an example of that.”

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In Kuwait, 'Too Many Foreigners' Becomes a Frequent Refrain

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait's first new government hospital in more than three decades will soon open its doors - but only to Kuwaiti citizens.

It's the latest in a series of steps targeting foreigners, including laborers who build high-rise towers, sweep the roads and clean toilets in this tiny oil-rich emirate: a group that far outnumbers the native population.

The 304 million dinar ($997 million) Jaber Hospital, about a 20-minute drive from downtown Kuwait City, is expected to open in the coming months. It will be the first government hospital built in Kuwait since 1984, taking some pressure off an overburdened public health system.

U.S. ally Kuwait, like other oil-rich Persian Gulf states, has for decades offered a free cradle-to-grave health care for its citizens, along with plenty of generous perks such as subsidized utility prices and housing grants.

But services have been fraying in recent years - despite the cushion of several hundred billion dollars that Kuwait has been building since the 1970s, mostly in a fund for future generations. That money, which stays out of the state budget, is meant to provide for Kuwaitis when the oil runs out. It carried Kuwait through the expenses of the seven-month Iraqi occupation and the 1991 U.S.-led Gulf War that liberated it.

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Iraqi suicide bomber was ex-Gitmo detainee

LONDON (AP) — A suicide bomber who attacked a military base in Iraq this week was a former Guantanamo Bay detainee freed in 2004 after Britain lobbied for his release, raising questions about the ability of security services to track the whereabouts of potential terrorists.

The Islamic State group identified the bomber as Abu Zakariya al-Britani, and two British security officials also confirmed the man was a 50-year-old Briton formerly known as Ronald Fiddler and as Jamal al-Harith.

He was one of 16 men paid a total of 10 million pounds (now worth $12.4 million) in compensation in 2010, when the British government settled a lawsuit alleging its intelligence agencies were complicit in the torture of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, according to the officials.

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Chesapeake oyster proposal alarms environmentalists

WASHINGTON — A state report to the Maryland Oyster Advisory Commission has drawn criticism from some environmental groups.

The report, which suggests opening up to 1,000 acres of habitat to watermen, has alarmed groups such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. It issued a statement saying there is no scientific justification for the change.

“The draft plan heavily weighs the desires of the commercial seafood industry to harvest in sanctuaries,” said Alison Prost, the foundation’s Maryland executive director, in a statement.

“Sanctuaries are our best hope of restoring the oyster population in the Chesapeake Bay,” Prost said.

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ISIS suicide bomber in Iraq was former Gitmo detainee

A terror suspect who received a seven-figure payoff after he claimed he was tortured while being held at Guantanamo Bay blew himself up in a suicide bombing in Iraq, according to reports Tuesday.

ISIS claimed responsibility and praised Abu-Zakariya al-Britani, a British-born suicide bomber, for the attack near Mosul, where Iraqi forces are battling ISIS fighters for control of the city.

“The martyrdom-seeking brother Abu Zakariya al-Britani — may Allah accept him — detonated his explosives-laden vehicle on a headquarters of the Rafidhi army and its militias in Tal Kisum village, southwest of Mosul,” the terrorist group said.

The statement did not say when the bombing took place or whether there were casualties.

But The Associated Press reported that a series of suicide bombings in that area of Mosul on Sunday killed at least seven soldiers.

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Burger King owner to buy Popeye's for $1.8B

The company that owns Burger King added to its fast-food empire, announcing Tuesday that it had reached a deal to acquire chicken chain Popeyes for $1.8 billion.

Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King and coffee-shop chain Tim Hortons, said it had agreed to purchase the rapidly growing company formally known as Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for $79 per share.

Popeyes has more than 2,600 locations, about double what it had in 2008, and about 97% are franchises.

Restaurant Brands said it would seek to "continue developing the brand at an increasing pace" in the U.S. and foreign markets.

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HEARING ALERT: The Repeat Sexual Predator Prevention Act of 2017

Important Legislation Gives Courts More Tools To Prosecute Repeat Sexual OffendersNote: House Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearing on HB 369 on February 21, 2017, 1:00 PM  
“The first part of our plan is the Repeat Sexual Predator Prevention Act of 2017. This is a bipartisan measure modeled after Senator Brochin’s Prior Bad Acts bill. It will allow a court to admit evidence of a defendant’s prior history of sexual assaults, during prosecution for subsequent sexual offenses.” - Governor Larry Hogan, January 12, 2017
Governor Hogan Has A Record Of Protecting Victims Of Sexual Predators
In 2016, Governor Hogan Signed Legislation To Prohibit District Court Commissioners From Issuing The Pretrial Release Of Out Of State Sex Offenders. “A District Court commissioner may not authorize the pretrial release of a defendant who… is a sex offender who is required to register by another jurisdiction, a federal, military, or tribunal court, or a foreign government.” (“House Bill 166,” Maryland General Assembly, 5/19/16)
In 2016, Governor Hogan Signed Legislation That Requires All Schools To Implement Prevention-Oriented Child Sexual Abuse Program. “The State Board and each nonpublic school in the state shall develop and implement a program of age-appropriate education on the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault.” (House Bill 72,” Maryland General Assembly, 5/19/16)
  • Maryland Joined 26 Other States That Teach Include Sexual Assault Awareness As Part Of Their Curriculum.“Erin’s Law would bring Maryland in line with 26 other states in what kids learn about sexual assault. The bill requires lessons on personal body safety. Children are taught that if they are being sexually abused, not to keep it a secret, but to tell someone.” (“Erin’s Law Headed For Gov. Hogan’s Desk," WMAR3/29/16)
In August 2016, Governor Hogan Secured $1 Million In Funding To Support Individuals Impacted By Sexual Assault And Human Trafficking In Baltimore City. “Governor Larry Hogan today announced administration plans to provide at least $1 million in grant funding to local organizations committed to serving and supporting victims of sexual assault and human trafficking in Baltimore City. As addressed in the recent report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), victims of sexual assault and human trafficking are in need of greater levels of support and protection.” (Press Release, “Governor Larry Hogan Announces $1 Million In Funding For Victims Of Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking In Baltimore City,” Office Of The Governor, 8/18/16)
In November 2016, Governor Hogan Announced Over $46 Million In Victims Of Crime Act Victim Assistance Grants.Governor Larry Hogan today announced that over $46 million in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance federal grants will be awarded to state and local agencies and nonprofit organizations that provide assistance, services, and treatment for Maryland citizens who have been victims of crime… VOCA Victim Assistance grants are awarded to organizations that provide direct services to a wide array of crime victims. These agencies include sexual assault and rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs and shelters, child abuse programs, mental health services, and programs for underserved victims.” (Press Release, “Governor Larry Hogan Announces Over $46 Million In Federal Funding For Crime Victims,” Office Of The Governor, 11/21/16)  

Police Stop Giving High Fives To Kids Because It Makes Illegal Immigrants Uncomfortable


Police officers in a Massachusetts town are no longer allowed to give kids high fives as they enter their elementary school because it reportedly makes illegal immigrants and minority students feel uncomfortable.

Known as the “High Five Friday” program, police officers would happily greet children with smiling faces and an open palm to smack as they entered the educational institution.

“It was presented as an inexpensive (aka free) way for police officers to positively engage with youth in their communities and to show support for local schools. We loved the idea!” the Northampton Police Department announced in a statement Saturday. “Everyone was on board. Principals and teachers communicated the High Five Friday plan to staff, students, and families. We went to all of the elementary schools, exchanged high fives, and even snuck in some playground time with kids.”

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JUST IN: Administration to lift transgender bathroom guidance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will revoke federal guidelines telling public schools to let transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity, a government official said Wednesday.

The decision, not yet announced, would be a reversal of an Obama-era directive issued in May requiring public schools to grant bathroom access even if the student's chosen gender identity isn't the same as what's in the student's record. That guidance will be rescinded, though anti-bullying safeguards will not be affected by the change, a government official with direct knowledge of the Trump administration's plans told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans and did so on condition of anonymity.

Although the guidance carried no force of law, transgender rights advocates say it was necessary to protect students from discrimination. Opponents argued it was overreach.

President Donald Trump believes the issue is for states to decide without the involvement of the federal government, the White House said.

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Speed Camera Repeal Legislation

A bill repealing the authority to use speed cameras and red light cameras (House Bill 536) is scheduled for a hearing on February 23rd in the the House Environment and Transportation Committee.

The bill SPONSORS who are pushing to end Maryland's corrupt and broken speed camera law, are:
Warren miller, Christopher Adams, Steven Arentz Jerry Clark, Mark Fisher, William Folden, Robin Grammer, Kevin Hornberger, Seth Howard, Susan Krebs, Susan Mccomas, Tony Mcconkey, Matt Morgan, Charles Otto, April Rose, Sid Saab, and Haven Shoemaker. These lawmakers are the ones who want to REPEAL speed cameras.

House Bill 536 would ban both speed cameras and red light cameras. Speed cameras have been particularly criticized since 2012 when it was discovered that Baltimore City has erroneously cited thousands of innocent motorists for speeding. The city's own audit found that as many as 10% of all citations were due to errors, meaning 1 in 10 motorists cited were actually innocent of what they were accused of. Cases included documented examples of "speeding" vehicles that were not even moving, and large trucks falsely cited for traveling twice their actual speed. Local governments and speed camera contractors had previously lied, telling the public that their equipment could not be wrong because it was "tested and calibrated", and that "if you don't speed you won't get a ticket", even though speed camera vendor Xerox later needed to acknowledge that even properly calibrated equipment could be subject to what they called "radar effects". Similar errors have been reported elsewhere in the state, including in College Park, Brentwood, New Carrollton, Forest Heights, Cheverly, and Montgomery County.

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A Viewer Writes: Appreciation

Although I now live three hours away, I just wanted to drop a line to say thank you for STILL being my number one news source.

Thank you Joe!

Kent County Man Convicted of Poaching 17-Point Buck


Sentenced Under Maryland’s New Anti-Poaching Law

A Kent County man convicted Tuesday of illegally killing a potential state record white-tailed deer was ordered to pay a fine, make restitution to the state and perform community service.

Ronald Wayne Roe, 28, of Worton, was found guilty on all counts of trespassing and poaching stemming from the shooting of a 17-point buck September on private property.
District Judge John Nunn III sentenced Roe to pay $5,000 in restitution and perform 80 hours of community service, as mandated by the state’s anti-poaching law. Roe also received a $500 fine – $250 suspended – and three years of unsupervised probation. His hunting privileges were suspended for two years. The trial lasted two days over the course of two months.

Joseph Bogdan, the landowner who had targeted the massive buck for several years only to have Roe shoot it, told Judge Nunn it was “the kind of deer that makes a good neighbor a bad neighbor.” At first, he said, he congratulated Roe but as the facts came out “it went sour after that. The deer was baited, killed and gutted on my property.”
A scorer for the Boone and Crockett Club, which measures deer antlers for possible records, said the rack was 212 7/8 total inches. That would have secured the club’s top spot for Maryland crossbow hunters and a top 10 overall state ranking.

The case began on Sept. 12, when officers received a call from a Kent County resident about a suspected case of illegal hunting involving a large buck. An officer located two piles of bait on Bogdan’s property adjacent to land owned by Roe and where he had placed a tree stand. The officer also found a blood trail leading from the bait to the spot where a buck had been field dressed.

Roe told police that he shot the deer with a crossbow on his property but that it died on his neighbor’s property. However, friends called by Roe after he killed the deer contradicted that account, testifying they helped drag the carcass to his property and then to his vehicle. Bogdan’s property was posted with “No Trespassing” signs in numerous locations.

Harriet Tubman memorial park to open in Md

WASHINGTON — Work is nearly complete on a new joint state and national park on Maryland’s Eastern Shore that will honor one of the country’s champions of freedom and human rights.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park, in Dorchester County, is scheduled to open to the public the weekend of March 11. Federal and state officials are expected to gather at the 17-acre park for an opening ceremony on March 10 — the anniversary of Tubman’s death.

The park includes a visitor center, garden and picnic pavilion.

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Wells Fargo fires 4 senior managers in scandal inquiry

Wells Fargo's board of directors fired four senior managers as part of its investigation into the bank's sales practices scandal.

Tuesday's announcement is the first public firing of managers and executives since Wells acknowledged in September that its employees opened two million bank and credit card accounts without customer authorization in order to meet lofty sales goals.

When the scandal first broke, Wells had said it had fired roughly 5,300 employees as a result of the scandal, the vast majority of them lower-level workers.

Numerous branch employees have said that intense sales pressure from senior managers was at least partially why they were driven to open the accounts.

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Report Indicates Nearly One-Third Of Worcester Households Struggling Financially

SALISBURY – Approximately 31 percent of households in Worcester County are struggling to afford basic needs, according to a recent United Way report on Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) individuals. But statistics show these percentages are higher in half of the county’s municipalities identified in the data.

In a snapshot of six municipalities – Berlin, West Ocean City, Ocean City, Ocean Pines, Snow Hill and Pocomoke – a larger proportion of households in three of the aforementioned towns – Pocomoke, Snow Hill and Berlin – suffer from some sort of financial instability.

Approximately 56 percent of Pocomoke’s 1,484 households, 47 percent of Snow Hill’s 912 households, and 35 percent of Berlin’s 1,635 households are living below the ALICE threshold – with incomes either below the cost of living or below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

Pam Gregory, community impact director for United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore (one of nine United Way partners of the report), said many factors account for the high percentage of working households within the county struggling to afford basic necessities – housing, food, transportation, childcare, healthcare, taxes and other miscellaneous costs.

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More Awful Media Coverage of a Radiation Incident

It's happening again. Here are some exciting radiation headlines from the Web:

Deadly radioactive particles are found across Europe, and scientists have no idea where they came from -- Daily Mail

Concerns Grow About A Nuclear "Incident" In Europe After Spike In Radioactive Iodine Levels -- ZeroHedge

U.S. Air Force deploys WC-135 nuclear sniffer aircraft to UK as spike of radioactive Iodine levels is detected in Europe -- The Aviationist

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE? Dangerous radioactive particles have been detected across Europe and no-one knows where they came from

Scientists baffled after detecting cancer-causing chemical that's produced during nuclear disasters or atomic bomb blasts -- The Sun (UK)

Like the recent Fukushima follies, again we have a combination of clickbait headlines and pig ignorance about radiation, and like the last one, I'm willing to bet we'll be seeing stories about how everyone is DOOMED. So once again, let's look at the facts first.

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Md. bill would ticket drivers who block 4-way intersections


ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Drivers who enter an intersection but fail to cross it by the time the light turns red would be subject to a ticket and fine under a “don’t block the box” bill that’s advancing through the General Assembly.

The goal of the bill is to address the problem of traffic congestion, to make the state’s roadways and intersections safer and to increase the road capacity during busy hours, said Del. Al Carr, D-Montgomery County.

Both Carr and Capt. Thomas Didone, director of the traffic division of the Montgomery County police, pointed out a handful of intersections in Montgomery County where blocking the box affects the flow of traffic, including Georgia Avenue and Seminary Road; Connecticut Avenue and Knowles Avenue; Connecticut Avenue near Bradley Lane; and Md. 355 and Md. 124.

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ALERT from the Far Side



JUST IN: Trump just did the most horrendous thing. He dared to use a Kleenex instead of his typical linen hankie when he sneezed during this morning's budget meeting at the White House. 

Will Kleenex survive the backlash of his endorsement? 

Some Democrat spokespersons have indicated Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer will be leading the charge to oust Kleenex from market chains throughout America. Multiple Liberal groups have piled on, preparing protests for the entire month of March and into April.

Just another day in Trump Deranged Hysteria... More lies at 5, 6 & 11!

Rioting erupts in immigrant-dominated Swedish suburb

Riots erupted in a heavily immigrant Stockholm suburb Monday night, as masked looters set cars ablaze and threw rocks at cops, injuring one police officer, Swedish officials said.

The violence in Rinkeby began around 8 p.m., when officers arrested a suspect at an underground station on drug charges, The Local reported. A group soon gathered, hurling rocks and other objects at officers and prompting one cop to fire his gun “in a situation that demanded he use his firearm,” police spokesman Lars Bystrom said.

“But nobody has been found injured at the scene and we have checked the hospitals and there hasn’t been anyone with what could be gunshot wounds,” Bystrom added.

It came just days after President Trump was mocked during a Saturday campaign rally for mentioning Sweden alongside a list of European targets of terror. Trump later said his “You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden” remark was in response to a Fox News report on the country’s refugee crime crisis that aired on Friday evening.

More here

Think about it

Group that has gone against many conservatives including Donald Trump, tweeted this. Are these people really worth anyone's time? Think about it.
Should PACs like this even be legal in America? This goes well beyond 1A rights in the Constitution. This is racism!

Lawmakers to Request Probe of $418M Arms Sale to Kenya on Obama’s Last Day

A group of lawmakers is planning to request a congressional investigation of a $418 million U.S. weapons sale to Kenya approved by the Obama administration on its last day in office.

The sale, approved by the State Department and privately notified to Congress on January 19, would allow Kenya to buy 14 weaponized crop-duster-like planes — including two trainer planes and services, for missions against terrorist group al-Shabaab.

The deal was publicly announced the Monday after Trump’s inauguration.

A handful of lawmakers, led by Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC), are questioning why the contract to produce the planes was awarded to major defense firm L3 Technologies — which has never produced such a plane — while a smaller, disabled veteran-owned company in North Carolina that already make those planes at a lower cost was not considered.

The Mooresville, N.C. company, IOMAX USA Inc., costed out 14 planes at $237 million dollars, according to a Budd aide.

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Poll: 80 Percent of Americans Back Sanctuary City Crackdown

Americans overwhelmingly believe illegal immigrants arrested for crimes in so-called sanctuary cities ought to turned over to federal authorities, an online poll shows.

The Harvard-Harris survey provided to The Hill, posted Tuesday, found 80 percent of voters say local authorities should have to comply with the law by reporting to federal agents the illegal immigrants with whom they come in contact.

Further, the poll found 52 percent support President Donald Trump's two executive orders allowing the building of a border wall and increasing the number of immigration officers, and for finding a way to revoke federal funds for sanctuary cities.

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Marine Le Pen Refuses to Wear Headscarf, Cancels Islamic Leader Meeting


Marine Le Pen, one of France's leading presidential candidates, refused to wear a headscarf Monday to meet with a top Islamic leader in Lebanon and canceled the meeting instead.

Officials at Lebanon's leading Sunni authority, Dar al-Fatwa, said Le Pen was told beforehand that she needed to wear a headscarf to her meeting with Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, according to Bloomberg.

The officials charged France's far-right National Front party candidate refused to wear the headscarf and declined to meet after she arrived at Dar al-Fatwa's Beirut headquarters and was reminded of the requirement.

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Nearly 1M Illegal Aliens Ordered Deported Are Still Free

Almost one million illegal aliens living in the U.S. who have been ordered deported remain free.

In total, 680 illegal aliens were detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in the last week, a fraction compared to the some 950,062 with deportation orders yet to be detained, according to figures from the Washington Examiner.

ICE Director Thomas Homan told the Examiner that “As of May 21, 2016, there were 950,062 aliens with final orders of removal on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) national docket. Of those aliens, 939,056 were on ICE’s non-detained docket and 11,006 were on ICE’s detained docket.”

As Breitbart Texas reported, some of those 680 illegal immigrants arrested and detained are MS-13 gang members, child sex offenders, rapists and drug traffickers.

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Who Are the Real Obstructionists?

Remember in 2014 when the Demo Congressional Campaign was complaining, “No president in U.S. history has faced the level of obstruction that Barack Obama has”? Good times. Here’s a rundown of confirmation times compared to those of the previous cabinet:

State: Rex Tillerson (13 days) vs. Hillary Clinton (2 days)
Treasury: Steve Mnuchin (25 days) vs. Timothy Geithner (7 days)
Justice: Jeff Sessions (20 days) vs. Eric Holder (14 days)
Education: Betsy DeVos (19 days) vs. Arne Duncan (1 day)
Veterans Affairs: David Shulkin (25 days) vs. Eric Shinseki (1 day)
HUD: Ben Carson (still waiting) vs. Shaun Donovan (3 days)
Energy: Rick Perry (still waiting) vs. Steven Chu (1 day)
Agriculture: Sonny Perdue (still waiting) vs. Tom Vilsack (1 day)
Interior: Ryan Zinke (still waiting) vs. Ken Salazar (1 day)

More here

FINALLY: PRO TRUMP RALLY

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SATURDAY MARCH 11, 8:45am SHARP, LOOK FOR OUR RALLY CAPTAINS WHO WILL BE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET IN FRONT OF FOOD LION PARKING LOT ( ROUTE 611 JUST OFF ROUTE 50 EAST-BOUND) AND YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO PARKING AREAS.  BRING YOUR PRO-AMERICA, PRO-TRUMP, PRO-WALL, PRO-EXTREME VETTING, etc SIGNS . . . AND WEAR YOUR GREEN!  
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Appeals Court Upholds Maryland Assault Weapons Ban

A federal appeals court has upheld Maryland's ban on 45 assault weapons and a 10-round limit on gun magazines.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, issued the ruling Tuesday.

The court ruled that the banned assault weapons "are not protected by the Second Amendment."

The court says: "Put simply, we have no power to extend Second Amendment protections to weapons of war" that the Supreme Court's decision in District of Columbia v. Heller explicitly excluded from such coverage.

Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh led the push to pass the law in 2013. He praised the ruling, describing it as "very strong."

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Steven Crowder Pranks Liberal Churches -Will They Accept Refugees?

Just in case any of you have ever been curious about what “virtue-signaling” looks like…look no further. Just look at the world and its’ reaction to the Muslim refugee crisis that’s circulating through.

Take a look at celebrities like J.K. Rowling who just cannot wait to tell Twitter fans how much she cares about the migrants, while at the same time totally failing herself to take in any migrants to care for with room and board. Of course this is despite have plenty of space and money to do so mind you.

As long as it’s someone else who is taking them in…just not them, right?

So with this in mind one of my favorites, Crowder went ahead and decided to prank call some local progressive churches and ask one of them a simple question.

How many refugees will you take in?

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Salisbury Fire Department February 2017 Newsletter


This newsletter has 13 pages. It make take longer than usual to load.  Use the scroll bar on the right to scroll through the pages.

Today's Feminism: Too Much Marketing, Not Enough Reality

I'm a black woman of a certain age, a divorced mom of two teenagers who has no choice but to focus daily on the challenges of keeping a home, my family and myself on track. I'm college-educated, work in media communications, am precariously middle-class — and I am tired of what I witness of today's feminism.

I'd hoped that the Women's March might help me update my perception of feminism, at least as it is commonly portrayed and disseminated of late.

I'd followed the back and forth in the alternative and mainstream press during its hurried, urgent formation, and chalked up reports about internal squabbles over the race and class makeup of the group's leadership to the same kind of growing pains that beset every activist group that I've ever followed or covered during my years in newsrooms. But now, a month after the Women's March masterfully pulled off a massive protest in D.C. that also inspired similar ones in major American and global cities, my nascent investigation of the March 8 'general strike' and 'day without women' raised only more concerns, and a few questions, all located in what I see as a big void in today's marketing-driven expression of 'feminism.'

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How the media are doing everything they can to confuse the living daylights out of you

Failing.

After President Trump's press conference last week, the liberal media went into its normal meltdown since he did not do it their way. You know, pandering to them because they are supposed to be the elites of media, they want to set the narrative in the media with their leading and off-priority questions, and not once being able to get a collective gotcha question to put the president on defense.

Instead, it was the president's press conference and not theirs.

A montage of liberal media responses we shared on my radio show described the press conference as anything but positive – accusing him of whining and even of being un-American, to mention just a few of their narrratives.

Jake Trapper of CNN looked right into the CNN camera and said, "Mr. President, stop whining and get to work." Of course, what they call whining is really just setting the record straight, because there has been so much fake and false "news" reported about the new administration's first four weeks in office.

Maybe Jake and the CNN producers should look at the Townhall.com's compilation of "Donald Trump’s Top 10 Accomplishments in His First Month in Office - John Hawkins". From that list it seems to me he's been real busy working for the people, businesses, and our national security.

Chuck Todd of NBC's Meet the Press called Trump's presser "un-American.”

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A Viewer Writes: Vote NO on SB354

Dear Senator Mathias, please choose to be always working for LIFE and vote NO on SB354.

I cannot understand how politicians can believe they have the right to regulate the deaths of innocents. Look around at those who surround you in the MD legislature - are you willing to let them regulate the end of your life?

You were able to stand up against your Party to vote against the repeal of the death penalty - please stand strong and represent your and your constituents' GOD-given values of LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

FLASHBACK: Fewer fires, so why are there far more firefighters?

Fred S. McChesney is a professor of law and economics at the University of Miami who studies the intersection of economics and public institutions.

If you want to chat with a firefighter or see a fire truck up close, you can go down to the local firehouse at any time of day. The crew will probably be there, lifting weights or washing down the already gleaming red engines. Career firefighters usually live at the firehouse for a day or two, then take as many as three days off. Between eating and sleeping at the station, they mop floors, clean toilets and landscape the yard — with a few hours set aside daily for training and drills. Mid-morning, you’ll find several of them at the local supermarket doing the day’s grocery shopping.

In other words, being a firefighter these days doesn’t involve a lot of fighting fire.

Rapid improvements in fire safety have caused a dramatic drop in the number of blazes,according to the National Fire Protection Association. Buildings are constructed with fire-resistant materials; clothing and curtains are made of flame-retardant fabrics; and municipal laws mandate sprinkler systems and smoke detectors. The striking results: On highways, vehicle fires declined 64 percent from 1980 to 2013. Building fires fell 54 percent during that time. When they break out, sprinkler systems almost always extinguish the flames before firefighters can turn on a hose.

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Berlin Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Producing Child Pornography


Admitted that Over a 25 Year Period He had Sexual Contact with at Least Four Minors

Baltimore, Maryland –David Edward Weatherholtz, age 57, of Berlin, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of producing child pornography.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein;Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Worcester County Sheriff Reggie T. Mason, Sr.; Worcester County State’s Attorney Beau Oglesby; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

According to his plea agreement, from at least August 1990 through his arrest in 2015, Weatherholtz had sexual contact and/or sexual intercourse with at least four minors, including family members and a child whom he mentored and taught as owner of the theater business named “OC Jamboree” in Ocean City, Maryland.

On December 3, 2014, an undercover detective corporal with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to a sexually explicit ad placed on an internet website. Records obtained from the website identified Weatherholtz as the person who posted the advertisement and further indicated that the ad was one of many posted by Weatherholtz from 2009 to December 2014 for the purpose of meeting young males interested in sex.

Why Does the Muslim World Deny the Holocaust?

Experts reveal the Israel connection to Arab Holocaust denial, and the Palestinian role in the genocide of half a million Jews in Hungary.

A conference on Holocaust denial in the Muslim world was held at Bar-Ilan University this week ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day on Thursday, featuring numerous academics, several journalists, and Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch.

At the event Arutz Sheva got a chance to speak with Dr. Mordechai Kedar of Bar-Ilan University, a renowned expert of Arabic and the Arab world.

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Exclusive Rand Paul: Repeal Now, Replace Now!

Weak-kneed Republicans are starting to stammer, talk of delay and say we can’t repeal all of Obamacare. One GOP plan even keeps the Obamacare taxes. Another GOP plan says to blue states: “If you like Obamacare, you can keep it!” and red states will pay for it. Other GOP plans want to keep Obamacare subsidies but rename them refundable tax credits.

Conservatives need to unite behind immediate and complete repeal!

At the same time, conservatives need to rally to a plan that allows more people to buy insurance at a cheaper price. I have just such a plan, and it is gaining momentum.

We should not hesitate. Repeal and Replacement should happen as soon as humanly possible.

Each day, more stories appear about when to repeal, when and how to replace, and every day it seems some in my party lose their nerve.

Let me be as clear as I possibly can: The time is NOW.

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Senator Eckardt Legislative Update, February 16

Senator Adelaide Eckardt, District 37
Legislative Weekly Update

February 16, 2017
SENATE BILL 343 FAVORABLE WITH AMENDMENT

Senate Bill 343 - Bay Restoration Eligible Costs - Expansion passed the Senate!
Congratulation to the Murphy family's Double Trouble Farm for being the first Maryland poultry operation to install cutting-edge technology that converts poultry litter to energy!
GOVERNOR HOGAN VISITS THE EASTERN SHORE
 
Governor Larry Hogan toured the Eastern Shore announcing state funding for Lower Eastern Shore initiatives! The Governor announced state funding for Lower Eastern Shore Initiatives. These initiatives include Salisbury’s Downtown Revitalization Plan, improvements for the Smith Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, and construction at West Salisbury Elementary School and Parkside High School.
 
The Governor, Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder, and others toured the Murphy family’s Double Trouble Farm. Double Trouble Farm is the first Maryland poultry operation to install cutting-edge technology that convert poultry litter to energy.  Biomass Heating Solutions, Inc., a national ranked company headquartered in Ireland, were awarded an animal waste technology grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture to help the Murphy family’s farm with innovative projects. The Maryland’s Animal Waste Technology Fund is a grant program that provides funding to companies that demonstrate innovative technologies. This project is a small scale of future opportunities that maintain a signification industry in Maryland while improving our water quality for the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries.
Happy to welcome members of the Eastern Shore Boards of Education at MABE Day (Maryland Association of Boards of Educators) in Annapolis!
Dorchester County has requested the following pieces of legislation
  • Senate Bill 621 – Dorchester County – Alcoholic Beverages – Class A Supermarket License - SB 621 would authorize the Board of License Commissioners of Dorchester County to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages in supermarkets in the County. The Board of License Commissioners in Dorchester County will be authorized to issue either Class A beer or Class A beer and wine license to supermarkets that meet the code. The sale of alcoholic beverages in designated supermarkets would be sold in enclosed areas within the stores. The issuance of these types of licenses to supermarkets will enhance local economy in Dorchester County. Currently, Dorchester County is competing with Talbot County, as Talbot County remains the only county to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages in supermarkets. The passage of SB 621 will promote the growth of local businesses and supermarkets. SB 621 will heard in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on February 24, 2017.
 
  • Senate Bill 956 – Dorchester County Board of Education – Nonprofessional Personnel Appointment – Advice and Consent -  SB 956 requires the Dorchester County Superintendent of Schools to appoint specified clerical and nonprofessional personnel with the advice and consent of the Dorchester County Board of Education. Since the elected Dorchester County Board of Education members have fiscal responsibility and control of the public school system budget, the local board wishes to participate in the hiring process of specified personnel. This bill will be presented in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on February 22, 2017.
     
 
  • Senate Bill 957 – Counties and Municipalities – Land Bank Authorities - SB 957 would help establish a land bank authority for local municipalities and counties. As a response to the growing number of vacant and abandoned homes within Dorchester County, the establishment of a land bank would help the local government convert these liabilities into assets. This bill will be in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on March 8, 2017.
 
  • Senate Bill 1033 - Residential Property - Vacant and Abandoned Property - Expedited Foreclosure - Finally, SB 1033 would also help the blighted and vacant housing concern in Dorchester County. This bill would require the circuit court to act on petitions for vacant or abandoned properties under specified circumstances. SB 1033 will be a critical component in the development and redevelopment efforts in Dorchester County. This proposed legislation will be scheduled a hearing within the Senate Rules Committee soon.

Please do not hesitate to contact my office with your thoughts and opinions on these bills.
Affordable Care Act 
 
Proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be determined this year. The legislature is currently discussing concerns and impacts on Maryland. Maryland has historically developed a cost effective system of care before the ACA and will adapt with changes as this occurs. The legislature in the past put in various elements of the ACA including guaranteed issue and continuous coverage until age 26.
 
Maryland is the only state in the nation that, for 40 years, has had a Medicare Waiver – the All-Payer system whereby all hospitals, in the state, are reimbursed, the same, regardless of whether the individual has Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance. There are no public and private hospitals in Maryland. Through the Maryland Health Service Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) Maryland receives more federal money because the cost of care in hospitals is maintained below the national average. The waiver was renegotiated recently in anticipation of providing expanded primary care to all citizens and an agreement was reached allowing Maryland to continue receiving those federal funds so long as costs continued to decrease below the national average. The increased costs have been incurred through hospital emergency rooms because those without insurance, by federal law, must be treated in the ER’s and the hospitals have paid for those services (uncompensated care).
 
Communities can develop proposals to provide health care to special populations who have used the ER to establish innovative approaches for access to care to get people enrolled in health insurance or to obtain Medical Assistance. Many communities, including the Mid-Shore counties, have done so and there has been an increase in access to care, all of which is good news.
EASTERN SHORE DELEGATION

Last week, the Eastern Shore Delegation welcomed James White, Executive Director of the Maryland Port Administration. Mr. White provided the Delegation with a quick update on the Port of Baltimore. Recently, the Port of Baltimore was named most productive port in the nation for the third consecutive time. Baltimore remains the largest port for imported sugar in the United States and ranks 9th in overall foreign cargo value. The port has tremendous economic impacts on the State of Maryland as it generates approximately 33,920 jobs. As it relates to the Eastern Shore, a number of importers and exporters on the Shore use the Port of Baltimore to help their businesses. For example, the Chesapeake Equipment Realerevival Brewing Company, Maryland Plastics Inc., and M&M Refrigeration are companies within the Mid-Shore that utilize the Port.
 
The Delegation also heard presentations from Chris Garvey, President and CEO of the Associated Builders & Contractors of the Chesapeake Shores Chapter. Mr. Garvey presented the need for construction workers and to end the stigma for Career and Technical Education. As the construction industry is rapidly growing, school systems need to promote the opportunity for work force training. 
 
Senator Adelaide Eckardt
District 37 – Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot, Wicomico Counties
410-841-3590; 410-221-6561