DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Parkland dad uncovers how district enabled deranged student-turned-shooter
After the deadly Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., national media focused largely on a handful of student activists, leaving it to victims’ parents to unravel why the slaughter happened. Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow, was one of the 17 killed, conducted his own investigation to uncover the roots of what he calls the most avoidable mass murder in American history. He and Max Eden are co-authors of “Why Meadow Died: The People and Policies that Created the Parkland Shooter and Endanger America’s Students.” This adapted excerpt, based on never-before-released educational records of the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, shows the Broward County school district knew full well about his obsession with guns and murder — and then let him practice shooting at school.
When staff at Westglades Middle School heard that Nikolas Cruz had committed the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, some couldn’t believe it. The fact that he was a mass murderer wasn’t what surprised them, but rather the fact that he had attended that school.
“How is that possible?” one Westglades educator recalled thinking. “We did our jobs. It took forever, but we got him [to the specialized school] where he needed to go. We couldn’t believe they ever let him into [Douglas].”
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When staff at Westglades Middle School heard that Nikolas Cruz had committed the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, some couldn’t believe it. The fact that he was a mass murderer wasn’t what surprised them, but rather the fact that he had attended that school.
“How is that possible?” one Westglades educator recalled thinking. “We did our jobs. It took forever, but we got him [to the specialized school] where he needed to go. We couldn’t believe they ever let him into [Douglas].”
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Study: Teens Who Hold Off On Dating Have Better Social Skills, Less Depressed
In contrast to every movie or television show you’ve ever seen about teenagers in high school, a new study has found that teens who don’t date are happier, less depressed, and more adept at dealing with a variety of social situations.
It’s generally believed that dating is a perfectly healthy part of being a teenager. Forming a romantic connection for the first time can help teens’ grow their self-esteem, mature on an emotional level, and develop important social skills for later on in life. While all of that still holds true, researchers from the University of Georgia say that not dating can be just as, if not more, beneficial for teens.
The research team discovered that teens who had not dated during middle or high school displayed good social skills, low levels of depression, and generally fared equal to or better than their classmates who were dating.
“The majority of teens have had some type of romantic experience by 15 to 17 years of age, or middle adolescence,” explains doctoral student and the study’s lead author Brooke Douglas in a release. “This high frequency has led some researchers to suggest that dating during teenage years is a normative behavior. That is, adolescents who have a romantic relationship are therefore considered ‘on time’ in their psychological development.”
More here
It’s generally believed that dating is a perfectly healthy part of being a teenager. Forming a romantic connection for the first time can help teens’ grow their self-esteem, mature on an emotional level, and develop important social skills for later on in life. While all of that still holds true, researchers from the University of Georgia say that not dating can be just as, if not more, beneficial for teens.
The research team discovered that teens who had not dated during middle or high school displayed good social skills, low levels of depression, and generally fared equal to or better than their classmates who were dating.
“The majority of teens have had some type of romantic experience by 15 to 17 years of age, or middle adolescence,” explains doctoral student and the study’s lead author Brooke Douglas in a release. “This high frequency has led some researchers to suggest that dating during teenage years is a normative behavior. That is, adolescents who have a romantic relationship are therefore considered ‘on time’ in their psychological development.”
More here
Conservative network files $10M defamation lawsuit against MSNBC and Rachel Maddow
One America News Network filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against Rachel Maddow and MSNBC in California's southern district Monday.
The complaint alleges that the dispute began a week after OAN president Charles Herring "called out and objected to Comcast's anti-competitive censorship in an email to Comcast's President of Content Acquisition," according to a press release from the network. It then alleges that shortly after that Maddow opened her show by saying OAN "really, literally is paid Russian propaganda."
While it's not entirely clear exactly what segment OAN is taking exception with, they allege that Maddow and MSNBC "knew this statement was false and that they acted maliciously and recklessly in making it," adding that it was "meant to damage OAN's business and reputation."
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The complaint alleges that the dispute began a week after OAN president Charles Herring "called out and objected to Comcast's anti-competitive censorship in an email to Comcast's President of Content Acquisition," according to a press release from the network. It then alleges that shortly after that Maddow opened her show by saying OAN "really, literally is paid Russian propaganda."
While it's not entirely clear exactly what segment OAN is taking exception with, they allege that Maddow and MSNBC "knew this statement was false and that they acted maliciously and recklessly in making it," adding that it was "meant to damage OAN's business and reputation."
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Happy Timers season starts this week
Happy Timers season starts this week
Drop-in program is for ages 50-plus
SALISBURY, Md. – Wicomico County Recreation & Parks’ Happy Timers program kicks off its 2019-2020 season this week.
The group, for men and women ages 50-plus, meets in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center Da Nang Rooms from September through May on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m.-noon.
A Welcome Back/Registration Day will be held this Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 9-11 a.m. at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. There will be a meet and greet with the new director and free food and games. The first regular day will be Monday, Sept. 16.
Happy Timers offers exercise classes led by certified trainer Amanda Fooks. She follows an evidence-based program designed for seniors called Enhance Fitness. There is also a walking group.
Members also enjoy bingo, card games and more. It's a drop-in program, so people can attend as often as they like.
Registration is available on-site and at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center box office (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.). For more information, call 410-548-4900 x118 or email happytimers@wicomicocounty.org.
Consumer Credit Card Debt Explodes In July Despite Rates At 18-Year Highs
Despite The Fed signaling rate-cuts as far as the eye can see, US credit-card interest rates have soared to the highest since 2001.
And despite credit card rates being at 18-year highs, US revolving debt (largely made up of credit card debt) has exploded in July to its highest on record.
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73-Year-Old Maryland Woman Arrested For Killing Neighbor, 82, With A Brick
A 73-year-old Maryland woman has been arrested and charged after she killed her 82-year-old neighbor with a brick, according to the Prince George's County Police Department.
Around 7:15 a.m. Sunday, officers with the Bladensburg Police Department were called to an apartment building in the 5900 block of Emerson Street after Chun Yong Oh called 911, confessing to killing her neighbor with a brick, police say.
Once at the location, police found Oh's neighbor in a garden in the back of the apartment building suffering from upper body trauma, according to police. Her neighbor was pronounced dead at the scene and identified as 82-year-old Hwa Cha Pak of Bladensburg.
Investigators say the women had a dispute when Oh struck Pak in the head with a brick multiple times before calling 911 and confessing to the murder.
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Around 7:15 a.m. Sunday, officers with the Bladensburg Police Department were called to an apartment building in the 5900 block of Emerson Street after Chun Yong Oh called 911, confessing to killing her neighbor with a brick, police say.
Once at the location, police found Oh's neighbor in a garden in the back of the apartment building suffering from upper body trauma, according to police. Her neighbor was pronounced dead at the scene and identified as 82-year-old Hwa Cha Pak of Bladensburg.
Investigators say the women had a dispute when Oh struck Pak in the head with a brick multiple times before calling 911 and confessing to the murder.
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Report: Millions Taking Low-Dose Aspirin Daily Shouldn't Be
As many as 29 million Americans who take low-dose aspirin on a daily basis to try and prevent heart disease or stroke should not be doing so, The Washington Post reports.
The National Institute of Health found in a study conducted by researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard University that millions of Americans, about 29 million people, take low-dose aspirin on a daily basis despite not having cardiovascular disease, and 6.6 million are doing so without the recommendation of their health-care provider.
Most of these people take 81 milligrams, or “baby aspirin,” once a day to try and keep from developing heart disease or a stroke, but the most recent medical guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, which were last updated in March, do not recommend that people who do not have cardiovascular disease take low-dose aspirin daily, and in fact the guidelines recommend against it for people who are at a low or moderate risk of developing heart disease since the risks outweigh the possible benefits.
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The National Institute of Health found in a study conducted by researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard University that millions of Americans, about 29 million people, take low-dose aspirin on a daily basis despite not having cardiovascular disease, and 6.6 million are doing so without the recommendation of their health-care provider.
Most of these people take 81 milligrams, or “baby aspirin,” once a day to try and keep from developing heart disease or a stroke, but the most recent medical guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, which were last updated in March, do not recommend that people who do not have cardiovascular disease take low-dose aspirin daily, and in fact the guidelines recommend against it for people who are at a low or moderate risk of developing heart disease since the risks outweigh the possible benefits.
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Soros Fuels Dark Money Judicial Group That Fights Kavanaugh, Trump Nominations
A "dark money" group that was established to push back against the judicial nominations of President Donald Trump, and which was at the forefront of the battle against Justice Brett Kavanaugh and continues to go after him to this day, was heavily financed by liberal billionaire George Soros around the time of its inception, grants show.
Demand Justice, a left-wing advocacy group, was established in 2018 and is led by Brian Fallon, the former press secretary for Hillary Clinton's failed 2016 campaign. The group does not disclose its donors and is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which falls under the umbrella of Arabella Advisors—an intricate dark money network containing dozens of liberal groups and projects. The network is used as a "pass through" entity for Democrat donors and has facilitated $1.6 billion in funds to liberal entities in recent years.
Due to Demand Justice's arrangement with the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which acts as its fiscal sponsor, it does not have to file annual tax forms to the Internal Revenue Service. Those who contribute to groups housed at the Sixteen Thirty Fund can also mark the money to the fund's name, where it is passed to the intended groups while ultimately masking the destination.
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Demand Justice, a left-wing advocacy group, was established in 2018 and is led by Brian Fallon, the former press secretary for Hillary Clinton's failed 2016 campaign. The group does not disclose its donors and is a project of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which falls under the umbrella of Arabella Advisors—an intricate dark money network containing dozens of liberal groups and projects. The network is used as a "pass through" entity for Democrat donors and has facilitated $1.6 billion in funds to liberal entities in recent years.
Due to Demand Justice's arrangement with the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which acts as its fiscal sponsor, it does not have to file annual tax forms to the Internal Revenue Service. Those who contribute to groups housed at the Sixteen Thirty Fund can also mark the money to the fund's name, where it is passed to the intended groups while ultimately masking the destination.
More
Google's got a new face-tracking camera for your home. We've got questions
Google Home and Nest Hub gadgets already feature microphones that are always listening for the words that wake up the Assistant ("OK, Google" or "Hey, Google"). Now, the search giant's newest gadget for your home, the Nest Hub Max smart display, adds in a camera that's always watching for a familiar face.
Google calls the feature Face Match, and it uses facial recognition technology to remember what you look like. After that, you can tap on the screen to see personalized bits of data like calendar appointments and Google Duo messages whenever it recognizes you.
The Nest Hub Max isn't the first product to bring facial recognition technology -- and the legal and ethical considerations that come with it -- into people's homes. Smart phones have been using the technology to let us unlock our devices and authorize purchases for years, and a growing number of smart home gadgets that use cameras are putting it to use, too, including Google's own Nest Hello video doorbell.
Still, it's a product that seeks to give Google a wider window into our lives at a time when the company is already facing questions about the way it handles our personal data. I wanted to take a closer look at how those privacy standards apply when you add always-watching cameras into the mix.
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Google calls the feature Face Match, and it uses facial recognition technology to remember what you look like. After that, you can tap on the screen to see personalized bits of data like calendar appointments and Google Duo messages whenever it recognizes you.
The Nest Hub Max isn't the first product to bring facial recognition technology -- and the legal and ethical considerations that come with it -- into people's homes. Smart phones have been using the technology to let us unlock our devices and authorize purchases for years, and a growing number of smart home gadgets that use cameras are putting it to use, too, including Google's own Nest Hello video doorbell.
Still, it's a product that seeks to give Google a wider window into our lives at a time when the company is already facing questions about the way it handles our personal data. I wanted to take a closer look at how those privacy standards apply when you add always-watching cameras into the mix.
More
Palindrome Week
Boy bullied for homemade Tennessee shirt has logo become official design
A Florida boy who was bullied and laughed at for his homemade T-shirt representing the University of Tennessee Volunteers at his elementary school’s college colors day has not only had his design made official by the university – but the demand for the product is so high that it crashed the school’s website.
It all started when Laura Snyder, the unnamed boy’s teacher at Altamonte Elementary School in Altamonte Springs, Florida, posted the story about the Tennessee-obsessed student.
“This particular child came to me and told me that he wanted to wear a University of Tennessee shirt, but he didn’t have one. We discussed that he could wear an orange shirt to show his spirit. He told me every day leading up to it that he had an orange shirt that he was going to wear”, Snyder said in her post.
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It all started when Laura Snyder, the unnamed boy’s teacher at Altamonte Elementary School in Altamonte Springs, Florida, posted the story about the Tennessee-obsessed student.
“This particular child came to me and told me that he wanted to wear a University of Tennessee shirt, but he didn’t have one. We discussed that he could wear an orange shirt to show his spirit. He told me every day leading up to it that he had an orange shirt that he was going to wear”, Snyder said in her post.
More
Trump ends U.S./China Trade War
“Basically almost everyone in California wants to be communist and Hong Kong wants to be American, so we did what we call a win-win-win and traded the two in a tremendous deal,” Trump said in a press conference announcing the unprecedented deal.
Markets responded with a complete turnaround from recent declines and posted record numbers.
Californians and Hong Kongers were dancing in their respective streets—Californians happy about the 1-child-only policy and being run by the Communist Party finally!—and Hong Kong is happy about being part of the free world once again.
REAL NEWS PRESIDENT TRUMP DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS
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What the media “forgot:” Trump fires national security adviser John Bolton
President Trump announced on Tuesday morning that he has asked national security adviser John Bolton for his resignation.
"I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning," Trump tweeted. "I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week."
"I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning," Trump tweeted. "I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week."
....I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week.— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019This is a breaking story...
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