Going off Facebook isn’t easy. Like a lot of people these days, I suffer from an addiction to social media. And for many of us, Facebook is a very big part of that.
Indeed, after announcing to my friends and followers on Friday morning I was “going off Facebook” for a week, I cheated on the very first day.
I checked in to see if anyone had responded favorably (or negatively) to my hiatus announcement, or had replied to any of my last comments on the previous days’ threads.
Feeling guilty for cheating, I logged off Facebook after a couple of moments, and then realized that I had to turn off “notifications” too, so I didn’t have them tempting me to cheat again, with those beckoning banners.
Vowing to myself not to look again, how did I spend the rest of my time that day? Or rather, how did I allow my day to be further time-sucked away from me? Well, I soon found myself on Twitter: Facebook’s equally evil addictive twin. And then I wasted time on Instagram, Linked In, and…the monster that is YouTube.
Talk about going down the rabbit hole! YouTube does though takes you off on viewing tangents that you never intended. On this particular day, I started watching an old video of Alpine and ended up an hour or so later watching a trio of girl folk singers in the Democratic Republic of Georgia!
Realizing that I’d merely swapped my Facebook addiction for other social media, I then decided that I had to go cold turkey by banishing all social media for the rest of the week.
Where is the twelve step program for that?
Ironically, I’d cut television out of my life seven years ago for pretty much the same reason, and now, here I am trying to ween myself off Facebook as well. I used to spend hours and hours staring at the “boob tube” (as my parents used to call it) as though I was brain dead.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Target admits it messed up, says boycott 'self-inflicted'
Dear Colin,
A very damaging article just out from the Wall Street Journal clearly shows that Target CEO Brian Cornell regrets his company's policy announcement welcoming men to use women's restrooms and dressing rooms.
According to the article, Mr. Cornell expressed frustration about how the bathroom policy was publicized without his permission or knowledge, and told colleagues he wouldn't have approved the decision to flaunt it with a public statement that is still on Target's website today.
"Target didn't adequately assess the risk, and the ensuing backlash [AFA boycott] was self-inflicted," he told staff.
You can read the entire WSJ article here, but be aware that it requires a subscription. Copyright laws prohibit AFA from providing the entire article to you.
The WSJ article explained that Target headquarters sent an internal memo to store managers reiterating its official stance on men using women's facilities. On April 15, 2016, a group Target calls its "risk committee" emailed executives informing them of a plan to post that message publicly. Mr. Cornell wasn't among the recipients of that email.
At least two of Mr. Cornell's lieutenants approved the post, including Target's chief risk officer, Jackie Rice, and its chief external-engagement officer, Laysha Ward.
AFA agrees with Mary McCandless, a shopper in Winston-Salem, N.C. who told the WSJ, "Target picked a side and pretty much said to the rest of us that we don't matter." The 56-year-old financial analyst said she quit using her Target credit card and shifted most shopping online. "At least I don't have to worry about using the bathroom on Amazon.com."
Inside the company, executives predicted the backlash would die down. It didn't, and foot traffic inside stores declined significantly in the months following AFA's boycott announcement.
Since the boycott started, Target's stock has lost 35% of its value, and shuttered plans for major expansion projects.
Together we are making an unprecedented financial impact on a corporation whose policy is to allow men to use women's restrooms and dressing rooms. Target's decision is unacceptable for families, and their dangerous and misguided policy continues to put women and children in harm's way.
It is urgent the Target boycott reach 1.5 million signers by the end of April. At that point, I will personally return to Minneapolis with an additional 500,000 names. I will then discuss how Target can invite 1.5 million AFA supporters back to their stores by having a common sense bathroom and dressing room policy that links use of these rooms to a person's biological sex.
Help us reach the 1.5 million signature mark.
If you haven't signed the boycott pledge, please sign it today!
If you have signed the pledge, please forward this email to your family and friends.
Tim Wildmon, President
American Family Association
A very damaging article just out from the Wall Street Journal clearly shows that Target CEO Brian Cornell regrets his company's policy announcement welcoming men to use women's restrooms and dressing rooms.
According to the article, Mr. Cornell expressed frustration about how the bathroom policy was publicized without his permission or knowledge, and told colleagues he wouldn't have approved the decision to flaunt it with a public statement that is still on Target's website today.
"Target didn't adequately assess the risk, and the ensuing backlash [AFA boycott] was self-inflicted," he told staff.
You can read the entire WSJ article here, but be aware that it requires a subscription. Copyright laws prohibit AFA from providing the entire article to you.
The WSJ article explained that Target headquarters sent an internal memo to store managers reiterating its official stance on men using women's facilities. On April 15, 2016, a group Target calls its "risk committee" emailed executives informing them of a plan to post that message publicly. Mr. Cornell wasn't among the recipients of that email.
At least two of Mr. Cornell's lieutenants approved the post, including Target's chief risk officer, Jackie Rice, and its chief external-engagement officer, Laysha Ward.
AFA agrees with Mary McCandless, a shopper in Winston-Salem, N.C. who told the WSJ, "Target picked a side and pretty much said to the rest of us that we don't matter." The 56-year-old financial analyst said she quit using her Target credit card and shifted most shopping online. "At least I don't have to worry about using the bathroom on Amazon.com."
Inside the company, executives predicted the backlash would die down. It didn't, and foot traffic inside stores declined significantly in the months following AFA's boycott announcement.
Since the boycott started, Target's stock has lost 35% of its value, and shuttered plans for major expansion projects.
Together we are making an unprecedented financial impact on a corporation whose policy is to allow men to use women's restrooms and dressing rooms. Target's decision is unacceptable for families, and their dangerous and misguided policy continues to put women and children in harm's way.
It is urgent the Target boycott reach 1.5 million signers by the end of April. At that point, I will personally return to Minneapolis with an additional 500,000 names. I will then discuss how Target can invite 1.5 million AFA supporters back to their stores by having a common sense bathroom and dressing room policy that links use of these rooms to a person's biological sex.
Help us reach the 1.5 million signature mark.
If you haven't signed the boycott pledge, please sign it today!
If you have signed the pledge, please forward this email to your family and friends.
Tim Wildmon, President
American Family Association
Police: Girl, 4, sexually assaulted in Delaware abduction
Wilmington, Del. (WTXF) - Police say a girl was snatched from the street while playing in her own neighborhood. The 4-year-old girl was gone for two heart-wrenching hours before being found nearly naked in a nearby park.
It happened in the blink of an eye in Wilmington, Delaware on a dead end street.
Megan Gardner remembers the chilling moment when a 4-year-old girl, who was playing with her child and some neighborhood friends, was abducted along the 4800 block of Sugar Plumb Court in Plum Run Village, a section New Castle County Delaware.
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It happened in the blink of an eye in Wilmington, Delaware on a dead end street.
Megan Gardner remembers the chilling moment when a 4-year-old girl, who was playing with her child and some neighborhood friends, was abducted along the 4800 block of Sugar Plumb Court in Plum Run Village, a section New Castle County Delaware.
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Why affliction may be better than prosperity
“The Greatest Show on Earth” was owned by P.T. Barnum, who died April 7, 1891. Selling millions of tickets, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus had big draws including General Tom Thumb, a man only 25 inches tall, and elephant “Jumbo,” whose name entered the dictionary.
Barnum, who was received by President Lincoln and gave a command performance for Queen Victoria, stated: “Most persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing too little, than by believing too much.”
Barnum said:
“Politeness and civility are the best capital ever invested in business.”
“The best kind of charity is to help those who are willing to help themselves.”
“The desire for wealth is nearly universal, and none can say it is not laudable, provided the possessor of it accepts its responsibilities, and uses it as a friend to humanity.”
As the circus was not open on Sundays, Barnum let his New York Great Roman Hippodrome be used by Dwight Lyman Moody for evangelistic campaigns.
When Barnum’s show began traveling, D.L. Moody, with help from J.P. Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt, transformed the Hippodrome into a revival tabernacle.
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Barnum, who was received by President Lincoln and gave a command performance for Queen Victoria, stated: “Most persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing too little, than by believing too much.”
Barnum said:
“Politeness and civility are the best capital ever invested in business.”
“The best kind of charity is to help those who are willing to help themselves.”
“The desire for wealth is nearly universal, and none can say it is not laudable, provided the possessor of it accepts its responsibilities, and uses it as a friend to humanity.”
As the circus was not open on Sundays, Barnum let his New York Great Roman Hippodrome be used by Dwight Lyman Moody for evangelistic campaigns.
When Barnum’s show began traveling, D.L. Moody, with help from J.P. Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt, transformed the Hippodrome into a revival tabernacle.
More
Fire damages workshop at Dukes Lumber
The blaze, which was confined to a workshop shop at the longtime Sussex County business, caused an estimated $200,000 in damage to the structure and equipment, Assistant State Fire Marshal Michael G. Chionchio said.
State fire investigators determined the fire was caused when sparks from welding ignited a waste oil pan.
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Study Reveals Most, Least Stressed States In US
WASHINGTON — Having high levels of stress is known to take a toll on the brain and the body, leading people to sleep less, feel worse, and struggle on the job. But does where you live factor in to the level of stress you feel? The free credit score website WalletHub.com released its list of the Most and Least Stressed States, giving Americans a glimpse at how their home address could be affecting them.
The study found that Alabama was the most-stressed state in the country, followed by Louisiana and Mississippi. In fact, eight states from the South made the top 10 for most-stressed states.
Minnesota was the least-stressed state, followed by North Dakota and Iowa.
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The study found that Alabama was the most-stressed state in the country, followed by Louisiana and Mississippi. In fact, eight states from the South made the top 10 for most-stressed states.
Minnesota was the least-stressed state, followed by North Dakota and Iowa.
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The ten foods you should never eat while you're pregnant
Soft cheeses, raw eggs and alcohol are something most of us would know are unsuitable for pregnant women - however, it seems that there are many more foods to be wary of.
Public health nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire has revealed to the MailOnline the very surprising snacks that should be avoided by all pregnant women.
From the pizza topping that could harm a developing baby to the sweet treat that could increase the risk of still birth, Dr Derbyshire talks us through the foods to be avoided.
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Public health nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire has revealed to the MailOnline the very surprising snacks that should be avoided by all pregnant women.
From the pizza topping that could harm a developing baby to the sweet treat that could increase the risk of still birth, Dr Derbyshire talks us through the foods to be avoided.
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George Soros-backed prosecutor yanked after refusing to seek death penalty for cop killer
Accuses Florida Gov. Rick Scott of abuse of power after he reassigns 21 files
A Florida prosecutor elected with $1 million from liberal billionaire George Soros has been removed from all first-degree murder cases after refusing to seek the death penalty for any suspect, including an accused cop killer.
State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who won an upset victory in November after receiving $1.38 million from the Soros-backed Florida Safety & Justice PAC, had 21 first-degree murder cases in Orange and Osceola counties reassigned Monday to other prosecutors by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican.
His executive order came after she announced she would not seek the death penalty against Markeith Loyd, who has been charged in the murders of his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon in December and Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton in January, or any other defendants.
Another officer, Orange County sheriff’s Deputy Norman Lewis, died in a Jan. 9 car crash during the hunt for the 41-year-old Loyd.
“While I currently do have discretion to pursue death sentences, I have determined that doing so is not in the best interest of this community or in the best interests of justice,” said Ms. Ayala, a Democrat, at her March 16 press conference.
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A Florida prosecutor elected with $1 million from liberal billionaire George Soros has been removed from all first-degree murder cases after refusing to seek the death penalty for any suspect, including an accused cop killer.
State Attorney Aramis Ayala, who won an upset victory in November after receiving $1.38 million from the Soros-backed Florida Safety & Justice PAC, had 21 first-degree murder cases in Orange and Osceola counties reassigned Monday to other prosecutors by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican.
His executive order came after she announced she would not seek the death penalty against Markeith Loyd, who has been charged in the murders of his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon in December and Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton in January, or any other defendants.
Another officer, Orange County sheriff’s Deputy Norman Lewis, died in a Jan. 9 car crash during the hunt for the 41-year-old Loyd.
“While I currently do have discretion to pursue death sentences, I have determined that doing so is not in the best interest of this community or in the best interests of justice,” said Ms. Ayala, a Democrat, at her March 16 press conference.
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Florida Walmart shopper who killed diaper thief faces manslaughter charge
A 51-year-old Florida man, who says he killed a Walmart diaper thief because he feared for his life, has been charged with manslaughter.
Arthur Adams, 19, was shoplifting diapers at the Walmart in Pine Hills, Florida, on February 4 when he was shot and killed, according to reports on Thursday.
Deputies say his assailant was a Walmart shopper, Lonnie Leonard, 51, of Apopka. Leonard also was arrested on two weapons charges.
Adams' two accomplices fled and were never caught.
“What we have at this point is that the individual felt threatened — one of the suspects reached for something [and he] thought that it was a weapon or firearm,” Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Angelo Nieves said at the time of the shooting, according to Fox 35 Orlando.
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Arthur Adams, 19, was shoplifting diapers at the Walmart in Pine Hills, Florida, on February 4 when he was shot and killed, according to reports on Thursday.
Deputies say his assailant was a Walmart shopper, Lonnie Leonard, 51, of Apopka. Leonard also was arrested on two weapons charges.
Adams' two accomplices fled and were never caught.
“What we have at this point is that the individual felt threatened — one of the suspects reached for something [and he] thought that it was a weapon or firearm,” Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Angelo Nieves said at the time of the shooting, according to Fox 35 Orlando.
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U.S. Woman Stabbed to Death by Migrant Who 'Recently Arrived' in France
A 52-year-old woman from the U.S. was taking photographs in an eastern suburb of Paris when a person police say “arrived recently in France” stabbed her several times from behind.
According to Le Parisien, the woman collapsed immediately when a homeless man stabbed her in the back several times and sliced her carotid artery at just before 4 pm on Thursday. Emergency services arrived quickly on the scene but were unable to resuscitate the victim.
“I heard a woman’s cry, then saw an older man leave the Rue Marcel-Dufriche with a big knife in his hand,” said the manager of a store located close to the crime scene.
He told the newspaper: “[The assailant] threatened passers-by and was going back and forth between the victim and the [graffiti-covered] wall of the Halle Marcel-Dufriche. The police arrived very quickly.”
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According to Le Parisien, the woman collapsed immediately when a homeless man stabbed her in the back several times and sliced her carotid artery at just before 4 pm on Thursday. Emergency services arrived quickly on the scene but were unable to resuscitate the victim.
“I heard a woman’s cry, then saw an older man leave the Rue Marcel-Dufriche with a big knife in his hand,” said the manager of a store located close to the crime scene.
He told the newspaper: “[The assailant] threatened passers-by and was going back and forth between the victim and the [graffiti-covered] wall of the Halle Marcel-Dufriche. The police arrived very quickly.”
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Hillary’s fantasy faulting of ‘misogyny’ for election loss ignores white women
Hillary Clinton, if she’s not careful, will go down in history as the presidential candidate who most couldn’t let the loss go — rivaling the current No. 1 slot holder for that category, noted chad-counter Al Gore.
In public statements this week, Clinton blamed an anti-woman bias among her fellow countrymen as the reason she lost the White House. In a word: fantasy.
“Certainly misogyny played a role,” she said, while delivering remarks at a Women in the World Summit, Breitbartnoted. “I mean, that has to be admitted.”
Well, newsflash: It really doesn’t.
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In public statements this week, Clinton blamed an anti-woman bias among her fellow countrymen as the reason she lost the White House. In a word: fantasy.
“Certainly misogyny played a role,” she said, while delivering remarks at a Women in the World Summit, Breitbartnoted. “I mean, that has to be admitted.”
Well, newsflash: It really doesn’t.
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Progressives Hit Trump Ed Sec with Death Threats, Security Costs $7.8 Million
After President Donald Trump’s Education Secretary was barred by progressive activists from entering a Washington D.C. middle school, a reassessment of her security recommended additional protection at the cost of $7.8 million tax dollars thus far.
Due to the constant wave of death threats by progressives, the U.S. Marshals service was forced to reevaluate the usual security plans for education department leaders.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has received far more death threats than any past Ed Secs,the U.S. Marshals told the Washington Post.
In February, DeVos, a supporter of charter schools, was accosted by a group of progressive protesters who barred her entry to Jefferson Middle School Academy in D.C. The protesters carried signs reading “Black Lives Matter,” and “Feminists Are the Majority.” At least one screamed, “Shame!” at DeVos when the newly emplaced Ed Sec arrived at the school. The protesters prevented DeVos from entering the school’s front doors and she had to be let in through a back entrance, surrounded by security.
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Due to the constant wave of death threats by progressives, the U.S. Marshals service was forced to reevaluate the usual security plans for education department leaders.
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has received far more death threats than any past Ed Secs,the U.S. Marshals told the Washington Post.
In February, DeVos, a supporter of charter schools, was accosted by a group of progressive protesters who barred her entry to Jefferson Middle School Academy in D.C. The protesters carried signs reading “Black Lives Matter,” and “Feminists Are the Majority.” At least one screamed, “Shame!” at DeVos when the newly emplaced Ed Sec arrived at the school. The protesters prevented DeVos from entering the school’s front doors and she had to be let in through a back entrance, surrounded by security.
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Monday, April 10, 2017
Going Without
People think it’s crazy to go without health insurance – not that it’s any of their business. But they think it is their business – and so we have Obamacare and almost Trump Care, which at least would have resurrected some connection between the cost of premiums and the insured person’s risk profile, including such variables as their age and pre-existing conditions.
If you are older or have an established chronic illness, you’d have paid more for coverage under TrumpCare.
Egads!
This is considered by some to be morally outrageous.
These same people don’t, however, complain about the iniquity of car insurance costing convicted drunk drivers or teenagers or the glaucomic elderly more.
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If you are older or have an established chronic illness, you’d have paid more for coverage under TrumpCare.
Egads!
This is considered by some to be morally outrageous.
These same people don’t, however, complain about the iniquity of car insurance costing convicted drunk drivers or teenagers or the glaucomic elderly more.
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What Every Small Town In Maryland Had In The 1930s. It Was A Simpler Time.
It’s hard to imagine what life was like 80 years ago in the Old Line State. Development, inventions, and population continues to rise and Maryland looks insanely different than it did in decades past. Take a look at the following images to get a glimpse of what every small town in Maryland had in the 1930s.
The shops were small, and the barber was likely known by everyone in town. (Berwyn, 1937)
Clinton Foundation : Corruption at highest level
INTERESTING!!!
She’s just a poor working girl trying to make it in this hard, cruel world. It’s a never ending hand-to-mouth, day-to-day struggle. Suspect this is real since you can go to check the return (see below)?
The real heart of the Clintons can be seen here. Staggering but not surprising. These figures are from an official copy of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation for the tax year 2014. The copy of the tax return is from the National Center for Charitable Statistics website! You can get the latest tax return on any charitable organization!
Total revenue (line 12) $177,804,612.00
Total grants to charity (line 13) $ 5,160,385.00 (that's less than 3%)
Total expenses of $ 91,281,145.00
Expenses include:
Salaries (line 15) $ 34,838,106.00
Fund raising fees (line 16a) $ 850,803.00
Other expenses (line 17) $ 50,431,851.00
Travel $ 8,000,000.00
Meetings $ 12,000,000.00
They list 486 employees (line 5)! It took 486 people who are paid $34.8 million and $91.3 million in fees and expenses, to give away $5.1 MILLION
Line 22 shows ending year net assets/fund balances of $332,471,349.00 which is up $85,171,891 from last year's tax return!
And they call this a CHARITY?
The full tax return is at Caution-http://990s.foundation center.org/990_pdf_archive/ 311/311580204/311580204_ 201412_990.pdf
Snow Hill Welcomes New Business To Long Dormant Building
SNOW HILL – Shoppers can step back in time as they walk through the doors of Snow Hill’s newest business.
After months of renovations, on Friday Toy Town Antiques opened in the town’s long vacant opera house. The store, formerly located in Berlin, attracts antique collectors from all over the country.
“We are so happy,” Snow Hill Mayor Charlie Dorman said. “This building has been vacant 16 years. To see a proven business come out of Berlin to come to Snow Hill, it’s amazing. It’ll be one of our main attractions.”
Richard Seaton, proprietor of Toy Town, said he made the decision to move his shop to Snow Hill last year, knowing that his lease in Berlin was expiring and that Snow Hill was a more affordable alternative. Because Toy Town has a strong base of regular customers, he wasn’t too worried about losing the foot traffic of Berlin.
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Indian police arrest alleged ringleader of IRS scam
Sagar Thakkar, 24, was detained in Mumbai after arriving on a flight from Dubai on Saturday.
"He was the mastermind of IRS scam call centers in the state of Maharashtra and one center in Ahmedabad," said Mukund Hatote, assistant commissioner of police in Thane, just north of Mumbai.
Hatote said Thakkar stands accused of extortion, cheating, impersonation, criminal conspiracy as well as violating India's communications and tech laws.
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Welcome Spring With This Musical Treat !
Finally it looks like spring has arrived! And with it, Pemberton Hall Foundation is planning a very special musical treat. On April 30, at 2pm in the historic Great Room of Pemberton Hall the Blarney Pilgrim Ensemble will be entertaining with selections of 18th century music! Led by Meri Holden on violin, this presentation will be the first of several afternoon musical mini-concerts planned for this year by Pemberton Hall. Ms. Holden will be joined by husband Brad, also an accomplished musician, and others.
Pemberton Hall was and is the centerpoint of one of Wicomico’s best kept secrets – a restored 18th century plantation, on the banks of the Wicomico River, and once a major point in the tobacco economy of the lower Eastern Shore. The home, built by Isaac Handy in 1741, has been restored to its beautiful origins. The Great Room, once the center of activity for this part of now-Wicomico County, witnessed Mr. Handy’s leadership in economic, military, and judicial life. Because of the room’s size and it age, the number of persons who can gather today in such a wonderful gathering as this musical presentation is limited to less than 40 persons.
Following the concert, guests will be treated after the concert to light refreshments and a chance to take an informal behind-the-scenes tour of the Hall (house, in today’s parlance!) Tickets, at $25 per person or $40 per couple, can be reserved by calling 443-235-9691 or mailing requests to Pemberton Hall Foundation, 6272 Westbury Drive, Salisbury MD 21801. If you are mailing, please include a contact number so that the folks at PHF can get back to you. All proceeds from this concert will be used toward the upkeep of the Hall and for their youth education programs.
Pemberton Hall was and is the centerpoint of one of Wicomico’s best kept secrets – a restored 18th century plantation, on the banks of the Wicomico River, and once a major point in the tobacco economy of the lower Eastern Shore. The home, built by Isaac Handy in 1741, has been restored to its beautiful origins. The Great Room, once the center of activity for this part of now-Wicomico County, witnessed Mr. Handy’s leadership in economic, military, and judicial life. Because of the room’s size and it age, the number of persons who can gather today in such a wonderful gathering as this musical presentation is limited to less than 40 persons.
Following the concert, guests will be treated after the concert to light refreshments and a chance to take an informal behind-the-scenes tour of the Hall (house, in today’s parlance!) Tickets, at $25 per person or $40 per couple, can be reserved by calling 443-235-9691 or mailing requests to Pemberton Hall Foundation, 6272 Westbury Drive, Salisbury MD 21801. If you are mailing, please include a contact number so that the folks at PHF can get back to you. All proceeds from this concert will be used toward the upkeep of the Hall and for their youth education programs.
Stores Are Closing at a Record Pace as Amazon Chews Up Retailers
The battered American retail industry took a few more lumps this week, with stores at both ends of the price spectrum preparing to close their doors.
At the bottom, the seemingly ubiquitous Payless Inc. shoe chain filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to shutter hundreds of locations. Ralph Lauren Corp., meanwhile, said it will close its flagship Fifth Avenue Polo store -- a symbol of old-fashioned luxury that no longer resonates with today’s shoppers.
And the teen-apparel retailer Rue21 Inc. could be the next casualty. The chain, which has about 1,000 stores, is preparing to file for bankruptcy as soon as this month, according to people familiar with the situation. Just a few years ago, it was sold to private equity firm Apax Partners for about a billion dollars.
“It’s an industry that’s still in search for answers,” said Noel Hebert, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. “I don’t know how many malls can reinvent themselves.”
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At the bottom, the seemingly ubiquitous Payless Inc. shoe chain filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to shutter hundreds of locations. Ralph Lauren Corp., meanwhile, said it will close its flagship Fifth Avenue Polo store -- a symbol of old-fashioned luxury that no longer resonates with today’s shoppers.
And the teen-apparel retailer Rue21 Inc. could be the next casualty. The chain, which has about 1,000 stores, is preparing to file for bankruptcy as soon as this month, according to people familiar with the situation. Just a few years ago, it was sold to private equity firm Apax Partners for about a billion dollars.
“It’s an industry that’s still in search for answers,” said Noel Hebert, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. “I don’t know how many malls can reinvent themselves.”
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Should Delaware’s top earners pay more in taxes?
DOVER — What’s the difference between yearly earnings of $60,001 and $1 million?
Yes, it’s nearly $940,000, but in Delaware, there’s no distinction between the two figures for tax purposes.
All income above $60,000 is considered in the state’s top tax bracket. That means someone who makes $60,001 pays the same rate of 6.6 percent as a tycoon of industry pulling in millions of dollars each year.
Republicans say higher taxes stifle economic growth; Democrats have mixed views.
The Delaware General Assembly is no exception.
But with revenues projected to fall well short of projected spending, lawmakers have to do something to balance the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. Those steps will be decided over the ensuing months.
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Yes, it’s nearly $940,000, but in Delaware, there’s no distinction between the two figures for tax purposes.
All income above $60,000 is considered in the state’s top tax bracket. That means someone who makes $60,001 pays the same rate of 6.6 percent as a tycoon of industry pulling in millions of dollars each year.
Republicans say higher taxes stifle economic growth; Democrats have mixed views.
The Delaware General Assembly is no exception.
But with revenues projected to fall well short of projected spending, lawmakers have to do something to balance the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. Those steps will be decided over the ensuing months.
More
CA homeowner catches twice-deported sex offender breaking into house
A Port Hueneme family got an unwanted lesson in illegal immigration Wednesday when they caught a previously deported sex offender peeping through the windows of their home less than 24 hours after he crossed back into the U.S.
Magaly Barragan told KABC she noticed the man peeping through the window of her home from the back yard around 9 a.m. Wednesday and called the Port Hueneme Police.
Barragan said the man was trying to break in through the window, and when she confronted him he jumped a fence and tried to hide, NBC Los Angeles reports.
Police arrested 39-year-old Guillermo Damaso nearby, and after the homeowner identified him in a lineup, they booked him into the Ventura County Jail for attempted burglary.
Port Hueneme Police Chief Andrew Salinas said Damaso is a convicted sex offender and illegal immigrant with multiple deportations.
“We did locate and determine that he was a two-time previously deported sex offender and had re-entered our country less than 24 hours ago,” Salinas told KABC. “He is now immediately re-offending here in our small city of Port Hueneme, California.”
Damaso currently has a pending arrest warrant in Florida for indecent exposure to minors, as well as weapons and narcotics violations in California.
More here
Magaly Barragan told KABC she noticed the man peeping through the window of her home from the back yard around 9 a.m. Wednesday and called the Port Hueneme Police.
Barragan said the man was trying to break in through the window, and when she confronted him he jumped a fence and tried to hide, NBC Los Angeles reports.
Police arrested 39-year-old Guillermo Damaso nearby, and after the homeowner identified him in a lineup, they booked him into the Ventura County Jail for attempted burglary.
Port Hueneme Police Chief Andrew Salinas said Damaso is a convicted sex offender and illegal immigrant with multiple deportations.
“We did locate and determine that he was a two-time previously deported sex offender and had re-entered our country less than 24 hours ago,” Salinas told KABC. “He is now immediately re-offending here in our small city of Port Hueneme, California.”
Damaso currently has a pending arrest warrant in Florida for indecent exposure to minors, as well as weapons and narcotics violations in California.
More here
Five bills covered earlier died in committee: online sales tax, overtime pay, corporate filing fee
For MarylandReporter.com
Many bills get a hearing, and maybe some discussion in committee, but not much more, dying a silent death with little notice.
Here are some of those bills whose hearings MarylandReporter.com covered, but were never heard from afterward. All but one never got a vote in committee.
HB1213/SB855, Online sales tax fails: A proposed online sales tax failed to move after committee hearings in the House and Senate on March 8. Passage of the Main Street Fairness Act of 2017 would have required sellers without a physical presence in Maryland to collect the state’s 6% sales tax from Marylanders buying on. Under current law only online sellers with a physical presence in Maryland must collect the 6% sales tax.
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Confused About Syria, You Should Be
Close your eyes, click your heels three times, and tell me if you actually know what the fuck is happening in Syria.
There’s an awful lot about the poison gas attack that doesn’t add up for the casual observer.
It was only a week ago that the US enunciated a new policy that we would be content for Bashar al Assad to remain in power presiding over the Syrian government — after years of grousing and threats against him. Apparently Trump Central had concluded that Assad was a better alternative than another failed state in the Middle East with no government at all.
That policy change was a yuge benefit for Assad since it removed any pretext for US subterfuge or “black box” mischief against him. He was rather busy fighting a civil war, after all. Against whom? A mash-up of Jihadi forces ranging from Isis (so-called), to al Qaeda and Jabhat al Nusra, its spinoff gang dedicated specifically against Assad personally. Assad’s relations with Isis were ambiguous and complex. Isis had used Syria as a staging area for its operations next door in Iraq. It was rumored that Assad purchased oil from Isis. Yet Isis had participated in actions against Assad. In any case, all of the Jihadis were Sunni, in opposition to Assad’s Iran-leaning regime. Assad himself belongs to the Alawite sect of Islam, a twig on the Shia branch. Syria as a whole is a majority Sunni population, so Assad and his father Hafez before him (President 1971 – 2000) have represented a minority (12 percent) in an era of inflamed Sunni-Shia passions.
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There’s an awful lot about the poison gas attack that doesn’t add up for the casual observer.
It was only a week ago that the US enunciated a new policy that we would be content for Bashar al Assad to remain in power presiding over the Syrian government — after years of grousing and threats against him. Apparently Trump Central had concluded that Assad was a better alternative than another failed state in the Middle East with no government at all.
That policy change was a yuge benefit for Assad since it removed any pretext for US subterfuge or “black box” mischief against him. He was rather busy fighting a civil war, after all. Against whom? A mash-up of Jihadi forces ranging from Isis (so-called), to al Qaeda and Jabhat al Nusra, its spinoff gang dedicated specifically against Assad personally. Assad’s relations with Isis were ambiguous and complex. Isis had used Syria as a staging area for its operations next door in Iraq. It was rumored that Assad purchased oil from Isis. Yet Isis had participated in actions against Assad. In any case, all of the Jihadis were Sunni, in opposition to Assad’s Iran-leaning regime. Assad himself belongs to the Alawite sect of Islam, a twig on the Shia branch. Syria as a whole is a majority Sunni population, so Assad and his father Hafez before him (President 1971 – 2000) have represented a minority (12 percent) in an era of inflamed Sunni-Shia passions.
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Commissioners OK Ag Solar Project
SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Commissioners approved plans for a utility scale solar project in Whaleyville following a public hearing Tuesday.
The commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the Gateway Solar Project, a 15.6 megawatt (AC) system to be built by Community Energy Solar Inc. on agricultural property owned by Tull Brothers LLC.
“We anticipate construction in the summer of 2018,” said Tom Anderson of Community Energy.
Anderson told the commissioners that since 2008, his company had developed 700 megawatts of solar energy projects in 10 states. In Whaleyville, he said the company had agreed to a 30-year lease that would allow for the construction of 52,000 solar panels on 130 acres of a 425 acre site. The agriculturally zoned property, which currently consists of farm land and some forested area, is on the north side of Route 50 just west of the Route 90 off-ramp and the southerly side of Route 346 across from the intersection with Circle Road.
Anderson said construction of the panels would take roughly four to five months. After that, there will be very little daily activity at the site. Anderson expects site visits to take place monthly during the first year of operation and after that only quarterly.
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The commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the Gateway Solar Project, a 15.6 megawatt (AC) system to be built by Community Energy Solar Inc. on agricultural property owned by Tull Brothers LLC.
“We anticipate construction in the summer of 2018,” said Tom Anderson of Community Energy.
Anderson told the commissioners that since 2008, his company had developed 700 megawatts of solar energy projects in 10 states. In Whaleyville, he said the company had agreed to a 30-year lease that would allow for the construction of 52,000 solar panels on 130 acres of a 425 acre site. The agriculturally zoned property, which currently consists of farm land and some forested area, is on the north side of Route 50 just west of the Route 90 off-ramp and the southerly side of Route 346 across from the intersection with Circle Road.
Anderson said construction of the panels would take roughly four to five months. After that, there will be very little daily activity at the site. Anderson expects site visits to take place monthly during the first year of operation and after that only quarterly.
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San Bernardino elementary school shooting: 2 reported dead in suspected murder-suicide
Two adults were shot and killed at a California elementary school Monday in what police believe to be a murder-suicide and two students were rushed to a hospital with unknown injuries.
The incident happened around 10 a.m. local time at the North Park Elementary school in San Bernardino.
"Two adults are deceased in a classroom, believed to be a murder suicide," San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan posted on Twitter. "We believe the suspect is down and there's no further threat."
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The incident happened around 10 a.m. local time at the North Park Elementary school in San Bernardino.
"Two adults are deceased in a classroom, believed to be a murder suicide," San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan posted on Twitter. "We believe the suspect is down and there's no further threat."
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Texas Wins Victory for Farmers Against BLM
Texas leaders and farm owners secured a victory in the battle against the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) attempted land grab along the banks of the Red River. The federal agency announced it is suspending the surveys ordered during the Obama Administration to justify the attempted takeover of 90,000 acres of land.
The BLM admitted this week admitted in a letter issued on March 29 (attached below) that it used an “incorrect methodology” in its justification for the attempted taking of land that had been in the possession of many Texas landowners for generations. “Having reviewed this deposition testimony and other new information, the BLM believes the survey methodology was used in error and may have caused errors in identifying the location of the Gradient Boundary,” Acting Cadastral Survey Chief Stephen Beyerlein wrote in the letter.
“The BLM’s admission that it used incorrect methodology in these surveys and the decision to suspend the surveys is welcome news,” U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said in a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas. “The portions of the river that the agency has surveyed strayed widely from the accepted gradient boundary survey method established by the Supreme Court in Oklahoma v. Texas. It is encouraging that the BLM has admitted their error and that all administrative action will be suspended until the matter is resolved. I will continue working with the landowners, local and state officials, and Senator Cornyn (R-TX) until this issue is resolved once and for all.” Thornberry is the author of the “Red River Gradient Boundary Survey Act” which passed earlier this year.
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The BLM admitted this week admitted in a letter issued on March 29 (attached below) that it used an “incorrect methodology” in its justification for the attempted taking of land that had been in the possession of many Texas landowners for generations. “Having reviewed this deposition testimony and other new information, the BLM believes the survey methodology was used in error and may have caused errors in identifying the location of the Gradient Boundary,” Acting Cadastral Survey Chief Stephen Beyerlein wrote in the letter.
“The BLM’s admission that it used incorrect methodology in these surveys and the decision to suspend the surveys is welcome news,” U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said in a statement obtained by Breitbart Texas. “The portions of the river that the agency has surveyed strayed widely from the accepted gradient boundary survey method established by the Supreme Court in Oklahoma v. Texas. It is encouraging that the BLM has admitted their error and that all administrative action will be suspended until the matter is resolved. I will continue working with the landowners, local and state officials, and Senator Cornyn (R-TX) until this issue is resolved once and for all.” Thornberry is the author of the “Red River Gradient Boundary Survey Act” which passed earlier this year.
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University facing crisis as enrollment plummets over liberal reputation
Since 2015, a total of seven dorms have been forced to close.
The abandonment of the residence halls is to “ensure that we are maximizing the space we have and being as efficient as possible with our resources,” MU News Bureau associate director Liz McCune told local ABC17.
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First town manager tries to move Green Mountain Falls past 'rough patches'
John Pick is not foreign to small-town government. But Green Mountain Falls and its tiny population nestled on the northern slopes of Pikes Peak is definitely the most minuscule municipality the seasoned city administrator of 30 years has tackled.
Pick, 65, was chosen by leaders of the western El Paso County town of fewer than 700 people in September to be the first town manager, and in early October began a six-month adventure to help move the burg move past what Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Thorne called "some rough patches" during the last few years.
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Pick, 65, was chosen by leaders of the western El Paso County town of fewer than 700 people in September to be the first town manager, and in early October began a six-month adventure to help move the burg move past what Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Thorne called "some rough patches" during the last few years.
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NOI 4/8/17 Wicomico Dwelling Fire Alabama Avenue
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
Date: April 8, 2017
Time: 3:38 p.m.
Location / Address: 537 Alabama Ave., Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: One story wood frame single family dwelling
Owner / Occupants: GNI Properties
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $2,000 Contents: $0
Smoke Alarm Status: Present and not activated
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Salisbury
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 10
Time to Control: 5 minutes
Discovered By: Neighbor
Area of Origin: Exterior of front porch
Preliminary Cause: Accidental, careless discard of smoking materials
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NOI 4/8/17 Wicomico Apartment Fire Emory Court
NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
Date: April 8, 2017
Time: 1:55 p.m.
Location / Address: 500 Emory Court, Apt. 201, Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: Three story brick 12-unit apartment building
Owner / Occupants: Parkside Apartments / Megan Schwartz
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $1,500 Contents: $150
Smoke Alarm Status: Present, not activated
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: Present, activated
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Salisbury
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 30
Time to Control: 5 minutes
Discovered By: Neighbor
Area of Origin: Exterior patio
Preliminary Cause: Accidental, careless discard of smoking materials
Additional Information:
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Supreme Court: 5 cases Gorsuch will hear in his first month on the bench
It was a grueling process from President Trump’s nomination of U.S. Circuit Judge Neil Gorsuch in January to the Supreme Court seat left vacant at Justice Antonin Scalia’s death to the Senate’s confirmation of him on Friday.
But now comes the really hard work.
With less than a month left in the court’s current sitting, Gorsuch will have to jump into hearings on a number of controversial issues that will not only gauge the 49-year-old Colorado native’s conservative credentials but also lay bare how he compares to his predecessor, Scalia.
“Scalia was not a monochromatic justice and I don’t think that Gorsuch is that way either,” Stephen Wasby, a professor emeritus at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the University of Albany, told Fox News.
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But now comes the really hard work.
With less than a month left in the court’s current sitting, Gorsuch will have to jump into hearings on a number of controversial issues that will not only gauge the 49-year-old Colorado native’s conservative credentials but also lay bare how he compares to his predecessor, Scalia.
“Scalia was not a monochromatic justice and I don’t think that Gorsuch is that way either,” Stephen Wasby, a professor emeritus at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the University of Albany, told Fox News.
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Great Debt Unwind: Personal And Commercial Bankruptcies Surge In March
Commercial bankruptcy filings, from corporations to sole proprietorships, spiked 28% in March from February, the largest month-to-month move in the data series of the American Bankruptcy Institute going back to 2012. They’re up 8% year-over-year. Over the past 24 months, they soared 37%! At 3,658, they’re at the highest level for any March since 2013.
Commercial bankruptcy filings skyrocketed during the Financial Crisis and peaked in March 2010 at 9,004. Then they fell sharply until they reached their low point in October 2015. November 2015 was the turning point, when for the first time since March 2010, commercial bankruptcy filings rose year-over-year.
Bankruptcy filings are highly seasonal, reaching their annual lows in December and January. Then they rise into tax season, peak in March or April, and zigzag lower for the remainder of the year. The data is not seasonally or otherwise adjusted – one of the raw and unvarnished measures of how businesses are faring in the economy.
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Commercial bankruptcy filings skyrocketed during the Financial Crisis and peaked in March 2010 at 9,004. Then they fell sharply until they reached their low point in October 2015. November 2015 was the turning point, when for the first time since March 2010, commercial bankruptcy filings rose year-over-year.
Bankruptcy filings are highly seasonal, reaching their annual lows in December and January. Then they rise into tax season, peak in March or April, and zigzag lower for the remainder of the year. The data is not seasonally or otherwise adjusted – one of the raw and unvarnished measures of how businesses are faring in the economy.
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Trust Act Dead In Annapolis; Lawmakers To Approve Some Language From It
However, the bill that passed the House of Delegates last month will not be considered in the Senate this year.
Senator Victor Ramirez of Prince George’s County, who sponsored the Senate version of the bill withdrew his legislation this week, when he learned the bill could not pass the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. The committee will not consider the bill passed by the House.
Senate President Mike Miller told WBAL NewsRadio 1090 last week that the bill that the version of the bill that passed the House would not pass the Senate
Governor Larry Hogan had promised to veto the measure.
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At Least 20% of SEIU’s Budget Went to Politics
After spending big on Clinton, Obama, SEIU now facing steep budget cuts
Labor giant Service Employees International Union spent $60 million on politics and lobbying as well as $19 million on the Fight for 15 movement in 2016, and now finds itself laying off headquarters staff.
The union's federal filing to the Department of Labor reveal that it experienced marginal growth in 2016, adding about 15,000 members from 2015. However, that increase did not correlate with financial growth as revenue fell by $17 million, fueling a $10 million budget deficit.
The union, which represents healthcare and public sector workers, spent $61.6 million on political activities and lobbying in 2016, roughly 20 percent of its $314.6 million budget, according to the filing.
However, those figures may underestimate its political spending. The union spent $19 million on activist groups and public relations consultants to assist with the Fight for 15 campaign, which has successfully pushed for dramatic minimum wage increases in New York, California, and Washington, D.C., according to an analysis from the Center for Union Facts.
The majority of that money went to worker organizing committees, local groups that organized and staged protests outside of fast food eateries such as McDonald's, which the SEIU has long targeted for unionization. Payments to those seven committees totaled $14 million and were classified as "support for organizing," rather than "political activities and lobbying."
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Labor giant Service Employees International Union spent $60 million on politics and lobbying as well as $19 million on the Fight for 15 movement in 2016, and now finds itself laying off headquarters staff.
The union's federal filing to the Department of Labor reveal that it experienced marginal growth in 2016, adding about 15,000 members from 2015. However, that increase did not correlate with financial growth as revenue fell by $17 million, fueling a $10 million budget deficit.
The union, which represents healthcare and public sector workers, spent $61.6 million on political activities and lobbying in 2016, roughly 20 percent of its $314.6 million budget, according to the filing.
However, those figures may underestimate its political spending. The union spent $19 million on activist groups and public relations consultants to assist with the Fight for 15 campaign, which has successfully pushed for dramatic minimum wage increases in New York, California, and Washington, D.C., according to an analysis from the Center for Union Facts.
The majority of that money went to worker organizing committees, local groups that organized and staged protests outside of fast food eateries such as McDonald's, which the SEIU has long targeted for unionization. Payments to those seven committees totaled $14 million and were classified as "support for organizing," rather than "political activities and lobbying."
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Michael Savage Turns on Trump, Says Syrian Gas Attack Was False Flag Operation
Conservative talk show host, Michael Savage, who fervently supported Trump during the Presidential campaign, soured on him today. Savage, referencing his background in science, having a PhD in epidemiology, said the alleged gas attack in the ISIS controlled city of Idlib was most likely phosgene and not sarin.
Backing up his claim that the attack did not contain sarin, Savage made reference to photos showing first responders attending to bodies without gloves or protective gear. Had sarin been used in the attack, all of those men in white helmets would be dead.
In nearly a 15 minute soliloquy over the attack, Savage lamented that the neocon 'military tweet' by Trump was a ploy to increase his popularity, in light of falling poll numbers. Verbosely, Savage hemmed and hawed with disappointment, dispirited that he spent over a year advocating for Trump, who said he eschewed the interventionist policies of people like McCain, Graham, and Schumer, only to cave in shortly after winning the Presidency.
Savage also questioned the timing of Jared Kushner's trip to Iraq, coupled with Bannon's timely demotion from the NSC -- just ahead of the attacks as being highly suspicious.
"This whole thing stinks to high heaven,' said Savage. Furthering his criticism of the President, Savage proclaimed: "It looks like Hillary, deep state won, and Trump is doing her bidding."
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Backing up his claim that the attack did not contain sarin, Savage made reference to photos showing first responders attending to bodies without gloves or protective gear. Had sarin been used in the attack, all of those men in white helmets would be dead.
In nearly a 15 minute soliloquy over the attack, Savage lamented that the neocon 'military tweet' by Trump was a ploy to increase his popularity, in light of falling poll numbers. Verbosely, Savage hemmed and hawed with disappointment, dispirited that he spent over a year advocating for Trump, who said he eschewed the interventionist policies of people like McCain, Graham, and Schumer, only to cave in shortly after winning the Presidency.
Savage also questioned the timing of Jared Kushner's trip to Iraq, coupled with Bannon's timely demotion from the NSC -- just ahead of the attacks as being highly suspicious.
"This whole thing stinks to high heaven,' said Savage. Furthering his criticism of the President, Savage proclaimed: "It looks like Hillary, deep state won, and Trump is doing her bidding."
More/Video
Sally Kohn Makes False Claim About Nuclear Option
CNN contributor and liberal pundit Sally Kohn on Thursday tweeted out a flawed take on the Senate Republicans' use of the so-called "nuclear option."
"Are we really surprised that after Democrats DIDN'T use [the nuclear option], Republicans DID?" she tweeted on Friday. "Perpetual high-road/low-road distinction."
Are we really surprised that after Democrats DIDN'T use #NuclearOption, Republicans DID?
Perpetual high-road/low-road distinction.
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) April 6, 2017
But Democrats did use the nuclear option when they controlled the Senate in 2013, changing the rules to kill the filibuster of any executive appointments and non-Supreme Court federal judges. Republicans on Thursday then applied the nuclear option to Supreme Court nominations.
When Kohn wrote an op-ed for CNN in 2013 she praised Democrats for going nuclear.
"‘Nuclear option' makes GOP do its job," she wrote. "If Democrats didn't flip the nuclear switch now to allow appointments to go through, Republicans will surely flip it later. At least if Democrats do it first, they get to finally vote on some critical nominees and move the governance and sanctity of our nation forward."
"‘Nuclear option' is a loaded term," she insisted. "Proponents of the measure call it the ‘constitutional option' in so far as it is constitutional and it would finally hold Senate Republicans' feet to the fire to perform their constitutional duty."
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"Are we really surprised that after Democrats DIDN'T use [the nuclear option], Republicans DID?" she tweeted on Friday. "Perpetual high-road/low-road distinction."
Are we really surprised that after Democrats DIDN'T use #NuclearOption, Republicans DID?
Perpetual high-road/low-road distinction.
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) April 6, 2017
But Democrats did use the nuclear option when they controlled the Senate in 2013, changing the rules to kill the filibuster of any executive appointments and non-Supreme Court federal judges. Republicans on Thursday then applied the nuclear option to Supreme Court nominations.
When Kohn wrote an op-ed for CNN in 2013 she praised Democrats for going nuclear.
"‘Nuclear option' makes GOP do its job," she wrote. "If Democrats didn't flip the nuclear switch now to allow appointments to go through, Republicans will surely flip it later. At least if Democrats do it first, they get to finally vote on some critical nominees and move the governance and sanctity of our nation forward."
"‘Nuclear option' is a loaded term," she insisted. "Proponents of the measure call it the ‘constitutional option' in so far as it is constitutional and it would finally hold Senate Republicans' feet to the fire to perform their constitutional duty."
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'It Did Not Stick': The First Federal Effort to Curb Police Abuse
PITTSBURGH — Federal intervention to curb police abuse did not begin after chants of “I can’t breathe,” viral cellphone videos or the Black Lives Matter movement.
It began 21 years ago here in Pittsburgh, where the police were laden with complaints that black residents were routinely singled out for false arrest and abuse. In a City Hall conference room, Chief Robert McNeilly faced a team of lawyers from the Justice Department — young, smartly dressed and newly empowered to rein in the department.
Sizing up the investigators, Chief McNeilly — dressed, as usual, in uniform — had one thought he could not get out of his mind: “There was nobody with any police experience.”
Still, the negotiators groped their way to the first federal “consent decree,” an 83-paragraph court-enforced agreement in 1997 that turned Pittsburgh into a widely emulated model department — for a time, at least.
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It began 21 years ago here in Pittsburgh, where the police were laden with complaints that black residents were routinely singled out for false arrest and abuse. In a City Hall conference room, Chief Robert McNeilly faced a team of lawyers from the Justice Department — young, smartly dressed and newly empowered to rein in the department.
Sizing up the investigators, Chief McNeilly — dressed, as usual, in uniform — had one thought he could not get out of his mind: “There was nobody with any police experience.”
Still, the negotiators groped their way to the first federal “consent decree,” an 83-paragraph court-enforced agreement in 1997 that turned Pittsburgh into a widely emulated model department — for a time, at least.
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Comptroller of Md: Tax Identity Scams Are At An All-Time High
Now, he says his office needs more power to put criminals behind bars.
The criminals behind identity theft are getting more bold and brazen. The comptroller says until his office has more power, they won’t be able to get a grip on what he calls an epidemic.
It’s a nationwide crisis that’s spiraling out of control. Thieves are digging around for personal information and cashing in your tax return, right here in Maryland.
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Breaking News: Well Fargo executives were ordered to pay back $75 million after a scathing report on the company's sales fraud scandal
Wells Fargo’s board said Monday that it would claw back an additional $75 million in compensation from the two executives on whom it pinned most of the blame for the company’s sales scandal: the bank’s former chief executive, John G. Stumpf, and its former head of community banking, Carrie L. Tolstedt.
In a scathing, 113-page report that made it clear that all the warning signs of the problem had been glaring, the board released the results of its six-month investigation into the conditions and culture that prompted thousands of Wells Fargo employees to create fraudulent accounts in an effort to meet aggressive sales goals.
In a scathing, 113-page report that made it clear that all the warning signs of the problem had been glaring, the board released the results of its six-month investigation into the conditions and culture that prompted thousands of Wells Fargo employees to create fraudulent accounts in an effort to meet aggressive sales goals.
Loans 'Designed to Fail': States Say Navient Preyed on Students
Ashley Hardin dreamed of being a professional photographer — glamorous shoots, perhaps some exotic travel. So in 2006, she enrolled in the Brooks Institute of Photography and borrowed more than $150,000 to pay for what the school described as a pathway into an industry clamoring for its graduates.
“Brooks was advertised as the most prestigious photography school on the West Coast,” Ms. Hardin said. “I wanted to learn from the best of the best.”
Ms. Hardin did not realize that she had taken out high-risk private loans in pursuit of a low-paying career. But her lender, SLM Corporation, better known as Sallie Mae, knew all of that, government lawyers say — and made the loans anyway.
In recent months, the student loan giant Navient, which was spun off from Sallie Mae in 2014 and retained nearly all of the company’s loan portfolio, has come under fire for aggressive and sloppy loan collection practices, which led to a set of government lawsuits filed in January. But those accusations have overshadowed broader claims, detailed in two state lawsuits filed by the attorneys general in Illinois and Washington, that Sallie Mae engaged in predatory lending, extending billions of dollars in private loans to students like Ms. Hardin that never should have been made in the first place.
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“Brooks was advertised as the most prestigious photography school on the West Coast,” Ms. Hardin said. “I wanted to learn from the best of the best.”
Ms. Hardin did not realize that she had taken out high-risk private loans in pursuit of a low-paying career. But her lender, SLM Corporation, better known as Sallie Mae, knew all of that, government lawyers say — and made the loans anyway.
In recent months, the student loan giant Navient, which was spun off from Sallie Mae in 2014 and retained nearly all of the company’s loan portfolio, has come under fire for aggressive and sloppy loan collection practices, which led to a set of government lawsuits filed in January. But those accusations have overshadowed broader claims, detailed in two state lawsuits filed by the attorneys general in Illinois and Washington, that Sallie Mae engaged in predatory lending, extending billions of dollars in private loans to students like Ms. Hardin that never should have been made in the first place.
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Trump Is Delivering for His Voters
Column: And Washington doesn't seem to care
The imminent confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court highlights the divergence between the state of the Trump presidency and official Washington's assessment of it. If you were to judge by the news coming from the television in my office, your inescapable conclusion would be that the Trump administration is a disaster, that the president lacks any achievement, that collusion with Russia put him in the Oval Office and the FBI is on the verge of throwing him out. But you could easily tell another and quite different story from the president's daily schedule and the available empirical evidence: Trump is presiding over a surging U.S. economy, fulfilling promises made on the campaign trail, and rolling back the burdensome regulatory legacy of his predecessor.
I'm not saying Trump is a popular president, nor would I deny he's had his share of embarrassments. What I am saying is that a Trump voter would have very little reason to be disappointed in this presidency so far. The negative poll numbers are in part a response to Washington's unrelenting hostility to Trump. And his greatest misstep, the failure of his health care bill, was largely a consequence of him deciding for once to play by Washington's rules. On those matters under his direct control, the president has delivered.
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The imminent confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court highlights the divergence between the state of the Trump presidency and official Washington's assessment of it. If you were to judge by the news coming from the television in my office, your inescapable conclusion would be that the Trump administration is a disaster, that the president lacks any achievement, that collusion with Russia put him in the Oval Office and the FBI is on the verge of throwing him out. But you could easily tell another and quite different story from the president's daily schedule and the available empirical evidence: Trump is presiding over a surging U.S. economy, fulfilling promises made on the campaign trail, and rolling back the burdensome regulatory legacy of his predecessor.
I'm not saying Trump is a popular president, nor would I deny he's had his share of embarrassments. What I am saying is that a Trump voter would have very little reason to be disappointed in this presidency so far. The negative poll numbers are in part a response to Washington's unrelenting hostility to Trump. And his greatest misstep, the failure of his health care bill, was largely a consequence of him deciding for once to play by Washington's rules. On those matters under his direct control, the president has delivered.
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Legislative Session Ends Tonight
Lawmakers have considered more than 2,800 bills and joint resolutions over the last 90 days.
Lawmakers will leave Annapolis having passed a budget, a number of measures criticizing President Trump, a ban on fracking, and an education bill that was vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan.
The measure helps the state comply with new federal education guidelines. It reduces the influence of student test scores in the assessment used to determine a school’s success, and it prohibits the state form putting poor performing schools into a special school district, or converting them into private schools.
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