You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


Thursday, April 20, 2017

Georgetown, De. – The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that occurred earlier today west of Georgetown.

The preliminary investigation has determined the incident occurred around 11:06 a.m. Thursday, April 20, 2017, as Howard A. Scheweitzer, 62 of Laurel, was operating a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle northbound on East Trap Pond Road (CR 62) approaching the intersection at Piney Grove Road. A 2004 Ford Explorer operated by Yajira Quintana-Tinoco, 31, of Seaford, was traveling eastbound on Piney Grove Rd (CR 329), and stopped at a posted stop sign at the intersection of East Trap Pond Road. Yajira Quintana-Tinoco failed to remain stopped at the stop sign and entered the intersection directly into the path of the motorcycle. Scheweitzer was unable to avoid the collision, and the front of the motorcycle struck the right front of the Ford Explorer within the intersection.

Scheweitzer, who was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, was ejected from the motorcycle upon impact and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Yajira Quintana-Tinoco, as well as two juvenile passengers in her vehicle, were uninjured.

This crash remains under investigation by the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit. Impairment on the part of both parties is not being considered as a factor in this crash.

The intersection of East Trap Pond Road and Piney Grove Road was closed for approximately 2.5 hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and are in need of assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit/Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline

Congressional Democrats and Republicans will be given the opportunity to bake out a “Joint Session” of Congress on Thursday, as Americans across the nation celebrate the unofficial weed-smoking holiday known as 4/20.

Members of DCMJ, a pro-cannabis activist group, plans to camp out near Capitol Hill to puff-puff-pass out at least 1,000 free marijuana joints to members of Congress, congressional staffers, interns and credentialed members of the press. The group offers to give out two joints per person, as long as the tokers are older than 21.

Since state law allows D.C. residents to possess, grow and give away marijuana, the group will most likely be allowed to carry out the pot-smoking event without obstruction.

An old geezer, who had been a retired farmer for a long time, became very bored and decided to open a medical clinic. He put a sign up outside that said: Dr. Geezer’s clinic. “Get your treatment for $500, if not cured get back $1,000.”

Doctor “Young,” who was positive that this old geezer didn’t know anything about medicine, thought this would be a great opportunity to get an easy $1,000.

So he went to Dr. Geezer’s clinic

This is what happened.

Dr. Young:“Dr. Geezer, I have lost all taste in my mouth. Can you please help me?”

Dr. Young gets annoyed and leaves in a haste. He’s angry now, and spends the next few days trying to figure out a way to recover his money. He returns to Dr. Geezer’s office once he thinks of a clever plan…

But language is a "living thing," says lexicographer Kory Stamper, an associate editor at Merriam-Webster — and it's constantly shifting in use and meaning.

"A lot of times people assume that English as we speak it is something that was curated maybe by some dudes in frilly shirts back in the 1700s," Stamper explains. "But in fact, a language is ... always influenced by the people who come in and speak it or come in and conquer it."

Stamper's new book, Word by Word, describes the painstaking process of keeping the dictionary up to date. Five years ago, for instance, Merriam-Webster added the term f-bomb to its pages — an addition that reflected, Stamper says, the term's widespread, sustained and meaningful use in society.

"People assume that ... there's boundaries set around [the English language], and that all the good stuff is on the inside and everything on the outside is bad or not worth using," she says. "But it's all worth using, and all of it is required to make the language flourish."

Secretary Price sends letter to governors: “Through a sustained focus on people, patients, and partnerships, I am confident that together we can turn the tide on this public health crisis."

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D. today announced that HHS will soon provide $485 million in grants to help states and territories combat opioid addiction. The funding, which is the first of two rounds provided for in the 21stCentury Cures Act, will be provided through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The funding will be issued to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, four U.S. territories, and the free associated states of Palau and Micronesia. Funding will support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment, and recovery services depending on the needs of recipients. States and territories were awarded funds based on rates of overdose deaths and unmet need for opioid addiction treatment.

The U.S. Justice Department is sending a message to state and local governments: Failure to comply with federal laws could have big consequences.

This year, most of the conversation has focused on whether sanctuary cities that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities will be able to keep grant money for their police departments. But veterans of the Justice Department said that's only a piece of what could be at stake.

A little-noticed portion of a memo Attorney General Jeff Sessions signed on March 31 directed his deputies to review local and state compliance with "all federal laws."

"I think it's cause for concern," said Miriam Krinsky, a former federal prosecutor who now works with newly elected district attorneys and state attorneys. "With federal money moving forward, there could be the potential for federal strings to be attached."

Westside Historical Society is proud to announce the return of the popular series of talks by local authors on books they have written about Delmarva! The first of the 2017 Series will be held on April 21, starting at 5pm with a chance to meet and greet the author, at Laytons Chance Winery near Vienna.

This initial gathering promises to be a special one, with the featured author being Dr. Clara Small, retired History Prof from Salisbury University and now Chair of Social Sciences at UMES. Dr. Small is well known locally and regionally for her groundbreaking research on the role played by local African-American men as combatants in the Civil War. Her first book, Men of Color: To Arms! Manumitted Slaves and Free Blacks from the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland Who Served in the Civil War, primarily with Worcester and Somerset County enlisted men. Continuing the line of research, her newest work, “hot off the presses” investigates those men from Dorchester County and is entitled They Wore Blue and Their Hearts Were Loyal, the United States Colored Troops of Dorchester County, Maryland: Slaves and Free Blacks who Served in the Civil War. This will be Dr Small’s first public discussion of it. In addition, a third work not yet released is entitled Compass Points: Profiles and Biographies of African Americans from the Delmarva Peninsula, Vol. I and she promises to reveal some of the finds from that one as well.

This first talk in Westside’s book talk series will start with a chance to meet and greet Dr. Small from 5 pm to about 5:45, followed by her talk and then questions and answers. She promises to bring copies of her books (the ones now available) for sale! Refreshments will be available. Registration is not required, but for more information you can phone Westside Historical Society at 410-726-8047, or email <PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED_EMAIL_ADDRESS> or phone Layton’s Chance Vineyards and Winery at (410) 228-1205, and for directions to the Winery go to their web site at www.laytonschance.com .

Like it or not, the fact is that we’ve crossed through the mirror into a world where people are paid lots of money to mention a product, wear an article of clothing, or sip some ab-tightening tea… not because they are famous but because they get paid lots of money to mention products they got for free, wear comped clothing, and drink dubious tea — a well-dressed, flat-tummied, ouroboros shown off in impeccably framed and filtered Instagram shots. You might find it repellant, but it’s legal, so long as all of that cash and compensation is adequately disclosed — a message that a number of “influencers” and their handlers have either ignored or not received.

SALISBURY, MD---When it comes to electricity, Salisbury University soon will have it made in the shade — literally.

On the eve of Earth Day, the University announced plans for a new solar parking lot. Solar canopies covering SU’s Parking Lot H, on College Avenue, will collect energy from the sun to help power adjacent academic buildings while providing shade for vehicles using the lot.

“The panels will generate approximately 765,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually,” said Wayne Shelton, SU director of campus sustainability and environmental safety. “Comparatively, that quantity represents 51 percent of the electricity used by Holloway Hall, 34 percent of the consumption in Fulton Hall or 32 percent of Conway Hall.”

Standard Solar, the contractor installing the system, will own, operate and maintain it for 20 years, after which ownership will revert to SU. The project also will include an educational display listing performance data and related information.

Applications for mortgages jump 1.3% as borrowing costs ease a tad, making homes more affordable and decision to refinance easier.

NEW YORK — A dip in mortgage rates gave Americans a good reason to take out home-related loans last week, as applications for mortgages jumped 1.3%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The jump in seasonally adjusted mortgage applications for the week ended August 3 came as the interest rate on 30-year fixed mortgages fell to 4.73%, from a 2013 high of 4.80% a week ago, the MBA said.

However, much of the gains came from the refinance index, which jumped 2% from the previous week. Applications for the purchase index actually dropped 0.4%. The refinance index's share of total applications climbed to 61%, up from 60% in the prior week.

America's chief federal banking regulator admits it failed to act on numerous "red flags" at Wells Fargo that could have stopped the fake account scandal years earlier.

One particularly alarming red flag that went unheeded: In January 2010, the regulator was aware of "700 cases of whistleblower complaints" about Wells Fargo's sales tactics.

An internal review published on Wednesday by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency found that the regulator didn't live up to its responsibilities. The report found that oversight ofWells Fargo (WFC) was "untimely and ineffective" and federal examiners overseeing the bank "missed" several opportunities to uncover the problems that led to the creation of millions of fake accounts

President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have improved to 50 percent according to a new Rasmussen poll.

This is the first time the president’s overall approval rating has been back in the 50s in nearly a month. Just after his inauguration, Trump’s job approval peaked at 59% and remained in the 50s every day until early March. It’s gone as low as 42% since then.

Trump’s ratings have improved despite multiple reports of staff infighting in the White House and after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump also approved a missile attack in response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons, and the military dropping the “Mother of All Bombs” on Islamic State terrorists in Afghanistan.

The socialist leader of Venezuela announced in a speech to regime loyalists his plan to arm hundreds of thousands of supporters after a years-long campaign to confiscate civilian-owned guns.

"A gun for every militiaman!" Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said to uniformed militia members outside the presidential palace, Fox News reported on Tuesday. The Bolivarian militias, created by Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez, already number in the hundreds of thousands and are being used to supplement the regime's armed forces. Maduro is boosting the number of armed supporters in hopes of keeping control over the country from what he labels "imperialist aggression."

The arming of Maduro's supporters comes five years after Venezuela's socialist regime outlawed the commercial sale and civilian ownership of firearms. Only the military, police, and groups like security companies can buy guns and only directly from one state-run arms company under the law passed in 2012, according to the BBC. The country recently doubled down on its gun ban through a combination of gun buybacks and confiscations in the summer of 2016.

For 21st Century Fox, the network’s parent company, payouts related to sexual harassment allegations at Fox News now total more than $85 million. The vast majority of that — up to $65 million in exit packages — is being paid to the men who were ousted from the network because of the harassment allegations.

Mr. O’Reilly, 67, was forced out of the network on Wednesday following the disclosure of a series of sexual harassment allegations against him and an internal investigation that unearthed more women with complaints about his behavior.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Servicestoday announced a redesign to the Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card) and the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) as part of the Next Generation Secure Identification Document Project. USCIS will begin issuing the new cards on May 1, 2017.

These redesigns use enhanced graphics and fraud-resistant security features to create cards that are highly secure and more tamper-resistant than the ones currently in use.

The new card designs demonstrate USCIS’ commitment to continue taking a proactive approach against the threat of document tampering and fraud. They are also part of an ongoing effort between USCIS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enhance document security and deter counterfeiting and fraud.

The Redesigned Cards

The new Green Cards and EADs will:

Display the individual’s photos on both sides;

Show a unique graphic image and color palette:

Green Cards will have an image of the Statue of Liberty and a predominately green palette;

EAD cards will have an image of a bald eagle and a predominately red palette;

Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the high-profile chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, won't seek re-election in 2018.

"After long consultation with my family and prayerful consideration, I have decided I will not be a candidate for any office in 2018," Chaffetz said in a statement on Facebook.

Chaffetz's role as the leader of the House Oversight Committee put him in the spotlight as he led investigations into Hillary Clinton's private email server and many aspects of former President Barack Obama's administration.

Chaffetz has also drawn flack for not being as animated to investigate President Trump's business connections and how they might impact his presidency. In his statement, Chaffetz ruled out running for any political office in 2018. There have been rumblings about potential Republican challengers for Sen. Orrin Hatch's seat in the U.S. Senate. Hatch seems intent on running for re-election in 2018, but rumors have seen several high-profile names, such as Mitt Romney, floated for the seat.

Joe, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you of the tragic motorcycle accident this morning in Georgetown De. That claimed the life of a long time Ocean City firefighter/paramedic Alan Schweitzer. Please keep his family, friends and fellow brothers and sisters of the fire service in your thoughts and prayers as we deal with this difficult loss.

BERLIN – Town officials kicked off the annual budget process with a work session to discuss the projected $8 million general fund budget for the coming year.

The Berlin Council met Monday to take a preliminary look at the proposed $8,060,970 general fund budget for FY2018. As proposed the budget is 10 percent lower than the current year’s spending plan.

“What this budget process seeks to do is simply an ongoing commitment to provide the financial tools for the town to take care of our immediate needs while also planning for the future,” Mayor Gee Williams said.

According to Williams, the decrease in the proposed general fund budget relates to last year’s purchase of what is now known as Berlin Falls Park.

Wednesday, Glenn Beck tweeted out a screenshot of an email from the Bonner Group. The Bonner Group is a leftist fundraising Super PAC for Hillary Clinton under the employ of George Soros’ Media Matters.

The email reads:

“For years Bill O’Reilly has been one of the worst purveyors of misinformation on Fox News. A serial misinformer, pushing many of the most extreme, sexist, racist, homophobic, and xenophobic conservative theories on TV . . . Thanks to Media Matters, O’Reilly and Fox News are being held accountable.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, an avowed enemy of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shareholders seeking to end the Obama administration Net Worth Sweep, has built a personal fortune of approximately $50 million since being elected to the Senate in 2006.

But Corker has been anything but forthcoming in accurately disclosing the true amount of his wealth, or making it clear to the public the methods he used to accumulate it.

Consider the many different estimates of Corker’s wealth in the public record since he was elected to the U.S. Senate.

If you want a vehicle that can make it to 200,000 miles, what should you buy? Probably not a sedan. A new study finds that large SUVs are the likeliest to keep going to that mileage marker and beyond.

Research from iSeeCars.com found that the Ford Expedition and Toyota Sequoia are four times as likely and the Chevrolet Suburban 3.5 times as likely as the average vehicle to be still on the road at 200,000 miles. The study looked at the 13 million used cars sold last year ranging from 1981 models to 2017.

Overall, 1.3 percent of average vehicles made it to 200,000, while the percentage for the Ford Expedition was 5.7, with the Toyota Sequoia at 5.6 and the Chevrolet Suburban at 4.8.

“Supersized SUVs are often workhorses for families,” said Phong Ly, CEO of iSeeCars.com. “They typically transport eight people and usually have significant towing capacity for families who boat or camp.”

OCEAN CITY — A little over a week after voting to eliminate or at least redirect the $5,000 dedicated as prize money for the first white marlin of the season, the city’s elected officials voted to restore the funding and vowed to work with the fishing community to better market the annual milestone.

Two weeks ago, the Mayor and Council voted to eliminate the $5,000 prize citing a perceived lack of importance and interest in the annual milestone. The fishing community reacted with what can best be described as outrage in the council’s decision to eliminate the prize in the White Marlin Capital of the World.

Various marinas and other businesses rallied to piece together a private sector prize going beyond the city’s annual $5,000 within a day of the decision. It’s important to note the Ocean City Marlin Club already provides a $5,000 match if the boat landing the season’s first white marlin is a club member.

Owners began increasing political contributions to Democrats when legal troubles piled up (Updated)

David Garcia, a Democratic candidate for governor in Arizona, accepted campaign contributions from the owner of a website that is tied to underage trafficking and prostitution.

Michael G. Lacey, who in 2012 sold his newspaper holdings and spun off the classified ad website Backpage.com into its own entity, has given $162,000 in contributions to a number of Democratic politicians at the state and federal levels since legal problems against the site began to mount, the Arizona Republic reported.

The publication missed one Democratic politician in the state who received funds from Lacey as he began to ramp up his political contributions: David Garcia, who is currently challenging Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.

When Garcia ran for state superintendent of public instruction in 2014, Lacey gave his campaign$2,000 in donations. Lacey did not contribute to any other state-level candidate that year other than Garcia. Rather, he donated to a Democratic group in Sedona, Arizona and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego.

OCEAN PINES – Officials in Ocean Pines have decided to remove a proposed family night function from the community’s adults-only swimming pool this summer after actions taken by the acting general manager to change pool operations without the knowledge of the board created uproar among some residents.

In a special meeting last week to hear and address residents’ concerns, the Ocean Pines Association (OPA) Board of Directors voted to remove Sunday Family Funday from the Oasis pool, an event which was scheduled from 2-6 p.m. Sunday evenings throughout the summer season.

Realization about changes in the pool schedule came after the association released its spring and summer Activity Guide earlier this month. Not only would the association be opening its adults-only pool to families once a week, but it would also offer an adults-only swim those same evenings at the Swim and Racquet Club pool.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been riddled with employee misconduct, including workers who drink, smoke marijuana, and watch porn on the job.

Inspector general reports over the past few years detailing employee misbehavior could serve as ammunition for EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who is seeking to eliminate 25 percent of the 15,000 employees at the agency.

Only 6.5 percent of EPA employees are "essential," according to the government's own calculations when it faced a shutdown in 2013. At the time, just 1,069 employees were deemed necessary to continue working during the 16 days the government closed.

Americans will spend $5.1 trillion on federal, state, and local taxes in 2017

This year, taxpayers will spend 113 days working to pay for the nation's tax burden, according to a report from the Tax Foundation.

Tax Freedom Day is April 23, 113 days into the year, and falls 5 days after taxes are collected on April 18. Tax Freedom Day would fall roughly two weeks later on May 7 if federal borrowing or future taxes were included.

"Tax Freedom Day takes all federal, state, and local taxes—individual as well as payroll, sales and excise, corporate and property taxes—and divides them by the nation's income," the report says.

Americans will spend upward of $5.1 trillion on taxes, which includes $3.5 trillion in federal taxes and $1.6 trillion in state and local taxes, according to the report.

"This year, Americans will work the longest—46 days—to pay federal, state, and local individual income taxes," the report states. "Payroll taxes will take 26 days to pay, followed by sales and excise taxes (15 days), corporate income taxes (10 days), and property taxes (10 days). The remaining six days are spent paying estate and inheritance taxes, customs duties, and other taxes."

An analysis by a pro-free-market think tank estimates that at least 1,000 federal workers paid with taxpayer dollars exclusively worked for labor organizations rather than performing duties at their government jobs.

Taxpayers spent $162.5 million on federal employees performing union activities in 2014, according to the Office of Personnel Management's most recent data. The Competitive Enterprise Institute used official budget documents and Freedom of Information Act requests to validate how many federal employees worked under such conditions.

"It is likely that thousands of federal employees spend 100 percent of their time performing union activity instead of the public service they were hired to do," the CEI report published Tuesday says (emphasis in the original).

On May 19th & 20th, Main St Gym, along with Pohanka of Salisbury, will host the 2017 Junior Olympic Regional Championships at the Main St. Gym. Tickets are $20 for 1 day and $35 for two day passes. VIP table are also available in advance by calling 410-430-6687.

Last Saturday three Main St Gym boxers advanced to this regional tournament by competing in Baltimore at the Upton Boxing Center. Kobe Moore won on a walkover in the 165lb division for 15 &16 year olds, Jordan Brown of Delmar won a hard fought battle and will advance in the 125lb 13&14 year olds division and Erick Acosta stepped up to show he was ready to move on in the 119lb 13 &14 year old division.

In the non- tournament bouts of Saturday nights card, Salisbury’s Harlem Beteck emerged from the ring as a winner with Jonathan Stevens and Gavin Brown losing close decisions.

“I am so proud of all these young guys,” said Coach Hal Chernoff. "We took 10 kids that were ring ready to fight but only 5 were matched. Over the years Main St. has earned respect for having well trained kids that could compete on any level, but now we are impressing other programs with the number of kids ready to compete”, Chernoff added . “As the numbers grow in the gym, our goal to make it a good experience for the kids so they want to stay, improve and compete”.

Like any successful program it takes a team to get the job done and Chernoff claims to have anexcellent coaching staff under him in coaches Ryan Watson and Tyrone Hargrove. “This week I will be traveling to NY to work the corner of Shawn Porter in the Porter /Berto fight, on that same day, Coaches, Watson and Hargrove will take, Thomas Mottinger and James McMurdo to the Regional Golden Gloves Championship in Fort Washington MD.” said Coach Chernoff. Mottinger fights in the open class heavyweight division and McMurdo in the novice super heavyweight division. A win for Mottinger will send him to the National Golden Gloves in Louisiana . Then on May 19th Chernoff and his staff will host the JO Regionals, here in Salisbury with the hopes that Kobe Moore, Jordan Brown and Erick Acosta can advance to the Nationals Junior Olympics in Charleston W.Va..

OCEAN CITY — A downtown Ocean City watersports rental company and its owner charged last year with numerous violations following the death of a nine-year-old boy who fell from a rented pontoon boat pleaded guilty this week and paid $320 in fines.

Following an investigation into a tragic incident last August when a boy fell from the bow of a rented pontoon boat and was fatally struck by the vessel’s propeller, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) applied for charges in District Court in Worcester County against OC Watersports LLC and owner Tyler Barnes, who operated the watercraft rental operation near the base of the Route 50 Bridge at Talbot Street. The NRP’s application for charges was reviewed by a Worcester County District Court commissioner, who determined probable cause existed for the five charges.

Shortly before 3 p.m. last Aug. 17, the U.S. Coast Guard and NRP officers responded to a reported accident involving a rented pontoon boat in the Sinepuxent Bay behind Ocean City. The nine-year-old victim, who was riding on the vessel’s bow, fell overboard and was struck by the boat’s propeller and was seriously injured. The child later succumbed to injuries sustained from the propeller strike.

Terrorists inside America plotting attacks 'each and every single day'Federal authorities have open investigations into radical Islamic terrorists in all 50 states, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which is warning that the threat of terrorism in the United States has reached an all time high with radicalized individuals in the country plotting to strike "each and every single day."

The FBI has "open terrorist investigations in all 50 states," according to DHS Secretary John Kelly, who disclosed on Tuesday that there have been at least 37 "ISIS-linked plots to attack our country" since 2013, a number that shows no signs of diminishing.

Kelly, in his first wide-ranging public address on the threat of terrorism in America since taking office, warned that America's borders remain wide-open and that there is evidence terror-linked individuals are exploiting these national security weaknesses and entering the United States.

"We don’t know their intentions," Kelly said during an address at George Washington University. "We don’t know why they’re here or why they’re coming. We are completely blind to what they’re capable of."

Once hedge fund darlings, almost no one is more perfectly aligned to get obliterated by falling used car prices than America's auto rental companies, Hertz and Avis. As Bloomberg notes today, on a combined basis, Hertz and Avis dump about 400,000 vehicles per year into the used car market and operate fleets that are multiple times larger.

And with used car prices plunging, bondholders are starting to get slightly anxious about the collateral impact of writing down billions of dollars worth of capital assets.

Debt issued by Hertz Global Holdings Inc. and Avis Budget Group Inc., which had traded at or above par in recent years, tumbled to new lows earlier this month amid signs that used-vehicle prices are dropping twice as much as expected. That’s bad news for companies that collectively have to dispose of about 400,000 vehicles a year, and especially for Hertz, whose junk-rated debt is teetering close to a downgrade.

Hertz and Avis typically buy the cars outright from manufacturers or get them on a contract with a buyback agreement. The latter, called program cars, cost more because manufacturers assume the resale price risk. Vehicles that Avis and Hertz buy outright are called risk cars because rental companies make their own assumptions about what the cars will be worth when it’s time to sell. Combined with closely held Enterprise Holdings Inc., the three companies control more than 95 percent of the U.S. rental fleet, according to Manheim.

Program cars made up only 20 percent of Hertz’s U.S. fleet last year, according to a company filing, less than half the 44 percent for Avis’s total fleet. Hertz will try to buy more of those this year, Chief Financial Officer Tom Kennedy told investors during a February earnings call.

Approximately 24,000 drug convictions in Massachusetts that were tainted by a former state drug lab chemist who pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and falsifying tests have been dismissed.

'That is a victory for regular people, for people who've been tarnished by these drug convictions,' said Carl Williams, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, according to CNN.

Dookhan worked testing drug samples submitted by law enforcement agencies from 2003 until 2012.

The vast majority of 24,000 drug cases potentially tainted by former state chemist Annie Dookhan will be dismissed by mid-April, according to The Boston Globe. This makes it the single largest dismissal of criminal convictions in U.S. history, according to the ACLU.

It’s been three months since Donald Trump was inaugurated, and many Democrats and Leftmedia political analysts are still looking for reasons for why he actually won. How could America’s electorate choose Donald Trump, a man with no political experience, over Hillary Clinton, a woman — a woman! — who’d been around the levers of power her entire adult life?

According to a Washington Post “Monkey Cage” blog, written by Ohio State Professor Thomas Wood, the biggest motivator for Trump voters was, you guessed it, racism. Seriously, this was Wood’s conclusion after conducting “research” on the Annual National Election Study (ANES).

Wood’s analysis took three popular narratives or motivators to determine people’s reasons to vote for Trump and compared them with previous elections. The three motivators were being low income, desiring authoritarianism, and racism. To test these motivators against the ANES data, Wood’s used white voters as his sample population and on the issue of racism he used a “symbolic racism scale.”

Without belaboring the details, the result of Wood’s study supposedly reveals that racial attitudes made a bigger difference in electing Trump than authoritarianism or being low income..More here

James Comey, the man who refused to bring charges against Hillary Clinton despite a mountain of concrete evidence that she, and several members of her staff, knowingly violated several federal laws, apparently used the largely discredited "Trump Dossier" to help secure a FISA warrant to secretly monitor Trump's former campaign aide, Carter Page, according to CNN.

Among other things, the dossier alleged that Page met senior Russian officials as an emissary of the Trump campaign, and discussed quid-pro-quo deals relating to sanctions, business opportunities and Russia's interference in the election. Page has denied meeting the officials named in the dossier and says he never cut any political deals with the Kremlin. Per CNN:

The FBI last year used a dossier of allegations of Russian ties to Donald Trump's campaign as part of the justification to win approval to secretly monitor a Trump associate, according to US officials briefed on the investigation.

The dossier has also been cited by FBI Director James Comey in some of his briefings to members of Congress in recent weeks, as one of the sources of information the bureau has used to bolster its investigation, according to US officials briefed on the probe.

This includes approval from the secret court that oversees the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to monitor the communications of Carter Page, two of the officials said. Last year, Page was identified by the Trump campaign as an adviser on national security.

The Left is morally and fiscally bankrupt, devoid of coherent solutions, and corrupted by its embrace of the Corporatocracy.

History often surprises us with unexpected ironies. For the past century, the slide to fascism could be found on the Right (conservative, populist, nationalist political parties).

But now it's the Left that's descending into fascism, and few seem to even notice this remarkable development. By Left I mean socialist-leaning, progressive, internationalist/globalist political parties.

What is fascism? There is no one tidy definition, but it has three essential elements:

1) State and corporate elites govern society and the economy as one unified class.

2) This status quo (i.e. The Establishment) seeks to impose a conformity of values and opinion that support the dominant narratives of the status quo via the mass (corporate) media and the state-controlled educational system.

3) Dissent from any quarter is suppressed via mass-media ridicule, the judicial crushing and silencing of whistleblowers, and all the other powers of the central state: rendition, extra-legal imprisonment, political gulags (in our era, disguised as drug-war gulags), character assassination, murder by drone, impoverishing dissenters via firings and blacklists, and on and on.

Charges: Terroristic Threatening & Endangering the Welfare of a child.

Wescott is a 27 year old male that was last known to reside in Lewes DE. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can message us here or contact us at (302) 337-8302. Your tips will remain anonymous.

Going into a hospital? It’s getting riskier because of drug-resistant infections — the kind almost no drug can cure. Despite one federal government “action plan” after another, the germs are winning. Government authorities are clueless about how many infections there are or how many patients are dying.

Alarming new research shows one of the deadliest bugs, nicknamed CRE, is actually striking three times more patients than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells us. One lesson from the war against AIDS: level with the public about the enormity of a problem if you want to start defeating it.

Yet government authorities are doing the opposite, helping hospitals conceal superbug outbreaks from the public and deliberately leaving infections off death certificates.

While one other "social media" source got it 100% wrong and in fact pulled their fake news article, we got it right. However, typical of the Salisbury Police Department, (under strict instructions from the Mayor) refused to tell the public what actually happened and where. The SPD is right, nothing happened in the Doverdale Park area, BUT IT DID HAPPEN where we said it did.It's all a matter of covering up crime in Salisbury.

Bad news. Innocent Syrians are not the only ones who are facing the possibility of chemical weapon attacks. Just this past sunday, our own, found themselves under attack from the same chemical weapons terrorizing others in Iraq.

Humanity’s enemy, the Islamic State was somehow able to launch a chemical weapons attack against Iraqi, U.s. and Australian troops stationed in the area on Sunday.

As reported so far, there were no U.S. or Australia troops that suffered any severe injuries from the mustard agent, but it wasn’t the same for Iraqi soldiers. There were 25 Iraqi units that required emergency treatment after the attack hit.

Western economies are “recovering”. How do we know this? We are told this, over and over and over again by our governments. Then this assertion is repeated thousands of times more by the dutiful parrots of the Corporate media.

The problem is that in the real world there is not a shred of evidence to support this assertion. In the U.S.; ridiculous official lies were created claiming the creation of 15 million new jobs. In reality, there are three millionless Americans with jobs today than at the official end of the “recession”.

These imaginary jobs are invented by assorted statistical frauds, with the primary deceit being so-called “seasonal adjustments”. To be legitimate, all seasonal adjustments must to net to zero at the end of each year. Instead, in the U.S.A., the biggest job creator in the nation every year is the calendar.

Beyond the grandiose but absurd claims of new jobs in the U.S., there have been few signs of economic health across the Corrupt West. Despite this, these traitorous regimes continue the pretense that their horrific mismanagement of our economies is making things better rather than worse.

A long lost 16th century civilization has been unearthed in rural Kansas — all thanks to a plucky teen who helped archaeologists confirm the incredible discovery.

The metropolis — where up to 20,000 Wichita Indians once lived — was discovered in Arkansas City, in the south-central part of the state, when a high school boy found a cannon ball that tipped off the experts that their long-held suspicions about the existence of Etzanoa were correct, the Kansas City Star reported.

The city, whose name means “The Great Settlement,” is believed to be the second-largest Native American city in the US and was the site of a battle between Spanish explorers and Indian warriors in 1601.

“The Spaniards were amazed by the size of Etzanoa,” according to Donald Blakeslee, a 73-year-old Wichita State University archaeologist, who announced the discovery.

“They counted 2,000 houses that could hold 10 people each. They said it would take two or three days to walk through it all,” said Blakeslee, adding that the patch of land spans thousands of acres.

Two Maryland women have been charged with a hate crime in connection with the burning of a Donald Trump presidential campaign sign, according to fire and police officials.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office said Monday that a second arrest was made in connection with the April 14 incident on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The office has identified the suspect as Joy M. Shuford, 19, of Owings Mills, Md.

Shuford surrendered to authorities one day after the incident and faces multiple charges including second-degree arson, malicious destruction of property and the commission of a hate crime.

The second suspect has been identified as D'Asia R. Perry, 19, of Baltimore. Perry was found on the University of Maryland Eastern Shore campus and taken into custody. She faces 14 charges in connection with the incident including arson and commission of a hate crime, according to police.