text: The Jasper County School District has not run criminal background checks on some of its employees, as required by law and the policy of district’s Board of Trustees.
  School district attorney Ken Childs said Monday the district misunderstood a state law that requires school districts to run the checks before hiring employees. It was believed the checks were not necessary if the prospective hire already worked for a district elsewhere in South Carolina, he said. It was not clear Monday how many employees were not screened before they were hired. The district is checking personnel records and will run a background check on any employee that should have one but does not, Childs said.
  The statute once required a criminal background check before “initial employment” of teachers. Childs said the district interpreted that to mean a teacher that had not worked in South Carolina before.
  “That was a common interpretation,” he said. “I think it was widespread that that meant teachers who were initially employed in the state.”
  However, the law changed in 2010 to require that anyone hired by a school be screened by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division.
  Childs said the district had performed checks on some employees. All classified employees, such as janitors or secretaries, have undergone a check.
  But certified employees, such as teachers, only underwent a check if the district thought one had not previously been done, Childs said.
  District policy, adopted by the board of trustees in September 2010, also requires the background checks.
  The policy also states that the results of that check will be given to the school board concurrent with recommendation for employment.
  Childs said he would recommend changing the board’s policy and said that’s not common practice in school districts.
  The mistake came to light late last week. District superintendent Vashti Washington said in a press release Thursday that the district did not perform a background check when it hired its head of academics and human resources in the summer of 2010.
  According to media reports, a few months after being hired, Arthur Lee Holmes was charged with embezzling $5,000 or more from a student fundraiser when he was a principal of Marrington Elementary School in Berkeley County.
  Officials with the Goose Creek Police Department, Goose Creek Clerk of Court and Berkeley County Clerk of Court said they have no records of Holmes’ arrest on file.
  Attempts to reach the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, who may have handled pre-trial intervention or an expungement for Holmes, were unsuccessful.
  Washington said in Thursday’s statement that she knew Holmes and that he came highly recommended by others she knew before his hire.
  “It was a mistake or oversight of no consequence,” she said. “At the time of Dr. Holmes’ employment, he did not have a criminal record, and more importantly, there is nothing in his (SLED) report, which would prevent his employment today.”
  “He has a clean record today,” Childs said, adding that Washington believes Holmes has done good work with the district.
  Washington’s statement was released after The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette requested a copy of the background check, citing the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
  Initially, the district said it would not provide the background check because it contains information “of a personal nature” and therefore did not have to be disclosed.
  When the newspapers asked the district to provide the background check after redacting personal information, such as Holmes’ birthday and Social Security number, Washington admitted no background check had been performed.Board member Randy Horton filed a similar information request for Holmes’ background check in late November and was denied.Board chairwoman Kathleen Snooks said Thursday she has no “comments on anything that doesn’t happen in the board room” and referred questions to Washington.
  When reached on Monday, Snooks would not say whether she had seen background checks before approving district hires.
  “Before a candidate is brought before the board, that candidate has been checked out by human resources,” she said. “We know that background checks are to be done on every employee.”
  December 22, 2014 (Monday Bible Study) Bible Text: Ephesians 6:10-20 | Michael CornallSeries: Ephesians
  December 15, 2014 (Monday Bible Study) Bible Text: Ephesians 6:5-9 | Michael CornallSeries: Ephesians
  Russia and China were advocating, for their own reasons, denuclearisation of the peninsular whilst goldilock's nuclear tipped armada was off the coast of DPRK and nuclear capable bombers in the air from Guam flying along the demarcation line.
  Whether Kim's desire to 'work towards' denuclearisation stops at the peninsular, has not yet been revealed, publicly.
  All businessmen and woman say what the customer wants to hear. Whether they deliver; what was discussed, promised, included in the signed legally binding contract or they suddenly find that, if they do deliver, they are now breaking a new domestic law introduced by a politician's diktat, that is the sign of an honourable businessman.
  Boeing's, now cancelled billion dollar Iran deal a superb example, look it up. Airbus has been fucked due to the same diktat because they use some arbitrary % of ameristani produced components. This restriction has been there for years, but recently ameristan produces any number or illegal reasons to non-deliver legally agreed contractual products and services.
  The Europeans have not lied, they signed contracts with Iran and were developing/investing their companies money in Iranian projects. Currently they are scrambling to organise a method to continue the projects. Unfortunately once again ameristan is using it's financial/military position and threatening further illegal sanctions if the Europeans to not "bend their knees" to their master.
  You surely understand now why companies and countries only buy ameristani products and services as a last resort.
  giving up your nukes and having the world community open up its arms to north korea, developing its country, economy, etc.
  if china, s.k. and the u.s. can convince nk that the second choice can happen, then the impossible can become possible (nk gives up its nukes), IMO.
  He has achieved world leadership, he and his citizens have worked towards and delivered a reason, the only reason goldilocks came running. Not to do so would have shown all his vassal the emptiness of their ameristani "protection scam". The only business financially supporting the ameristani economy, by product/services sales and dollar sales.
  Now any country which acquires nuclear weapons from whatever source, domestic or foreign and deliverable to ameristan or one of it's favourite vassals land, can take the piss. The evil empire has folded, walked away from the table to face it's upcoming kneecapping creditors.
  You utter spastic. Gaddafi didn't have nukes. He had a nuclear program and was trying to get them. There is a big difference. In 2003 he agreed to abandon that program. He was deposed by rebels eight years after he abandoned the program.
  Despotsthat build huge statues of themselves and turn guns on their own ppl don't wamt to normalize their country.
  Now, at last I know why he was deposed and by whom. Were the rebels the ones wanting the human rights and democracy?
  You are missing the point as usual. FaRT is trying to use a bogus right wing narrative to draw a false parallel.
  So Trump's asking NK to de-nuke, meanwhile Congress is getting ready to sign-off on adding more nukes to the US arsenal:
  ^And when the fat boy really will "walk away", it can be said: "he is hostile and provokes us, we told you so..."
  The Japanese are twitching a bit. Still there's always The Silk Road or Eurasian projects available.
  "The government of Japan is in a flux after President Donald Trump of America announced curtailing military exercises with South Korea. Trump uttered this after the meeting with the leader of North Korea went better than expected. Therefore, Japan is paying the price of over-reliance on America because once more this nation wasn’t consulted to any major degree.
  After the groundbreaking meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, the majority of nations in Northeast Asia felt a sigh of relief. This fact was expressed by China and other nations in this strategic part of the world. Hence, the joint statement stipulated, “President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
  However, the one regional nation that didn’t greet the announcement that the United States would curtail military exercises in South Korea positively was Japan. Indeed, Japan is extremely worried that the abduction issue and not being consulted to the full by the Trump administration highlights a lack of respect. Therefore, despite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Trump having a good personal relationship, this fact isn’t bearing results in the realm of geopolitics and economics at the moment.
  Itsunori Onodera, the Defense Minister of Japan, uttered, “The US-South Korean exercises, as well as the US military contingent in South Korea, play an important role in maintaining security in Northeast Asia.”
  Yet, Trump, stated strongly that America would halt military exercises based on not wanting to provoke North Korea and the financial factor. Trump said, “We will be saving a tremendous amount of money. Plus, it is very provocative.”
  In truth, China and the Russian Federation have equally stressed a “freeze for freeze” approach to the crisis. In other words, US and South Korea military exercises are halted in return for North Korea suspending its long-range missile and nuclear tests. Therefore, for Trump and Kim, this is a very reasonable approach despite political and military elites in Japan expressing serious doubts.
  Onodera stipulated strongly, “While North Korea may have pledged to denuclearize, it has not yet made any specific moves toward that goal, so we have no intention of changing our current surveillance structure.”
  However, Japan can’t really complain because this nation sidelined itself by being over-reliant on America. Of course, relations will remain strong between America and Japan despite the lack of respect being shown to the Abe administration. Therefore, the Russian Federation will be looking on with a certain degree of pleasure because political elites in Moscow want to see a more independent Japan – hence, President Vladimir Putin will seek to move closer to Japan by reaching out in the realm of geopolitics"
  it's not like the Japanese didn't exercise war crimes in their days, and wouldn't try again if given a chance
  nobody wonders why a bunch of "yellow people" joined Hitler in their war effort ? they had the same racist vision of the world, with the same objectives
  Audi produce very good cars, had them for years. 5 Cylinder Coupe and A4s. I recommend them to anyone.
  "The US and South Korean militaries will not conduct a joint military drill that was scheduled to take place in August, US officials said late Monday, following a historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un in which the two heads of state agreed to make peace on the Korean Peninsula.
  Trump verbally vowed to end US-South Korean "war games" following the summit with Kim in Singapore on June 12. The "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" drill will not take place this year as it did last year, an official told Reuters.
  Meanwhile, Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said in a press release on Monday that the United States and South Korea have suspended planning for a joint military exercise near the Korean peninsula that was scheduled to take place in August.
  "Consistent with President Trump's commitment and in concert with our Republic of Korea ally, the United States military has suspended all planning for this August's defensive ‘wargame’ (Freedom Guardian)," White said.
  There have been no decisions on subsequent war games, White said. Also, this decision has not affected Pacific exercises outside of the Korean Peninsula, White added.
  US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton will meet later this week to discuss the issue, White said.
  Last year, Pyongyang requested the UN Security Council to discuss Ulchi Freedom Guardian on the grounds that it was essentially a rehearsal for an invasion of North Korea.
  The drill involves some 17,500 of the roughly 28,000 US troops in South Korea, according to the Pentagon, and it involves the United Nations Command forces from seven countries, including Australia, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Britain"
  If we are to believe the official ameristani spokesman Kim does actually achieve one of his prime desires.
  I presume the planning goes ahead, if not behind closed doors and that the walrus can be pacified. Are there UNSC observers overseeing the currently officially defunct, but now secret, invasion planning?
  "Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday he hopes Pyongyang and Washington can fully implement the outcome of last week's nuclear summit at which Kim pledged to work toward denuclearization in exchange for U.S. security guarantees.
  State broadcaster CCTV said Xi told Kim that through the ''concerted efforts of the relevant countries'' negotiations regarding issues on the Korean Peninsula are back on track and the overall situation is moving in the direction of peace and stability.
  The summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore marked an ''important step toward the political solution of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue,'' Xi was quoted as saying in the meeting at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.
  China hopes North Korea and the U.S. can ''implement well the outcomes achieved at the summit,'' Xi said. China would ''as always play a constructive role'' in that process, he said.
  Xi ''is exerting a lot of influence from behind the scenes,'' said Bonnie Glaser, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
  ''I expect they will talk about the path going forward and where priorities should lie,'' Glaser said. Those priorities, from China's perspective, would be to ensure that Beijing is included in any peace treaty talks and in creating an environment on the Korean Peninsula that will make it unnecessary for U.S. troops to remain.
  At a regularly scheduled briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Tuesday that Beijing supported Russia's calls last week for unilateral sanctions on North Korea _ ones that aren't imposed within the United Nations framework _ to be canceled immediately.
  ''China always stands against the so-called unilateral sanctions outside the Security Council framework. This position is very clear and we believe sanctions themselves are not the end,'' Geng said.
  South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Kim's visit to China highlights the ''constructive role'' Beijing could play in disarming North Korea.
  ''This is an improvement. This shows that China is moving toward a healthier and more normal direction in relations with North Korea,'' Cheng said. He added that the frequency of Kim's visits _ three so far this year _ was ''unprecedented.''
  ''I believe that indicates that the blood alliance between the North and China has been completely restored,'' Yang said.
  ''The potential comprehensive trade war will make the cooperation between China and U.S. in North Korea's nuclear issue more complicated,'' Cheng said. ''There will be a big question mark over whether China and the U.S. will continue this cooperation.'' (AP)
  "Perception management is an important tool for all governments and indeed for private corporations. In so far as this is the case, the DPRK is no exception to the rule. While DPRK citizens are generally far more isolated from foreign sources of information (or disinformation) than those in many other nations, this has not lessened the importance of the DPRK’s own goals in respect of managing the collective perception of current events vis-a-vis nations where there is more competition in the domestic infowar.
  The long running hostilities between Pyongyang and Washington has resulted in familiar scenes of anti-American art being posted around DPRK cities, towns and schools. This was the case from the earliest days of Kim Il-sung’s rule up until today. Now however, things appear to be changing.
  Visitors to the DPRK have noticed that over the last month, many anti-American art works have been replaced by paintings and drawings promoting inter-Korean peace and reconciliation as well as collective economic progress.
  This is a marked departure from the customary images of the DPRK’s armed forces crushing the once hated American foe.
  Today, with imagines of doves replacing images of missiles and images of barbed wire being steamrolled replacing imagines of DPRK warriors slaying enemy soldiers, it is now clear that the DPRK’s government is preparing the people to psychologically embrace what Kim Jong-un called a “new era” during his Singapore meeting with Donald Trump.
  While literally dealing with symbolism, the replacing of old anti-American art with new pro-peace and pro-cooperation images is more than just symbolic. It instead hints at a new official mentality that Pyongyang’s leadership seeks to convey to its people. The message overtly suggests that an atmosphere of openness and optimism for the future has replaced decades of mistrust, caution and anger.
  If the DPRK somehow planned not to fulfil its commitments to peace, openness and de-nuclearisation as some have suspected, there would be no reason for the country’s authorities to so rapidly change the nature of public political art. Instead, the rapid change of tone as conveyed in official symbolism is indicative of a wholesale reformation of public discourse in the country. Furthermore, this shift is clearly reflective of the new mentality among the nation’s political leadership.
  The distrust that many have projected onto the DPRK is widely unfounded, especially given the recent record of Kim Jong-un’s government doing everything it said it would do. In 2017, Pyongyang made it clear that it had every intention to complete its full scale inter-continental nuclear deterrent and only after nuclear parity was reached would officials be willing to engage in discussions with others, including the United States.
  Months after nuclear parity was reached, the DPRK extended an olive branch to Seoul which culminated in Kim Jong-un’s visit to South Korea and shortly thereafter, his equally historic meeting with the US President. The DPRK has embraced positive change for peace and prosperity and the only people who seem to be dragging their feet are the cynics in the liberal western media who seem confounded by the idea that a brighter future awaits the Korean people and the wider world as a result of a successful peace process.".