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COVERING AMERICA'S ASS FOR THE NEXT GEN!
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ADVERTISEMENTS SPONSORED BY ANGEL SOFT TISSUE --- COVERING AMERICA'S ASS FOR THE NEXT GEN!
Friday, April 29, 2011
THE UNITED NATIONS' QADDAFI-FOR-RELEASE PROGRAM CONTINUES UNREST OF UNION PROTESTORS WITH A "BLAZING" BUSH INTELLIGENCIA & MENTALITY!
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ADVERTISEMENTS SPONSORED BY ANGEL SOFT TISSUE *
COVERING AMERICA'S ASS FOR THE NEXT GEN!
HTTP://WWW.MICHELLEMALKIN.COM
ADVERTISEMENTS SPONSORED BY ANGEL SOFT TISSUE --- COVERING AMERICA'S ASS FOR THE NEXT GEN!
ADVERTISEMENTS SPONSORED BY ANGEL SOFT TISSUE *
COVERING AMERICA'S ASS FOR THE NEXT GEN!
HTTP://WWW.MICHELLEMALKIN.COM
ADVERTISEMENTS SPONSORED BY ANGEL SOFT TISSUE --- COVERING AMERICA'S ASS FOR THE NEXT GEN!
BOEING-NORTHROP GRUMMAN TEAM TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WITH MISSLE DEFENSE PROGRAM!
BOEING * AUGUST 12, 2010
Boeing and Northrop Grumman recently announced a strategic partnership to compete for the Missile Defense Agency's contract to sustain the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system to defend the United States against a ballistic missile attack. Boeing GMD vice president Norm Tew (left) and Steve Owens (right), Northrop Grumman deputy program manager for the Boeing-Northrop Grumman team, explain why this unique partnership makes sense for this crucial national security asset.
In the fall of 2009, just after noon, the day before Thanksgiving, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced its intent to pursue a competitive contract for future work on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program. In the acronym rich defense environment, GMD not only represents a massively comprehensive and complex web of radars, communication networks and operational underground interceptors, it represents the only defense the United States has against the ever-growing threat of a long-range ballistic missile attack. There was no doubt Boeing would compete for the work. Having partnered with MDA since 1998, the company and the agency together took GMD from an idea to its existing operational reality, and Boeing remains committed to ensuring GMD's success.
As part of the competition strategy, Boeing announced a strategic partnership with Northrop Grumman, a GMD industry teammate since the beginning, which combines the talents of both companies for this national security asset.
But still the question remains - what makes this team so great? For Boeing's GMD vice president Norm Tew and Northrop Grumman's Steve Owens the answer is quite clear. Following is part of their conversation on why the Boeing-Northrop Grumman team is best suited to continue what they started.
Q: How does the Boeing - Northrop Grumman team benefit the future of the GMD program?
Tew: Our focus is on how can we offer the customer, and by extension, the GMD system, the best industry team possible. GMD demands the most talented, knowledgeable and hardworking team of any defense program around. This teaming arrangement brings together two heritage GMD companies who know the system inside and out; it builds on the established working relationships with the Missile Defense Agency and it delivers the skilled workforce required to meet GMD's highly technical and rigorous demands.
Owens: That's right, this partnership takes advantage of the strengths of both to provide a superior approach to the long-term sustainment of the GMD weapon system.
Q: What makes the Boeing-Northrop Grumman team the best choice to continue leading the GMD industry team?
Tew: Quite simply, we know how to deliver the GMD capability and we've proven it. Having supported MDA since 1998 as prime contractor, we delivered an operational capability ahead of schedule, we've supported 8 successful intercept tests, and we've successfully developed and flown a 2-stage interceptor. I think our successes demonstrate our ability and desire to support MDA and the warfighter, both now and in the future.
Owens: I believe it's our proven leadership for a very dynamic GMD program. Our team has managed significant changes to the program over the years and we can leverage that experience as well as the innovative approaches from our corporations to lead the industry team as requirements for GMD evolve.
Q: GMD is a hit-to kill program - the GMD interceptor destroys a threat missile through collision of force. Describe Northrop Grumman's history on the GMD program.
Owens: Since the mid 90's, Northrop Grumman has been responsible for the development of many GMD ground systems products including the fire control, in-flight interceptor communications, launch control software and ground communications connectivity.
Tew: If I could just add to that - Northrop has been the top performing subcontractor on GMD since they joined the industry team. They are responsible for the backbone of the ground system. These products determine what enemy missiles are engaged, when they are engaged and where. They connect and orchestrate the GMD components that launch and guide the interceptors.
Q: What does Northrop Grumman bring to the table in terms of experience and knowledge in missile defense?
Owens: We have extensive experience in battle management and fire control systems with GMD, Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC), and now the Enhanced C2BMC program, which affords us an in-depth understanding of the GMD element and the BMDS assets and associated behaviors. In addition, our 40 years of ICBM experience working with the U.S. Air Force, allows us to bring established methodologies for sustaining a weapon system through a proven partnership with the customer.
Q: What is the best thing about this strategic partnership?
Tew: I believe it's our ability to combine experience and proven leadership, which in turn offers the lowest risk and innovation for the GMD system. There's no learning curve with our team. Only the Boeing-Northrop Grumman team offers the know-how for a seamless transition on Day One.
Owens: I couldn't have said it better myself. Northrop Grumman has enjoyed a good relationship with Boeing for 12 years and this is a wonderful opportunity to offer MDA continued and proven support for overall program success.
Currently, the Boeing-Northrop Grumman GMD team awaits a final request for proposal. Contract award is expected in early 2011.
COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION'S FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET REQUEST HEARING MAY 5TH * 10 AM - 12 PM
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE & AERONAUTICS HEARINGS MAY 5TH 2011 * 10 AM - 12 PM
COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION'S FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET REQUEST
Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics | 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Office of Commercial Space Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request
Witnesses
Dr. George C. Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration
Dr. Gerald Dillingham, Director, Physical Infrastructure, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Dr. Henry R. Hertzfeld, Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs, The Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University
.
COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION'S FISCAL YEAR 2012 BUDGET REQUEST
Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics | 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Office of Commercial Space Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request
Witnesses
Dr. George C. Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration
Dr. Gerald Dillingham, Director, Physical Infrastructure, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Dr. Henry R. Hertzfeld, Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs, The Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University
.
NEW HOUSE TRANSPORTATION CHAIRMAN REP. JOHN MICA (R-FL) STATES: THE TSA IS "OUT OF CONTROL" & "INTENTIONALLY COOKED THE BOOKS" ---
MICA: TSA "OUT OF CONTROL" AND "INTENTIONALLY COOKED THE BOOKS"!!!
Saturday, 16 Apr 2011 07:19 PM
By Jim Meyers and Ashley Martella
John Mica says the Transportation Security Administration has become a huge bureaucracy that has “spun out of control” and cries out for reform.
The Florida Republican, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, also says it makes no sense to hire additional air traffic controllers for night duty to deal with the problem of sleeping controllers.
Mica was first elected to the House in 1992, and as chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee he was a major force in the creation of the TSA following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The TSA has recently come under criticism over disclosures about air traffic controllers falling asleep during overnight shifts. The FAA’s air traffic chief resigned and the FAA said it is placing additional controllers at 27 airports for overnight work — a move Mica opposes.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, he says: “I can only think of the federal government doubling up on $163,000-a-year average salary employee when one or two fall asleep at the job.
“It also doesn’t make any sense to schedule two employees when there’s no air traffic in the middle of the night.
“They could do a better job of scheduling, and if heads have to roll, so be it. They have to do a better job in managing employees.”
The TSA also sparked controversy when a 6-year-old girl in New Orleans was patted down by security personnel over her parents’ objection.
“The TSA is an agency that has spun out of control,” Mica declares.
“It should be focused on a very narrow number of people who pose a threat. And then I think the agency has to start being a thinking agency, actually get out of the screening business and get into the security and intelligence business where they can be the most effective.
“We’re shaking down little old ladies. We’re shaking down military, patting down children who don’t pose a risk, for goodness sakes. We should pick people out there who can make a better determination of who to go after, and we should have the information. It should be embedded in the ticket.
“These systems have been around. I’ve seen them tested and actually operating in other countries. Instead they create a huge 63,000-person army with 3,700 administrators in Washington, D.C., making on average of $105,000 apiece. The system absolutely cries out for reform.”
Mica said in December he tested the new technology for naked body scanners and in January tested new pat-down procedures “and I can tell you the results were dismal. Neither of these are effective.
“They should be looking for a limited number or people who pose a threat. They should be subject to thorough examination. Also the behavior detection program is a complete failure. We need to be training people to be looking for bad guys, and we should have intelligence that helps us get those folks even before they get to the gate.
“I was an advocate of using behavior [to screen passengers], not profiling by race or other ethnic measures.
“TSA has hired 3,300 additional people at a quarter of a billion dollars cost. The results that have been disclosed show that has been a failure too.”
Mica has stated that airports should be able to opt out of TSA screening and hire private screeners instead.
“I wrote a law to allow private screening under federal supervision and had five demonstration airports,” he tells Newsmax.
“Then we tested the all-federal [screeners] against the private screening with federal supervision. The model with private screening under federal supervision performed, the GAO said, significantly better. So why would you pay more to get less performance?
“The only countries in the West that are left with all-government models of screening like the United States has are Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland.”
But it is hard to change the TSA, he adds, because “it is a huge bureaucracy that is not very open to change. They’re protecting their turf. We have a system that cries out for reform.”
© Newsmax. All rights reserved.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Rep. Mica: TSA 'Out of Control'
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
Saturday, 16 Apr 2011 07:19 PM
By Jim Meyers and Ashley Martella
John Mica says the Transportation Security Administration has become a huge bureaucracy that has “spun out of control” and cries out for reform.
The Florida Republican, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, also says it makes no sense to hire additional air traffic controllers for night duty to deal with the problem of sleeping controllers.
Mica was first elected to the House in 1992, and as chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee he was a major force in the creation of the TSA following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The TSA has recently come under criticism over disclosures about air traffic controllers falling asleep during overnight shifts. The FAA’s air traffic chief resigned and the FAA said it is placing additional controllers at 27 airports for overnight work — a move Mica opposes.
In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV, he says: “I can only think of the federal government doubling up on $163,000-a-year average salary employee when one or two fall asleep at the job.
“It also doesn’t make any sense to schedule two employees when there’s no air traffic in the middle of the night.
“They could do a better job of scheduling, and if heads have to roll, so be it. They have to do a better job in managing employees.”
The TSA also sparked controversy when a 6-year-old girl in New Orleans was patted down by security personnel over her parents’ objection.
“The TSA is an agency that has spun out of control,” Mica declares.
“It should be focused on a very narrow number of people who pose a threat. And then I think the agency has to start being a thinking agency, actually get out of the screening business and get into the security and intelligence business where they can be the most effective.
“We’re shaking down little old ladies. We’re shaking down military, patting down children who don’t pose a risk, for goodness sakes. We should pick people out there who can make a better determination of who to go after, and we should have the information. It should be embedded in the ticket.
“These systems have been around. I’ve seen them tested and actually operating in other countries. Instead they create a huge 63,000-person army with 3,700 administrators in Washington, D.C., making on average of $105,000 apiece. The system absolutely cries out for reform.”
Mica said in December he tested the new technology for naked body scanners and in January tested new pat-down procedures “and I can tell you the results were dismal. Neither of these are effective.
“They should be looking for a limited number or people who pose a threat. They should be subject to thorough examination. Also the behavior detection program is a complete failure. We need to be training people to be looking for bad guys, and we should have intelligence that helps us get those folks even before they get to the gate.
“I was an advocate of using behavior [to screen passengers], not profiling by race or other ethnic measures.
“TSA has hired 3,300 additional people at a quarter of a billion dollars cost. The results that have been disclosed show that has been a failure too.”
Mica has stated that airports should be able to opt out of TSA screening and hire private screeners instead.
“I wrote a law to allow private screening under federal supervision and had five demonstration airports,” he tells Newsmax.
“Then we tested the all-federal [screeners] against the private screening with federal supervision. The model with private screening under federal supervision performed, the GAO said, significantly better. So why would you pay more to get less performance?
“The only countries in the West that are left with all-government models of screening like the United States has are Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland.”
But it is hard to change the TSA, he adds, because “it is a huge bureaucracy that is not very open to change. They’re protecting their turf. We have a system that cries out for reform.”
© Newsmax. All rights reserved.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Rep. Mica: TSA 'Out of Control'
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
REP. JOHN MICA (R-FL) STATES: OBAMA'S RAIL/PORT SPENDING & SECURITY ARE SUSPECT!
REP. JOHN MICA (R-FL) OBAMA'S RAIL/PORT SPENDING & SECURITY SUSPECT!
http://youtu.be/Zh8uoXxIpL4
Jacksonville Business Journal - by Mark Szakonyi
Monday, April 11, 2011
Email: mszakonyi@bizjournals.com
Ever wonder why Florida only received $29 million in federal stimulus funding for its ports and non high-speed and freight rail systems?
U.S. Rep. John Mica, R. Winter Park, has, and highlighted when we chatted last year shortly before he took over as the chairman of the Committee on Transportation. Now, two new reports by the Government Accountability Office highlight the lack of transparency in the Obama Administration’s grant selection process.
“In the name of high-speed rail, the administration has squandered limited resources on dozens of slow-speed rail projects across the country and simply provided more funding for modest Amtrak upgrades,” Mica said in a news release. “Although we can develop cost-effective high-speed rail transportation in this country, I cannot imagine a worse beginning to a U.S. high-speed rail effort.”
The Port of Jacksonville didn’t receive any of the $600 million it requested in federal transportation funding grants, known as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants. The Port of Miami got $22 million to restore and upgrade service between the port and Florida East Coast Railway’s yard in Hialeah. The Port of Manatee received $9 million to help construct a 32-acre container terminal and expand cargo capacity for inland waterway shipping. The story is available here.
A $268 million request for federal stimulus package funding to pay for upgrades needed to allow passenger trains to use the Jacksonville-Miami line was rejected earlier this year. The full story is available here.
According to Mica’s office, the highlight from the GAO reports is this:
“GAO found that 115 TIGER project applications were rated by [the Department of Transportation] as ‘highly recommended’, but half of the 51 projects ultimately selected by the Secretary for grants received a rating lower than ‘highly recommended.’ In addition, GAO’s investigation found that DOT did not document the reasons for selecting lower rated projects over ‘highly recommended’ projects and did not document meetings in which final decisions to award grants were made.
The two reports can be found here:
“Recording Clearer Reasons for Awards Decisions Would Improve Otherwise Good Grantmaking Practices” (GAO-11-283) – GAO’s rail grants report. Click here to read the report.
“Competitive Grant Programs Could Benefit from Increased Performance Focus and Better Documentation of Key Decisions” (GAO-11-234) – GAO’s TIGER grants report.
http://youtu.be/Zh8uoXxIpL4
Jacksonville Business Journal - by Mark Szakonyi
Monday, April 11, 2011
Email: mszakonyi@bizjournals.com
Ever wonder why Florida only received $29 million in federal stimulus funding for its ports and non high-speed and freight rail systems?
U.S. Rep. John Mica, R. Winter Park, has, and highlighted when we chatted last year shortly before he took over as the chairman of the Committee on Transportation. Now, two new reports by the Government Accountability Office highlight the lack of transparency in the Obama Administration’s grant selection process.
“In the name of high-speed rail, the administration has squandered limited resources on dozens of slow-speed rail projects across the country and simply provided more funding for modest Amtrak upgrades,” Mica said in a news release. “Although we can develop cost-effective high-speed rail transportation in this country, I cannot imagine a worse beginning to a U.S. high-speed rail effort.”
The Port of Jacksonville didn’t receive any of the $600 million it requested in federal transportation funding grants, known as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants. The Port of Miami got $22 million to restore and upgrade service between the port and Florida East Coast Railway’s yard in Hialeah. The Port of Manatee received $9 million to help construct a 32-acre container terminal and expand cargo capacity for inland waterway shipping. The story is available here.
A $268 million request for federal stimulus package funding to pay for upgrades needed to allow passenger trains to use the Jacksonville-Miami line was rejected earlier this year. The full story is available here.
According to Mica’s office, the highlight from the GAO reports is this:
“GAO found that 115 TIGER project applications were rated by [the Department of Transportation] as ‘highly recommended’, but half of the 51 projects ultimately selected by the Secretary for grants received a rating lower than ‘highly recommended.’ In addition, GAO’s investigation found that DOT did not document the reasons for selecting lower rated projects over ‘highly recommended’ projects and did not document meetings in which final decisions to award grants were made.
The two reports can be found here:
“Recording Clearer Reasons for Awards Decisions Would Improve Otherwise Good Grantmaking Practices” (GAO-11-283) – GAO’s rail grants report. Click here to read the report.
“Competitive Grant Programs Could Benefit from Increased Performance Focus and Better Documentation of Key Decisions” (GAO-11-234) – GAO’s TIGER grants report.
BP & CROWN ROYAL PRESENT ROBERT HANNSEN AT THE RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY WITH CROWN ROYAL AS DEMOCRATS' HOUSE BILL TO BAN ARMY FAILS!
U.S. ARMY'S $7.4 MILLION NASCAR SPONSORSHIP SAFE AFTER MINNESOTA DEMOCRAT BETTY MCCOLLUM'S PROPOSED BAN FAILS IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF RESPRESENTATIVES!
By Bob PockrassFriday,
February 18, 2011
The U.S. Army pays $7.4 million to sponsor Ryan Newman and Stewart-Haas Racing.
U.S. Congresswoman wants to ban military sponsorship of race cars
Ryan Newman still looking for results to meet potential at Stewart-Haas RacingDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The U.S. Army’s sponsorship of NASCAR and other motorsports teams is based a simple philosophy – new recruits just don’t walk in the door and sign up.
“I have to invest in awareness,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, who commands the Army’s recruiting program.
“In some venue or another, I have to make some form of investment to make the American people aware of their Army. … The alternative to this is having a recruiter walk up and down a mall and talk to about 150 people to get one person to engage them.”
Freakley spoke Friday at Daytona International Speedway to explain the purpose of the Army’s NASCAR sponsorship in light of legislation proposed by U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum, a Minnesota Democrat in the House of Representatives who submitted an amendment to a pending bill that would ban the military from sponsoring race cars.
The amendment was debated on the House floor Thursday night and voted down, 281-148, Friday afternoon with Democrats voting 118-72 in favor of the ban but Republicans voting 209-30 against it.
Freakley said that the U.S. Army pays $7.4 million for its 15-race sponsorship of Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Newman, $3.9 for its NHRA sponsorship of Tony Schumacher and approximately $8 million across all motorsports in yearlong activation of the sponsorship through its Army experience display and other programs.
The debate on the House floor over that spending lasted about eight minutes.
“For $7 million, the Army buys a decal on a race car and a few drivers appearances,” McCollum said on the floor of the House of Representatives. “But it’s not only the Army spending millions of dollars, the Air Force sponsors a NASCAR race car for millions and so does the National Guard. And incredibly over the past decade, hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars have subsidized race-car owners, millionaire drivers in the name of military recruitment.
“Now here’s the $7 million question: Does slapping a sticker on a race car convince a young man or a young woman to volunteer to serve our country in the armed forces?”
Of the 150,000 potential recruits reached through the sports marketing program, 46,000 came from NASCAR and motorsports, Freakley said in a news conference at the track.
“If I had my way, our marketing and advertising would be so good it would be a walk-in market … and people would walk right in and say, ‘I’m ready to join up, let me fill out the paperwork,’” Freakley said. “We’re not there, but we’re working on it.”
The Army had planned to announce a sponsorship program for diversity driver Darrell Wallace but postponed the announcement considering the pending vote in the House.
McCollum, who reportedly alerted police about a death threat she received in connection to the proposed legislation, cited the Marines, Navy and The Coast Guard dropping sponsorships in the last five years as a sign that they cannot gauge the return on investment.
When asked about those comments, Freakley said that the Army has greater needs than those other divisions just by shear volume of personnel and because the recent wars have depleted the Army. He said the Army is doing a better job of tracking people whom they make contact with at the track and whether they continue to consider the Army.
Freakley said that he appreciates the debate on the issues of fiscal responsibility. Two congressmen spoke against the amendment on the House floor.
“This amendment will not save one single dime,” said Patrick McHenry, a Republican from North Carolina. “My colleague from Minnesota is simply misinformed. Every dime spent in this sponsorship program is measurable. … Let’s be very clear. This sponsorship is about recruiting. This amendment is about politics, in certain districts for certain groups of people.”
“Young people and their parents have this passion point about NASCAR, and we do know they come to the races and we do know … they come to [our] strength and action zone,” Freakley said. “They talk to our soldiers. They talk to our sergeants. We have a common dialogue on no threatening ground.
“You’re not standing in a recruiting station on the brink of a decision. You’re at a NASCAR event to have a discussion and a deep dialogue.”
+++++++++++++
BP & CROWN ROYAL PRESENT ROBERT HANNSEN AT THE RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY WITH CROWN ROYAL AS DEMOCRATS' HOUSE BILL TO BAN ARMY FAILS!
WEBSITE AS FOLLOWS:
http://www.rir.com/?homepage=true
By Bob PockrassFriday,
February 18, 2011
The U.S. Army pays $7.4 million to sponsor Ryan Newman and Stewart-Haas Racing.
U.S. Congresswoman wants to ban military sponsorship of race cars
Ryan Newman still looking for results to meet potential at Stewart-Haas RacingDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The U.S. Army’s sponsorship of NASCAR and other motorsports teams is based a simple philosophy – new recruits just don’t walk in the door and sign up.
“I have to invest in awareness,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, who commands the Army’s recruiting program.
“In some venue or another, I have to make some form of investment to make the American people aware of their Army. … The alternative to this is having a recruiter walk up and down a mall and talk to about 150 people to get one person to engage them.”
Freakley spoke Friday at Daytona International Speedway to explain the purpose of the Army’s NASCAR sponsorship in light of legislation proposed by U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum, a Minnesota Democrat in the House of Representatives who submitted an amendment to a pending bill that would ban the military from sponsoring race cars.
The amendment was debated on the House floor Thursday night and voted down, 281-148, Friday afternoon with Democrats voting 118-72 in favor of the ban but Republicans voting 209-30 against it.
Freakley said that the U.S. Army pays $7.4 million for its 15-race sponsorship of Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Newman, $3.9 for its NHRA sponsorship of Tony Schumacher and approximately $8 million across all motorsports in yearlong activation of the sponsorship through its Army experience display and other programs.
The debate on the House floor over that spending lasted about eight minutes.
“For $7 million, the Army buys a decal on a race car and a few drivers appearances,” McCollum said on the floor of the House of Representatives. “But it’s not only the Army spending millions of dollars, the Air Force sponsors a NASCAR race car for millions and so does the National Guard. And incredibly over the past decade, hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars have subsidized race-car owners, millionaire drivers in the name of military recruitment.
“Now here’s the $7 million question: Does slapping a sticker on a race car convince a young man or a young woman to volunteer to serve our country in the armed forces?”
Of the 150,000 potential recruits reached through the sports marketing program, 46,000 came from NASCAR and motorsports, Freakley said in a news conference at the track.
“If I had my way, our marketing and advertising would be so good it would be a walk-in market … and people would walk right in and say, ‘I’m ready to join up, let me fill out the paperwork,’” Freakley said. “We’re not there, but we’re working on it.”
The Army had planned to announce a sponsorship program for diversity driver Darrell Wallace but postponed the announcement considering the pending vote in the House.
McCollum, who reportedly alerted police about a death threat she received in connection to the proposed legislation, cited the Marines, Navy and The Coast Guard dropping sponsorships in the last five years as a sign that they cannot gauge the return on investment.
When asked about those comments, Freakley said that the Army has greater needs than those other divisions just by shear volume of personnel and because the recent wars have depleted the Army. He said the Army is doing a better job of tracking people whom they make contact with at the track and whether they continue to consider the Army.
Freakley said that he appreciates the debate on the issues of fiscal responsibility. Two congressmen spoke against the amendment on the House floor.
“This amendment will not save one single dime,” said Patrick McHenry, a Republican from North Carolina. “My colleague from Minnesota is simply misinformed. Every dime spent in this sponsorship program is measurable. … Let’s be very clear. This sponsorship is about recruiting. This amendment is about politics, in certain districts for certain groups of people.”
“Young people and their parents have this passion point about NASCAR, and we do know they come to the races and we do know … they come to [our] strength and action zone,” Freakley said. “They talk to our soldiers. They talk to our sergeants. We have a common dialogue on no threatening ground.
“You’re not standing in a recruiting station on the brink of a decision. You’re at a NASCAR event to have a discussion and a deep dialogue.”
+++++++++++++
BP & CROWN ROYAL PRESENT ROBERT HANNSEN AT THE RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY WITH CROWN ROYAL AS DEMOCRATS' HOUSE BILL TO BAN ARMY FAILS!
WEBSITE AS FOLLOWS:
http://www.rir.com/?homepage=true
WILLIE NELSON IS MAKING A SPECIAL APPEARANCE FOR THE HIGH SEA PIRATES AT THE PIT BULL PIT ON MAY 4, 2011 @ 7:30 PM!
Willie Nelson
Wednesday
May 4
7:30 pm
Julie Rogers Theatre
NO CAMERAS
NO RECORDING DEVICES
Reserved Seating
Orchestra Rows A - E
$85.00 Everyone
Orchestra Rows F - EE & Balcony Loge Sections A - E / Rows 1 - 3
$62.50 Everyone
Balcony Sections A - E / Rows 4 - 12
$42.50 Everyone
**Everyone needs a ticket regardless of age**
For additional information contact (409) 838-3435 ext.1
ALL ARE WELCOME TO THE PIT BULL PIT AT THE JULIE ROGERS' THEATRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS!
http://www.beaumont-tx-complex.com/julierogerstheatre.html
http://www.beaumont-tx-complex.com/julierogerstheatre.html
ROGER CLEMENS' 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 20-STRIKEOUT GAME EVOKES MEMORIES OF RARE BASEBALL ACCOMPLISHMENT!
ROGER CLEMENS' 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF 20-STRIKEOUT GAME EVOKES MEMORIES OF RARE BASEBALL ACOMPLISHMENT!
by Bryan Quinlan on Fri, Apr 29, 2011
Twenty-five years ago to the day, Roger Clemens struck out 20 hitters in one of the greatest pitching performances in Major League Baseball history.
The fresh-faced 23-year old entered the 1986 season with 200 strikeouts in his first two MLB seasons, setting the stage for his breakout year.
The Rocket would eventually finish with a 24-4 record, 238 strikeouts, and a paltry 2.48 ERA en route to the AL Cy Young Award.
Clemens also won the American League MVP award, The Sporting News Major League Pitcher of the Year Award and was named the 1986 All-Star Game MVP.
For Red Sox fans, the 1986 version of Clemens would be the one they remembered until Dan Duquette's infamous decision to not re-sign him. That allowed Clemens to go to the Blue Jays, and he was later traded to the Yankees, where he won his first World Series.
Given recent events, his reputation has deteriorated significantly after steroid allegations tarnished the Rocket's hardware, despite the fact that Clemens ranks third all time on the strikeout list, behind only Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson, and ninth for all-time wins with 354.
Love him or hate him, Roger had a brilliant career, and this anniversary of his unbelievable 20-strikeout game is a reminder of that.
Clemens systematically picked apart the Mariners 25 years ago, surrendering only three hits on the day. The lackluster Mariners finished the season 67-95, good for dead last in their division, yet had some memorable faces, including Gorman Thomas, Steve Yeager, Ken Phelps and eventual Red Sox hero Dave Henderson.
by Bryan Quinlan on Fri, Apr 29, 2011
Twenty-five years ago to the day, Roger Clemens struck out 20 hitters in one of the greatest pitching performances in Major League Baseball history.
The fresh-faced 23-year old entered the 1986 season with 200 strikeouts in his first two MLB seasons, setting the stage for his breakout year.
The Rocket would eventually finish with a 24-4 record, 238 strikeouts, and a paltry 2.48 ERA en route to the AL Cy Young Award.
Clemens also won the American League MVP award, The Sporting News Major League Pitcher of the Year Award and was named the 1986 All-Star Game MVP.
For Red Sox fans, the 1986 version of Clemens would be the one they remembered until Dan Duquette's infamous decision to not re-sign him. That allowed Clemens to go to the Blue Jays, and he was later traded to the Yankees, where he won his first World Series.
Given recent events, his reputation has deteriorated significantly after steroid allegations tarnished the Rocket's hardware, despite the fact that Clemens ranks third all time on the strikeout list, behind only Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson, and ninth for all-time wins with 354.
Love him or hate him, Roger had a brilliant career, and this anniversary of his unbelievable 20-strikeout game is a reminder of that.
Clemens systematically picked apart the Mariners 25 years ago, surrendering only three hits on the day. The lackluster Mariners finished the season 67-95, good for dead last in their division, yet had some memorable faces, including Gorman Thomas, Steve Yeager, Ken Phelps and eventual Red Sox hero Dave Henderson.
BP CONTINUES GROSS VIOLATIONS OF U.S. CITIZENS' ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGES & THE JONES ACT AS PROTESTED PUT OUT THE BLAZES!
PROTESTORS ATTEND BP'S 2011 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
April 15, 2011 by Maritime Lawyer
On April 14, BP held its first annual general meeting since the horrific loss of the drilling rig BP Deepwater Horizon in April of last year.
While BP portrays the last twelve months as "A Year of Change" in a corporate publicity film, media reports describe how the company faced angry protestors at its annual general meeting in London.
The protestors included Gulf Coast residents who remain upset with the company's handling of the Deepwater Horizon accident and post-accident reparations, together with shareholders unhappy with the high pay received by BP executives in spite of the disaster. The vocal BP opponents also included protestors who challenged the company's involvement in controversial petroleum projects in other parts of the world.
Ahead of the scheduled meeting, shareholders representing some 60 percent of voting BP shares reportedly voted against re-election of Sir William Castell as head of BP's safety committee.
Some protesters apparently were barred from entering the annual general meeting, including Texas resident Diane Wilson, whose family has been in the Gulf Coast fishing industry for generations. After the meeting began, a statement reportedly was read on behalf of Keith Jones, the father of Gordon Jones, one of the rig workers killed during the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. The unscheduled reading went forward despite BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg's attempt to stifle the speaker. In his statement Mr. Jones accused BP of losing while "rolling the dice with my son's life."
Byron Encalade, president of the Louisiana Oystermen Association, told the media that he traveled to the London meeting because thousands of Gulf Coast damages claims remained unpaid, reflecting a failure of the claims process for fishing communities on the Gulf Coast.
The protests by American Gulf Coast residents and fishermen, trade unionists in the UK, and environmentalists lasted several hours.
Financial reports indicate that BP's share price remains 30 percent below its level of April 2010, reflecting an enormous drop in value even as the company suffers its first annual loss in almost 20 years.
Many oil rig workers and other offshore workers injured in the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, along with businesses throughout the Gulf Coast region damaged by the impact of the oil spill, have called upon the attorneys of Arnold & Itkin LLP to assist them in resolving claims against Transocean and BP.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an oil rig or other maritime accident, our goal is to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. We have the expertise to handle maritime claims at port cities along the Gulf Coast in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Contact us using the form on this page if you have any questions regarding a possible maritime injury claim, or call us toll-free at 866-222-2606.
April 15, 2011 by Maritime Lawyer
On April 14, BP held its first annual general meeting since the horrific loss of the drilling rig BP Deepwater Horizon in April of last year.
While BP portrays the last twelve months as "A Year of Change" in a corporate publicity film, media reports describe how the company faced angry protestors at its annual general meeting in London.
The protestors included Gulf Coast residents who remain upset with the company's handling of the Deepwater Horizon accident and post-accident reparations, together with shareholders unhappy with the high pay received by BP executives in spite of the disaster. The vocal BP opponents also included protestors who challenged the company's involvement in controversial petroleum projects in other parts of the world.
Ahead of the scheduled meeting, shareholders representing some 60 percent of voting BP shares reportedly voted against re-election of Sir William Castell as head of BP's safety committee.
Some protesters apparently were barred from entering the annual general meeting, including Texas resident Diane Wilson, whose family has been in the Gulf Coast fishing industry for generations. After the meeting began, a statement reportedly was read on behalf of Keith Jones, the father of Gordon Jones, one of the rig workers killed during the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. The unscheduled reading went forward despite BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg's attempt to stifle the speaker. In his statement Mr. Jones accused BP of losing while "rolling the dice with my son's life."
Byron Encalade, president of the Louisiana Oystermen Association, told the media that he traveled to the London meeting because thousands of Gulf Coast damages claims remained unpaid, reflecting a failure of the claims process for fishing communities on the Gulf Coast.
The protests by American Gulf Coast residents and fishermen, trade unionists in the UK, and environmentalists lasted several hours.
Financial reports indicate that BP's share price remains 30 percent below its level of April 2010, reflecting an enormous drop in value even as the company suffers its first annual loss in almost 20 years.
Many oil rig workers and other offshore workers injured in the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, along with businesses throughout the Gulf Coast region damaged by the impact of the oil spill, have called upon the attorneys of Arnold & Itkin LLP to assist them in resolving claims against Transocean and BP.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an oil rig or other maritime accident, our goal is to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. We have the expertise to handle maritime claims at port cities along the Gulf Coast in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Contact us using the form on this page if you have any questions regarding a possible maritime injury claim, or call us toll-free at 866-222-2606.
BUSH'S UNDERGROUND INTELLIGENCE FAILURES INCLUDES BLAZING SADDLES DEMANDING AN "END TO F.B.I. INVESTIGATIONS" WITH THE TEACHERS' UNIONS!!!
BEAUMONT, TEXAS' TEACHERS UNION RUNS ON THE MESSAGE: "END F.B.I. INVESTIGATIONS OF THE BISD"
http://bisdpetition.com/
http://www.bmtisd.com/
BISD school board candidates redraw for ballot order
The order that names will appear on the ballot for the may Beaumont ISD school board elections is set after a drawing was held in the administration building at this afternoon.
Each candidate or a representative had to be present to pull a number to determine their position on the ballot.
The candidates who filed first in each district were the first to draw a number.
Here are the results of the drawing:
In District 1, Donna Forgas' name will appear first , followed by incumbent Terry Williams.
In District 2, Paula Blazek's name will appear first, followed by Zenobia Bush. The incumbent, Reverend Ollis Whitaker, is not seeking re-election.
In District 3, Marcelino Rodriguez's name will appear first, followed by the incumbent, Woodrow Reece.
In district 4, Linda Gilmore's name will appear first, followed by Gwen Ambres, who was appointed to the seat following the death of Howard Trahan.
In district 5, Kellie Fowler's name will appear first, followed by Lafayette Spivey Junior and then Mike Neil.
Spivey has tried to withdraw his name from the ballot but missed the deadline to do so in writing.
The drawing of the names for the ballot was held in response to the threat of a lawsuit by District 1 candidate Donna Forgas.
Forgas complained about a lack of transparency in the first drawing, which resulted in all incumbents each getting the top spot on the ballot.
RICE V RUMSFELD!
RICE V RUMSFELD
By Laura Rozen
Thu Apr 28, 10:40 am ET
There's little love lost between two top aides to former President George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, my colleague Rachel Rose Hartman reports:
In a question and answer session for the New York Times Magazine, former Secretary of State Rice is breaking her silence about the criticisms former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld made about her in his new book, "Known and Unknown."
Rice was asked to comment on Rumsfeld's assertion that she "almost never wanted" to dissent to President George W. Bush. She replied about Rumsfeld: "He doesn't know what he's talking about."
"I don't think he was ever in the room with the president and me when I would follow the president from a national-security meeting and tell him precisely what was going on in that room. We tended to do it privately."
As for the personal digs Rumsfeld made against Rice--that she was basically unfit for office--Rice decided to get personal in return.
"First of all, I didn't have modest experience in management. Managing Stanford University is not so easy. But I don't know what Don was trying to say, and it really doesn't matter. Don can be a grumpy guy. We all know that."
During the interview, Rice also revealed that she thought Bush's intelligence had simply failed to come across to the American people, in part, because his self-deprecating nature prompted people to underestimate him....
Or misunderestimate him, as the former President once said.
(Photo of Rumsfeld and Rice: Gerald Herbert/AP)
By Laura Rozen
Thu Apr 28, 10:40 am ET
There's little love lost between two top aides to former President George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, my colleague Rachel Rose Hartman reports:
In a question and answer session for the New York Times Magazine, former Secretary of State Rice is breaking her silence about the criticisms former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld made about her in his new book, "Known and Unknown."
Rice was asked to comment on Rumsfeld's assertion that she "almost never wanted" to dissent to President George W. Bush. She replied about Rumsfeld: "He doesn't know what he's talking about."
"I don't think he was ever in the room with the president and me when I would follow the president from a national-security meeting and tell him precisely what was going on in that room. We tended to do it privately."
As for the personal digs Rumsfeld made against Rice--that she was basically unfit for office--Rice decided to get personal in return.
"First of all, I didn't have modest experience in management. Managing Stanford University is not so easy. But I don't know what Don was trying to say, and it really doesn't matter. Don can be a grumpy guy. We all know that."
During the interview, Rice also revealed that she thought Bush's intelligence had simply failed to come across to the American people, in part, because his self-deprecating nature prompted people to underestimate him....
Or misunderestimate him, as the former President once said.
(Photo of Rumsfeld and Rice: Gerald Herbert/AP)
SUSAN RICE DOWNPLAYS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S VETEO OF U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION DENOUNCING ISRAEL SETTLEMENTS!
U.S. VETOES U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION DENOUNCING ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS!
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 18, 2011; 10:26 PM
UNITED NATIONS - The Obama administration Friday cast its first-ever veto in the U.N. Security Council, blocking a Palestinian-backed draft resolution that denounced Israel's settlement policy as an illegal obstacle to peace efforts in the Middle East.
The U.S. vote killed off a measure that was supported by the 14 other members of the Security Council and isolated the United States on a crucial Middle East matter at a time of political upheaval in the region.
Although U.S. officials have consistently criticized the settlement policy, a vote in favor of the resolution would have angered Israel and its U.S. supporters, including Republican lawmakers, who had urged the Obama administration to stand with Israel at all costs.
After the vote, U.S. Ambassador Susan E. Rice sought to play down U.S. differences with the rest of the U.N. membership, saying the administration's veto should "not be misunderstood to mean we support settlement activity."
"For more than four decades, Israeli settlement activity in territories occupied in 1967 has undermined Israel's security and corroded hopes for peace and stability in the region," Rice told the council. "Continued settlement activity violates Israel's international commitments, devastates trust between the parties and threatens the prospects for peace."
But, Rice said, the adoption of the resolution would risk "hardening the positions of both sides."
In September, President Obama electrified the U.N. membership in his address to the General Assembly by expressing hope that, sometime this year, a new agreement could lead to a sovereign Palestinian state being welcomed into the United Nations. But Friday, the administration stood far apart from even its closest allies. Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement arguing that the resolution would have advanced the peace process.
It was the first time the U.S. government has used its veto in the Security Council since 2006, when the George W. Bush administration vetoed a resolution calling for a halt to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. Arab diplomats warned that the repercussions of the U.S. veto would be worse this time, exacerbating the political crisis in the Middle East and hardening attitudes toward the United States. The resolution had more than 120 co-sponsors.
"This veto is not going to help the peace process, and it is going to complicate things in the Middle East," said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "It comes at a very dangerous time. The whole area is boiling, and this American attitude is not going to help stabilize the region."
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his government's appreciation for the American vote.
"Today's decision by the U.S. makes it clear that the only path to such a peace will come through direct negotiations and not through the decisions of international bodies," Netanyahu said.
The vote Friday brought an end to a last-minute and ultimately failed diplomatic campaign to persuade the Palestinians to drop their resolution in favor of a milder statement rebuking Israel for constructing new settlements in seized Arab lands.
Obama discussed the issue with Abbas, and the administration offered to support a presidential statement saying that Israel's ongoing settlement activities lacked legitimacy. Among other measures, the administration also pledged to consider undertaking the first visit by the U.N. Security Council to the Middle East since 1979.
Special correspondent Joel Greenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 18, 2011; 10:26 PM
UNITED NATIONS - The Obama administration Friday cast its first-ever veto in the U.N. Security Council, blocking a Palestinian-backed draft resolution that denounced Israel's settlement policy as an illegal obstacle to peace efforts in the Middle East.
The U.S. vote killed off a measure that was supported by the 14 other members of the Security Council and isolated the United States on a crucial Middle East matter at a time of political upheaval in the region.
Although U.S. officials have consistently criticized the settlement policy, a vote in favor of the resolution would have angered Israel and its U.S. supporters, including Republican lawmakers, who had urged the Obama administration to stand with Israel at all costs.
After the vote, U.S. Ambassador Susan E. Rice sought to play down U.S. differences with the rest of the U.N. membership, saying the administration's veto should "not be misunderstood to mean we support settlement activity."
"For more than four decades, Israeli settlement activity in territories occupied in 1967 has undermined Israel's security and corroded hopes for peace and stability in the region," Rice told the council. "Continued settlement activity violates Israel's international commitments, devastates trust between the parties and threatens the prospects for peace."
But, Rice said, the adoption of the resolution would risk "hardening the positions of both sides."
In September, President Obama electrified the U.N. membership in his address to the General Assembly by expressing hope that, sometime this year, a new agreement could lead to a sovereign Palestinian state being welcomed into the United Nations. But Friday, the administration stood far apart from even its closest allies. Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement arguing that the resolution would have advanced the peace process.
It was the first time the U.S. government has used its veto in the Security Council since 2006, when the George W. Bush administration vetoed a resolution calling for a halt to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. Arab diplomats warned that the repercussions of the U.S. veto would be worse this time, exacerbating the political crisis in the Middle East and hardening attitudes toward the United States. The resolution had more than 120 co-sponsors.
"This veto is not going to help the peace process, and it is going to complicate things in the Middle East," said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "It comes at a very dangerous time. The whole area is boiling, and this American attitude is not going to help stabilize the region."
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his government's appreciation for the American vote.
"Today's decision by the U.S. makes it clear that the only path to such a peace will come through direct negotiations and not through the decisions of international bodies," Netanyahu said.
The vote Friday brought an end to a last-minute and ultimately failed diplomatic campaign to persuade the Palestinians to drop their resolution in favor of a milder statement rebuking Israel for constructing new settlements in seized Arab lands.
Obama discussed the issue with Abbas, and the administration offered to support a presidential statement saying that Israel's ongoing settlement activities lacked legitimacy. Among other measures, the administration also pledged to consider undertaking the first visit by the U.N. Security Council to the Middle East since 1979.
Special correspondent Joel Greenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
BEAUMONT, TEXAS' CONTROVERSIAL JOB OPENING FOR A NEW "CHIEF OF POLICE" -- WOW...IMAGINE A CITY RUN BY AN AMERICAN CITIZEN INSTEAD OF A FOREIGN OIL CO.
APPLY AT: PUBLICSAFETYJOBS.COM
http://www.publicsafetyjobs.com/index.php?action=view_job&jobID=281143&ref=indeed
++++++++++++++++++++
THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, SOUTHEAST TEXAS
Geographic Location: Beaumont, Texas 77704
Job Location: No Preference
POLICE CHIEF
$120,000 - $132,000 annual salary
10/03/11-date needed to start
Essential Job Functions-The Police Chief is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and controlling the operations of the department with a workforce of 302 employees and an annual budget of $30.5 million. The Chief is responsible for leading the department that enforces laws, ordinances and regulations for the protection of persons and property; maintains effective intergovernmental relations with local, state and federal law enforcement officials and agencies; maintains effective communication with community groups and individuals interested in or concerned about local law enforcement activities; maintains field control during community emergencies; analyzes local crime problems and devises effective methods to respond to them; continuously evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of departmental operations for the purpose of making improvements.
Education/Experience-Bachelors Degree from a four year college or university with major course work in Criminal Justice, Police Science/Law Enforcement or a related field is preferred. Minimum of twelve (12) years of extensive and progressively responsible experience in law enforcement. Supervisory and administrative experience, at the rank of Lieutenant or above or its equivalent in a law enforcement agency is required. Must be eligible for certification by the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement at the Intermediate level or above.
Other-Candidate will be a resident of the City or will relocate within a reasonable period of time after appointment. Applicant selected for hire will be subject to a background investigation and drug/alcohol screen test.
APPLY AT www.cityofbeaumont.com. POSTING ENDS May 27, 2011
Requirements
Languages: English (First language)
Career Level: Senior Level Career (10+ yrs experience)
Minimum Education: High School or Equivalent
Preferences
Job Status: Full Time Employee
Position Type: Law Enforcement - Executive (Chief / Dep Chief)
Sector: Local / County
++++++++++++++++++++
JUDGE ORDERS BEAUMONT POLICE CHIEF TO TURN OVER ALL EVIDENCE IN DERRICK NEWMAN BEATING CASE!
9/28/2009
By David Yates
Judge Donald Floyd has ordered Beaumont Police Chief Frank Coffin to turn over a videotape capturing the 2008 police beating of Derrick Newman.
Newman claims he was Tasered by Beaumont police during a routine pullover.
During a Sept. 17 hearing, attorneys for the Beaumont Police Department and city had asked Judge Floyd to quash the plaintiff's production of materials request, arguing that the video tape was part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
However, on Sept. 22 the judge granted the plaintiff's motion to compel production, ordering the police chief to turn over all evidence related to the civil case.
In June, Newman's attorney, Langston Adams, made a request to BPD Chief Frank Coffin to turn over the videotape from the police car's dashboard camera and all records relating to the Aug. 24, 2007, arrest of Newman.
But "instead of responding to this request," Coffin's and the city's attorney, Judy Ross, filed a motion to quash and a request for a protective order, arguing that the evidence "is part of an on-going criminal investigation, currently being prosecuted by the District Attorney's office," court papers say.
During the hearing, Ross said it is not the department's call to release the tape and Adams should go through the District Attorney's office.
The DA is currently prosecuting two criminal cases against two of the officers involved in the incident, James Guedry and David Burke.
In turn, Adams argued the DA has already released a copy of the tape to the media and he is after the original, which is currently being stored an Internal Affairs G file.
"Everybody in Jefferson County has already seen the tape," he added.
Ross said the evidence stored in the Internal Affairs file is protected by a state statue and should not be incorporated into Adams' civil case, due to the criminal proceedings.
Conversely, Adams contended that there is no lawful reason why a "criminal and civil case can't proceed at the same time."
"Just because there is a pending criminal case doesn't mean you have to delay the civil case," he said.
Also at issue during the hearing was if Coffin had been properly served.
However, in spite of the defence's objections, Floyd allowed the hearing to proceed.
Case No. E182-725
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.publicsafetyjobs.com/index.php?action=view_job&jobID=281143&ref=indeed
http://www.publicsafetyjobs.com/index.php?action=view_job&jobID=281143&ref=indeed
++++++++++++++++++++
THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, SOUTHEAST TEXAS
Geographic Location: Beaumont, Texas 77704
Job Location: No Preference
POLICE CHIEF
$120,000 - $132,000 annual salary
10/03/11-date needed to start
Essential Job Functions-The Police Chief is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and controlling the operations of the department with a workforce of 302 employees and an annual budget of $30.5 million. The Chief is responsible for leading the department that enforces laws, ordinances and regulations for the protection of persons and property; maintains effective intergovernmental relations with local, state and federal law enforcement officials and agencies; maintains effective communication with community groups and individuals interested in or concerned about local law enforcement activities; maintains field control during community emergencies; analyzes local crime problems and devises effective methods to respond to them; continuously evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of departmental operations for the purpose of making improvements.
Education/Experience-Bachelors Degree from a four year college or university with major course work in Criminal Justice, Police Science/Law Enforcement or a related field is preferred. Minimum of twelve (12) years of extensive and progressively responsible experience in law enforcement. Supervisory and administrative experience, at the rank of Lieutenant or above or its equivalent in a law enforcement agency is required. Must be eligible for certification by the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement at the Intermediate level or above.
Other-Candidate will be a resident of the City or will relocate within a reasonable period of time after appointment. Applicant selected for hire will be subject to a background investigation and drug/alcohol screen test.
APPLY AT www.cityofbeaumont.com. POSTING ENDS May 27, 2011
Requirements
Languages: English (First language)
Career Level: Senior Level Career (10+ yrs experience)
Minimum Education: High School or Equivalent
Preferences
Job Status: Full Time Employee
Position Type: Law Enforcement - Executive (Chief / Dep Chief)
Sector: Local / County
++++++++++++++++++++
JUDGE ORDERS BEAUMONT POLICE CHIEF TO TURN OVER ALL EVIDENCE IN DERRICK NEWMAN BEATING CASE!
9/28/2009
By David Yates
Judge Donald Floyd has ordered Beaumont Police Chief Frank Coffin to turn over a videotape capturing the 2008 police beating of Derrick Newman.
Newman claims he was Tasered by Beaumont police during a routine pullover.
During a Sept. 17 hearing, attorneys for the Beaumont Police Department and city had asked Judge Floyd to quash the plaintiff's production of materials request, arguing that the video tape was part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
However, on Sept. 22 the judge granted the plaintiff's motion to compel production, ordering the police chief to turn over all evidence related to the civil case.
In June, Newman's attorney, Langston Adams, made a request to BPD Chief Frank Coffin to turn over the videotape from the police car's dashboard camera and all records relating to the Aug. 24, 2007, arrest of Newman.
But "instead of responding to this request," Coffin's and the city's attorney, Judy Ross, filed a motion to quash and a request for a protective order, arguing that the evidence "is part of an on-going criminal investigation, currently being prosecuted by the District Attorney's office," court papers say.
During the hearing, Ross said it is not the department's call to release the tape and Adams should go through the District Attorney's office.
The DA is currently prosecuting two criminal cases against two of the officers involved in the incident, James Guedry and David Burke.
In turn, Adams argued the DA has already released a copy of the tape to the media and he is after the original, which is currently being stored an Internal Affairs G file.
"Everybody in Jefferson County has already seen the tape," he added.
Ross said the evidence stored in the Internal Affairs file is protected by a state statue and should not be incorporated into Adams' civil case, due to the criminal proceedings.
Conversely, Adams contended that there is no lawful reason why a "criminal and civil case can't proceed at the same time."
"Just because there is a pending criminal case doesn't mean you have to delay the civil case," he said.
Also at issue during the hearing was if Coffin had been properly served.
However, in spite of the defence's objections, Floyd allowed the hearing to proceed.
Case No. E182-725
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.publicsafetyjobs.com/index.php?action=view_job&jobID=281143&ref=indeed
EQUAL JUSTICE FOR ALL!
http://www.utexas.edu/law/magazine/wp/wp-content/uploads/magazine/archive/utlaw_2007_fall.pdf
http://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/1937_1938_8_AJCAnnualReport.pdf
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http://www.utexas.edu/law/magazine/wp/wp-content/uploads/magazine/archive/utlaw_2007_fall.pdf
http://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/1937_1938_8_AJCAnnualReport.pdf
http://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/1937_1938_8_AJCAnnualReport.pdf
View Larger Map
http://www.utexas.edu/law/magazine/wp/wp-content/uploads/magazine/archive/utlaw_2007_fall.pdf
http://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/1937_1938_8_AJCAnnualReport.pdf
THE CHICAGO POLICE INVESTIGATE THE GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' MASSACRE WHILE DEMANDING A.S.U. TAXPAYERS' FOOT BILL FOR CHICAGO POLICE RETIREMENT PENSIONS!
THOMAS JEFFERSON SAID - " There is not a truth existing which I fear or would wish unknown to the whole world." This is such a truth. There are murderers among us, and not all of them are gangbangers and hobos- some of them wear nice suits, and go on CNN and talk about Healthcare and walk where Jefferson once walked.
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Thursday, 28 Apr 2011, 7:02 AM EDT
(Fox 25/MyFoxBoston.com) - Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords leaves her Texas rehab facility and heads to Florida.
Video of Giffords boarding a plane in Houston yesterday shows the Congresswoman walking and climbing stairs with only a little bit of help.
Earlier this week, doctors cleared her to attend her husband's space shuttle launch in Florida on Friday.
She was critically injured in a shooting rampage in Tucson that left 6 people dead and wounded 12 others in January.
++++++++++++++++++++++
THE DAY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
ARE CHICAGO POLICE INVESTIGATING GABRIELLE GIFFORDS SHOOTING? DO THE CHICAGO POLICE HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' MASSACRE WHILE DEMANDING THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA REIMBURSE THE CITY OF CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RETIREMENT PENSIONS?
++++++++++++++++
CHRISTOPHER KELLY DEAD: EX-BLAGOJEVICH FUNDRAISER FOUND DEAD JUST DAYS BEFORE PRISON SENTENCE WAS SET TO BEGIN!
MIKE ROBINSON | 09/12/09
Christopher Kelly leaves the Dirksen Federal Building in April 2009, following his arraignment on charges related to the racketeering and fraud case against former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
CHICAGO — A former chief fundraiser for ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich died Saturday, just days before he was to begin serving at least eight years in federal prison for fraud that included using his company's money to pay gambling debts and claiming it as a business expense.
Christopher G. Kelly, 51, was reportedly found Friday night in a lumber yard parking lot in Country Club Hills, a town just southwest of Chicago, where police and the FBI searched for clues Saturday night, Mayor Dwight Welch said. He said they were investigating it as a suicide, but were going to take the investigation "to the highest level we can."
Illinois State Police spokesman Juan Valenzuela told the AP his agency's investigators also were helping to process the scene, near corn fields and two interstates.
Kelly was taken to Oak Forest Hospital at 11:15 p.m. Friday, said Marcel Bright, a spokesman for Stroger hospital in Chicago. He was later transferred to Stroger for further treatment. Kelly arrived there by ambulance at 5:15 a.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead at 10:46 a.m., Bright said.
A cause of death was not immediately available. The Cook County medical examiner's office planned to do an autopsy Sunday.
Kelly raised millions of dollars for Blagojevich's campaigns and was among his closest advisers. He had pleaded not guilty to charges included in the federal indictment alleging Blagojevich sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.
Kelly, who admittedly loved to gamble and ran up big debts at Las Vegas casinos and elsewhere, was part of Blagojevich's tight inner circle along with convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko. Rezko is believed to be cooperating with federal prosecutors after being convicted of taking part in a $7 million payoff scheme.
Kelly was due to report next Friday to start serving a three-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges that included writing off thousands of dollars in gambling debts as business expenses.
The commercial roofing contractor had also pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking part in an $8.5 million fraud against United Airlines and American Airlines for work on their hangars at O'Hare International Airport. A plea agreement with federal prosecutors called for him to serve a five-year prison sentence on top of the three years for tax offenses.
He also faced charges in the sweeping Blagojevich indictment that alleged he plotted with Blagojevich to use the muscle of the governor's office to squeeze payments out of those seeking state business.
Prosecutors clearly hoped Kelly would try to reduce his mounting federal prison time by agreeing to cooperate and tell them what he knew about corruption in state government under Blagojevich.
But he remained grimly silent as his situation got worse and worse.
Kelly's chief defense attorney was not available for comment, according to a woman who answered the telephone at his home. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, Randall Samborn, declined to comment.
Blagojevich was in New York when he learned of Kelly's death.
"I am deeply saddened to hear that Chris has died. My heart goes out to his wife Carmen, his three daughters Grace, Jacqueline and Claire and his entire family. They are in our prayers," Blagojevich said in a statement.
Neither of Kelly's guilty pleas called for cooperation with the government and whatever evidence federal prosecutors may have against Blagojevich plainly did not depend on help from Kelly.
"I rather doubt that it will have any impact on the government's case at all," said Allan A. Ackerman, who recently joined Blagojevich's legal defense team. "It's a tragedy and very sad for his family."
On Tuesday, Kelly admitted he paid $450,000 in kickbacks to an unnamed consultant who allegedly inflated cost estimates for repairs to hangars at O'Hare. Kelly admitted bids on the projects were rigged to make certain his BCI Commercial Roofing Inc. would land the contracts.
In all, the contracts paid Kelly $8.5 million. His profit was $2.5 million, according to the plea agreement. He was to be sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle set Nov. 18 for that sentencing but ordered Kelly to start serving time next Friday.
The new sentence would have been on top of those three years, handed to him in June for obstructing the Internal Revenue Service by paying gambling debts with his company's money and illegally structured cash withdrawals to hide how much he was taking from the company.
___
Associated Press writers Tammy Webber and Caryn Rousseau contributed to this report.
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Giffords heads to Florida, moving well: MyFoxBOSTON.com
Thursday, 28 Apr 2011, 7:02 AM EDT
(Fox 25/MyFoxBoston.com) - Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords leaves her Texas rehab facility and heads to Florida.
Video of Giffords boarding a plane in Houston yesterday shows the Congresswoman walking and climbing stairs with only a little bit of help.
Earlier this week, doctors cleared her to attend her husband's space shuttle launch in Florida on Friday.
She was critically injured in a shooting rampage in Tucson that left 6 people dead and wounded 12 others in January.
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THE DAY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
ARE CHICAGO POLICE INVESTIGATING GABRIELLE GIFFORDS SHOOTING? DO THE CHICAGO POLICE HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' MASSACRE WHILE DEMANDING THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA REIMBURSE THE CITY OF CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RETIREMENT PENSIONS?
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CHRISTOPHER KELLY DEAD: EX-BLAGOJEVICH FUNDRAISER FOUND DEAD JUST DAYS BEFORE PRISON SENTENCE WAS SET TO BEGIN!
MIKE ROBINSON | 09/12/09
Christopher Kelly leaves the Dirksen Federal Building in April 2009, following his arraignment on charges related to the racketeering and fraud case against former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
CHICAGO — A former chief fundraiser for ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich died Saturday, just days before he was to begin serving at least eight years in federal prison for fraud that included using his company's money to pay gambling debts and claiming it as a business expense.
Christopher G. Kelly, 51, was reportedly found Friday night in a lumber yard parking lot in Country Club Hills, a town just southwest of Chicago, where police and the FBI searched for clues Saturday night, Mayor Dwight Welch said. He said they were investigating it as a suicide, but were going to take the investigation "to the highest level we can."
Illinois State Police spokesman Juan Valenzuela told the AP his agency's investigators also were helping to process the scene, near corn fields and two interstates.
Kelly was taken to Oak Forest Hospital at 11:15 p.m. Friday, said Marcel Bright, a spokesman for Stroger hospital in Chicago. He was later transferred to Stroger for further treatment. Kelly arrived there by ambulance at 5:15 a.m. Saturday and was pronounced dead at 10:46 a.m., Bright said.
A cause of death was not immediately available. The Cook County medical examiner's office planned to do an autopsy Sunday.
Kelly raised millions of dollars for Blagojevich's campaigns and was among his closest advisers. He had pleaded not guilty to charges included in the federal indictment alleging Blagojevich sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.
Kelly, who admittedly loved to gamble and ran up big debts at Las Vegas casinos and elsewhere, was part of Blagojevich's tight inner circle along with convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko. Rezko is believed to be cooperating with federal prosecutors after being convicted of taking part in a $7 million payoff scheme.
Kelly was due to report next Friday to start serving a three-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges that included writing off thousands of dollars in gambling debts as business expenses.
The commercial roofing contractor had also pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking part in an $8.5 million fraud against United Airlines and American Airlines for work on their hangars at O'Hare International Airport. A plea agreement with federal prosecutors called for him to serve a five-year prison sentence on top of the three years for tax offenses.
He also faced charges in the sweeping Blagojevich indictment that alleged he plotted with Blagojevich to use the muscle of the governor's office to squeeze payments out of those seeking state business.
Prosecutors clearly hoped Kelly would try to reduce his mounting federal prison time by agreeing to cooperate and tell them what he knew about corruption in state government under Blagojevich.
But he remained grimly silent as his situation got worse and worse.
Kelly's chief defense attorney was not available for comment, according to a woman who answered the telephone at his home. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, Randall Samborn, declined to comment.
Blagojevich was in New York when he learned of Kelly's death.
"I am deeply saddened to hear that Chris has died. My heart goes out to his wife Carmen, his three daughters Grace, Jacqueline and Claire and his entire family. They are in our prayers," Blagojevich said in a statement.
Neither of Kelly's guilty pleas called for cooperation with the government and whatever evidence federal prosecutors may have against Blagojevich plainly did not depend on help from Kelly.
"I rather doubt that it will have any impact on the government's case at all," said Allan A. Ackerman, who recently joined Blagojevich's legal defense team. "It's a tragedy and very sad for his family."
On Tuesday, Kelly admitted he paid $450,000 in kickbacks to an unnamed consultant who allegedly inflated cost estimates for repairs to hangars at O'Hare. Kelly admitted bids on the projects were rigged to make certain his BCI Commercial Roofing Inc. would land the contracts.
In all, the contracts paid Kelly $8.5 million. His profit was $2.5 million, according to the plea agreement. He was to be sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle set Nov. 18 for that sentencing but ordered Kelly to start serving time next Friday.
The new sentence would have been on top of those three years, handed to him in June for obstructing the Internal Revenue Service by paying gambling debts with his company's money and illegally structured cash withdrawals to hide how much he was taking from the company.
___
Associated Press writers Tammy Webber and Caryn Rousseau contributed to this report.
BREAKING NEWS: BP TERRORIZES THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AGAIN CREATING MORE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE!
OUTAGES CAUSE SCARE AT TEXAS REFINERY
Power Failures Lead to Fire at BP Plant, Forcing City's Residents to Stay
By BEN LEFEBVRE, DANIEL GILBERT and NAUREEN S. MALIK
TEXAS CITY, Texas—Residents of this oil town on the Gulf of Mexico were forced to stay in their homes Tuesday after power outages disrupted operations at several plants and caused a brief fire at a BP PLC refinery notorious for an explosion in 2005 that killed 15 workers.
Emergency-management officials fearful of possible harmful emissions asked residents throughout the town to stay indoors and turn off their air conditioners after power was lost at about 11 p.m. Monday at the BP plant and a petrochemical facility owned by Dow Chemical.
Flares burn late Monday at a BP plant in Texas City, Texas. Outages hit two other oil refineries in the city.
.The order to remain inside was lifted at about 3 a.m. Tuesday after the fire at BP's crude-distillation plant was put out without any injuries. But officials realized that two other refineries had no electricity and reinstated the "shelter-in-place" recommendation as a precaution. The order finally was lifted noon Tuesday once power was restored, said Bruce Clawson, Texas City's director of emergency management.
Texas City, an industrial suburb of Houston with a population of about 50,000, contains one of the largest concentrations of refineries and petrochemical facilities in the world. As residents and workers returned to their normal routine, company and local officials were still sorting out precisely how the fire broke out and why the plants lost power.
Late Monday night, Fabian Irish awoke to the smell of sulfur. It was so intense, the 29-year-old said, that it was "like somebody kicked over a latrine." Mr. Irish and his girlfriend, Pam Stinson, then heard a succession of "booms." From their house, just blocks north of the BP refinery, they saw that flares from the smokestacks had set the sky ablaze. "My whole backyard was orange," Ms. Stinson said.
Texas New Mexico Power Co., which operates the power line that goes into Texas City, said four separate problems occurred Monday night in its customers' equipment, and one early Tuesday morning in its own installations. That one caused power to be lost at a refinery owned by Valero Energy Corp.
TNMP blamed lack of rain for the problem in its own equipment, saying that a mix of salt and industrial pollution that would have normally been washed away had accumulated on electrical equipment instead.
"April has been extremely dry, which led to this build-up," spokeswoman Cathy Garber said in an email. "High humidity late last night and early this morning, coupled with the build-up of residue, appears to have triggered the fault."
The other outages took place at equipment belonging to the refineries and industrial plants, according to TNMP and state agencies. TNMP said it didn't know exactly what caused those outages, which happened at the refineries owned by BP and Marathon Oil Corp, as well as the Dow Chemical plant. The companies said they were investigating the cause of the outages. Dow said it had "no reason to believe" they originated at its site.
Terry Hadley, spokesman for the Public Utilities Commission of Texas, said "chemical gunk on insulators" on both TNMP and refinery-owned equipment is something utilities manage by spraying equipment if there isn't sufficient rain. Insulators keep power flowing on lines, but lines can fault if there is enough residue to create an alternative path for electricity.
BP's Texas City refinery is the third largest in the country. The 2005 explosion there injured 170 people in addition to the workers' deaths. Amanda Hobby, a Texas City native who can see the refinery from her house, spent Monday night comforting her children, who were scared by the sounds from the refinery.
"It was bad enough that my kids stayed up all night, wondering if the refineries were going to blow up," she said.
—Rebecca Smith contributed to this article.
Power Failures Lead to Fire at BP Plant, Forcing City's Residents to Stay
By BEN LEFEBVRE, DANIEL GILBERT and NAUREEN S. MALIK
TEXAS CITY, Texas—Residents of this oil town on the Gulf of Mexico were forced to stay in their homes Tuesday after power outages disrupted operations at several plants and caused a brief fire at a BP PLC refinery notorious for an explosion in 2005 that killed 15 workers.
Emergency-management officials fearful of possible harmful emissions asked residents throughout the town to stay indoors and turn off their air conditioners after power was lost at about 11 p.m. Monday at the BP plant and a petrochemical facility owned by Dow Chemical.
Flares burn late Monday at a BP plant in Texas City, Texas. Outages hit two other oil refineries in the city.
.The order to remain inside was lifted at about 3 a.m. Tuesday after the fire at BP's crude-distillation plant was put out without any injuries. But officials realized that two other refineries had no electricity and reinstated the "shelter-in-place" recommendation as a precaution. The order finally was lifted noon Tuesday once power was restored, said Bruce Clawson, Texas City's director of emergency management.
Texas City, an industrial suburb of Houston with a population of about 50,000, contains one of the largest concentrations of refineries and petrochemical facilities in the world. As residents and workers returned to their normal routine, company and local officials were still sorting out precisely how the fire broke out and why the plants lost power.
Late Monday night, Fabian Irish awoke to the smell of sulfur. It was so intense, the 29-year-old said, that it was "like somebody kicked over a latrine." Mr. Irish and his girlfriend, Pam Stinson, then heard a succession of "booms." From their house, just blocks north of the BP refinery, they saw that flares from the smokestacks had set the sky ablaze. "My whole backyard was orange," Ms. Stinson said.
Texas New Mexico Power Co., which operates the power line that goes into Texas City, said four separate problems occurred Monday night in its customers' equipment, and one early Tuesday morning in its own installations. That one caused power to be lost at a refinery owned by Valero Energy Corp.
TNMP blamed lack of rain for the problem in its own equipment, saying that a mix of salt and industrial pollution that would have normally been washed away had accumulated on electrical equipment instead.
"April has been extremely dry, which led to this build-up," spokeswoman Cathy Garber said in an email. "High humidity late last night and early this morning, coupled with the build-up of residue, appears to have triggered the fault."
The other outages took place at equipment belonging to the refineries and industrial plants, according to TNMP and state agencies. TNMP said it didn't know exactly what caused those outages, which happened at the refineries owned by BP and Marathon Oil Corp, as well as the Dow Chemical plant. The companies said they were investigating the cause of the outages. Dow said it had "no reason to believe" they originated at its site.
Terry Hadley, spokesman for the Public Utilities Commission of Texas, said "chemical gunk on insulators" on both TNMP and refinery-owned equipment is something utilities manage by spraying equipment if there isn't sufficient rain. Insulators keep power flowing on lines, but lines can fault if there is enough residue to create an alternative path for electricity.
BP's Texas City refinery is the third largest in the country. The 2005 explosion there injured 170 people in addition to the workers' deaths. Amanda Hobby, a Texas City native who can see the refinery from her house, spent Monday night comforting her children, who were scared by the sounds from the refinery.
"It was bad enough that my kids stayed up all night, wondering if the refineries were going to blow up," she said.
—Rebecca Smith contributed to this article.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
FIREFIGHTERS UNION HALTING FEDERAL CONTRIBUTIONS!!!
photo Beaumont, Texas Peter Shelton Firefighters Memorial
Firefighters union halting federal contributions
(AP) – 1 day ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's largest firefighters union — one of the Democrats' most reliable sources of campaign money — announced Tuesday that it would quit donating to federal candidates this year because members of Congress aren't sufficiently backing them in their fight against anti-union measures around the country.
International Association of Firefighters President Harold Schaitberger said there is a more urgent need to spend money defending the anti-union measures sweeping GOP-controlled statehouses.
"These state battles are devastating to our members' future," Schaitberger said. "You would think that we would have our friends in Congress stepping up and stepping out and leading and be willing to fight for us. But right now, we don't feel they have our back."
Schaitberger wants the move to end contributions to send a message that lawmakers shouldn't take firefighters' support for granted while lawmakers in dozens of states try to take away collective bargaining rights, reduce pension benefits and eliminate automatic union dues deductions in paychecks.
The firefighter's union, with nearly 300,000 members, is among the most influential and biggest-spending lobbying groups on Capitol Hill. It is also among the most sought-after endorsements for both Democrats and Republicans.
During the 2010 mid-term elections, the union spent nearly $15 million on behalf of federal candidates, including nearly $2.4 million in direct contributions. Its political action committee, known as FIREPAC, was ranked 10th out of more than 7,100 such committees, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
This year, the firefighters' union is spending millions to stop anti-union legislation in more than half a dozen states. It is working in Ohio to pass a referendum that would overturn the measure eliminating collective bargaining rights for public employees. In Oklahoma, the union is contesting a measure that would ban binding arbitration for firefighters and paramedics. In New Hampshire, firefighters are fighting a bill to make public workers at-will employees. The AFL-CIO has committed to spending about $30 million on fighting such state efforts.
The union is encouraging about 3,500 locals to go along with its freeze on federal political spending. Schaitberger said he would reconsider his decision later this year if Congress becomes more responsive.
There is no indication of other unions following suit so far. Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University, said he would be surprised if other unions decided to withhold political donations.
"Other than making a very momentary splash, I don't think it's going to embarrass members of Congress into being more supportive of unions," Baker said.
While the move is unusual, it has some precedent. In 2009, the Sheet Metal Workers' union stopped making political donations to members of Congress for about six months to show dissatisfaction with the debate over health reform. The union was irked with lawmakers who considered taxing high-cost health insurance plans enjoyed by some union members. But once the issue was resolved, the union's money to federal candidates began flowing again.
Overall, unions spent more than $200 million in the mid-term elections and about $400 million to help elect President Barack Obama in 2008. Union officials are hoping a backlash against GOP efforts to curb bargaining rights for public workers in Wisconsin, Ohio and other states will help galvanize more support for Democrats at the state and federal level in 2012.
While members of Congress can't control what happens in state legislatures, Schaitberger said he is frustrated that Democrats in particular aren't speaking out.
"The opposition is very focused and our friends, in my view, are not," he said. "Where are the congressional delegations en masse standing up and fighting with us? That's what I see missing."
Schaitberger said he is equally discouraged that pro-union legislation has been bottled up in Congress. Efforts to pass a "card check" bill that would make it easier for workers to form unions went nowhere even when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Last year, Senate Republicans blocked a measure that would have granted police officers and firefighters the right to collectively bargain over wages, hours and working conditions.
And other measures have disappointed him, like the lack of money for more emergency response training and equipment for airport fire departments and wilderness firefighting.
"This is a pattern of disappointment," he said. "They have not fulfilled the obligation that friends should have to fight and stand with us and to fight hard on our behalf."
Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS WITH TERRORISTS & HUMAN TRAFFICKERS!!!
BEAUMONT TEXAS
Upon arriving at the Beaumont Texas Greyhound Bus Station, I was informed by the Greyhound Bus Driver: "Ha, Ha, I am 'leaving you behind'.
Walking to the Greyhound Bus counter, I informed the Greyhound Ticket Person that I was short on cash as the Amtrak Train left without me taking my luggage to Dallas after stopping to allow passageners to step off the train to break.
At which time, I was detained by the Alton, Illinois Police Department who held me overnight.
On release, I took a taxi to the St. Louis, MO Greyhound/Amtrak Station where I was informed that my full-fare ticket to Dallas was no longer going to be acknowledged.
The choice given by Amtrak Personnel was to either purchase another full-fare ticket to Dallas, Texas, or to pay for my luggage that was forwarded to Dallas, Texas to be shipped back plus purchase a full-fare ticket back to Chicago, Illinois, as well.
Needless to say, I purchased a full-fare ticket from St. Louis, MO to Dallas, TX on the Greyhound Bus.
Dallas, Texas was not my cup of tea either...so I proceeded to Beaumont, Texas because "that's just the way it was"!
After being told that I was being "left behind" by that Greyhound Bus Driver in Beaumont, Texas, the gentleman behind the counter kindly offered to drive me to the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army where I might reside cheaply until my next paycheck in 10 days being short on cash due to Obama's Job Killing Policies and Amtrak's incompetence, but he stated that I should wait until a woman who was relieving him arrived at 7:30 am.
At 7:30 am a woman arrived, she handed me her private cell phone and stated that this African woman supervised the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army and was on the phone and wanted to speak to me.
This woman interrogated me into my personal private and financial matters.
Afterwards, the Greyhound employee who offered myself a ride drove off without me.
Therefore, I used the Greyhound payphone to call a taxi to drive me to the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army. The telephone operator of the payphone stated:
"You went too far and no one will pick you up for hours."
I stepped back to the Greyhound Bus Counter where the relief worker who handed me her private cell phone stated that I would be waiting for "hours" until the taxi arrived to take me to my destination because "YOU WENT TOO FAR" and made threats to me.
While waiting outside, an African man pulled up in his vehicle stating that he was also a Greyhound Bus employee and offered to drive me to the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army.
I said okay.
On the way to the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army this Greyhound employee stated: "What's going on? Who is that woman?"
I asked him what he was talking about.
This Greyhound employee who drove me to the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army informed me that the woman posing as a Greyhound Bus employee with the private cell phone to the African woman who interrogated me into my private personal and financial matters was actually NOT a Greyhound Bus employee, and that he had no idea who she was.
He informed me that he had NEVER seen her before and that he had been working there for years.
He stated that she came into the facility just to interrogate me, and that not only had he never seen her before, but that he did not expect to see her after I left the Greyhound Bus Station.
Arriving at the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army, I was informed by a woman posing as a Salvation Army employee that I should apply for employment at the Waffle House next door as that was a "requirement to stay" there, despite that fact that she charged me $10.00 per night to stay there, and I complied.
I was greeted by a woman claiming to be Lori Odom. Lori Odom directed me to the Waffle House on College Street in Beaumont, Texas to interview with Tim Odom. I interviewed with Tim Odom, was offered employment, and attended a two-hour orientation.
Lori Odom's Waffle House Unit Number is 275.
Lori Odom's Waffle House telephone number is 466-3697.
Lori Odom claims her District Manager is Chuck Mitchell.
I began working at the Waffle House in Beaumont, Texas.
I was informed by the Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army on Easter Sunday that I was not allowed to leave their property, and that I had to attend their religious services.
In fact, I was informed by Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army that despite the fact that I paid $10.00 per night to only enter the building between 5:00 pm to 7:00 am everyday that I was still "mandated to attend their Church Services and Bible Studies" in addition or that I would not be allowed to enter their facility.
I informed them that I was a Catholic and that I would not be attending their Church Services.
Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army employees threatened me and stated that since I ate the breakfast I was not allowed to leave their property to attend my Catholic Easter Services.
I told them that I would be leaving their property, and I left to attend the St. Anne's Catholic Easter Church Services and informed Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army that the $10.00 I paid per day included breakfast.
I was made to stay outside from the hours of 7:00 am to 5:00 pm everyday and attend their Wacko Church Service and Bible Studies in addition to paying a fee to stay on their property.
When arriving to work at the Waffle House after Easter Mass, the Waffle House posted signs on their employee bulletin board stating:
"Food was missing. If we find out who has been taking the food, we will fire you."
I informed Lori Odom that I found this to be criminal, and that I was terminating my employment with the Beaumont, 11th Street Waffle House, but that I would give seven-days notice.
Today two men came into the Waffle House threatening to murder me while I was waitressing and speaking loudly. I put money into the Beaumont, 11th Street Waffle House jukebox so that I could hear what they had to say.
I played Lee Ann Rhimes song "God Bless America" loudly.
I was informed by the two men that I was not to be playing these "cracker" songs.
I informed the two men that Waffle House had a "Customer Code of Conduct", and I asked them to either leave the store or that I would call the police.
The two men stated that they were not leaving the store, and that they were not paying their bill either.
I contacted Lori Odom on her cell phone, but there was an answering machine. I left a message for Ms. Odom stating: "You have a customer who will not leave the store. I would like to know if you want me to contact the police department. Please call me back immediately."
I then waited a few seconds, and the two men became more threatening.
I turned to Greg, the Waffle House cook and the only other person working there today, and asked Greg to asked these men to leave the Waffle House.
Greg informed me that he agreed with the men, and he stated that these men have been coming into the Beaumont Waffle House for more than 26 years.
I picked up the telephone, called Ms. Odom, and left her a message stating that I was leaving the store due to these threats and Greg's agreement of the threatening behaviour, and that I was leaving her apron, shirt, ticket book, and keys to the cash register with Greg --- She could find another employee to Waffle House because I was not that type of "exceptional" sympathizer!
Justin, another Waffle House employee, could not speak a word of English and neither could his criminal illegal alien girlfriend that he frequently sat outside with for hours while on duty and on another occasion that "God Bless America" was playing Justin agreed with the two men that the "God Bless America" song should never be played in the Beaumont, Texas Waffle House located at:
The Waffle House
2350 I-10 East
Beaumont, Texas 77703
The Beaumont, Texas Salvation Army employees agreeing with the Greyhound employee hijacking the counter with the Wackos Texas' License Plates numbers are as follows:
TEXAS PLATE #: 286 WXJ
TEXAS PLATE #: AJ0167
TEXAS PLATE #: 40T GF9
TEXAS PLATE #: 366 LPL
AND THERE'S MORE... BUT FOR NOW -----
THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS!
BANK ILLEGALLY FORECLOSING ON U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS HOMES FACES MULTIPLE LAWSUITS SEEKING INJUNCTIVE RELIEF -- THE WATERING DOWN OF TEXAS STUDENTS!
Chase donates $2.5 million to HISD's Apollo 20 programMonday, April 25, 2011
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- JPMorgan Chase Bank has donated $2.5 million to HISD's Apollo 20 program.
The check presentation took place Monday afternoon at Key Middle School, one of the campuses taking part in the Apollo 20 program. The school district says the donation is the largest single contribution to Apollo 20, a three-year program which aims to transform failing schools.
"This generous donation from Chase represents a smart investment in Houston's future," said Paula, president of the HISD Board of Education. "Thousands of students are now getting the extra help they need to bring college and great careers within their reach."
"The issue of turning around schools is not a Houston phenomenon. It's all over the world and there has not been a turnaround model yet that's proven to work," HISD Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier said. "Unfortunately, we have sat by as these schools sank academically year after year. Turning them around will take time and hard work."
Apollo 20 began with five middle schools (Key, Dowling, Attucks, Ryan, and Fondren), and four high schools (Jones, Kashmere, Lee, and Sharpstown) during the 2010-2011 school year. The program will expand into 11 elementary schools for the 2011-2012 school year.
(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Kramer-Kaslow: Questionable Banking Practices Results in Lawsuit For JP Morgan Chase (CHASE)
After years of alleged abuse and shady practices JP Morgan Chase (CHASE) faces a massive lawsuit.
April 18, 2011
Philip Kramer has filed a mass joinder lawsuit against JP Morgan Chase (CHASE) (Belmont v. Chase, Superior Court of California, Superior Court of Los Angeles, case number: BC455629) in what is potentially the most significant and precedent-setting legal action taken against lenders as a result of the national foreclosure crisis, it was announced today by Philip Kramer, Esq. of Kramer & Kaslow.
The firm has filed suit on behalf of a mass joinder of plaintiffs seeking damages and injunctive relief as a result of what Mr. Kramer calls the bank's fraud and multiple violations of Local, State, and Federal consumer protection laws. Mr. Kramer says that relief is being sought for fraud, to stop the illegal sale of plaintiffs’ homes, to force the bank to cease and desist from their outrageous conduct, as well as to seek compensatory damages on behalf of the plaintiffs.
Mr. Kramer says that the lawsuit alleges CHASE perpetrated a massive fraud, also constituting unfair competition upon borrowers that devastated the values of their residences, resulting in the loss of net worth even as CHASE enriched itself by knowingly selling financial instruments based on a value the bank knew to be unwarranted. The lawsuit alleges that CHASE further intended to deprive numerous rights and remedies for the problems they caused the borrowers and believes that the harm done to the plaintiffs is exceeded only by the scale of the bank’s conduct, as asserted in the plaintiffs’ suit.
According to court documents, the lawsuit claims the bank disregarded underwriting standards and implemented a massive fraud that was concealed from borrowers and other mortgagees on an unprecedented scale. The lawsuit alleges that, as a result of the bank’s actions, borrowers lost equity in their homes, their credit ratings and histories were destroyed and they incurred unnecessary costs and expenses.
Mr. Kramer says that the lawsuit challenges the fraudulent and illegal use of MERS in connection with the loans and mortgages, as well as the defendants’ alleged failure to perform their obligations pursuant to accepting TARP funds.
“I am convinced that for the first time that aggrieved homeowners are going to get a fighting chance,” says attorney Philip Kramer. “Until now, the banks have had their way, using and abusing the system at the expense of distressed homeowners across the nation. Now, after years of abusing homeowners and the greater public, the ‘bank bullies’ are getting a good stiff legal punch in the nose.”
ABOUT PHILIP KRAMER
PHILIP A. KRAMER is the senior partner of the Law Office of Kramer & Kaslow, in Calabasas, California. Kramer & Kaslow is Martindale Hubbell “AV” rated. Mr. Kramer is a perennial recipient of the prestigious “Southern California Super Lawyer” award.
Mr. Kramer received his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University and his Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America, in Washington, DC. His practice emphasizes commercial litigation and trial advocacy, with a concentration on business litigation, and real property matters. He has prosecuted and defended cases for over twenty five years.
Mr. Kramer is a licensed real estate broker and has spent considerable time providing legal services in connection with real estate issues relating to loan modification and loss mitigation, land use and zoning, environmental issues, easements, construction and development, finance, and landlord tenant matters.
Mr. Kramer is admitted to practice before all courts in the State of California, the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Military Appeals. Mr. Kramer has tried in excess of 200 cases. He has appeared on nationally televised programs regarding pre-trial procedure and trial strategy and has appeared as a guest lecturer on topics ranging from constitutional law to trial practice, and Mr. Kramer frequently lectures on a broad spectrum of various legal and business issues.
Mr. Kramer also serves as a Judge Pro Tem for the Los Angeles Superior Court and as a Mediator.
Mr. Kramer is also a past president of the Los Angeles West Inns of Court, a national organization dedicated to bringing professionalism and civility back into the legal profession. He also serves on numerous Boards of Directors and serves as an officer in many companies. For more information call (818) 224-3900 or visit http://kramerlaw2.com.
OBAMA CALLS FOR THE END OF OIL SUBSIDIES & TAX BREAKS!
OBAMA CALLS FOR END OF OIL SUBSIDIES, TAX BREAKS
RUSH: Mark Knoller reported that Obama is calling for the end of $4 billion in subsidies at the end of his speeches. He's not yet ordered it. He's simply "calling for" the billions of dollars in subsidies for Big Oil and gas to be ended and to be used for "clean energy alternatives" to reduce US dependence on foreign oil. So he hasn't ordered it, but he has suggested it. He has also, Obama has, written a letter to congressional leaders calling for "immediate action to eliminate unwarranted tax breaks for the oil and gas industry." Okay, fine. If we had, as a previous caller stated, anybody in the Republican side with balls, do you know what the answer would be? "Okay, fine, Mr. Obama! What about ending the tax breaks for General Electric? The oil companies are paying taxes. The oil companies are paying hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes. General Electric paid nothing." Why isn't that a top priority?
Well, we know the answer: It's because GE is being paid (and that's what that means) to do all this stupid, idiotic nonexistent green energy b-u-l-l... It's an absolute scam, and it's a hoax. It is every bit as fraudulent as global warming, and GE is being paid to pretend that they are developing it. So they have total tax breaks. They pay no taxes. How about unions paying taxes, Mr. President? Why do they get a pass? Unions don't need tax breaks. If we're gonna go down this road -- and this road is called Punishing Achievers -- then why don't we touch on all the groups that aren't paying taxes, all of the industries that get a pass under this president?
Obama wants to give the $4 billion in subsidies that the oil companies get now to GE. That's what his speech means -- and, of course, this is really gonna drive the price of oil down, isn't it? He wants $5-a-gallon prices on gasoline, folks. Do not doubt me. He wants it -- and if he believes this green energy business then he's a fool and he's nothing more than a faculty lounge theoretician sitting around with a bunch of like-minded eggheads who wax eloquent about all this nonexistent wonderful utopian stuff, but it doesn't exist. Barack Obama, I am so worn out having to hear how "brilliant" and how "smart" and "articulate."
This man doesn't know anything! It's no more complicated than that. He doesn't know beans about what he's talking about. Barack Obama does not know what he's talking about! There is no "green energy" solution to anything. There is no replacement for oil. There is no replacement for natural gas. It's not out there, folks! If it were out there, the market would have found it, and somebody would be really rich now (and Obama would hate 'em and he's be taxing the hell out of 'em). So now in his stump speech he wants to remove the $4 billion in subsidies that Big Oil gets which will raise their prices, and he wants to give that money to GE.
He wants to transfer the subsidies to the "green energy" industry, driving up the price of oil all along. How about we stop all the tax breaks for General Motors and Chrysler? Look at the tax breaks his companies get. No, this makes me fume. You know, the oil companies are not the enemy. For crying out loud, why has anybody in the world bought that? They are not the enemy. We don't have anybody on our side defending 'em. Jeez, oh, man. Meanwhile, here's General Electric not paying a dime in taxes, and Obama wants to give them another $4 billion on top of what he's already giving them. Crony capitalism.
HTTP://WWW.RUSHLIMBAUGH.COM
RUSH: Mark Knoller reported that Obama is calling for the end of $4 billion in subsidies at the end of his speeches. He's not yet ordered it. He's simply "calling for" the billions of dollars in subsidies for Big Oil and gas to be ended and to be used for "clean energy alternatives" to reduce US dependence on foreign oil. So he hasn't ordered it, but he has suggested it. He has also, Obama has, written a letter to congressional leaders calling for "immediate action to eliminate unwarranted tax breaks for the oil and gas industry." Okay, fine. If we had, as a previous caller stated, anybody in the Republican side with balls, do you know what the answer would be? "Okay, fine, Mr. Obama! What about ending the tax breaks for General Electric? The oil companies are paying taxes. The oil companies are paying hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes. General Electric paid nothing." Why isn't that a top priority?
Well, we know the answer: It's because GE is being paid (and that's what that means) to do all this stupid, idiotic nonexistent green energy b-u-l-l... It's an absolute scam, and it's a hoax. It is every bit as fraudulent as global warming, and GE is being paid to pretend that they are developing it. So they have total tax breaks. They pay no taxes. How about unions paying taxes, Mr. President? Why do they get a pass? Unions don't need tax breaks. If we're gonna go down this road -- and this road is called Punishing Achievers -- then why don't we touch on all the groups that aren't paying taxes, all of the industries that get a pass under this president?
Obama wants to give the $4 billion in subsidies that the oil companies get now to GE. That's what his speech means -- and, of course, this is really gonna drive the price of oil down, isn't it? He wants $5-a-gallon prices on gasoline, folks. Do not doubt me. He wants it -- and if he believes this green energy business then he's a fool and he's nothing more than a faculty lounge theoretician sitting around with a bunch of like-minded eggheads who wax eloquent about all this nonexistent wonderful utopian stuff, but it doesn't exist. Barack Obama, I am so worn out having to hear how "brilliant" and how "smart" and "articulate."
This man doesn't know anything! It's no more complicated than that. He doesn't know beans about what he's talking about. Barack Obama does not know what he's talking about! There is no "green energy" solution to anything. There is no replacement for oil. There is no replacement for natural gas. It's not out there, folks! If it were out there, the market would have found it, and somebody would be really rich now (and Obama would hate 'em and he's be taxing the hell out of 'em). So now in his stump speech he wants to remove the $4 billion in subsidies that Big Oil gets which will raise their prices, and he wants to give that money to GE.
He wants to transfer the subsidies to the "green energy" industry, driving up the price of oil all along. How about we stop all the tax breaks for General Motors and Chrysler? Look at the tax breaks his companies get. No, this makes me fume. You know, the oil companies are not the enemy. For crying out loud, why has anybody in the world bought that? They are not the enemy. We don't have anybody on our side defending 'em. Jeez, oh, man. Meanwhile, here's General Electric not paying a dime in taxes, and Obama wants to give them another $4 billion on top of what he's already giving them. Crony capitalism.
HTTP://WWW.RUSHLIMBAUGH.COM
TEA PARTY TO TAKE ANGST AGAINST INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMINAL, JEFFREY IMMELT, IN SALT LAKE CITY!
TEA PARTY TO TAKE ANGST TO GE SHAREHOLDER MEETING IN SALT LAKE CITY
By Amanda Carey - The Daily Caller 04/26/2011
President Barack Obama applauds GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt, right, before speaking to workers at the GE plant in Schenectady, NY, where he toured the plant and announced that Immelt will lead a presidential advisory board that focuses on increasing employment and competitiveness. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Tea Party activists are taking their message all the way to Salt Lake City, Utah for General Electric’s shareholder meeting on Wednesday. FreedomWorks, along with the Free Enterprise Project and local Tea Party groups, is planning a rally before the meeting to demand the firing of GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt.
“Jeff Immelt is the face of government-corporate cronyism in America today,” said Russ Walker, VP of Political and Grassroots Campaigns at FreedomWorks. “As President Obama’s hand-picked chair of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, Immelt abandoned the tenets of free enterprise to lobby on behalf of rent-seeking General Electric, and restrict its competitors in the marketplace.”
FreedomWorks and the Free Enterprise Project launched a campaign against GE last fall as part of a larger effort to boycott businesses that lobby for or support the progressive agenda. The campaign is based on polling data that show when consumers are told about businesses lobbying for a progressive agenda, public opinion of the company drops dramatically.
The Free Enterprise Project will also be urging shareholders at the meeting to vote for a proposal that would require GE to disclose the business risk assessment of changes in federal climate change policy. In the past, GE has been an advocate for green technology and policies like cap and trade.
“Investors must be made aware of the significant business risk associated with GE’s gambit to profit from climate change fears,” said the Free Enterprise Project’s Tom Borelli. “To date, GE CEO Jeff Immelt has failed to inform investors that demand for the company’s renewable energy products is subjected to a host of political and scientific risks.”
“GE must tell its investors that demand for the company’s wind turbines and solar panels is driven by government regulation and mandates,” Borelli added.
At one point, GE attempted to prevent a shareholder proposal like the one the Free Enterprise Project is urging from even being submitted by appealing to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC, however, rejected GE’s appeal and argument that disclosing information related to climate change policy is part of the company’s ordinary business practices already.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/26/tea-party-to-take-angst-to-ge-shareholder-meeting-in-salt-lake-city/#ixzz1Kk35wHeB
OBAMA'S TERROR DEFENSE TEAM WISH BLAGO LUCK AS CORRUPT U.S. FEDERAL AGENTS & JUDGES PREPARE FOR WAR CRIMES AGAINST THE U.S. AT TAXPAYERS' EXPENSE!
Former defense attorney shows up at retrial to wish Blagojevich luck
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
CHICAGO — The lead attorney at Rod Blagojevich's first trial walked into the courtroom where the ex-governor's retrial is under way to wish his former client luck.
Sam Adam Jr. showed up just before proceedings began Wednesday. He shook hands with Blagojevich and gave one of the ousted governor's new attorneys a hug.
During the first trial, Adam's courtroom style led to clashes with Judge James Zagel and raised the ire of prosecutors.
Current defense attorney Sheldon Sorosky turned to prosecutors sitting nearby on Wednesday and joked that Adam would be giving the opening statement for the defense.
Jury selection hasn't finished, and Zagel has said openings could take place Monday.
RUSSIA BEGINS GAS GAUGING AMERICA'S ALLIES AS IRAN RELEASES GERMAN JOURNALISTS WHILE CONTINUING TO HOLD MINNESOTA HIKERS HOSTAGE!
Gazprom: prices could rise by 50 percent
27th April 2011
The high price of oil is reportedly to blame.
Towards the end of the year, a number of European countries, including Poland, may have to pay record prices for natural gas purchased from Russia.
Russian gas producer Gazprom, which supplies much of Europe's natural gas, has indicated that the price could stand at $500 per 1,000 cubic meters, 50 percent more than in January 2011, Rzeczpospolita reports.
The potential for a significant price hike results from the calculation of long-term contract rates which are based on current oil prices. At present these stand at record highs of around $120 per barrel, the newspaper writes.
In April, the Russian gas giant increased sales of the natural resource to Europe compared to the same period of last year and even compared to individual months in the winter of 2011.
In total, Gazprom intends to sell a total of 151.5 billion cubic meters of gas this year, over 12 billion cubic meters more than last year.
27th April 2011
The high price of oil is reportedly to blame.
Towards the end of the year, a number of European countries, including Poland, may have to pay record prices for natural gas purchased from Russia.
Russian gas producer Gazprom, which supplies much of Europe's natural gas, has indicated that the price could stand at $500 per 1,000 cubic meters, 50 percent more than in January 2011, Rzeczpospolita reports.
The potential for a significant price hike results from the calculation of long-term contract rates which are based on current oil prices. At present these stand at record highs of around $120 per barrel, the newspaper writes.
In April, the Russian gas giant increased sales of the natural resource to Europe compared to the same period of last year and even compared to individual months in the winter of 2011.
In total, Gazprom intends to sell a total of 151.5 billion cubic meters of gas this year, over 12 billion cubic meters more than last year.
RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT CLAIMS NO LINKS TO "SERB" BIDDER AS TRANS-SIBERIA FIDDLES ALONG!
Russian govt says no links to Saab bidder
SPYKR.AS
€3.85
-0.15-3.77%10:35am CDT
General Motors Co
GM.N
$31.51
+0.24+0.77%10:54am CDT
STOCKHOLM, April 27 | Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:09am EDT
STOCKHOLM, April 27 (Reuters) - Russia's government has no links to entrepreneur Vladimir Antonov, who is seeking to buy into ailing Swedish car maker Saab, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
Antonov's involvement in the Saab situation reflects his own "entrepreneurial activity" and has no links to the Russian government, said a spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who met Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on a visit to the Swedish capital.
Antonov's offer was not discussed by the two government leaders, the spokesman added.
Antonov aims to help solve a cash crunch at Saab, owned by Dutch group Spyker (SPYKR.AS), and later aims to become a shareholder.
The Russian investor is a former shareholder in Spyker who had to sit out an early 2010 deal for the Dutch group to buy Saab from General Motors (GM.N), after Swedish media reports of involvement with organised crime and money laundering, which he has denied.
Saab is trying to get agreement to sell its plant and real estate to Antonov and lease it back to solve its cash problems, which led to unpaid bills to suppliers and a weeks-long output halt. [ID:nLDE73P069] (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Writing by Patrick Lannin; Editing by David Holmes)
SPYKR.AS
€3.85
-0.15-3.77%10:35am CDT
General Motors Co
GM.N
$31.51
+0.24+0.77%10:54am CDT
STOCKHOLM, April 27 | Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:09am EDT
STOCKHOLM, April 27 (Reuters) - Russia's government has no links to entrepreneur Vladimir Antonov, who is seeking to buy into ailing Swedish car maker Saab, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
Antonov's involvement in the Saab situation reflects his own "entrepreneurial activity" and has no links to the Russian government, said a spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who met Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on a visit to the Swedish capital.
Antonov's offer was not discussed by the two government leaders, the spokesman added.
Antonov aims to help solve a cash crunch at Saab, owned by Dutch group Spyker (SPYKR.AS), and later aims to become a shareholder.
The Russian investor is a former shareholder in Spyker who had to sit out an early 2010 deal for the Dutch group to buy Saab from General Motors (GM.N), after Swedish media reports of involvement with organised crime and money laundering, which he has denied.
Saab is trying to get agreement to sell its plant and real estate to Antonov and lease it back to solve its cash problems, which led to unpaid bills to suppliers and a weeks-long output halt. [ID:nLDE73P069] (Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Writing by Patrick Lannin; Editing by David Holmes)
ISRAELI OIL PIPELINES ATTACKED AS ISRAELI AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEMAND ENERGY INDEPENDENCE!
Published 10:18 27.04.11
Israel's officials urge energy independence following Egypt pipeline blast
Infrastructure Minister: We must prepare for prospect of life without Egyptian gas; Israel Electric Corp: Our power plants will keep running.
By Haaretz Service
Israel needs to prepare itself for a future without Egyptian natural gas supplies, an senior Israeli official said on Wednesday, following an earlier explosion at the Sinai pipeline carrying gas from Egypt into Israel.
An explosion rocked a natural gas terminal near Egypt's border with Israel earlier Wednesday sending flames shooting into the air and forcing the shutdown of the country's export pipeline, said security officials. The pipeline supplies gas to Israel and Jordan.
The rig drilling into Leviathan.
"An unknown armed gang attacked the gas pipeline," a security source told Reuters, adding that the flow of gas to Israel and Jordan had been hit.
"Authorities closed the main source of gas supplying the pipeline and are working to extinguish the fire," the source said, adding there was a tower of flame at the scene.
Egyptian officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, did not say if explosion was due to sabotage or an accident.
Speaking with Army Radio later Wednesday, National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau warned that Israel "should be prepared for a situation where gas flow from Egypt would stop."
In response to the pipeline explosion, the Israel Electric Company said in a statement that it would use all available resources to ensure reliable service, "including the use of alternate fuels approved by the National Infrastructure Ministry and the Environmental Protection Ministry."
Referring to the explosion, former Mossad official Danny Yatom said that the sabotage, the second such incident in recent months, may be a trend Israel would have to deal with in the foreseeable future.
"It's a problem we'll probably live with for a while," Yatom said, adding that a way of dealing with the issue would be "accelerating the gas supply from the Tamar and Leviathan sites, thus speeding the arrival of gas from those locations into power stations and reducing our need for Egyptian gas."
Israel's Tamar field, to which Yatom referred, is said to contain about 8 trillion cubic meters of gas. In December, gas exploration companies led by U.S.-based Noble Energy announced that another deposit in Israeli waters, Leviathan, contained some 16 trillion cubic meters.
Also speaking on Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said that "the lack of regional stability is probably going to continues in the foreseeable future," adding that Israel "must achieve self-sufficiency in its energy needs."
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