The CEO of LightSquared, Sanjiv Ahuja, resigned today, in the wake of yesterday's articles about how LightSquared has been overly cozy with the White House. There is a direct comparison to be made with Solyndra receiving preferred status from the DOE for loans. The new revelations show Ahuja making a $30,400 maximum donation to the DNC on the same day he tried to get a White House visit. He had never made a donation before or since.
Although the amount of money invested into LS2 was much less than Solyndra, the chances of LS2 getting approval by the FCC have significantly dropped lately due to the exposure of last year's studies showing that LS2 technology and spectrum is too close to the GPS spectrum. The testing has shown that interference is highly likely. Even the FAA and Air Force have complained.
See here: Lightsquared-ceo-resigns-amid-revelations-of-companys-proximity-to-obama-white-house
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Fast & Furious: 2nd Gun linked to Jaime Zapata Killing
Sharyl Attkisson has a new CBS News article about F&F guns being linked to the murder of ICE agent Jaime Zapata and injured ICE agent Victor Avila. You will recall these two agents were ambushed near Mexico City on their way home to the US. They were not armed, since Mexico does not allow foreign agents to carry weapons. A Texas man, Manuel Barba was sentenced to 100 months for trafficking a gun linked to Zapata's murder.
To make matters worse, Barba had been under surveillance for 6 months before shipping the weapon that killed Zapata to Mexico. ATF made no effort to arrest him or prevent the guns from going to the Zeta Cartel. Barba operated in Texas, further added credence to stories of another sting operation, similar to Fast & Furious in Arizona, that ATF was running and that placed guns in the hands of Mexican cartels.
Second-gun-used-in-ice-agent-murder-linked-to-atf-undercover-operation
A sign of the DOJ's abysmal public relations is that Zapata's family had no idea that Barba was even under arrest. Congressman Blake Farentholt, representative for the Texas constituency where the Zapatas live, is furious at the way DOJ has treated the family. He is also incensed that Eric Holder had not being keeping daily or weekly tabs on developments in the murder of one of his agents. He says it appears that DOJ has generated a "thug mentality" culture within DEA, ATF and DOJ.
To make matters worse, Barba had been under surveillance for 6 months before shipping the weapon that killed Zapata to Mexico. ATF made no effort to arrest him or prevent the guns from going to the Zeta Cartel. Barba operated in Texas, further added credence to stories of another sting operation, similar to Fast & Furious in Arizona, that ATF was running and that placed guns in the hands of Mexican cartels.
Second-gun-used-in-ice-agent-murder-linked-to-atf-undercover-operation
A sign of the DOJ's abysmal public relations is that Zapata's family had no idea that Barba was even under arrest. Congressman Blake Farentholt, representative for the Texas constituency where the Zapatas live, is furious at the way DOJ has treated the family. He is also incensed that Eric Holder had not being keeping daily or weekly tabs on developments in the murder of one of his agents. He says it appears that DOJ has generated a "thug mentality" culture within DEA, ATF and DOJ.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Fast & Furious: Obama's Budget Seeks to Legalize Gun Running
Last October John Cornyn added a provision to the MiniBus bill that would prevent any further gun running operations like F&F. The Senate passed it by 100 to 0.
In his 2013 budget released this week, President Obama has proposed to bracket (remove) the Cornyn amendment. In other words, to ignore the will of the ENTIRE Senate. Someone please tell me how he can live with himself.
In addition, the Budget attacks M1 Garand rifles and M1 Carbines again by adding a provision to destroy any remaining rifles owned by the Military. Congress has protected these historic rifles through the Civilian Marksmanship Program for decades.
And another redux, the attack on used military brass is revived. The budget directs once-used brass to be destroyed instead of sold to wholesalers and end users like me for use in target shooting. The costs to taxpayers is much larger to buy new brass, and the cost in secondary markets will be hundreds of jobs. They tried this two years ago and Congress voted them down. So again, Obama and his Administration show their contempt for Congress.
And they also want to revive the sinister junk science reports that the NIH and CDC used to produce that called guns a "disease."
See Emily Miller at Washington Times: Obamas-fast-and-furious-spin
And last, but not least, Obama is again pushing Andrew Traver as Director of the ATF. Traver is a long-time ATF bureaucrat who is totally anti-gun and relatively clueless about firearms. The Congress refused last year to even bring him in for a confirmation hearing. He is not what is needed to lead ATF, which needs to learn to serve the People and not the political aspirations of the President.
In his 2013 budget released this week, President Obama has proposed to bracket (remove) the Cornyn amendment. In other words, to ignore the will of the ENTIRE Senate. Someone please tell me how he can live with himself.
In addition, the Budget attacks M1 Garand rifles and M1 Carbines again by adding a provision to destroy any remaining rifles owned by the Military. Congress has protected these historic rifles through the Civilian Marksmanship Program for decades.
And another redux, the attack on used military brass is revived. The budget directs once-used brass to be destroyed instead of sold to wholesalers and end users like me for use in target shooting. The costs to taxpayers is much larger to buy new brass, and the cost in secondary markets will be hundreds of jobs. They tried this two years ago and Congress voted them down. So again, Obama and his Administration show their contempt for Congress.
And they also want to revive the sinister junk science reports that the NIH and CDC used to produce that called guns a "disease."
See Emily Miller at Washington Times: Obamas-fast-and-furious-spin
And last, but not least, Obama is again pushing Andrew Traver as Director of the ATF. Traver is a long-time ATF bureaucrat who is totally anti-gun and relatively clueless about firearms. The Congress refused last year to even bring him in for a confirmation hearing. He is not what is needed to lead ATF, which needs to learn to serve the People and not the political aspirations of the President.
Canadian Freedom Increases: Long Gun Registry Repealed
After 15 years of misery for Canadian gun owners, the registration scheme enacted as Bill C-68 by the then Liberal government, has been repealed by the Conservative majority government of Prime Minister Steven Harper with passage of third reading of Bill C-19.
The Registry never solved a crime, never recovered any stolen guns, never stopped a crime.
The Registry did make criminals out of many law-abiding Canadians. It did cost somewhere between $1 and $2 Billion, when it was originally forecast to cost a few million.
The Registry has been directly responsible for a majority of Canadians looking upon their police forces as overbearing, illogical, and oppressive agents of government, instead of aides to a peaceful society.
May the Long Gun Registry rest in digital hell forever! (And it should since all copies are to be destroyed.)
More here: Conservatives-and-enthusiasts-cheer-the-end-of-the-long-gun-registry
The Registry never solved a crime, never recovered any stolen guns, never stopped a crime.
The Registry did make criminals out of many law-abiding Canadians. It did cost somewhere between $1 and $2 Billion, when it was originally forecast to cost a few million.
The Registry has been directly responsible for a majority of Canadians looking upon their police forces as overbearing, illogical, and oppressive agents of government, instead of aides to a peaceful society.
May the Long Gun Registry rest in digital hell forever! (And it should since all copies are to be destroyed.)
More here: Conservatives-and-enthusiasts-cheer-the-end-of-the-long-gun-registry
Friday, February 10, 2012
2nd Amendment: Knives are as Important as Guns
This story comes via the Knife Rights email newsletter of February 9, 2012. The 2nd Amendment is not just about firearm rights.
Carry a Knife - Save a Life™
A 6-year-old Texas boy survived an attack by a mountain lion after his father defended the boy with his Spyderco Caly 3.5 one-hand opening folding knife.
The father, Jason Hobbs, posted on the Spyderco Forum, "I credit my EDC caly 3.5 with saving my 6 year old son's life last night. A mountain lion attacked outside of the restaurant at the Chisos Mountain Lodge in Big Bend National Park. It attacked quickly and ferociously from the brush near the sidewalk, and pulled him away from my wife, into the brush near the sidewalk. I turn and ran to my son, finding the lion clamped on his face. It didn't respond to bare fist pounding, so I went for my knife and stabbed the lion in the chest. The blade went in easily and fully, and the lion came off my son and ran off into the woods."
River Hobbs suffered non-life-threatening scrapes and puncture wounds to his face in the Sunday attack (see below). He was treated and released from an Alpine hospital.
Knife Rights congratulates Jason on his defense of his son and we send along our payers for a full recovery by River. Remember, Carry a Knife - Save a Life™ This is a perfect example of why Knife Rights is fighting for our right to own and carry man's oldest and most versatile tool.
The father, Jason Hobbs, posted on the Spyderco Forum, "I credit my EDC caly 3.5 with saving my 6 year old son's life last night. A mountain lion attacked outside of the restaurant at the Chisos Mountain Lodge in Big Bend National Park. It attacked quickly and ferociously from the brush near the sidewalk, and pulled him away from my wife, into the brush near the sidewalk. I turn and ran to my son, finding the lion clamped on his face. It didn't respond to bare fist pounding, so I went for my knife and stabbed the lion in the chest. The blade went in easily and fully, and the lion came off my son and ran off into the woods."
River Hobbs suffered non-life-threatening scrapes and puncture wounds to his face in the Sunday attack (see below). He was treated and released from an Alpine hospital.
Knife Rights congratulates Jason on his defense of his son and we send along our payers for a full recovery by River. Remember, Carry a Knife - Save a Life™ This is a perfect example of why Knife Rights is fighting for our right to own and carry man's oldest and most versatile tool.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/02/08/Texas-boy-survives-mountain-lion-attack/UPI-10801328684418/#ixzz1lnqviy00
Video: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/02/boy-6-survives-mountain-lion-attack/
More details: http://www.chron.com/news/environment/article/Big-Bend-mountain-lion-attacks-6-year-old-3105934.php
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Occupy Wisdom...Who Would Have Thought?
Can even the Occupy fringe have a little wisdom? Well, yes, but only for posting this text from a blog site called Freedom's Lighthouse. See the video below for the original comment and a video of Obama speaking like more of a constitutional ignorer or usurper than I ever want in a President.
Obama recently said: “Our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change than I would like sometimes.”
Here is the full post:
“You can’t make this stuff up. Obama serves up another gem for Republicans to hammer him with from now to Election Day in November. The ads write themselves! First, it’s his “I deserve a second term” declaration. Now, it’s him saying straight out – “Our Founders designed a system that makes it more difficult to bring about change than I would like sometimes.” Uh, that’s because the Founders were trying to prevent exactly what you are trying to do, Mr. President. They did not want the Federal Government to dominate the life of every citizen from cradle to grave. They wanted people to be free – to earn their own keep and keep what they earn. What a concept.”
Video here: http://freedomslighthouse.net/2012/02/06/obama-says-founders-designed-a-system-that-makes-it-more-difficult-to-bring-about-change-than-i-would-like-video-2512/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
And, shockingly, after you watch this, click on the Rachel Maddow video about Obama's NDAA speech last month. She is right on in her condemnation of Obama's handling of "prolonged detention." (I never ever thought I would agree with Maddow. She calls his NDAA speech "one of the most radical proposals for defying the Constitution ever made.") He says "construct legitimate legal framework" for Guantanamo detainees. I wonder if he intends to hire John Yoo from Berkeley? You know, Bush's guy who designed some good Guantanamo policy.
And, shockingly, after you watch this, click on the Rachel Maddow video about Obama's NDAA speech last month. She is right on in her condemnation of Obama's handling of "prolonged detention." (I never ever thought I would agree with Maddow. She calls his NDAA speech "one of the most radical proposals for defying the Constitution ever made.") He says "construct legitimate legal framework" for Guantanamo detainees. I wonder if he intends to hire John Yoo from Berkeley? You know, Bush's guy who designed some good Guantanamo policy.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Fast & Furious: Holder Says New Assault Weapons Ban is Needed
Today, Eric Holder stated that F&F was not designed to impinge on the 2nd Amendment by creating a straw man problem that should be fixed by more gun control laws. However, he also said today that a new AWB should be put in place. Once again, he shows the true intent of the Obama Administration to eventually impose more gun control on law-abiding citizens, which of course never controls anything criminals will do.
Many people hove long suspected that a backdoor attack on the 2nd Amendment is the reason for F&F. I don't share that belief, because the facts don't quite support it, yet. But I can certainly see why many people, including many Senators and Congressmen, share this belief.
To see excerpts from Holder's testimony, go to www.NRANews.com, click on Viewing Guide, click on Feb 02, click on the second item called "Members of House Oversight Committee Question Eric Holder." For extra commentary, watch Cam's entire show in the next link.
Many people hove long suspected that a backdoor attack on the 2nd Amendment is the reason for F&F. I don't share that belief, because the facts don't quite support it, yet. But I can certainly see why many people, including many Senators and Congressmen, share this belief.
To see excerpts from Holder's testimony, go to www.NRANews.com, click on Viewing Guide, click on Feb 02, click on the second item called "Members of House Oversight Committee Question Eric Holder." For extra commentary, watch Cam's entire show in the next link.
Fast & Furious: Brian Terry's Mother Speaks - Finally a Lawsuit
Brian Terry’s mother to Holder: You’re ‘a joke’ and a ‘coward’
By Matthew Boyle - The Daily Caller
The mother of murdered Border Patrol agent Brian Terry had harsh words for Attorney General Eric Holder after Thursday’s House oversight committee hearing on Operation Fast and Furious.
“THIS IS FOR YOU SON,” Mrs. Terry posted on Facebook at about 3:30 p.m. “Mr. Holder. How come you can never say my sons name. You never have. All i ever hear you say is ‘i didnt find out or I cant say’ Im actually tired of hearing your double talk in answering questions. What a joke you are. You know my son was a real AMERICAN, a WARRIOR, and a HERO, who was also protecting COWARD POLITICANS like you.”
“Hope you remember that,” Mrs. Terry added in her message to Holder before signing it: “PROUD MOM OF BRIAN A. TERRY."Watch the video in this Fox News report about the hearing yesterday: brian-terrys-mother-holder-youre-joke-and-coward Watch Holder being a weasel.
Also on Thursday, obviously in response to Holder's indifference, the Terry Family has filed a $25 Million wrongful death action the Government.
See USAToday: border-agent-death-lawsuit
Fast & Furious: Holder Called "Contemptuous" of Congress
Yesterday, Eric Holder testified to the House Oversight Committee once again. The Washington Examiner called his manner of answers to Congressional questions "contemptuous." The Examiner also called for Holder's resignation.
BTW, not a single broadcast network even reported on Holder's appearance before the Committee. The media is desperate to ignore anything that cast any bad light on the Obama Administration.
BTW, not a single broadcast network even reported on Holder's appearance before the Committee. The media is desperate to ignore anything that cast any bad light on the Obama Administration.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Fast & Furious: Holder to Claim Executive Privelege!
Today Eric Holder announced he would claim executive privilege before the House Oversight Committee tomorrow. This is laughable, since DOJ is a Congress-created agency and Holder is not part of the immediate White House executive. It is doubtful he can do this, but Holder has been finding "convenient" interpretations of the Constitution and the general law of the land for 3 years now, so it is not surprising. Bottom line: Holder works for the People, so Congress can demand he explain how he runs his Department.
Also, Holder will probably reiterate that he will not produce any documents subject of the Committee's subpoena, from after Feb. 4, 2011. This is the date when Holder sent his first letter claiming he knew nothing about F&F. He subsequently withdrew that letter. Turns out the DOJ's Inspector General has these documents, but we are not allowed to see them.
Also, Holder will probably reiterate that he will not produce any documents subject of the Committee's subpoena, from after Feb. 4, 2011. This is the date when Holder sent his first letter claiming he knew nothing about F&F. He subsequently withdrew that letter. Turns out the DOJ's Inspector General has these documents, but we are not allowed to see them.
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