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unhappycamper
unhappycamper's Journal
unhappycamper's Journal
December 12, 2013
Budget agreement preserves oil, gas tax breaks
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Washington Bureau
December 11, 2013 : Updated: December 11, 2013 8:53pm
WASHINGTON — The oil and gas industry was spared big hits in the new congressional budget deal, which preserves tax breaks long used by energy companies.
Instead, the deal makes modest cuts to a government ultradeep-water research program and to a policy that lets companies collect interest on royalty overpayments.
Industry lobbyists were pleased.
Independent Petroleum Association of America spokeswoman Julia Bell said the group was “encouraged that the budget deal doesn't jeopardize the industry's tax provisions.”
Budget agreement preserves oil, gas tax breaks
http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/eagle-ford-energy/article/Budget-agreement-preserves-oil-gas-tax-breaks-5056400.phpBudget agreement preserves oil, gas tax breaks
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Washington Bureau
December 11, 2013 : Updated: December 11, 2013 8:53pm
WASHINGTON — The oil and gas industry was spared big hits in the new congressional budget deal, which preserves tax breaks long used by energy companies.
Instead, the deal makes modest cuts to a government ultradeep-water research program and to a policy that lets companies collect interest on royalty overpayments.
Industry lobbyists were pleased.
Independent Petroleum Association of America spokeswoman Julia Bell said the group was “encouraged that the budget deal doesn't jeopardize the industry's tax provisions.”
December 12, 2013
New Obama adviser will not work on Keystone XL
By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press
December 11, 2013 : Updated: December 11, 2013 2:26pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new senior adviser to President Barack Obama will not be involved in deliberations on the Keystone XL oil pipeline, the White House said Wednesday.
John Podesta, a former chief of staff under President Bill Clinton, has spoken out against the pipeline, which would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada to refineries in Texas. Podesta founded the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank that opposes the pipeline.
Podesta's hiring cheered environmental groups, who say the $7 billion project would be a major contributor to global warming. They also worry about spills of tar sands oil, which is heavier than conventional oil.
Some Keystone supporters, including Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., expressed alarm, calling Podesta's inclusion in Obama's inner circle a possible death-knell for the pipeline. Backers say the project would create thousands of jobs and boost North American energy independence.
New Obama adviser will not work on Keystone XL
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/texas/article/New-Obama-adviser-will-not-work-on-Keystone-XL-5055248.phpNew Obama adviser will not work on Keystone XL
By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press
December 11, 2013 : Updated: December 11, 2013 2:26pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new senior adviser to President Barack Obama will not be involved in deliberations on the Keystone XL oil pipeline, the White House said Wednesday.
John Podesta, a former chief of staff under President Bill Clinton, has spoken out against the pipeline, which would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada to refineries in Texas. Podesta founded the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank that opposes the pipeline.
Podesta's hiring cheered environmental groups, who say the $7 billion project would be a major contributor to global warming. They also worry about spills of tar sands oil, which is heavier than conventional oil.
Some Keystone supporters, including Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., expressed alarm, calling Podesta's inclusion in Obama's inner circle a possible death-knell for the pipeline. Backers say the project would create thousands of jobs and boost North American energy independence.
December 12, 2013
Techies, Uncle Sam wants you
Posted: Thursday, December 12, 2013 4:30 am
By Walter Pincus | The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Can you provide a computerized system that automatically performs name comparisons and also can detect relationships with other names?
Can you design a platform that accesses the news media from anywhere in the world, mines it for files of interest and then provides real-time operational data from it to multiple stakeholders?
And while you’re at it, maybe you can resolve massive real-time and historic filed data sets and automatically extract results from trillions of such records?
If so, the U.S. Army wants to hear from you.
Techies, Uncle Sam wants you
http://kdhnews.com/business/technology/techies-uncle-sam-wants-you/article_e79e2414-62ef-11e3-b028-001a4bcf6878.htmlTechies, Uncle Sam wants you
Posted: Thursday, December 12, 2013 4:30 am
By Walter Pincus | The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Can you provide a computerized system that automatically performs name comparisons and also can detect relationships with other names?
Can you design a platform that accesses the news media from anywhere in the world, mines it for files of interest and then provides real-time operational data from it to multiple stakeholders?
And while you’re at it, maybe you can resolve massive real-time and historic filed data sets and automatically extract results from trillions of such records?
If so, the U.S. Army wants to hear from you.
December 12, 2013
A worker stands in front of an engine on the Boeing 777 at their assembly operations in Everett in 2012. Boeing and its largest union were meeting Wednesday in an attempt to reach a deal that will secure production of Boeing's newest jetliner at the company's Everett plant.
Machinists make contract offer to Boeing as negotiations recess Wednesday
By John Gillie
Staff writer
December 11, 2013 Updated 3 hours ago
The union representing assembly line workers at Boeing's Everett plant late Wednesday presented Boeing a new contract proposal in an attempt to secure production of Boeing's newest plane for Puget Sound.
If the two sides can agree on a new deal, Boeing would build both the 777X and its composite wings in Western Washington.
The Machinists Union said it isn't disclosing the terms of the proposed deal.
“We tried to craft a proposal that would meet the needs of our members, while also ensuring the long-term success of the Boeing Co. in Washington state,” said Tom Wroblewski, the president of Machinists Union District Lodge 751 in a message to members.
Machinists make contract offer to Boeing as negotiations recess Wednesday
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/12/11/2943295/boeing-machinists-union-back-at.htmlA worker stands in front of an engine on the Boeing 777 at their assembly operations in Everett in 2012. Boeing and its largest union were meeting Wednesday in an attempt to reach a deal that will secure production of Boeing's newest jetliner at the company's Everett plant.
Machinists make contract offer to Boeing as negotiations recess Wednesday
By John Gillie
Staff writer
December 11, 2013 Updated 3 hours ago
The union representing assembly line workers at Boeing's Everett plant late Wednesday presented Boeing a new contract proposal in an attempt to secure production of Boeing's newest plane for Puget Sound.
If the two sides can agree on a new deal, Boeing would build both the 777X and its composite wings in Western Washington.
The Machinists Union said it isn't disclosing the terms of the proposed deal.
“We tried to craft a proposal that would meet the needs of our members, while also ensuring the long-term success of the Boeing Co. in Washington state,” said Tom Wroblewski, the president of Machinists Union District Lodge 751 in a message to members.
December 12, 2013
NSA director Gen Keith Alexander: under pressure.
NSA awards itself A+ for accountability – as it happened
Tom McCarthy
~snip~
• Alexander argued against limits on surveillance programs, saying the programs secure the nation and operate within the law. "From my perspective, the threats are growing," Alexander said.
• Alexander gave the NSA top grades for self-policing. "This agency in every case reports on itself, tells you what we did wrong..." Alexander said. He was echoed by Robert Litt, general counsel for the office of the director of national intelligence: "Everybody is singularly focused on ensuring that we comply with the Constitution and the law."
• The sparsely attended hearing saw minimal discussion of relatively recently disclosed NSA programs such as the collection of billions of cell phone records worldwide or of Internet metadata abroad. Instead the hearing focused once again on the collection of phone metadata under section 215 of the Patriot Act, a program the witnesses continued to defend.
• Committee chairman Patrick Leahy said the latest NSA disclosures "raise significant questions about the scope"of surveillance and show more oversight is "clearly needed" – "a lot more." But the questions about the new programs didn't much come. Many committee members had conflicts and failed to attend.
NSA awards itself A+ for accountability – as it happened
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/11/nsa-chief-keith-alexander-senate-committee-live-updatesNSA director Gen Keith Alexander: under pressure.
NSA awards itself A+ for accountability – as it happened
Tom McCarthy
~snip~
• Alexander argued against limits on surveillance programs, saying the programs secure the nation and operate within the law. "From my perspective, the threats are growing," Alexander said.
• Alexander gave the NSA top grades for self-policing. "This agency in every case reports on itself, tells you what we did wrong..." Alexander said. He was echoed by Robert Litt, general counsel for the office of the director of national intelligence: "Everybody is singularly focused on ensuring that we comply with the Constitution and the law."
• The sparsely attended hearing saw minimal discussion of relatively recently disclosed NSA programs such as the collection of billions of cell phone records worldwide or of Internet metadata abroad. Instead the hearing focused once again on the collection of phone metadata under section 215 of the Patriot Act, a program the witnesses continued to defend.
• Committee chairman Patrick Leahy said the latest NSA disclosures "raise significant questions about the scope"of surveillance and show more oversight is "clearly needed" – "a lot more." But the questions about the new programs didn't much come. Many committee members had conflicts and failed to attend.
December 12, 2013
Obama Urged to Fire DNI Clapper
December 11, 2013
~snip~
We wish to endorse the call by Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, Committee on the Judiciary, that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should be removed and prosecuted for lying to Congress. “Lying to Congress is a federal offense, and Clapper ought to be fired and prosecuted for it,” the Wisconsin Republican said in an interview with The Hill. “The only way laws are effective is if they’re enforced.”
Sensenbrenner added, “If it’s a criminal offense — and I believe Mr. Clapper has committed a criminal offense — then the Justice Department ought to do its job.”
This brief Memorandum is to inform you that we agree that no intelligence director should be able to deceive Congress and suffer no consequences. No democracy that condones such deceit at the hands of powerful, secretive intelligence directors can long endure.
It seems clear that you can expect no help from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to which Clapper has apologized for giving “clearly erroneous” testimony, and who, at the height of the controversy over his credibility, defended him as a “direct and honest” person.
Obama Urged to Fire DNI Clapper
http://consortiumnews.com/2013/12/11/obama-urged-to-fire-dni-clapper/Obama Urged to Fire DNI Clapper
December 11, 2013
~snip~
We wish to endorse the call by Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, Committee on the Judiciary, that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper should be removed and prosecuted for lying to Congress. “Lying to Congress is a federal offense, and Clapper ought to be fired and prosecuted for it,” the Wisconsin Republican said in an interview with The Hill. “The only way laws are effective is if they’re enforced.”
Sensenbrenner added, “If it’s a criminal offense — and I believe Mr. Clapper has committed a criminal offense — then the Justice Department ought to do its job.”
This brief Memorandum is to inform you that we agree that no intelligence director should be able to deceive Congress and suffer no consequences. No democracy that condones such deceit at the hands of powerful, secretive intelligence directors can long endure.
It seems clear that you can expect no help from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to which Clapper has apologized for giving “clearly erroneous” testimony, and who, at the height of the controversy over his credibility, defended him as a “direct and honest” person.
December 12, 2013
Obama's Oil Expansion Plans: A Clear and Present Danger to Public Safety
JACQUELINE MARCUS FOR BUZZFLASH AT TRUTHOUT
Wednesday, 11 December 2013 09:50
In case you haven't heard the latest news from the White House, the president chose to unleash the fossil fuel industry all across America. That's right. They're proudly calling the United States "the new Saudi Arabia." President Obama told his oil friends that "America the Beautiful" is all theirs for the profits.
I don't know what Obama got in exchange for this unconscionable plan to drill, pollute and frack in our farming, ranching, wilderness lands and oceans, including the fragile Arctic, I don't know what kind of filthy oil money they waved in front of him like a bunch of sleazy drug gangsters, or how many multimillion dollar homes they offered him in the package of threats, I can only assume that he wouldn't sell the whole country out to the fossil fuel industry unless there was an enormous retirement payback for the Obama family in return.
In case you missed Obama's enthusiastic oil speech, here it is again: "Over the last three years," boasted Obama in public, "I've directed my administration to open up millions of acres for gas and oil exploration across 23 different states. We're opening up more than 75 percent of our potential oil resources offshore. We've quadrupled the number of operating rigs to a record high. We've added enough new oil and gas pipeline to encircle the Earth, and then some..."
Read more about President Obama's expansion of dirty oil plans in Bill McKibben's latest Rolling Stone article (12-19-2013 issue), including handing over Alaska's pristine Beaufort Sea to Shell where predictably an oil disaster is bound to happen from the tumultuous, icy wind conditions. In fact, even after Shell failed at the first attempt, its rig bopping about like a loose buoy, plagued by problems, the president nevertheless gave Shell the go ahead to drill. Now this is absolutely insane. But maybe you can't be president of this country unless you are certifiably insane? Who knows these days.
Obama's Oil Expansion Plans: A Clear and Present Danger to Public Safety
http://truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/item/18361-obama-s-oil-expansion-plans-a-clear-and-present-danger-to-public-safetyObama's Oil Expansion Plans: A Clear and Present Danger to Public Safety
JACQUELINE MARCUS FOR BUZZFLASH AT TRUTHOUT
Wednesday, 11 December 2013 09:50
In case you haven't heard the latest news from the White House, the president chose to unleash the fossil fuel industry all across America. That's right. They're proudly calling the United States "the new Saudi Arabia." President Obama told his oil friends that "America the Beautiful" is all theirs for the profits.
I don't know what Obama got in exchange for this unconscionable plan to drill, pollute and frack in our farming, ranching, wilderness lands and oceans, including the fragile Arctic, I don't know what kind of filthy oil money they waved in front of him like a bunch of sleazy drug gangsters, or how many multimillion dollar homes they offered him in the package of threats, I can only assume that he wouldn't sell the whole country out to the fossil fuel industry unless there was an enormous retirement payback for the Obama family in return.
In case you missed Obama's enthusiastic oil speech, here it is again: "Over the last three years," boasted Obama in public, "I've directed my administration to open up millions of acres for gas and oil exploration across 23 different states. We're opening up more than 75 percent of our potential oil resources offshore. We've quadrupled the number of operating rigs to a record high. We've added enough new oil and gas pipeline to encircle the Earth, and then some..."
Read more about President Obama's expansion of dirty oil plans in Bill McKibben's latest Rolling Stone article (12-19-2013 issue), including handing over Alaska's pristine Beaufort Sea to Shell where predictably an oil disaster is bound to happen from the tumultuous, icy wind conditions. In fact, even after Shell failed at the first attempt, its rig bopping about like a loose buoy, plagued by problems, the president nevertheless gave Shell the go ahead to drill. Now this is absolutely insane. But maybe you can't be president of this country unless you are certifiably insane? Who knows these days.
December 12, 2013
Snowden docs reveal NSA using technology of online advertisers for spying
Exposed: NSA Uses Google 'Cookies' to Snoop on Targets
- Common Dreams staff
Published on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 by Common Dreams
~snip~
Internal National Security Agency documents provided by Edward Snowden reveal that the NSA and British intelligence agency GCHQ are using Google "cookies" to track and spy on potential targets.
~snip~
According to the report, the NSA does not use this technology to sort through vast amounts of online data, but rather to key in on people already under suspicion.
Exposed: NSA Uses Google 'Cookies' to Snoop on Targets
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/12/11-1Snowden docs reveal NSA using technology of online advertisers for spying
Exposed: NSA Uses Google 'Cookies' to Snoop on Targets
- Common Dreams staff
Published on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 by Common Dreams
~snip~
Internal National Security Agency documents provided by Edward Snowden reveal that the NSA and British intelligence agency GCHQ are using Google "cookies" to track and spy on potential targets.
~snip~
The intelligence agencies have found particular use for a part of a Google-specific tracking mechanism known as the “PREF” cookie. These cookies typically don't contain personal information, such as someone's name or e-mail address, but they do contain numeric codes that enable Web sites to uniquely identify a person's browser.
In addition to tracking Web visits, this cookie allows NSA to single out an individual's communications among the sea of Internet data in order to send out software that can hack that person's computer. The slides say the cookies are used to "enable remote exploitation," although the specific attacks used by the NSA against targets are not addressed in these documents.
According to the report, the NSA does not use this technology to sort through vast amounts of online data, but rather to key in on people already under suspicion.
December 12, 2013
Ellsberg, Drake, Radack, McGovern among others who publish open letter to those whose jobs are affront to democracy
'Follow Your Conscience': Whistleblowers Issue Open Call for Truth to Intel Employees
- Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Published on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 by Common Dreams
In a plea made directly to the thousands of civil servants whose daily occupation feeds the ever-growing spy state, a group of former whistleblowers published an open letter Wednesday in the Guardian urging those individuals to join Edward Snowden and the other brave truth-tellers "to follow your conscience and let us know what's being done in our names."
"Blowing the whistle on powerful factions is not a fun thing to do, but despite the poor track record of western media, whistleblowing remains the last avenue for truth, balanced debate and upholding democracy," writes the group, which includes Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, former NSA executive Thomas Drake, and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern among others.
"Edward Snowden just showed you what one person can do," they continue. "But Snowden shouldn't have to stand alone, and his revelations shouldn't be the only ones."
In an open call to those whose days are spent "hidden away" in government offices and intelligence agencies spying, lying to the public and "destroying everything we as a society pretend to care about," the group declares: "You can be part of the solution."
'Follow Your Conscience': Whistleblowers Issue Open Call for Truth to Intel Employees
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/12/11-2Ellsberg, Drake, Radack, McGovern among others who publish open letter to those whose jobs are affront to democracy
'Follow Your Conscience': Whistleblowers Issue Open Call for Truth to Intel Employees
- Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Published on Wednesday, December 11, 2013 by Common Dreams
In a plea made directly to the thousands of civil servants whose daily occupation feeds the ever-growing spy state, a group of former whistleblowers published an open letter Wednesday in the Guardian urging those individuals to join Edward Snowden and the other brave truth-tellers "to follow your conscience and let us know what's being done in our names."
"Blowing the whistle on powerful factions is not a fun thing to do, but despite the poor track record of western media, whistleblowing remains the last avenue for truth, balanced debate and upholding democracy," writes the group, which includes Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, former NSA executive Thomas Drake, and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern among others.
"Edward Snowden just showed you what one person can do," they continue. "But Snowden shouldn't have to stand alone, and his revelations shouldn't be the only ones."
In an open call to those whose days are spent "hidden away" in government offices and intelligence agencies spying, lying to the public and "destroying everything we as a society pretend to care about," the group declares: "You can be part of the solution."
December 12, 2013
German Chancellor Angela Merkel loves to preach economic prudence to her European Union partners. But she looks the other way when it comes to the bloc's wasteful defense policy, and Europe's citizens are footing the bill -- to the tune of at least €26 billion a year.
Self Defense: Protectionism Rules in EU Arms Industry
By Gordon Repinski, Christoph Schult and Gerald Traufetter
December 11, 2013 – 05:00 PM
In February 2010, a group of German Air Force Eurofighter jets took off from Germany on a trip to the East. They were accompanied by a refueling aircraft, along with a cargo plane and a transport plane filled with engineers. The Germans' target was India, where their objective was to hammer out a deal on behalf of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), which manufactures the Eurofighter. The government in New Delhi planned to buy 126 fighter jets, in a deal valued at up to €14 billion ($19.3 billion). An Indian newspaper described it as the "mother of all defense deals."
The counterattack didn't come from the United States, but from Germany's partners within the European Union. The French launched their own promotional campaign for their national prestige jet, the "Rafale," while the Swedes advertised their jet, the "Gripen," made by Saab.
The German Air Force pilots spent days thundering across the Indian subcontinent. The campaign cost about €20 million, but it was unsuccessful. The Indians chose the French jet instead.
This is what happens in the European defense industry: Whenever a major contract is in the offing somewhere in the world, the European nations compete against one another. But when they are the ones procuring military equipment, they isolate themselves and ignore all rules of reason and the market in the interest of protecting the domestic defense industry.
Self Defense: Protectionism Rules in EU Arms Industry
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/inefficiency-and-protectionism-rule-european-union-defense-industry-a-938326.htmlGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel loves to preach economic prudence to her European Union partners. But she looks the other way when it comes to the bloc's wasteful defense policy, and Europe's citizens are footing the bill -- to the tune of at least €26 billion a year.
Self Defense: Protectionism Rules in EU Arms Industry
By Gordon Repinski, Christoph Schult and Gerald Traufetter
December 11, 2013 – 05:00 PM
In February 2010, a group of German Air Force Eurofighter jets took off from Germany on a trip to the East. They were accompanied by a refueling aircraft, along with a cargo plane and a transport plane filled with engineers. The Germans' target was India, where their objective was to hammer out a deal on behalf of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), which manufactures the Eurofighter. The government in New Delhi planned to buy 126 fighter jets, in a deal valued at up to €14 billion ($19.3 billion). An Indian newspaper described it as the "mother of all defense deals."
The counterattack didn't come from the United States, but from Germany's partners within the European Union. The French launched their own promotional campaign for their national prestige jet, the "Rafale," while the Swedes advertised their jet, the "Gripen," made by Saab.
The German Air Force pilots spent days thundering across the Indian subcontinent. The campaign cost about €20 million, but it was unsuccessful. The Indians chose the French jet instead.
This is what happens in the European defense industry: Whenever a major contract is in the offing somewhere in the world, the European nations compete against one another. But when they are the ones procuring military equipment, they isolate themselves and ignore all rules of reason and the market in the interest of protecting the domestic defense industry.
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