Indy's PIKE DEAL - The Selling of America

If you thought the Dubai "Ports Deal" the wrong move at the wrong time, how about selling highways?

Chron.com | Ind. Signs Lease for Toll Road, Gets Sued:

INDIANAPOLIS — In the biggest highway privatization deal in U.S. history, state officials Wednesday signed an agreement Wednesday to turn the 157-mile Indiana Toll Road over to a foreign consortium that will operate it for a profit for the next 75 years.

Under the lease, Spanish-Australian consortium Cintra-Macquarie would pay the state $3.8 billion up front and be responsible for operating and maintaining the highway. It would get to keep the toll revenue it collects.

If you'd told me this two years ago, I'd have laughed in your face then replied, "The governments (local, county, state, federal) wouldn't let go of highways for love nor money! No way!"

You realize OUR GOVERNMENT is SELLING AMERICA without the approval of the citizens. I have a couple questions though folks...

1. Will residents of IN receive a break now on their gasoline taxes? After all, this is a huge chunk of highway - residents "should" get a break on fuel taxes.

2. What happens when someone gets maimed or killed on the highway due to poor maintenance? Can the state be held accountable, or will the leasor be the responsible party? They are being paid to maintain it, right?

3. Ten years from now the foreign entity starts suffering financially and cuts back on its maintenance. What recourse will citizens have to demand repair of those nasty potholes?

4. The highways were (probably) built with Federal matching funds for State tax funds. Those Federal matching funds came from you, from me, from every citizen in the United States. Technically speaking then - wouldn't the highways belong to ALL the citizens of the USA and not just the state of IN?

5. Why doesn't the Federal government sue to block this deal, as well as sue for the Chicago deal? The "freeway" system in this nation was created as a matter of "national defense". When did the Federal government relinquish control of the US highway systems?

6. Will law enforcement units from local/county/state/federal have authority on these roads, or will the leasor fufill the responsibility? Sure, they are outsourcing the "maintenance", but will our law enforcement people have authority over the hired workers?

7. Can't you see the foreign company going out on strike for an extended time which just happens to correspond to winter, a big snow storm near Thanksgiving or Christmas? I can. Talk about the potential for blackmail!

Looks like its time for the citizens of the USA to take back control of their government. Next thing you know, we'll be "outsourcing" every possible state asset's maintenance.

What's next? State aircraft, all vehicle maintenance? How about all the public buildings? Parks and recreation?

Really, when you think about it, there's very little you couldn't "lease" (another codeword for 'outsourcing' folks), except appointed officials.

Technorati tags: Pike Deal

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NASA - An $80 Million Hole In The Moon

Me feels it is time SOMEONE walks up to NASA administrators and asks a realitve question:

"Nasa - do you guys have too much time and way too much money on your hands?"

NASA to Crash Space Probe Into Moon:

The entire mission will cost more than $600 million with the impactor project cost-capped at $80 million.

EIGHTY-MILLION DOLLAR HOLE IN THE MOON?
I just happen to be inside Nasa's HQ. I'm going to sneak up on some of Nasa's leading scientists as they talk about the President's moon program over lunch in the cafeteria. Ah yes, I see Joe, Frank, Tommy and Ishra and look, there's an open table next to them where I can sit down and listen in... (I'll notate since you can't see who's talking)

Joe: "Ishra, you're not understanding the full principle at work here. I'm right, aren't I Frank?"

Frank: "Yea Joe - as much as one can be right and still be correct."

Tinny laughter.

Ishra: "But what I am telling you sir, is I do understand. We've been given a mission, we're

planning, we will be spending, we're on schedule and there are no major problems. After all..."

A pregnant pause...

Ishra: "Nasa's been there many times already."

Hilarious bouts of laughter by everyone but Ishra, who has a very puzzled look.

Tommy: "Ishra, you just slay me. Of course..."

More laughter.

Tommy: "Of course we've been to the moon, many times. Its just we need something big, huge, flashy - you know, I'm talking big, huge here - nuclear - otherwise..."

Joe: "Otherwise Ishra, everyone forgets about it and the money goes away come the next election."

Frank: "Going away means bye-bye job, no US base on the moon in uh, 2018 and no more H1 for you Ishra."

Tommy: "Big, huh? Say, do you guys remember the Ranger program?"

Everyone appears deep in thought except Ishra.

Ishra: "Ah yes - the Ranger program, when the USA was so wealthy it could build spacecraft after spacecraft only to crash them into the moon - correct?"

Tommy: "Yes indeed... only back then, the cameras, the image quality was well, crappy. Just think of the show we could put on today... why..."

Joe: "Oh hell yes - my God Tommy! You could probably watch the impact with a regular home video camera - boy, oh boy, oh boy!"

Ishra: "And cost would be minimal, a very small slice of the program. Hmm."

Frank: "Yeah, great idea guys - everyone loves to watch a crash - but you're forgetting something really important here."

Glances exchanged.

Joe: "What - what are we forgetting?"

Frank: "Conservationists - tree, er, moon huggers. You realize of course there are millions who still worship the moon as a godess, right? Add to them the world's conservationists and I think you'd be in for one helluva fight."

Ishra: "True, very true... conservationists didn't have the political power way back then that they have now..."

Tommy: "So? So what? We're Nasa guys - c'mon, we can devise a purpose for this, aside from the advertising side of it. Now think..."

Everyone looks deep in thought. I'm amazed at what I'm hearing so far - did we really slam spacecraft into the moon back in the 1960's - on purpose? I don't remember them teaching us that in school! I'll look it up when these guys finish.

Joe: "Well... I've an idea... but don't laugh... at least, not too much..."

Tommy: "Spit it out Joe, sheesh!"

Frank: "Yeah, we're dying here... right Ishra?"

Ishra: "Yes, I'm telling you, we are dying right here."

Chuckles around.

Joe: "Well, the goal of the program is to establish a milit.. I mean a moon base by what, 2018, right?"

Everyone nods at the obvious.

Joe: "They'll need a source of water you see... and well... if we hit the moon just right, why we can fly a second craft right through the ejecta, then analyze, spectralize, disectisize, purify and shoot a few laser beams at it to determine if there is water on the moon."

Laughter breaks out like a spring flood.

Ishra: "But sir, we already know the answer to that question... Ahh..."

Joe: "We do but they.."

Joe points towards a window, out towards the civilian world which exists beyond Nasa.

Joe: "... but they don't know we know - see?"

More laughter.

Frank: "It's been done before, multiple times. So we know it works. We also know it drew a reasonably large audience, so we know it will draw an even larger audience these days. And we're not talking some measly little crater, oh no. This one has to be huge - let's say, oh, about 1/3rd the size of a modern US NFL football stadium.

Tommy: Think of the tie-ins and tie-backs. Meteor crater in Arizona. A man-made crater on the Moon, visible from Earth. What could happen to the Earth if a huge object impacted the earth in slo-mo. NO ONE could say we didn't go to the moon; no faking an impact this huge. Oh man this is great..."

Tommy passes a bit of gas to the disgust of his lunch buddies.

Tommy: "Damn burritos and spicy bean salads!"

Ishra: "Holey Moon, Gasman!"

Chuckles - Ishra's comic timing is a bit slow and pedestrian for the others.

Ishra: "On that note gentlemen, I will start immediately on Project Douser aka Moonhole."

BACK TO REALITY IN 2006
Nasa did indeed have a Ranger program. Rangers 1 through 5 were utter failures. Ranger 6 was a failure too - an 800 pound, $25 Million failure. And remember - that is late 1960's money!

If each of the Ranger craft cost $25 million EACH, Nasa has already tossed nearly a quarter of a BILLION dollars into "crash testing" the moon. Whew!

Rangers 7, 8 and 9 were successfully flown/crashed into the moon. Ranger 9 switched on its cameras at 5 minutes / 400 miles from impact. So, Ranger 9 was "haulin the mail", moving along at roughly 80 miles a minute or approximately 2.5 miles in less than 2 seconds!

I wonder what kind of crater an 800 pound spacecraft traveling at 80 miles a minute (4800 miles per hour) would make in the surface of the moon? I'd think a pretty good-sized one, wouldn't you?

So we know Nasa has done this before, right? Right. Nine attempts with (it would seem) only three success stories. Nasa even produced a somewhat related movie titled, "Assignment: Shoot the moon". I am NOT kidding - lookitup.

And you know the good thing about the announcement?

Today, back in 1967, Ranger 9 went ballastic on the moon. Today, 39 years ago, an 800 pound spacecraft impacted the moon at 80 miles a minute (4800 miles an hour).

The (new) entire mission (man on the moon 2018) will cost more than $600 million with the impactor project cost-capped at $80 million.

AN EIGHTY-MILLION DOLLAR HOLE IN THE MOON? Well, adjusted for inflation I suppose it is a bargain at only 2.5 times the original program cost.

You read the blurb and you'll see they want to look for water, etc, etc... HEY GUYS - 'Scuse me,
but didn't you actually have MEN on the Moon back in the 1970's? HELLO? And you're going to tell me - all you PhD folks didn't have enough sense to send along a dowsing rod with the astronauts?

Say - why didn't anyone think of asking the question "is there water on the moon" during the Apollo moon missions? It would have been an easy task to have taken along a small well-drilling rig to do some deep core samples.

Come ON Nasa - you guys really DO have too much money and time on your hands - Sheesh!

Technorati tags: Nasa Has Money To Burn

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Ibrahim Barzak - AP Lead Opinionator

The AP and Ibrahim Barzak would be a great case study for "truthful bias in modern publishing" and the more modern move from reporter to "opinionator".

Remember the days of yore, when a reporter actually reported FACTS. The AP (Associated Press) has allowed itself to slip into another reality, a make-believe reality, where reporters really are Very Important People (VIP) who must express their bias and of course, deny reality.

One such opinionator is IBRAHIM BARZAK:

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Israeli Strikes Kill 8 Militants in Gaza:

...eight Palestinian militants Saturday in the latest signs that Israel has stepped up its retaliation for Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza since the Islamic militant group Hamas assumed power last week.

Six Palestinian militants were killed and five wounded when Israeli aircraft fired missiles after nightfall at a training camp in central Gaza, Palestinian officials said.

The US Department of State classified HAMAS as a FTO (Foreign Terrorist Organization). They are - in FACT - number seven on the list. If the FTO list were more like Billboard, it would probably note HAMAS as "Number Seven with a bullet".

"Militant" or "militants" is a gross mis-statement of the facts. They are, and have always been, TERRORISTS. Period. In fact, wherever Hamas appears in print, it should be noted IN THE ARTICLE the US (and other nations) have listed HAMAS as a terrorist organization.

Lest you think this bias is new, think again:

CAMERA: Ibrahim Barzak: Multiple links going back to 2003.

Here's a 2002 article by IB:

20,000 Palestinians March in Gaza IBRAHIM BARZAK / AP 10oct02:

IBRAHIM BARZAK / AP 10oct02

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Twenty-thousand police and militiamen marched in a funeral procession for a police colonel Thursday in the biggest Palestinian display force in years and a clear warning to the slain officer's Hamas killers to end their challenge to Yasser Arafat (news - web sites)'s government.

Four years back and only a year after the US designated HAMAS as a FTO, IB is defiantly calling them "militants". Puh-lease.

Calling an elephant a cow does not change the fact it is an elephant. Calling terrorists militants actually does a dis-service to true militants. It also destroys the use of the term "militant", forever bending it to succumb to synonym usage or "aka, TERRORIST". Well, there goes the neighborhood.

Technorati tags: Middle East Bias

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Illegal Residents - Who Backs Them and Why

Who wants Illegal Residents (IR) to remain within the USA? Let us focus our creative minds on that question and see what answers come forward. Here's my hit list, based on my humble opinion (and a few facts):

1. Politicians
2. Corporations (employers)
3. Catholic Church
4. NGO NFP (Non-governmental not-for-profit) organizations
5. Mexico
6. US Federal Government

Intrigued? You should be...

1. Politicians: A serious no-brainer. The behavior of a many members of Congress reminds me of a shark feeding frenzy. Or a group of would-be superstars fighting for the stage light, singing their heart out in an attempt to get the IR to vote for them.

Politicians see nothing but future, potential votes. If their party gets the IR legal via a Guest Worker Program (GWP) and on the path to eventual citizenship, their party wins. Not only the eventual 8-14 million when the IR gain the right to vote - but additional, sympathy votes from existing, legal residents (LR).

Its not a matter of doing the correct (or "right") thing for US citizens - its all about getting votes. Period.

Sad, isn't it? Especially when (imho) those potential votes are at least 8 to 10 years down the road. And in reality, a good percentage of them won't be legal for citizenship processing. After all, every, single IR would fail the "moral" qualifications.

They violated one, if not the most important laws in this nation. The right to be here in the first place. Time and lawyers will sort this out (N-400).

But if a speeding ticket needs listed, imagine listing "entered the US illegally, avoided Federal, State, Local tax laws" and oh yeah "utilized US public services to which I had no legal right to use."

2. Corporations, ie - employers: Employers want legal status for these individuals, right? Yes BUT... they do NOT want them eligible for for minimum wage protection.

As long as the IR remain classified as something other than a legal resident they will remain exempt from the Federally-mandated Minimum Wage guidelines/requirements (MWGR).

Big Hint: Current alien non-residents are exempt from MWGR.

IF the IR gain protection under the minimum-wage requirements through the GWP, employers will be forced to pay minimum wages to 8-14 million "guest workers".

Can you say "Goodbye, cheap labor"?

Even if it is only an increase of $1 per hour, that's an additional $8-14 million dollars per hour or $320 to $560 MILLION dollars PER WEEK. Let alone the additional costs to companies who would now have to pay matching tax dollars they are currently "avoiding".

Where will employers find their "cheap labor" resource if the GWP qualifies for MWGR?

Employers must push (and push HARD) for a guest worker program which EXEMPTS the 8-14 million IR from minimum-wage guidelines.

You heard it here first, folks! Watch and see!

In addition: There are many US corporations who profit from the mere presence of 8-14 million guest workers. One prime example would be Western Union, who handles a good portion of the money transfers FROM the US into Mexico and other Central and South American countries.

Total cash export to Mexico, Central and South American companies last year was recently estimated at $20 BILLION dollars. Just imagine the transfer fees!

In fact, Western Union fought against Arizona citizens - who still succeeded - in passing tough requirements for the right to access and utilize public services.

Western Union also spoke before the Mexican "Congress" to (in essence), say they supported Mexico in her efforts to achieve some type of workable solution for Mexico's "diaspora", her citizens residing illegally within the US.

You aren't surprised an American corporation is working against US citizens, are you?

3. Catholic Church: This one might surprise you. It surprised me. Fully 96 percent of Mexico's population identifies itself as Catholic. The Catholic Church has seen a decline in the number of American Catholics over the past few decades. Some might even call it an "exodus".

Getting the IR onto some path towards legal residency (GWP) and bringing in additional Mexican guest workers would increase the number of Catholics within the USA.

Important NOTE: You didn't think the GWP would stop at only the 8-14 million IR already here, did you? Oh no - imho - if a GWP is established it will OPEN THE FLOODGATES to tens of millions of other "guest workers" from Mexico and beyond.

After all - lawyers will argue - to exempt other nations' citizens from the GWP based on nationality is against "the law" or at the least, contrary to the whole point and purpose of the GWP. (Trust me - the ACLU is dying to bite into the GWP).

Back to the Catholic Church...

More members in the congregation results in an increase of cash flow into the church. More members also increases the political power of the Catholic church within the USA. More members means more everything, everywhere.

By golly - its almost like politicians!

4. NGO NFP (Non-governmental not-for-profit) organizations: Cash flow from the Federal government is generally based on "needs assessment". The greater the need, the more money generally available to NGO/NFP organizations.

Bringing the 8-14 million into some type of legal status would increase the needs of NGO/NFP organizations across the nation. Their potential/actual client base will legally expand.

Its quite possible new organizations would be created specifically to cater to the needs of the millions of new legal residents. Why just think - 8 to 14 million new taxpayers will need help with their taxes. And education (although IR already obtain public education within the US) and healthcare and why, everything NGO/NFP love to do.

5. Mexico: The IR numbers we hear are "8 to 14 million". If only 4 to 10 million are Mexican citizens, then an additional 3 to nearly 10 percent of Mexico's citizens reside within the US illegally!

What's more - Mexico's 2005 estimated work force was close to 40 million - barely more than 30% of her population.

Upwards of an additional 25% of Mexico's current "potential" workforce resides within the US illegally!

Mexico does not want her citizens to return to Mexico. The money flowing into Mexico from the IR within the US is too substantial. Mexico's drug lords like the border situation just the way it is, flexible. But a GWP?

Gee - you think a GWP might make it easier to bring illegal substances into the US?

Mexico's lobbying for a GWP (and more) simply revolves around Mexico's inability - and the inability of her citizens - to FIX what is wrong with Mexico. Let's face facts, folks - and refer to the Bible:

"How canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye."

In this analysis - Mexico is assisting the US in working out a viable GWP ("let me cast out the mote") while completely ignoring her own unemployment, 30% workforce, internal issues and a myriad of other problems ("the beam that is in thine own eye").

BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE! It is estimated a full 59 percent of Mexico's population believes California, Arizona and parts (if not all) of Texas should be returned to Mexico.

The US border does not exist for nearly 60 million Mexicans! Within various groups, there is a movement to "re-settle" the long-lost lands.

What?

What better way, really - than to get millions of believers into the US any way you can, organize them and start pushing politically until one day, down the road, can you say "Calexico"? Or Arizona becoming "Sonora" or "Texico"? (Yeah - I knew you'd like the last one.)

You haven't heard of this? Well - have you heard of the Hawaiin movement seeking to return "nation" status to Hawaii; iow, bye-bye USA, hello The Nation of Hawaii? I'm not joking - they're serious folks.

6. Federal Government: Historically, the US Federal government, despite opposition by the citizens of the USA, has grown in the past, is growing right now and will most likely continue to grow until it falls apart from its own weight.

This comes about because individuals at every level, are "staking out their territory" like fiefdoms within a kingdom. Your measure of success within the US Federal government is rated by how much you have grown your kingdom and how much power you weild.

Size DOES matter within the halls of the US government.

Now - IF the GWP is approved, the very FIRST thing various departments within the US Government will ask for will be HUGE sums of money.

After all - they must hire additional staff to process, interview and monitor an additional (and initial) 8-14 million "guest workers".

Let alone the hundreds of thousands, nay - millions who will follow the initial group. And there will be more - millions more. You really don't believe there won't be more, do you?

There is absolutely no way for current government agencies to handle the influx of 8 - 14 million applications for "guest worker permits". I can state that without any reserve.

They cannot keep current with 250,000 US Citizens' paperwork, less than 100,000 H1 class visas plus the regular category of non-immigrant paperwork. Go check their current processing dates if you don't believe me.

How can you expect them to process 8-14 million additional packets of paperwork? They can't - period.

So there's a HUGE hidden cost in ANY GWP program folks - a bigger Federal Government is only the tip of the "ICEberg".

SUMMARY:
My list is (relatively) short and only scratches the surface of forces working against the desires, the wishes of legal US residents. Some are out front, others are behind the scenes, not exactly advertising their efforts.

I bet you have a few more I haven't listed - right? Post them in your comments!

Americans must realize the USA has been invaded - the invasion has been going on for nearly 20 years and right now, at this very moment, the USA is still under invasion. At this very moment along our southern AND northern borders there are people entering our nation illegally.

No matter how you try to explain IR within the USA, those 8-14 million IR have broken laws. Not just local or state laws, but Federal law, the highest law in our land.

The right to legally reside within the USA is the greatest right we have. Every other right Americans enjoy spring forth from the legal right of residence. IMHO, if you want a seat at the theatre, you buy your ticket.

You don't sneak in the back door.

Finally, DID YOU KNOW:
The potential penalty for any American citizen who brings their spouse into the USA illegally?
1. The alien spouse is deported back to their home nation.
2. The alien spous is banned for life from ever residing in the USA.
3. The US Citizen could face a Federal prison term up to 10 years in length.

Yet - if you are a resident of another nation and bring your entire clan into the USA, you simply get deported - you, your entire clan, and its a free trip to the border, or a return flight to your nation.

No ban for life, no Federal prison time, just deportation. Does that seem "American" to you? Why shouldn't those who help individual enter the US illegally be as accountable as an American citizen wanting to bring ONLY their husband/wife into the US?

They should be - but they probably won't be...

The world is prying open the gates to Country Club, USA. Nations around the world see our wide-open spaces and are determined to fill them with people, more and more people.

The world, if given the opportunity, would pour BILLIONS of immigrants into this nation. You know its true.

"Hey honey - did you get the locks changed on the gates like I asked you to do?"

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