Contractor proposes taking over two shuttles and flying them for NASA through 2017

The contractor who manages the shutte program for NASA, United Space Alliance (USA), has proposed taking over two shuttles and flying them privately for NASA through 2017. Key quote:

USAโ€™s current estimated price tag of $1.5 billion per year would represent a substantial drop from previous funding levels, which have seen shuttle program costs rise as high as $4 billion per year. United Space Alliance says its plan would take advantage of shuttle infrastructure and a workforce already in place. Some shuttle production lines would have to be restarted โ€” for example, the operation that builds the shuttleโ€™s external fuel tanks. But USA says the first commercial shuttle flights could take place in 2013. That would beat the 2016 deadline specified in last yearโ€™s legislation, as well as the development schedule laid out by SpaceX and USAโ€™s other commercial competitors.

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After Video sting Planned Parenthood Fires Employee

The right response: After a video sting posted on youtube showed a Planned Parenthood manager helping a supposed pimp operate his sex ring of underage girls, the organization has fired that manager. Key quote:

โ€œWe were profoundly shocked when we viewed the videotape,โ€ Phyllis Kinsler, chief executive of the agencyโ€™s central New Jersey branch, said in a statement. Ms. Kinsler said the tape โ€œdepicted an employee of one of our health centers behaving in a repugnant manner that is inconsistent with our standards of care and is completely unacceptable.โ€

Update: Youtube is threatening to remove the video due to so-called “privacy violations.”

What crap. The only person whose privacy was invaded was the manager who was breaking the law. Such behavior does not deserve protection, and youtube should know better.

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Judge holds Interior Department in contempt over offshore oil drilling moratorium

A Louisiana judge has held the Interior Department in contempt over its offshore oil drilling moratorium. Key quote:

After [the judge] overturned the government’s moratorium in June, the agency issued a second nearly identical suspension. “Such dismissive conduct, viewed in tandem with the re-imposition of a second blanket and substantively identical moratorium and in light of the national importance of this case, provide this court with clear and convincing evidence of the government’s contempt of this court’s preliminary injunction order.”

The Obama administration might not realize it — as well as many politicians from both parties in DC — we are a nation of laws, not men. It thumb your nose at the law it will eventually come back to bite you. Especially if the citizenry becomes outraged at your arrogance.

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Senate Rejects Full ObamaCare Repeal but Votes To Kill โ€˜1099โ€™ Provision

By a vote of 51-47, the Senate today rejected a full repeal of ObamaCare. A second vote, 81-17, did repeal the 1099 tax paperwork provision.

No surprises here. This just illustrates the need to throw more of these clowns out of office in 2012. For one thing, many of the 81 Senators who voted to repeal the 1099 tax provision had voted for it only 10 months ago. Have they finally learned to read?

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