SpaceX Sues Expert Who Questioned Safety of Falcon 9 Rocket
Turf war: SpaceX has sued a NASA safety expert (with ties to the Ares rocket program) who questioned the safety of the Falcon 9 rocket.
Tag: government
Why Are Taxpayers Paying for Wine Tasting?
National Speleological Society responds to the demand that all caves be closed to protect bats
The National Speleological Society has responded in strong opposition [pdf] to the demand by the Center for Biological Diversity that all caves on public land be closed to protect bats.
Calling for blanket cave closures across the U.S. is unnecessary, unenforceable, and counterproductive. While cave closures on some federal lands have been implemented, particularly in the eastern U. S., there is no evidence that this action has done anything to contain [white nose syndrome] (WNS). Most people working on WNS understand that bat to bat transmission is overwhelmingly the primary method of transmission, and administrative closing of caves and mines does nothing to prevent that.
San Francisco’s Animal Control and Welfare Commission is recommending that the City ban the sale of goldfish, tropical fish and guppies in its borders
Busybodies forever at work: San Francisco’s Animal Control and Welfare Commission has recommended the city ban the sale of goldfish, tropical fish and guppies in its borders.
TSA blocks private airport screeners
It’s all about power and control, not safety: The TSA has decided to block any further private companies from providing airport screening.
Ten congressmen and a law professor sue to stop the war in Libya
Ten congressmen (from both parties) and a law professor are suing the Obama administration to stop the war in Libya.
Negotiations over debt limit and budget still appear deadlocked
Though some progress has been made, the negotiations over the debt limit and the budget still appear deadlocked.
Wisconsin courts rule union law legal
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled today that the union law passed earlier this year is legal.
Obamacare doesn’t stop Medigap providers, AARP partners from discriminating against seniors
Surprise, surprise! Obamacare doesn’t stop Medigap providers and AARP from discriminating against seniors with preexisting conditions, as had been promised.
This story is just more evidence that the law is a mess, it should never have been passed, and in the future our so-called lawmakers should read the goddamn legislation before they vote on it.
I should add that I think it a very big mistake for the government to forbid insurance companies from denying new coverage to sick individuals. If insurance companies are forced to accept everyone as a new customer, even those who are ill, why bother paying for insurance when you are healthy? Everyone can simply wait until they are sick, and then buy the coverage, thereby getting a lot of insurance for very little investment. The result: insurance companies go bankrupt, as the whole concept of insurance depends on a lot of healthy customers paying the cost, at a low rate, for those who are sick.
The recent history of botched SWAT raids
Obama to announce plans to cut government waste
Obama to announce plans today to cut government waste.
Though I applaud any effort to reduce the federal government’s out-of-control spending, to me this paragraph suggested strongly how symbolic and superficial this announcement by Obama will be:
One of the campaign’s first steps will be targeting waste and duplication among federal websites. The administration will halt the creation of new websites, as well as shut down or consolidate one-fourth of the 2,000 government websites in the next few months.
For one thing, having an employee launch an extra website is hardly very costly, as you are already paying that employee’s salary. Will they be laying off these workers as well? I doubt it.
For another, shutting down websites is hardly a demonstration of transparency in government.
In North Carolina, government jobs untouched by the great recession
In North Carolina, government jobs untouched by the Great Recession.
Special Needs Son Harassed by TSA at Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Don’t you feel safer? TSA agents confiscate toy hammer.
The TSA took away one toy hammer, but they were still able to take another toy hammer on board the airplane. How did that happen? Drew’s mother, always prepared, had another one in her backpack and that backpack passed through security with no problem.
How a Teachers’ Rally Made Me Anti-Education
Ohio restaurant referenced by Obama is closing
The ironies are endless: An Ohio restaurant referenced by President Obama last week as a beneficiary of the auto bailout is going out of business this week due to the bad economy and increased regulation.
Dept. of Education SWAT team breaks down man’s door
The abuse of power: The U.S. Department of Education used a SWAT team to break down a man’s door and hold him and his three children, aged 3, 7, and 11, for six hours, all because his wife had defaulted on her student loans.
Newark TSA Supervisor Sentenced for Bribery and aiding thefts from passengers
A Newark TSA supervisor has been sentenced to prison for bribery and aiding the theft of passengers.
So how is his action any different than what Congress does?
Obamacare waivers weren’t in original law
Repeal it! The right to issue waivers to Obamacare by the Health and Human Services administration (HHS) appears to be illegal.
Language granting HHS that power was never in the original law. Instead, through new rules and regulations, HHS gave itself the power last summer using a broad interpretation of certain parts of the law.
Cruise passengers tell of seven-hour security ‘revenge’ nightmare
The abuse of power: Cruise passengers tell of seven-hour security “revenge” nightmare, forced on them by U.S. immigration officials.
But when a handful of them questioned whether the lengthy security checks at the port were strictly necessary for a group of largely elderly travellers officials were not amused. Although they had already been given advance clearance for multiple entries to the country during their trip, all 2,000 passengers were made to go through full security checks in a process which took seven hours to complete.
The federal government’s total unfunded financial obligations now exceed $60 trillion.
The day of reckoning beckons: The federal government’s total unfunded financial obligations now exceed $60 trillion.