It's nice to know that as Donald Rumsfeld finds his way to the door, some in Congress still care enough to send the very best. Henry Waxman wrote Rummy a letter this week, outlining his concerns about unanswered questions regarding war profiteering scams:
At the lowest level, Blackwater security guards were paid $600 a day. Blackwater added a 36 percent markup, plus overhead costs, and sent the bill to a Kuwaiti company that ordinarily runs hotels, according to the contract.
[]
That company, Regency Hotel, tacked on costs and profit and sent an invoice to ESS. The food company added its costs and profit and sent its bill to Kellogg Brown & Root, a division of Halliburton, which added overhead and profit and presented the final bill to the Pentagon.
And bless be, it looks like Henry is going for the jugular:
The California congressman said that Blackwater's services were not just pricey, but prohibited, because the Army never authorized Blackwater or any other Halliburton subcontractors to guard convoys or carry weapons. Houston-based Halliburton has been paid at least $16 billion to provide food, lodging and other support for troops in Iraq, and $2.4 billion to work on Iraqi oil infrastructure.
Waxman demanded "whether and how the Army intends to recover taxpayer funds paid to Halliburton and Blackwater for services prohibited under [Halliburton's] contract."
I think the chances that angry dads like Jack Cafferty will find details such as this as they start to filter out to be quite interesting. Every time you start digging, it just seems to get worse and worse.
(hat tip Al Swearengen)
Related posts:
- Blue Dog Letter to Waxman Wants PhRMA Deal to Replace Chairman’s Language in Health Bill
- Breaking: Obama Writes Letter Opposing Inclusion of Graham-Lieberman in Supplemental
- Chairman Waxman Strengthens Health Bill Cost-Efficiency Sections
- Waxman: Blue Dogs Trying to “Eviscerate” Health Care
- Waxman to Eshoo: You’ve Got an “Evergreening Problem”
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HENRY! Jane! Fitz! Oh, I can’t wait until January!
Hi y’all. Can’t stay long – swamped here – but I’ve been continuing to read FDL even though I haven’t had time to comment.
Thanks, as always, to everyone for all the information; and congrats to scarecrow and Hugh for their recent front-page essays.
By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer
52 minutes ago
Gore chases Oscar nod, possible 2008 bid
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..r/gore2008
Off the point, but I post to alert anybody that Kucinich on Cspan has the group that came up w/ the ‘650k Iraqi dead due to war’ number appearing as a panel to discuss and defend their methodology. Excellent.
Waxman hearings shoud be as popular as the Daily Show and Colbert Report for most of us. Fun, fun, fun in 2007!
I was overcome reading the TomDelay.com blog. Thought I would split my sides laughing so hard!
Marion in Savannah @ 1
I hate to be a killjoy Marion, but if Pat appeals the Walton CIPA decision, the case will not start in January. Sigh.
Bush stenographer Mike Allen says the Democrats are a “rusty trombone”.
Whooo….don’t think he’s looked up that phrase. Frankly, Mike Allen is the one giving Bush the “rusty trombone” every time he writes for Time.
-GSD
AZ Matt @
5
I hope that if they are not covered on C-Span they have some kind of web cam for us to watch.
Need to buy a case of Orville Redenbacker to get me through.
I also, reading the tomdelaydotcom.blogspot.com blog, soiled my . . . . well, my mind, I guess.
Next entertainment: Henry W. subpoenas private citizen Donald R.
GSD @ 7
agree, he didn’t look it up.. also amazed it slid through mods here!
Whoa baby, I used to be counsel to an IG. This is a biggy. IG’s don’t just do crimes like AUSA’s, they do fraud waste and abuse of a civil kind too.
Even if they can’t make a criminal case, they can take back the $$$$$$. They may even be able to do it adminstratively w/o a trial.
Well, there will be trial anyway b/c for that kind of moola the contractors will challenge the administrative taking.
GSD @ 7
Funny thing, I saw his face come up and my inner ear turned on the mute. I somehow knew he wouldn’t be worth listening to.
For your reference.
Rusty trombone.
From Wiki.
Not for the prudish.
-GSD
GSD @
7
“That’s Hot”
-Paris Hilton
I would love to be a fly on the wall at KBR’s General’s Counsel’s Office this week. Tee hee.
RevDeb @ 8
You should launch the viewing with your favorite libation!! Watching Republicans squirm!!
Jacqrat @ 14
Between Bush and Mike Allen, distinctly “unhot”.
-GSD
looseheadprop @ 6
But we have hearings to look forward to, don’t we??? Lots and lots and LOTS of hearings…
Waxman will need help.
GSD @ 17
All I can say is, “consider the source!”
Yes Marion, there IS a Santa Claus and he has brought lots and lots of hearings to all us good little girls and boys.
To enjoy with our popcorn.
GSD @ 13
Oh. My. Well… {fans herself} Learned me something new today!!!
Marion in Savannah @ 22
The rusty part is just so… ick.
Not to mention – where the HELL did Mike Allen become “familiar” with the phrase? Foley? The mind boggles.
Marion,
Don’t look up an “Abe Lincoln” in the Urban Dictionary without a swooning couch nearby.
Sorry, but in the face of the lunacy that is engulfing the nation I am reverting back to my carefree adolescence…..Suddenly poo-poo jokes are funny again.
-GSD
Oh, goody, more oversight. I can’t wait for hearings.
Months ago, at the request of our missing Mary, I forwarded to Waxman’s office (I used to live in his district, he doesn’t answer mail from non-constituents) a question about what happened to his Abu Graib hearing request.
I guess he’s a busy guy, because it took awhile to answer. A few weeks ago, we received a response, which I quote, in part, here.
” The Bush Administration’s disregard for the Geneva
Conventions, the abuse and torture of prisoners by members of the
US military and civilian contractors, and the deportation of
prisoners to third countries where they are likely to be tortured are
unconscionable. On June 21, 2005, I introduced H.R. 3003, a bill
to establish an Independent Commission, modeled on the 9/11
Commission, to investigate abuses of detainees. The Commission
would examine the extent of the abuses and why they occurred;
who is responsible for the abuses; whether executive branch
policies facilitated the abuses; what legislative or executive actions
should be taken to prevent such abuses from occurring in the
future; and the extent, if any, to which Guantanamo Bay Detention
Center policies influenced policies at the Abu Ghraib prison and
other detention centers in and outside Iraq. Although the
legislation has garnered over 170 cosponsors, I do not expect the
Republican Congressional leadership to allow for its consideration.
You can count on me, however, to continue to pursue this matter. “
Go, Henry.
Barnacle good question. How could Hillary Clinton spend $30 million on a senate race running essentially unopposed?
Yup.
OT and DEPU
jayt-
jayt @ 82
Eureka Springs, AR @
35
jayt – epu’d response to ya downstairs….)
And I replied, similarly down under – after having erased the whole thing and starting again.
I hope you’re still here.
lmao! My reply to you is in moderation. Hopefully it will be released soon but you would have to refresh to see it.
On the subject of popcorn:
I think that the spectacular show our elected representatives are about to put on for us requires that we employ only the finest in the popcorn experience.
No plebian microwave bastardizations will do!!
I personally keep my Whirly Pop popcorn kettle on my stove at all times. it never goes in the cabinet. You never know when the urge for REAL popcorn will strike. Popped in a little peanut oil (corn oil and canola are too overpowering, flax seed oil works well but has a short shelf life), good heirloom popcorn from Amish farmers, a little sea salt and when I have butter, it is cultured european style butter not quite metled through so it is still creamy and not seperated.
Ahhhh, popcorn nirvana. I think if Waxman is making this effort for us, we should kick it up a notch too. If you don’t have a Whirly Pop, you can always use a saucepan with a good fitting lid and make smaller batches
looseheadprop @ 21
Oh goody! I knew Santa wouldn’t let me down! I’ve gotta go and do some work. The bank seems to expect money every month for the house…
GSD @ 24
And definitely stay away from the “Chuck Mangione”.
OK – there isn’t one, but damn it sure sounds like it should be…
GSD @ 24
Well, as long as they’re not fart jokes. That would put you in BAD company…. Now I really am going to go and work!
This also gives a bit more grissle to chew on as I’m reminded that Rumsfeld “ran this war on the cheap”. Time to spit. More power to Waxman.
looseheadprop @ 28
Personally I use a small sauce pan, corn oil and Orville’s original with the finest grain salt I can get (it sticks to the popped corn better than larger grain). When popping I lift the lid just enough to let out the steam and to empty popped kernels into the bowl when the pan gets too full.
Absolutely NO microwaved popcorn in my house.
Then, of course, after the popped corn is gone, I must have some good chocolate.
Gore/Clark in 2008! Hillary for Senator in ‘08!
I just read the Reid piece downstream and I will never understand why otherwise rational Democrats fawn over this guy. The guy openly bucks every traditional plank of the Democratic Party and is as rigidly corporatist as any corrupt Republican.
Marion in Savannah @ 22
Oh. My. Well… {fans herself} Learned me something new today!!!
Felicitations means congratulations. Punaise taught me that on the last thread.
Not to be confused with fellatiotations.
RevDeb @ 33
Popcorn with sweet cream butter. And Cherry cordials or bon-bons. Or both.
Tucker Carlson says Rep. Jefferson is “colorful, which means crooked.”
In Jefferson’s case that may be accurate. But does Tucker view all people of color as crooked?
The Rumsfeld Doctrine: just enough troops to lose.
Give’em hell Henry!
Listen you rubes, George W. Bush said the war in Iraq is the “calling of our times”.
Are you gonna get on board or be passed by history.
-GSD
GSD @ 40
Getting a little grandiose there, George.
I thought it was “just a comma” in history.
looseheadprop @ 11
Is this part of what Bunny Greenhouse was whistleblowing?
This will hurt some stock prices, won’t it?
Looking at Tucker now.
Obama would be a good choice for VP. I think. And I like the idea of universal health care.
neurophius @ 38
Tuck can at times be ‘colorless’.
RevDeb @ 26
Shovelling boat loads of money into the gaping maw of big consolidated, pro-war, pro-bush, rethug owned main stream media for brownie points is my guess.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 34
OK that’s the dream ticket. Problem is all their fundraising targets belong to Clinton.
lhp -
Left an EPU’d comment for you on the last thread.
neurophius @
41
No, just the dead as a result of the calling are commas. The calling is an exclamation point.
-GSD
rumi @ 42
It could be. I don’t know the specifics, but I betcha we see Bunny testifying again. Dontcha just love her?
Yeah, I would dump my Halliburton and KBR stock out of the retirement portfolio BEFORE the hearings start. Well, I would if I had any of their stock, which I don’t.
Mommybrain @ 25
That is so beautiful I could cry.
The Taliban has a friend, kind of like Mini-Me.
Meet Mini-Taliban.
-GSD
looseheadprop @ 46
And I resent it. I think it imperative to start doing something to overcome this Hillary steam-rolling. It is not too early.
We can only hope that this will be the end of the Theftocracy.
Rev Deb, I use an old Revere Ware stainless pot. The corn oil has been replaced with light olive oil (giving a slight buttery taste and also offering more monounsaturates). I like to salt it after cooking, perhaps because I enjoy tossing the popcorn in the bowl. One of the reasons that I insisted on a gas range was so that it would be easier to make popcorn.
When I was a boy, I burned my share of kernels in the learning process, but half a century plus of practice has taken care of that problem.
While it’s too early for punaise, I imagine, I fear that Rummy has burned his share of colonels in his half century of cooking up conflicts. The difference is that he never learned how not to.
RevDeb @
26
And have little impact on down-ticket races in New York. She and Eliot Spitzer have a lot to answer for to NY Democrats — I think these exploratory meetings for support in 2008 are also listening sessions. Not a lot good happened to Congressional challengers in NY, and I read somewhere the impact on state assembly and state senate races was no great shakes.
Typical Clinton; we already know from Bill’s neglect of the DNC and down-ticket races, Hill shoulda showed some coattails. Lots more coattails when you’re atop the ticket in a Presidential year; if she can’t help other Dems in her own state with a warchest like that, how easy will it be for us to defend our tough House seats and maximize our Senate gains in 2008? Not a graceful re-election performance by the junior Senator from New York.
Re: Waxman, has someone initiated a contact between Matt O. and the research staff on Waxman’s Committee? Matt O. would be an invaluable contact for them, and I think he’d find proximity to power educational. I have no contacts on the Hill; a pup who does might want to help Matt O., if he’s interested….
Oh, and…
Troops
Home
NOW
Oklahoma kiddo @ 52
Clark has made some wacky war-monger styled remarks that turned me off. Hillary seems pro-war all the time. Clark could be salvageable; Hillary is way too cozy with big-monied special interests and/or the military industrial complex that Eisenhower warned us about, but did nothing to stop.
My impression is the only thing Senator Clinton wants, is to be president.
pow wow at 3:09 p
Thanks very much.
OK, i’m gonna get skewered for this… if i don’t skewer myself first. Over on Huffpo there’s a Tom friedman video about green power. Now i got me many problems with this shill, like lying, or sucking the GE d*ck, but i can’t get over how important his thesis, and how well he promoted it on camera.
I’ve spent my entire life fighting for renewable energy, and making green kwh’s, and i can’t believe i’m backing what Friedman said. Would someone here please remind me of what i’ve missed so i can return to reality… or did he just do something totally right?
OK kiddo @ 56
That’s a good reason to not vote for her for Prezzie.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 56
Mine too. And like McCain, will flip-flop, triangulate and coagulate to get there. Maybe even go to Bob Jones U for a speech, if necessary.
Why did I look up an Abe Lincoln?
Oklahoma kiddo @
37
OMG! I say we just have a “Waxman Hearings Viewing Party!” I want some of each!
It really is good to know that really intensive, I hope outright intrusive investigations are right around the corner.
Clark was involved in a controversy in the Yugoslav conflict. He reportedly wanted to bomb a Russian detachment that had arrived at an airport.
Cooler heads prevailed and the US didn’t bomb Russian troops.
-GSD
Friedman knows how to get behind popular movements. If he is able to promote greenism, fine with we. I’ll just never consider him a serious foreign policy analyst.
Niall Fergus of the LATimes says that the B-H report is not for W but for Congress and the Saudis, coded ms is “US in Iraq to stay”.
Can anyone cast an eye over his op-ed and see if it holds H2O? I read the B-H report, found it contradictory but didn’t see what he says. However, the reaction I’m seeing from Congress is not what I expected, either, which leads me to believe that I don’t have the right take. But then I don’t read newspapers or watch TV (just the toobz), and I maybe don’t have enough wheels within my wheels.
2008 hopefuls woo Bush clan donors, aides
McCain, Romney seek edge that family’s GOP network could provide.
By Peter Wallsten, Times Staff Writer
December 11, 2006
http://www.latimes.com/news/po…..s-politics
looseheadprop @
49
OTOH, given the track this thread has taken, you might consider BUYING stock in popcorn producers. There’s going to be a lot of demand for their product . . .
I could love me some Bunny, yes indeed. That woman is an All American hero.
A Web of Truth
Whistle-Blower or Troublemaker, Bunny Greenhouse Isn’t Backing Down
…In late August, she was demoted, her pay cut and her authority stripped. Her former bosses say it’s because of a years-long bout of poor work habits; she and her lawyer say it’s payback for her revelations about a politically connected company.
Now Bunnatine Hayes Greenhouse is becoming one of the most unusual things known in the upper echelons of government and industry — a top-shelf bureaucrat who is telling all she knows. For honesty’s sake, she says.
“It’s not a process for the weak-hearted,” says Jeffrey Wigand, the former tobacco company executive whose high-profile whistle-blowing inspired the film “The Insider.”
Greenhouse, whose case has also become a media event, unloaded more of her burn-the-house-down allegations on PBS’s “Now” last week because, let her tell you, Bunny Greenhouse didn’t grow up on the black side of the segregated tracks in Rayville, La., to run from a fight — even if that includes the vice president of the United States.
“[Expletive] yourself!” former Halliburton chief executiveand current veep Dick Cheney snapped at a senator last year in an exchange related to Greenhouse’s allegations….
_______________________________
Here’s an article on Hillary’s campaign spending
How Hillary spent $30 million,
GSD @ 63
Clark shared some more recent boneheaded theories, re: the GWOT, Iraq or other more current conflicts. Perhaps he was pandering to Joe Sixpack, but he seemed to believe himself when making his case for more bombing or more trooops or whatever it was. I recall that I was nonplussed and very disappointed in him.
Peterr @ 66
Orville?….is that you?
rumi @ 68
Nope, just a “friend of Orville.” I thought I liked popcorn a lot, until I met my wife . . . . We’ll both be stocking up for January.
rumi @ 67
Hillary. The working man and woman’s candidate. Champion of the poor.
GSD @ 7
A rusty trombone? Hmmm.
I am a trombonist, and I think I’m offended. For openers, there’s nothing that will rust on one of the things.
BC
Oklahoma kiddo @
65
Yep. I like the part about the
Watching the wingnuts fight call for more popcorn! take Peterr @ 66’s advise & buy stock!
1,361 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Oklahoma Kiddo and the Firepup Patriots:
“…Problem is all their fundraising targets belong to Clinton.”
Beware of consumin’ too much conventional wisdom. First of all, Mrs. Clinton will hafta expend a BUNCH jest ta be competitive in the early primary and caucus matches. Second, she has triangulated herself so far to the right that her Iraq War stance has isolated her and created an “anyone but Clinton” movement already among the base Democratic vote (and that’s who counts in the primaries). Thirdly, Al Gore has more’n enough money right now to go heads up against the witch from New York and when he knocks ‘er off most of her donor base will go to the Republican candidate in the general election anyways. Finally, the netroots will bury the *itch before she gets outta her limo in New Hampshire.
I only worry about Mrs. Clinton on ticket with McCain or Likuderman…but the fascists ain’t that smart and they couldn’t get that one thru their OWN primaries.
KEEP THE FAITH AND STAY OUTTA 2008…WE GOT A WAR TA FIGHT IN ‘07 FIRST!!!
All this talk of popcorn makes me think of double features:
“The Waxman Hearing” and “Scooter’s Trial” presented in glorious technicolor!
Happy New Year!!! Yippee, I can’t wait for January!
Re: rusty trombone.
I just googled that phrase and got the definition. Now I’m really offended!
BC
GSD @ 63
This was very serious, and in my opinion, reflects poorly on Clark.
The context was that Russia was frightened by our attack on the Serbs, and very intelligent people there asked me “if they were next”. I tried to keep a calm face while I explained that NO, we didn’t intend to take over Russia next.
But that was the level of tension at the time. Imagine if we HAD bombed the Russians at the airport. I take that back, I would rather not imagine.
When I traveled to Russia during this time I was advised not to speak at all in public, lest people hear that I had an American accent and be subject to violence. There were serious and angry street demonstrations. I had to hide my passport at the airport so people wouldn’t see I was from the U.S.
Bombing the Russians, which Clark thought was a good idea, would have been catastrophic.
/rant
mc–
You are a good father.
:)
Crazy Horse @ 58
Some controversial connections came to light back around the Dubai port deal dustup. There is an unholy alliance of Greens and Neocons that TF seems to help bond together. He was getting too buddy-buddy with Gaffney and Krauthammer for me to take him seriously on eco-issues. I get the impression he’s in it for his own personal wealth advancement but that’s just my opinion.
I think what we’ll find is that the technology and patents are already controlled by that side of the political spectrum and the profitmongering traits will make those advantages less affordable. TF wanted gas taxes to make up to $5.00 a gallon, seriously, as a deterrant to foreign oil dependence. That would finish off all but the top of our economic class right now.
I’ve also seen some Greens backed financially by Blackwater recently but I don’t know if I can blame TF for that.
Crazy Horse @
58
Do you happen to know who bought Enron’s wind energy division out of bankruptcy, and is just sitting on it right now?
.
.
.
.
.
.
General Electric. Friedman doesn’t talk about anything to which a brand name can’t be attached, even implicitly….
egregious @ 78
Aw, shucks. ;-)
Crazy Horse at 3:24 pm
Tommy’s probably just trying to curry favor with the rabid lambs of the left. Green power needs all the help it can get, and Tommy’s support of it will piss off a lot of the wingers who fell in love with him over Iraq.
BTW, great job at the Little Big Horn.
My idea is if a regional war in the Middle East breaks out and the U.S. steps with wmd’s then China and Russia will come at us. I don’t know that these two countries will have a choice. And what will India and Pakistan do?
montag, is GE doing anything positive with their wind division or are they just trying to eliminate competitors?
John Casper @ 84
GE’s got Tim Russert blowing pretty well for them.
Greater Boston is starting now. We’ll see if there is a retraction/correction/apology for what they said about the blogs on Friday.
Accountability is required.
So far it doesn’t look like it. They are on the Obamarama bandwagon.
Y’all know there’s a new thread? About the greymail ruling.
Mr. Waxman– git going!
Protect and preserve our nation and be very honorable to others in the same vein.
NOW!
John Casper @ 85
Last I read of it (about 8-9 months ago), GE wasn’t doing much with it. It may not be so much aimed at buying up competitors, but rather waiting for the government to pay for the R&D and business development costs. At that point, I suspect they would then put in some matching funds.
Once they have some control in the market, that’s the point where they would likely start the process of driving competitors out. They only have one natural competitor in the large stationary generator market, Westinghouse, and have plenty of engineering resources upon which to draw, but, my guess is, as above, they are waiting for the lobbyists to work their magic and bring in government subsidies and tax credits. Once that happens, I’ll put money on them outsourcing the construction of wind turbines and marketing them here.
HotFlash @
64
The ruling elites of America and Saudi Arabia have much to fear from an uprising of their own governed. In SA, it would be violent and bloody. In the USA, more orderly but still disastrous for BushCo (impeachment/resignation/AmendmentXXV). Those who benefit from things being orderly would do well to keep them orderly, but suddenly JB3’s position looks just as precarious as some Gulf Sheiks: they have an insurrective rabble below them, while JB3 has a single mind he must bend to his will.
Alternatively (favored by those who love entropy) these ME states could drift downward into more wars, more chaos, more ethnic cleansing, and more death of innocents. But the Oil must flow! Why must the Oil flow? Because JB3 October Surprise’d Jimmy Carter in 1980, leading to his defeat and the triumphal return of American hostages held in Iran, on the day Reagan and Bush took the oath. Had America had a second Carter term, our nation would by now be free of these sheiks and their black gold.
JB3 is Oil’s Operator. He is the Bush family consigliere, but he is in the pay of the House of Saud.
“put ‘em in a cell or a cemetary”– Delay on msnbc.
(gonna go vomit, now.)
i know nothink- delay.
GSD says friedman knows how to get behind popular movements. Point well taken, thoiugh the train left the station some time ago.
Rumi — Very hard for me to imagine a green neocon nexus. And backed by Blackwater? i await more data. Regarding patents… Yes, they’re already controlled, but mostly by German and Japanese companies. In windpower, the patents obtained by GE’s enron bankruptcy purchase were circumvented years ago: witness the spectrum of foreign turbines being installed in the US. (Though the patents were granted under highly controversial circumstances before they were obtained by enron.)
Montag — there was something evil about friedman only listing once corp, GE. But they’re definately not “sitting” on windpower, though they could be accused of bureaucratic inefficiency squared. i wouldn’t be surprised if they did far more than a thousand megawatts this year.
J Casper — i’m really wondering what friedman’s up to. Now that renewables are on the cusp of really big global business, and american companies are playing catch-up… something doesn’t smell right but we’ll see how this evolves.
But thanks firepups for helping me begin to wrap my brain around this one. And i wasn’t the original Lakota warrior, who met arrogance with a plan… for all the good it did. But i’m enamored with Crazy Horse’s concept of Itanka… “My People First.”
kristinejoy @
61
Thanks for the report. Instead of galumphing over there myself, I’ll just confine all references to “the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln” when necessary.
By the way, i’ve worked at executive levels in windpower for nearly three decades, and co-developed the world’s first utility-scale windplant (Altamont Pass Cali)
If you want to discuss windpower somewhere here, i’ll be happy to help. but it’s heading towards 2am here in Deutschland, and me to bed. i’ll check this thread tomorrow.
Crazy Horse @ 93
Yes, most of that overseas, and in countries like Greece, where the government is partially subsidizing such installations…. Not so much in this country, for now. There were some incentives in the 2005 energy bill, but far fewer than there should have been. And, GE’s manufacturing is mostly not done here, but in Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, as I suggested. There are manufacturing facilities in Tehachapi, but I don’t know if they’ve been expanded there in preparation for big increases in sales in this country.
1,361 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Oklahoma Kiddo:
Your take on a regional war in the Middle East is right on the button…that is why finding a control on Israel in the next 6 months is essential. We’re gunna be tryin’ ta lasso the tail that jest grew teeth and is fixin ta bite us in the ass.
I believe that only “the families” through their corporate consiglieres can keep Israel on the reservation and I’m afraid it’s too late …they’ve already bombed a US Navy ship in international waters an got away with it, what or who is gunna intimidate ‘em into puttin their nukes back in their pants??!!
KEEP THE FAITH AND SPEAK TRUTH TA POWER!!
Crazy Horse @ 95
Hmm, my mother once told me one of her cousin’s kids was a minority owner in Altamont Pass and had done some of the power engineering there. Wish I could remember his name. You likely knew him or knew of him.
I used to teach courses in wind energy quite a while ago, but haven’t kept up with it in quite a while. 80-90 hours a week in an unrelated business cut down on the time I could devote to it. :)
MAN !
I am late to this one and holy crow, THIS IS WHAT PREFRESSIVES NEED TO DO
that is not only GREAT for our country, it also frames the debate exactly the way it needs to be framed
I BET web wouldn’t mind getting assigned to whatever committee investigates
montag at 4:06 pm
Thanks very much. Maybe the blogs can “work a little magic” with GE’s shareholders and stories about “underperforming assets.”
Crazy Horse
Don’t know if you’ll find this but it’s one example of what’s happening.
John Casper @
99
Actually, in looking up 2005 and 2006 sales, they can’t be complaining about underperformance (total worldwide, not necessarily in this country). I think they paid something like $600 million for Enron’s wind operations, and their sales, focusing on Europe, were something like $2 billion in 2005.
So, altogether, they aren’t doing badly with it. They just aren’t doing a lot in this country, from what I can find, and I still think they’re not pressing the US market until the government starts paying them to do it, one way or another.
Oh goody:
there’s more.
Don’t know if this blog has crossed over from the mystery writing world to the political world – but The Spy Who Billed Me is not only a hoot, but greatly wise. Written by a former poli sci professor who now writes thriller novels, it follows ugly/funny side of the military contractor world.
Not affiliated, just a satisfied reader.
Did someone say Blackwater? I recommend CORPORATE WARRIORS -The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry by P.W. Singer.
http://www.cornellpress.cornel…..ti_id=3990
This county needs more Al Swearingens, too. He’s the kinda guy that made this nation great.
montag @ 101
I think the projects were blocked by politicians and the Pentagon. The reasons sound like bullshit, imho
No wonder NBC/GE/MSNBC are letting KO fire away.
rumi @ 105
Well, I don’t think Olbermann has anything to do with it, but, who knows if GE does? Have you checked to see how many of those projects involve GE oversight, management or equipment? If they’re competitors, that could be a superficially sensible way of limiting competitors’ building their installed base, without GE showing their hand. GE is a huge military contractor, so their tentacles inside the Pentagon are many and far-reaching….
Kucinich declared today on CNN that he is running for President.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..amp;search
montag @ 106
While that was offered as half-hearted snark, it wasn’t a very good statement for a serious conversation. MSNBC/GE/NBC corporate family could/would not direct KO as an attack dog. Neither could they effectively control him to prevent negative statements, short of firing him. The corporate family does influence the content and presentation of the news, I believe.
There are several other legitimate reasons for GE’s lackluster US performance as compared to the global market. They do have, and enforce patent ownership on a specific controller technology that seems to be an impediment to a better performing company to be more active in the US. It looks like grid integration is another glitch in US markets where the wind is plentiful but the transmission lines are inadequate to carry all of the power the farm(s) offer.
rumi @ 108
Idle curiosity, but do you happen to know more about the controller technology you mention?
Is it line switching stuff? I ask because, as for power output, most current WTGs for commercial power production, I believe, are some variant of multiphase AC synchronous generation, and that’s old hat. It’s when you start trying to match PM/DC generators to the line that you get into synchronous inverter technology, and that’s continuously evolving, I would guess.
montag @ 109
It’s mentioned here as a variable speed controller patent.
02 / 01 / 06
n the US and India, Nordex may re-enter the market, although there is still concern about the long term stability of the US market if the PTC is allowed to expire. In addition Nordex must develop a new controller technology before it can enter the US market, one which does not violate GE’s so-called variable speed patent.
…but I could’ve sworn I saw it mentioned as a problem for the company Veratas, too.
maybe these might help
[PDF]The History and State of the Art of Variable Speed Wind Turbine…
A second advantage of a CVT is its potential to obtain variable speed with reliable and
efficient permanent magnet (PM) generators or squirrel cage induction generators without
maintenance-prone slip rings or expensive and relatively inefficient PE. A third advantage is
that it is unlikely to infringe on the Kenetech patent on variable-speed systems (3), which is
now owned by GE Wind Energy.
That reference sounds like it’s a patent on the mechanical drive pieces and parts of self adjusting to wind speed/direction where it widely fluctuates.
They have more, though. This seems to be the one that gave companies trouble.
kristinejoy @ 61
cuz you just couldn’t resist it
there’s some sick and twisted people in this world
and some of us just can’t look away
One last link here. That other company was Vestas. The patent is known as the Kenetech technology. It does include the regulation of current at variable speeds and it looks like GE has agreed to broad licensing, according to this…
Technologies and Product Development of Large WTGs
GE Energy holds the patent for variable-speed wind turbine system electronics that originated from former Kenetech Windpower. The patent has prevented most of the European variable-speed turbine manufacturers from entering the U.S. market. Enercon of Germany resolved the patent dispute with GE Energy recently. In the latest development of power electronics, GE Energy introduced “Low voltage ride-thru” (LVRT) technology to enable its new turbines to meet grid transmission standards similar to those demanded of thermal generators. GE Energy started to supply its 1.5 MW turbines to Canada this year and has won the bid to supply the first 990 MW wind energy project in Qubec.
freepatriot @ 111
That’s what I should’ve done.
Bush stenographer Mike Allen says the Democrats are a “rusty trombone”.
Hmmmm. Funny, I’d swear that trombones (and trumpets, foxhorns, etc) are brass with, perhaps, bits of chrome plate here and there, maybe some stainless steel (not so much in trombones but certainly in trumpets and foxhorns and the like).
Neither brass nor chrome rusts. What sort of shit-assed musical instruments has this Allen asshat been exposed to?
sorry, haven’t had time yet to directly respond. but here’s a summary:
Enercon in germany developed the variable speed technology earlier here, but Kenetech was awarded the variable speed patent using IGBTs as controllers. Enercon uses permanent magnet generators which eliminate the gearbox.
Many of GE’s competitors have found technical ways around the patent. And they’re selling turbines all over the US market, which is now the largest single market in the world… at least until the end of 2007 when the PTC is set to expire. (Most analysts expect it to be renewed.)
GE does sell the majority of its turbines in the US. They have manufacturing facilities in Europe because they bought Tacke Wind after Enron. But their major market is not EU, rather US and Canada.
Most of the concerns regarding the military radar have been addressed, and many of the stalled projects are going forward. Many other projects were not affected.
GEs biggest competitors are Vestas, the global market leader, Siemens (because they bought Bonus, a reliability leader, allowing the mid-scale Danish company to scale up globally), Gamesa, the spanish firm agressively attacking the us market, and Suzlon, the market valuation leader from India whose engineering staff is located here in germany.
Enercon, market leader in germany and in the top globally, has decided to go after other markets and is not focused on north america for now. REpower and Nordex are planning US market entry in 2007, gradually.
GE’s problem has been the continued reliance on the 1.5MW turbine, based upon the Enron design. this turbine still has reliability problems despite its maturity. They’ve been very slow to bring to market their 2.x turbine, postponing for years.
A separate division of GE recently introduced a new transmission for GE turbines, with about 10% of this year’s installations. This will allow GE to move away from it’s gearbox sourcing from gearbox manufacturers owned by its competitors.
The comments about the US market being slow are false. This year more than 3000MWs are likely to be installed, again the world’s largest by far. Transmission is an issue long term, as are long term financial incentives replacing the PTC. (Production Tax Credit, currently $19/MwH.)
for those of you in the financial community, there is huge M&A activity behind the scenes throughout the supply chain. One example is that Goldman Sachs has Horizon up for sale. Horizon is a developer which moved away from purchasing GE turbines last year.
Sorry, all a bit scattershot, but best i can do for now. The American Wind Energy Association and the euro9pean Wind energy Association web sites are the best compendiums of background info.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 83
It would take very little for these two to start lobbing missiles at each other,given their history and animosity towards each other. Especially when you take into account that Pakistan have recently tested their Hatf3 short range ballistic missile to add to their nuclear arsenal.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/print3.asp?id=4667
I’m not sure that China and Russia would intervene in that way at first though. Chinese pressure on the US not to would include dumping vast amounts of dollars onto the forex markets and forcing a run on the dollar similiar to the one the US threatened Britain with over Suez IIRC.
I *hope* Halliburton is not going to get away with this.
Crazy Horse @ 115
hey,,,Thanks! That was an excellent summary. I’ve learned a lot in a short time here on this subject.
I spent 30 years at the top of this industry, one of the few independent voices, and i’m honored and more than willing to share my understanding with the FDL community. And i’ve learned how to say:
FITZ!!!!
By the way, here’s the interesting part of US wind funding. GE isn’t really waiting for US funds, they get some. But the real winner is the former Enron, now called Clipper Wind.
They’re not really the old Enron, Enron bought Zond, and Clipper was Zond. They received significant US research dollars, and developed a machine which on paper is a serious step forward.
Other coin side: They’ve had only one babysat turbine in operation for a year, and they have a track record of not realizing paper designs.
in case anyone’s still reading. But the Clipper design is great, and BP is financially behind them.
Crazy Horse @ 115
Perhaps I’m shading what I see of that market by what I think should be happening–and I did not realize that there had been a big jump in installed capacity from 2004 to 2005 (~500 megaW to ~2,500 megaW).
Still, if we see the EU and the United States as roughly comparable economies and roughly comparable electricity consumers (just for argument’s sake–EU per capita consumption may be a little more or a little less), the United States is far, far behind the EU in installed capacity. Yes, that’s catching up in the last couple of years, but the European installed base is almost five times that in the US, I believe–and that includes the pretty large percentage increases of the last couple of years. (Too, that expectation of 3000 megawatts installed for 2006 has to be considered in terms of the size of the economies compared. Germany’s GDP is slightly less than one-quarter of ours, and it will install in that time period, what?, 1500-1800 megawatts?)
I suppose someone inside the industry is going to be near-ecstatic at the recent 30% growth rates year over year. But, when I look at the overall numbers, I still see us–by comparison, perhaps–as well behind the curve, especially given the need in the US.
And, by another, and perhaps unfair, comparison, when the government spends more on the war in Iraq in a month than the country as a whole spends on the installed cost of new wind turbines in a year, I have to wonder about priorities, too.
Cheers.