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unhappycamper
unhappycamper's Journal
unhappycamper's Journal
April 9, 2013
?6
In this March 18, 2013 file photo, House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington.
The U.S. Collects Smaller Percentage In Taxes Than Most Developed Countries: Study
The Huffington Post | By Caroline Fairchild Posted: 04/08/2013 5:48 pm EDT
While Republicans are quick to pounce on any proposals to raise taxes as a means of stimulating the economy, a new study finds that the U.S. collects a smaller share in taxes than most developed countries.
A look at 2010 data reveals that the U.S. is one of the least taxed countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to a study released Monday by Citizens For Tax Justice.
The only countries in the OECD that collected a smaller percentage in taxes are Chile and Mexico, according to the data. The OECD is a group of 34 countries that work together to improve the global economy.
These findings challenge the Republican talking point that Americans face too high a tax burden. In March, House Republicans passed Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget plan which seeks to balance the budget within 10 years without raising taxes. Ryan's plan would eliminate 2 million jobs in 2014 and shrink the economy by 1.7 percent, the Economic Policy Institute study projected.
The U.S. Collects Smaller Percentage In Taxes Than Most Developed Countries: Study
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/us-lowest-taxes-most-industralized-countries_n_3039470.html?utm_hp_ref=business?6
In this March 18, 2013 file photo, House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington.
The U.S. Collects Smaller Percentage In Taxes Than Most Developed Countries: Study
The Huffington Post | By Caroline Fairchild Posted: 04/08/2013 5:48 pm EDT
While Republicans are quick to pounce on any proposals to raise taxes as a means of stimulating the economy, a new study finds that the U.S. collects a smaller share in taxes than most developed countries.
A look at 2010 data reveals that the U.S. is one of the least taxed countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to a study released Monday by Citizens For Tax Justice.
The only countries in the OECD that collected a smaller percentage in taxes are Chile and Mexico, according to the data. The OECD is a group of 34 countries that work together to improve the global economy.
These findings challenge the Republican talking point that Americans face too high a tax burden. In March, House Republicans passed Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget plan which seeks to balance the budget within 10 years without raising taxes. Ryan's plan would eliminate 2 million jobs in 2014 and shrink the economy by 1.7 percent, the Economic Policy Institute study projected.
April 9, 2013
Chuck Hagel: Reform military judicial system to combat sexual assault
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, April 8, 2013 20:11 EDT
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday said US commanders should be barred from overturning criminal convictions, in the wake of anger over a quashed guilty verdict in a sexual assault case.
Under Hagel’s proposal, which would have to be approved by lawmakers, commanders would still have the power to alter sentences handed down in court martial cases, defense officials said.
“These changes, if enacted by Congress, would help ensure that our military justice system works fairly, ensures due process, and is accountable,” Hagel said in a statement.
The move comes amid mounting concern over sexual assault in the armed forces and outrage in Congress over the case of Lieutenant Colonel James Wilkerson, whose conviction for aggravated sexual assault was overturned by Air Force Lieutenant General Craig Franklin.
Chuck Hagel: Reform military judicial system to combat sexual assault
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/08/chuck-hagel-reform-military-judicial-system-to-combat-sexual-assault/Chuck Hagel: Reform military judicial system to combat sexual assault
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, April 8, 2013 20:11 EDT
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday said US commanders should be barred from overturning criminal convictions, in the wake of anger over a quashed guilty verdict in a sexual assault case.
Under Hagel’s proposal, which would have to be approved by lawmakers, commanders would still have the power to alter sentences handed down in court martial cases, defense officials said.
“These changes, if enacted by Congress, would help ensure that our military justice system works fairly, ensures due process, and is accountable,” Hagel said in a statement.
The move comes amid mounting concern over sexual assault in the armed forces and outrage in Congress over the case of Lieutenant Colonel James Wilkerson, whose conviction for aggravated sexual assault was overturned by Air Force Lieutenant General Craig Franklin.
April 9, 2013
Obama moves towards sending military weapons to Somalia
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, April 8, 2013 20:17 EDT
President Barack Obama took the first step Monday toward providing US military assistance to Somali forces battling Islamist militants, after the easing of a UN arms embargo last month.
Obama signed a determination stating that having the legal capacity to offer defense equipment to Somalia was in the national interest of the United States and could promote peace and stability in East Africa.
The move allows the US Secretary of State to consider the provision of arms to Somalia but does not signal a decision to provide specific assistance, said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.
“The United States is committed to being a long-term partner in assisting the defense forces in Somalia to become professional military forces,” Hayden said.
unhappycamper comment: Nobel Peace Prize, my ass.
Obama moves towards sending military weapons to Somalia
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/08/obama-moves-towards-sending-military-weapons-to-somalia/Obama moves towards sending military weapons to Somalia
By Agence France-Presse
Monday, April 8, 2013 20:17 EDT
President Barack Obama took the first step Monday toward providing US military assistance to Somali forces battling Islamist militants, after the easing of a UN arms embargo last month.
Obama signed a determination stating that having the legal capacity to offer defense equipment to Somalia was in the national interest of the United States and could promote peace and stability in East Africa.
The move allows the US Secretary of State to consider the provision of arms to Somalia but does not signal a decision to provide specific assistance, said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.
“The United States is committed to being a long-term partner in assisting the defense forces in Somalia to become professional military forces,” Hayden said.
unhappycamper comment: Nobel Peace Prize, my ass.
April 8, 2013
Major General Ralph Baker holds a briefing for foreign journalists in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
Top US commander fired over sex claims
Saturday Apr 06, 2013
The commander of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Maj. Gen. Ralph Baker was stripped of his command on March 28 by the outgoing head of AFRICOM Gen. Carter Ham, officials added on Friday.
Baker lost his post because of “misconduct that caused a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” Pentagon spokesman Major Rob Firman said in a statement.
The statement did not give further details about Baker's alleged misconduct.
“As these allegations of misconduct remain under adjudication, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further,” Firman's statement added.
Top US commander fired over sex claims
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/04/06/296797/us-general-sacked-over-sex-charges/Major General Ralph Baker holds a briefing for foreign journalists in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
Top US commander fired over sex claims
Saturday Apr 06, 2013
The commander of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Maj. Gen. Ralph Baker was stripped of his command on March 28 by the outgoing head of AFRICOM Gen. Carter Ham, officials added on Friday.
Baker lost his post because of “misconduct that caused a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” Pentagon spokesman Major Rob Firman said in a statement.
The statement did not give further details about Baker's alleged misconduct.
“As these allegations of misconduct remain under adjudication, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further,” Firman's statement added.
April 8, 2013
Gen. Amos, Adm. Greenert: F-35 Essential But Procurement 'Constipated'
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
Published: April 8, 2013
NATIONAL HARBOR: The top officers in the Navy and Marine Corps defended their most expensive program, Lockheed Martin's troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, while acknowledging the way the Pentagon buys such weapons is not merely broken but "constipated."
"There's no alternative for the United States Marine Corps to the F-35B," Commandant Gen. James Amos said at the opening session of the Navy League's annual Sea-Air-Space conference. "I want to make that crystal clear to everybody in the audience." All the great aircraft of the past have gone through teething troubles in development, said Amos, a pilot himself.
"Speaking for the Navy," added the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, "I need the fifth-generation fighter, and that (F-35) provides it, so we're all in -- but it has to perform. It has problems; it is making progress."
"I do not at this point believe that it is time to look for an exit ramp, if you will, for the Navy for the F-35C," continued Greenert, who in the past has damned the Joint Strike Fighter with similar faint praise.
Gen. Amos, Adm. Greenert: F-35 Essential But Procurement 'Constipated'
http://defense.aol.com/2013/04/08/gen-amos-adm-greenert-f-35-essential-but-procurement-consti/Gen. Amos, Adm. Greenert: F-35 Essential But Procurement 'Constipated'
By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
Published: April 8, 2013
NATIONAL HARBOR: The top officers in the Navy and Marine Corps defended their most expensive program, Lockheed Martin's troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, while acknowledging the way the Pentagon buys such weapons is not merely broken but "constipated."
"There's no alternative for the United States Marine Corps to the F-35B," Commandant Gen. James Amos said at the opening session of the Navy League's annual Sea-Air-Space conference. "I want to make that crystal clear to everybody in the audience." All the great aircraft of the past have gone through teething troubles in development, said Amos, a pilot himself.
"Speaking for the Navy," added the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, "I need the fifth-generation fighter, and that (F-35) provides it, so we're all in -- but it has to perform. It has problems; it is making progress."
"I do not at this point believe that it is time to look for an exit ramp, if you will, for the Navy for the F-35C," continued Greenert, who in the past has damned the Joint Strike Fighter with similar faint praise.
April 8, 2013
Tension rising at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
By Andrew Seidman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: April 06, 2013
Tense labor relations and a hostile work environment are spreading unrest among the 120 civilian police officers at a military base that spans Burlington and Ocean Counties, the officers allege in more than 60 grievances filed since 2010.
The complaints, reviewed by The Inquirer, range from the mundane — tables and chairs were removed from the officers’ break room in August 2010 — to more serious accusations of verbal and physical assault.
Officers say the sheer volume of complaints — all filed since the Air Force was put in charge of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst when the three bases merged in October 2009 — has sapped morale, with new problems popping up almost daily.
In addition to the officers filing internal complaints, the Fraternal Order of Police New Jersey Labor Council, which represents the police union, said it was in the process of filing grievances alleging unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board.
Tension rising at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
http://articles.philly.com/2013-04-06/news/38309736_1_overtime-pay-officers-police-unionTension rising at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
By Andrew Seidman, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: April 06, 2013
Tense labor relations and a hostile work environment are spreading unrest among the 120 civilian police officers at a military base that spans Burlington and Ocean Counties, the officers allege in more than 60 grievances filed since 2010.
The complaints, reviewed by The Inquirer, range from the mundane — tables and chairs were removed from the officers’ break room in August 2010 — to more serious accusations of verbal and physical assault.
Officers say the sheer volume of complaints — all filed since the Air Force was put in charge of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst when the three bases merged in October 2009 — has sapped morale, with new problems popping up almost daily.
In addition to the officers filing internal complaints, the Fraternal Order of Police New Jersey Labor Council, which represents the police union, said it was in the process of filing grievances alleging unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board.
April 8, 2013
Monster Machines: New Spy Drone Program Finally Gets Off The Ground
Andrew Tarantola
6 April 2013 9:00 PM
Geek Out
Monster Machines: New Spy Drone Program Finally Gets Off The Ground
Andrew Tarantola 6 April 2013 9:00 PM
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~snip~
The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton does over the ocean what the MQ-4 Global Hawk does over land: continuous wide-area aerial surveillance. It’s designed to take over the role of the ageing P-3 Orion, complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, a multimission aircraft based on the 737,,and relay ISR information — specifically signal intelligence — to both carrier groups in the region and the Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander.
The Triton measures 15m long with a 40m wingspan. A single Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan powers the UAS to speeds up to 600km/h and altitudes up to 60,000 feet (18km) while toting more than 2500kg of equipment. It can then remain aloft for up to 30 hours and cover some 2000nm. Since the Triton will face different climates and conditions than the Global Hawk, many of the MQ-4C’s have been re-engineered for naval operations. “The modifications include anti/de-ice, bird strike and lightning protection to meet planned mission profiles and a due regard radar for safe separation from other aircraft,” Capt Jim Hoke, program manager, told Defense Tech.
The Triton’s sensor payload includes a 360-degree multifunction active sensor radar array capable of spotting surface ships and missiles, EO/IR sensors, and an automatic identification system (AIS) receiver, which allows the drone to identify and classify ships based on their transponder signals. It also includes a high-res, auto-targeting camera for video surveillance and communications equipment that will allow it to act as a line-of-sight node between two ships on either side of the horizon.
This $US1.16 billion project has been in development since 2008 and debuted last June. To date, only two prototypes have been completed, though at third is nearly ready. Ground tests are scheduled to begin in late September (so as to work out any bugs in the flight software before launching the UAS).
Monster Machines: New Spy Drone Program Finally Gets Off The Ground
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/04/monster-machines-new-spy-drone-program-finally-gets-off-the-ground/Monster Machines: New Spy Drone Program Finally Gets Off The Ground
Andrew Tarantola
6 April 2013 9:00 PM
Geek Out
Monster Machines: New Spy Drone Program Finally Gets Off The Ground
Andrew Tarantola 6 April 2013 9:00 PM
Share Discuss Bookmark
~snip~
The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton does over the ocean what the MQ-4 Global Hawk does over land: continuous wide-area aerial surveillance. It’s designed to take over the role of the ageing P-3 Orion, complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, a multimission aircraft based on the 737,,and relay ISR information — specifically signal intelligence — to both carrier groups in the region and the Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander.
The Triton measures 15m long with a 40m wingspan. A single Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan powers the UAS to speeds up to 600km/h and altitudes up to 60,000 feet (18km) while toting more than 2500kg of equipment. It can then remain aloft for up to 30 hours and cover some 2000nm. Since the Triton will face different climates and conditions than the Global Hawk, many of the MQ-4C’s have been re-engineered for naval operations. “The modifications include anti/de-ice, bird strike and lightning protection to meet planned mission profiles and a due regard radar for safe separation from other aircraft,” Capt Jim Hoke, program manager, told Defense Tech.
The Triton’s sensor payload includes a 360-degree multifunction active sensor radar array capable of spotting surface ships and missiles, EO/IR sensors, and an automatic identification system (AIS) receiver, which allows the drone to identify and classify ships based on their transponder signals. It also includes a high-res, auto-targeting camera for video surveillance and communications equipment that will allow it to act as a line-of-sight node between two ships on either side of the horizon.
This $US1.16 billion project has been in development since 2008 and debuted last June. To date, only two prototypes have been completed, though at third is nearly ready. Ground tests are scheduled to begin in late September (so as to work out any bugs in the flight software before launching the UAS).
April 8, 2013
Detainees were taken to Camp Nama, a secret US detention centre at Baghdad international airport.
Camp Nama: British personnel reveal horrors of secret US base in Baghdad
Ian Cobain
guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 April 2013 13.04 EDT
British soldiers and airmen who helped to operate a secretive US detention facility in Baghdad that was at the centre of some of the most serious human rights abuses to occur in Iraq after the invasion have, for the first time, spoken about abuses they witnessed there.
Personnel from two RAF squadrons and one Army Air Corps squadron were given guard and transport duties at the secret prison, the Guardian has established.
And many of the detainees were brought to the facility by snatch squads formed from Special Air Service and Special Boat Service squadrons.
Codenamed Task Force 121, the joint US-UK special forces unit was at first deployed to detain individuals thought to have information about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Once it was realised that Saddam's regime had long since abandoned its WMD programme, TF 121 was re-tasked with tracking down people who might know where the deposed dictator and his loyalists might be, and then with catching al-Qaida leaders who sprang up in the country after the regime collapsed.
Camp Nama: British personnel reveal horrors of secret US base in Baghdad
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/01/camp-nama-iraq-human-rights-abuses?INTCMP=SRCHDetainees were taken to Camp Nama, a secret US detention centre at Baghdad international airport.
Camp Nama: British personnel reveal horrors of secret US base in Baghdad
Ian Cobain
guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 April 2013 13.04 EDT
British soldiers and airmen who helped to operate a secretive US detention facility in Baghdad that was at the centre of some of the most serious human rights abuses to occur in Iraq after the invasion have, for the first time, spoken about abuses they witnessed there.
Personnel from two RAF squadrons and one Army Air Corps squadron were given guard and transport duties at the secret prison, the Guardian has established.
And many of the detainees were brought to the facility by snatch squads formed from Special Air Service and Special Boat Service squadrons.
Codenamed Task Force 121, the joint US-UK special forces unit was at first deployed to detain individuals thought to have information about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Once it was realised that Saddam's regime had long since abandoned its WMD programme, TF 121 was re-tasked with tracking down people who might know where the deposed dictator and his loyalists might be, and then with catching al-Qaida leaders who sprang up in the country after the regime collapsed.
April 8, 2013
Unmanned Navy planes near big milestones in May
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Maryland | Sun Apr 7, 2013 2:40pm EDT
(Reuters) - The Navy plans to carry out the first catapult takeoff of its new X-47B unmanned plane from an aircraft carrier next month and other shipboard tests despite mandatory budget cuts this year, according to the admiral who runs the programs.
Rear Admiral Mathias Winter, program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons, said Northrop Grumman Corp's X-47B program and other unmanned aircraft programs should survive the fiscal 2013 budget cuts largely intact because they are still early in development.
But the Navy may buy fewer unmanned planes and helicopters in coming years unless Congress reverses budget cuts required over the next decade, Winter said in a recent interview at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland.
~snip~
Top Navy leaders have identified unmanned systems, including aircraft, ground vehicles and undersea vehicles, as their No. 1 priority, and several unmanned U.S. Navy airplanes are nearing key milestones next month. Those include the first catapult takeoff from a Navy aircraft carrier, the first landing on a carrier and the first flight of a new high-altitude spy plane.
Unmanned Navy planes near big milestones in May
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/07/us-navy-planes-unmanned-idUSBRE93609O20130407Unmanned Navy planes near big milestones in May
By Andrea Shalal-Esa
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Maryland | Sun Apr 7, 2013 2:40pm EDT
(Reuters) - The Navy plans to carry out the first catapult takeoff of its new X-47B unmanned plane from an aircraft carrier next month and other shipboard tests despite mandatory budget cuts this year, according to the admiral who runs the programs.
Rear Admiral Mathias Winter, program executive officer for unmanned aviation and strike weapons, said Northrop Grumman Corp's X-47B program and other unmanned aircraft programs should survive the fiscal 2013 budget cuts largely intact because they are still early in development.
But the Navy may buy fewer unmanned planes and helicopters in coming years unless Congress reverses budget cuts required over the next decade, Winter said in a recent interview at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland.
~snip~
Top Navy leaders have identified unmanned systems, including aircraft, ground vehicles and undersea vehicles, as their No. 1 priority, and several unmanned U.S. Navy airplanes are nearing key milestones next month. Those include the first catapult takeoff from a Navy aircraft carrier, the first landing on a carrier and the first flight of a new high-altitude spy plane.
April 8, 2013
White House proposing large increase in VA funding to cut backlog
Posted by Steve Vogel on April 5, 2013 at 4:33 pm
The White House is proposing a 13.6 percent increase in funding for veterans benefits administration, an effort to reduce the Department of Veterans Affair’s massive backlog of disability claims.
The proposed $2.5 billion for the Veterans Benefits Administration is part of an overall 4 percent increase the White House is seeking for the VA, an amount that is likely higher than most federal departments and agencies will see when the proposed 2014 budget is released next week.
“In a budget that’s taking pretty significant hits, we thought it very important to highlight … these investments,” Denis McDonough said during a briefing for reporters with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.
The number of pending claims filed by veterans seeking compensation stood at 885,000 as of this week, including 70 percent which have been pending for more than 125 days.
White House proposing large increase in VA funding to cut backlog
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2013/04/05/white-house-proposing-large-increase-in-va-funding-to-cut-backlog/White House proposing large increase in VA funding to cut backlog
Posted by Steve Vogel on April 5, 2013 at 4:33 pm
The White House is proposing a 13.6 percent increase in funding for veterans benefits administration, an effort to reduce the Department of Veterans Affair’s massive backlog of disability claims.
The proposed $2.5 billion for the Veterans Benefits Administration is part of an overall 4 percent increase the White House is seeking for the VA, an amount that is likely higher than most federal departments and agencies will see when the proposed 2014 budget is released next week.
“In a budget that’s taking pretty significant hits, we thought it very important to highlight … these investments,” Denis McDonough said during a briefing for reporters with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.
The number of pending claims filed by veterans seeking compensation stood at 885,000 as of this week, including 70 percent which have been pending for more than 125 days.
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