February 3, 2011
The Corruption Perception Index produced annually by Transparency International becomes meaningless relative to the scale of fraud and corruption with large contracts in the developed world and which do not seem to be reflected in the CPI.
An AP report carried by 660news.com reports:
Hundreds of defence companies that defrauded the U.S. military between 2007 and 2009 still received $285 billion in contracts from the Pentagon during the same period, a U.S. senator said Wednesday.
Citing a January report prepared by Pentagon acquisition officials at Sanders request, the senator said the bulk of the contracts, just over $280 billion, went to 211 companies that had civil judgments against them or settled fraud charges of more than $1 million.
During the same period, 30 defence contractors were convicted of criminal fraud, but still were awarded $682 million in new work, according to the Pentagon’s report.
Among the contractors listed in the report is AEY Inc., a Miami, Florida-based company that received a $300 million contract to supply ammunition to Afghan security forces. AEY got the work despite a record of poor performance on other government contracts.
The fraud involved shipment of millions of rounds of banned Chinese-made military ammunition that was repackaged to appear of Albanian origin. After nearly $67 million in payments, the Afghan ammunition contract was terminated in May 2008. The owner of AEY was sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2009 to a fraud conspiracy charge.
In the report, defence officials listed a series of actions the military has taken to guard against contractor wrongdoing, including the formation of a working group focused on procurement fraud.
I am quite sure that many lobbyists, middlemen, bureaucrats and politicians all received their share of the largesse in these Defence Contracts. The margins available in Defence contracts far exceed those available in other large infrastructure contracts.
Related posts:
- https://ktwop.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/corruption-in-the-european-union-is-alive-and-well/
- https://ktwop.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/chief-risk-officer-of-bayerische-landesbank-arrested-for-50-million-bribes/
Tags: Corruption Perception Index, Defense contractor, fraud, Pentagon, Transparency International
Posted in Behaviour, Corruption, Fraud, US | Comments Off on Reward for fraud: $285 billion in Pentagon contracts
February 3, 2011
From Dr. Roy Spencer:
credit:drroyspencer.com
…although this, too, shall pass, when La Nina goes away.
January 2011 experienced a precipitous drop in lower tropospheric temperatures over the tropics, Northern Hemisphere, and Southern Hemisphere. This was not unexpected, since global average sea surface temperatures have been falling for many months, with a head start as is usually the case with La Nina.
This is shown in the following plot (note the shorter period of record, and different zero-baseline):
credit:drroyspencer.com
Read original report: http://www.drroyspencer.com/2011/02/uah-update-for-january-2011-global-temperatures-in-freefall/
Tags: El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Sea surface temperature, UAH global temperature
Posted in Climate, Geosciences, Weather | 1 Comment »
February 3, 2011
Cyclone Yasi has come and gone.
Its speed was a blessing in disguise and has ensured that it is already well inland and reducing in strength. It has left behind a trail of destruction but few (if any) serious injuries or fatalities. The township of Cardwell was warned to evacuate, but about 100 residents chose not to leave and they have not been contacted as yet.
BBC:
Worst hit were the coastal towns of Tully, Mission Beach and Cardwell, with hundreds of houses destroyed. The cities of Cairns and Townsville were relatively unscathed but are being lashed by heavy rains; warnings of further storm surges have been issued. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said there had been no reports of deaths or serious injuries so far.
The similarities of Yasi to Katrina is apparent but the differences in their respective impacts is quite striking.
This may be partially due to geography and demographics and the speed with which Yasi drove inland, but observing both from across the world leads me to the perception that the primary differences between Queensland and Louisiana were
- the preparedness of the government and the population,and
- the sense of civic duty in Queensland, and
- the level of trust in the state government institutions, and
- the level of perceived duty within the institutions
The thought of Queensland police looting after Yasi as some New Orleans police did after Katrina is inconceivable. It’s just my perception but I believe it shows the difference between institutions having a fundamental belief that they have a duty to the population they serve and others where the concept of duty is much less developed.
credit bbc
Tags: Anna Bligh, Australia, Cyclone Yasi, Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana, Queensland, Yasi compared to Katrina
Posted in Australia, Behaviour, Natural Disasters, US, Weather | Comments Off on Queensland sees off Yasi: Preparedness ensures it was no Katrina
February 2, 2011
Following the case of plagiarism that was brought to light by the retraction of a paper in the journal Biotechnology Advances, the Vice Chancellor has responded by email:
Dear Sir,
Thanks for your mail.
As soon as we came to know about the plagiarism complaint against the reesearchers from our division of Molecular and cellular biology, we have formed a committe of senior faculty members of our university to probe the same.
We have also taken action as per the committee’s report. The committee’s report and the action taken details were informed to the DST and other funding agencies in India.
We have also advised our university’s research community to take proper care to strictly avoid occurring of such complaints in future
Dr.S.Radhakrishnan
Vice-Chancellor Kalasalingam University
Update 4th February:
The VC’s response is a little disappointing in that he has advised the university’s research community only to avoid future complaints and not to avoid the misconduct itself. He surely can not mean that the actions are acceptable if complaints are avoided.
So far there has been no response to a request to provide a copy of the “committees report”. It is still not known as to who served on this committee and what their conclusions and recommendations were. What sanctions are to be applied to those found responsible for misconduct is also unknown.
Tags: Biotechnology Advances, Kalasalingam Unversity, Plagiarism, retraction
Posted in Behaviour, India, scientific misconduct | 1 Comment »
February 2, 2011
Details emerging about the husky massacre in British Columbia makes it seem grotesque and macabre and certainly obscene. Not least is the fact that the General Manager of Howling Dogs received compensation for his own incompetence for the trauma of being attacked by a wounded sled-dog that he had failed to kill properly.
The solicitor knew, the employer knew, the employee knew, all the members of the Compensation Review Board knew —— and the employee was awarded compensation for his own acts of self-induced trauma. He was supported by his employer.
Did they receive some part of the compensation? Did the costs include those of the solicitor?
The Review Officer was a certain Allan Wotherspoon. The original claim was denied but Mr. Wotherspoon overturned that decision. He calls the incident of “the worker fighting off a wounded sled-dog and eventually despatching it” an “accident” and allows the claim! The executioner’s incompetence is called an accident and he gets compensated for it. Twisted logic indeed.
The Review report is here.
http://www.cbc.ca/bc/news/bc-110131-worksafebc-whistler-dog-cull.pdf
Tags: 100 huskys massacred, Allan Wotherspoon, British Columbia, compensation for murder, Howling Dogs, Outdoor Adventures, Whistler, Workers' compensation
Posted in Behaviour, Canada | Comments Off on Receiving compensation for incompetence in executing 100 huskies is obscene
February 2, 2011
The mood of the demonstrators in Cairo is captured by the waving shoes in Tahrir Square as Mubarak announces he will not stand again — far too little, much too late.
The political message of shoe throwing or waving is quite unambiguous.
The shoes are out in Tahrir Square: image i.huffpost.com
In the meantime the duplicitous and corrupt Tony Blair praises Mubarak and reveals his view of democracy – “Democracy is Ok provided I like the result” !!!!!
“Blair said that meant there should not be a rush to elections in Egypt.”
It is incomprehensible for me that a corrupt and intellectually bankrupt lightweight such as Tony Blair with all his demonstrated failings could be “rewarded” by being made an envoy to the Middle East.
Tags: corruption, duplicity, Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, revolution, shoe throwing, shoe waving, Tahrir Square, Tony Blair
Posted in Behaviour, Corruption, Egypt | 1 Comment »
February 2, 2011
Dallas Morning News:
Rain, sleet and snow pushing ahead of the coldest weather in more than 20 years left broad swaths of North Texas virtually impassable Tuesday. And with below-freezing temperatures locked in until at least Friday, conditions won’t improve soon.
Low temperatures Wednesday morning will be in the single digits across much of the Dallas area, and the afternoon will warm only to the low 20s, forecasters said, meaning the snow and ice that paralyzed the region Tuesday will linger, especially along neighborhood streets.
Crews work to clear a wreck involving an 18-wheeler on northbound I-35E at Pleasant Run Road. Photo: Jim Mahoney/Staff Photographer
New York Times:
A paralyzing 2,000-mile swath of winter at its snowy, icy, messy worst pushed eastward across the United States on Tuesday, disrupting the rhythms of everyday life and punctuating this season’s recurring lesson that humankind has no dominion over nature.
Airlines canceled thousands of flights. Governors called out the National Guard. Schools closed early, if they opened at all. Interstate highways became treacherous ribbons of black ice. Top officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agencyapprised President Obama of their battle plans for foul weather threatening more than 30 states.
By Tuesday evening, the storm had brought Tulsa to a virtual halt with more than a foot of snow, layered the roadways of St. Louis with an icy sheen, and draped Chicago with a swirling snowfall so thick that the white-gray sky and the gray-white ground blurred into one enveloping test pattern. All the while, the storm was moving inexorably to the Northeast, where many people watched the televised weather reports — of blinding snow and stranded cars — and imagined their Wednesday. …..
The National Weather Service was issuing warnings for certain areas that read like snippets from a disaster-movie screenplay:
“DANGEROUS MULTIFACETED AND LIFE-THREATENING WINTER STORM … BEFORE MAKING DECISION TO TRAVEL … CONSIDER IF GETTING TO YOUR DESTINATION IS WORTH PUTTING YOUR LIFE AT RISK … DO NOT TRAVEL! IF YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST TRAVEL … HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU.”
Rex Benz of Moline, Ill., did not let conditions stop him from his job search recently. Todd Mizener/The Dispatch, via Associated Press
Tags: ice in Dallas, Super storm, United States, Winter storm
Posted in US, Weather | Comments Off on Ice in Dallas as super-storm ranges from Texas to Maine
February 2, 2011
Cyclone Yasi still at Category 5 strength is due to hit the North Queensland coast in about 8 hours from now (between midnight and 0100 on 3rd February local time).
Yasi approaching: image news.com.au
The latest BoM warning is warning of a dangerous storm tide as well as destructive winds.
Yasi track: bom.gov.au
SEVERE TROPICAL CYCLONE YASI IS A LARGE AND VERY POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND POSES AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN CAIRNS AND TOWNSVILLE.
DURING THE EVENING, THE VERY DESTRUCTIVE CORE OF CYCLONE YASI WILL CROSS THE COAST BETWEEN CAIRNS AND INGHAM, ACCOMPANIED BY A DANGEROUS STORM TIDE SOUTH OF THE CYCLONE CENTRE.
Tropical Cyclone Yasi, CATEGORY 5, will continue to move in a west-southwesterly direction. The cyclone is expected to cross the coast between Innisfail and Cardwell close to midnight.
Coastal residents within the warning area, and particularly between Cairns and Proserpine including the Whitsundays, are specifically warned of an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SEA LEVEL RISE [i.e. storm tide] as the cyclone approaches, crosses the coast and moves inland. The sea is likely to steadily rise up to a level which will be VERY DANGEROUSLY above the normal tide, with EXTREMELY DAMAGING WAVES, STRONG CURRENTS and FLOODING of low-lying areas extending some way inland. People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible, and be prepared to follow instructions regarding evacuation of the area if advised to do so by authorities.
DAMAGING WINDS with gusts to 90 km/hr are currently affecting the coast and islands, and are forecast to spread into the tropical interior overnight and west to Julia Creek during Thursday.
Between Port Douglas and Ayr these winds will become DESTRUCTIVE with gusts in excess of 125 km/hr developing during this afternoon and early evening, spreading into the tropical interior overnight. VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds with gusts up to 290 km/hr are expected to develop between Cairns and Ingham during the evening as the cyclone approaches and crosses the coast. These VERY DESTRUCTIVE winds will also occur on the seaward side of hills to the north of the cyclone and also affect the Atherton Tablelands.
Due to the large size of the cyclone, people in the path of the VERY DESTRUCTIVE WINDS are likely to experience these conditions for about 3 to 4 hours.
Tags: Cairns Queensland, Category 5, Cyclone Yasi, destructive winds, storm surge
Posted in Australia, Natural Disasters, Weather | Comments Off on Queensland prepares as Yasi is due to hit in 8 hours
February 1, 2011
Asahi News reports:
Mount Shinmoedake. (Yusaku Kanagawa)
MIYAZAKI–Hundreds of residents have fled their homes as fears are growing that volcanic activity on Mount Shinmoedake will culminate in a huge eruption triggering destructive pyroclastic flows of searing gases and rocks.
The town of Takaharu in Miyazaki Prefecture advised 513 households of 1,158 residents to evacuate from late Sunday night. About 600 braved the frigid temperatures and arrived by Monday morning to take shelter at public facilities in the town. The 1,421-meter volcano, part of the Kirishima mountain range straddling Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, began erupting last week for the first time in 52 years, spewing rocks and ash that blanketed nearby areas.
The Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory said the diameter of the lava dome, which was found within the crater last Friday, had grown from dozens of meters to 500 meters. The crater is 700 meters in diameter.
Motoo Ukawa, director of the Volcano Research Department at the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, said the lava dome may be preventing the magma from escaping, causing the pressure of the volcanic gas to build.
Such a situation could lead to an explosive eruption that destroys the dome and sends large-scale pyroclastic flows down the mountain slopes, Ukawa and officials warn. The eruptions at Shinmoedake are the first large-scale ones since 1716, when major eruptions continued for a year and a half.
Tags: Kirishima, lava dome, Miyazaki Prefecture, Mount Shinmoedake, Takaharu Miyazaki, Volcano
Posted in Japan, Volcanos | Comments Off on Lava dome has expanded within the crater of Mount Shinmoedake in the Kirishima range
February 1, 2011
The Australian BoM warning for northern Queensland is being couched in stronger language as Cyclone Yasi has intensified to category 5. This is the highest level on the Seffir-Simpson Scale and Category 5 is reserved for storms with winds exceeding 155 mph (69 m/s; 135 kn; 249 km/h).
SEVERE TC YASI IS A LARGE AND VERY POWERFUL TROPICAL CYCLONE AND POSES AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN PORT DOUGLAS AND TOWNSVILLE.
THIS IMPACT IS LIKELY TO BE MORE LIFE THREATENING THAN ANY EXPERIENCED DURING RECENT GENERATIONS.
The Cyclone has now reached CATEGORY 5 and will continue to move in a west-southwesterly direction during today.
image: bom.au.gov
| Forecast Location and Intensity Number |
 |
| Very Destructive Wind Boundary |
 |
|
|
|
| Destructive Wind Boundary |
 |
| Strong Gale Force Wind Boundary |
 |
| Most Likely Future Track |
 |
| Range of Likely Tracks of Cyclone Centre |
 |
Tags: Category 5, Cyclone Yasi, Queensland, Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale
Posted in Australia, Natural Disasters, Weather | Comments Off on Cyclone Yasi intensifies to category 5
