- Answer on Bullets
Cyber hacking
Expensive Government
Privacy
Immigration
Gold bullion
Golden Years
Domestic Unrest
And more : http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/14/why-is-department-homeland-security-buying-so-many-bullets/#ixzz2LSpYWkmY
Why is the Department of Homeland Security buying so many bullets?
Published February 14, 2013
Associated Press
Online rumors about a big government munitions purchase are true, sort of.
The Homeland Security Department wants to buy more than 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition in the next four or five years. It says it needs them -- roughly the equivalent of five bullets for every person in the United States -- for law enforcement agents in training and on duty.
Published federal notices about the ammo buy have agitated conspiracy theorists since the fall. That's when conservative radio host Alex Jones spoke of an "arms race against the American people" and said the government was "gearing up for total collapse, they're gearing up for huge wars."
The government's explanation is much less sinister.
Federal solicitations to buy the bullets are known as "strategic sourcing contracts," which help the government get a low price for a big purchase, says Peggy Dixon, spokeswoman for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga . The training center and others like it run by the Homeland Security Department use as many as 15 million rounds every year, mostly on shooting ranges and in training exercises.
Dixon said one of the contracts would allow Homeland Security to buy up to 750 million rounds of ammunition over the next five years for its training facilities. The rounds are used for basic and advanced law enforcement training for federal law enforcement agencies under the department's umbrella. The facilities also offer firearms training to tens of thousands of federal law enforcement officers. More than 90 federal agencies and 70,000 agents and officers used the department's training center last year.
DHS To Buy 360,000 More Rounds of Hollow Point Ammunition -- Mar 25'13
Last year, the DHSput out an urgent order for “riot gear” in anticipation of civil unrest. The agency has also been buying large supplies of body armor and ordered bullet-proof checkpoint booths and hired hundreds of new security guards. -- Mar 25-'13.
The rest of the 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition would be purchased by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal government's second largest criminal investigative agency.
ICE's ammunition requests in the last year included:
- -- 450 million rounds of .40-caliber duty ammunition
-- 40 million rounds of rifle ammunition a year for as many as five years, for a total bullet-buy of 200 million rounds
-- 176,000 rifle rounds on a separate contract
-- 25,000 blank rounds
The Homeland Security ammo buy is not the first time the government's bullets purchases have sparked concerns on the Internet. The same thing happened last year when the Social Security Administration posted a notice that it was buying 174,000 hollow point bullets.
Jonathan L. Lasher, the agency's assistant inspector general for external relations, said those bullets were for the Social Security inspector general's office, which has about 295 agents who investigate Social Security fraud and other crimes.
Jones the talk-show host did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Jim Asks : What about this year's massive ammunition purchases ?
Oct'3. Some have suggested this is a cover for arms to Synian rebels. But 9mm, dum-dums? Nope.
DHS Purchases 2,700 Light-Armored Tanks to Go With Their 1.6 Billion Bullet Stockpile -- March 3, 2013.
According to one estimate, since last year the Department of Homeland Security has stockpiled more than 1.6 billion bullets, mainly 9mm and .40 caliber.
DHS also purchased 2,700 Mine Resistant Armor Protected Vehicles (MRAP).
"The Department of Homeland Security (through the U.S. Army Forces Command) recently retrofitted 2,717 of these ‘Mine Resistant Armor Protected’ vehicles for service on the streets of the United States."
Those purchased by DHS are Navstar "MaxxPro", intended for urban warfare.
Jim looked them up -- MRAP is an armored fighting vehicle developed in South Africa for fighting insurgents and used by the U.S. in Afghanistan and Iraq with over 10,000 ordered to replace armored HumVees at a cost of about $1MM each. 9,000 of this model have been built since 2007 . Weight 15 tons . Crew 3-7 : driver, asst driver, observer/turret gunner, 4 troops/window gunners. click on the pictures.
This is getting more than a little creepy.
DHS' AR-15 automatic rifle "Personal Defense Weapon" bid specification for 7,000 units.
"Designed specifically for lightweight mobility, speed of target acquisition, and potent firepower capability - the Colt® Law Enforcement Carbine delivers. This specially designed law enforcement weapon system features many of the combat proven advantages of the military Colt M4. With the 4-position buttstock fully retracted, the Colt Law Enforcement Carbine is less than 30.5 in (77.5 cm) in length and weighs only 6.8 lb (3.08 kg) - ideal for tactical deployment and traditional patrol. Colt's Law Enforcement Carbine is available with a step-cut barrel that allows it to accept a grenade launcher for non-lethal options.
The M4 carbine has largely replaced the submachine gun in military use because it can penitrate modern body armor.
CYBER WAR
Russia in Estonia and Georgia ; US and Israel in Iraq ; China in U.S.A. ; North Korea in the South Korea -- it is a now item on the international stage. Currently preceeds combat. At what point is it war in its own right?
Domestically, Not just identity thief, but the IRS paid $5.2 Billion in fraudulent tax returns last year. Everybody can bypass whatever security we think we have. ( Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2013/03/22/cyber-evildoers-nab-billions-in-tax-returns/#ixzz2ONM5yqpf)
EXPENSIVE GOVERNMENT
The Tonopah Solar Company received a $737 million loan to produce a 110 megawatt power system and employ 45 permanent workers. That's costing $16 million per job.
Nancy Pelosi's brother-in-law. Harry Reid's Nevada; Obama's DOE. It's called "pork barrel."
Jim's review: The loan was made in 2010, construction started 2011, no reports of progress 2012, new technology, the project is supposed to provide electricity to 75,000 homes in late 2013. That is $10,000 per home. I can find no progress reports dated 2012 on company websites. Another Solendra in the making? Stay tuned.
Found as The SolarReserve project at Crescent Dunes responding to a reference in a Congressional budget debate. Chief executive claims not “ill fated”, rather, it is on schedule and on budget for completion by the end of 2013 – Christian Science Monitor, 14Feb'13. Photo Dec'12.
There will be a farm of mirrors pointing at the collector at the top of the column which is a large solar battary running a conventional generation plant.
Oct'13 video update : http://www.solarreserve.com/wp-content/themes/default/videos/CrescentDunesUpdate0413.mov
News update Oct'15 Solar plant polutes, unable to produce expectation.
List of solar stations
PRIVACY
The governement requests information from internet services without supeana. Every tweet and transaction is scanned. We are all persons of interest. Each government wants full control over the internet. And we thought taxation was the worse thing a government could do and we fought a war for independence over that issue.
IMMIGRATION
- UK PM Cameron curbs access to National Health Service for new immigrants, saying he wants to stop Britain's welfare system being "a soft touch" for migrants, saying that access to core public services is something newcomers should earn rather than automatically receive.
- Sign is national park ; "Do not feed the animals, they will become too dependent."
- The most popular name in England is "Mohammed", no longer John. Jim asks, Can our "HayZeus be far behind?"
- "School food programs now exceed the school day and school year/" -- TR, March 24, 2013.
GOLD
U.S. claims a total of 8150 tons gold. Also stores other countries gold. Since 2000, 21% of U.S. gold reserves (1700 tons) have been reclassified as custodial, ie. not US owned (loaned or sold).
Germany has 2773 tons of gold, 45% stored in U.S. Germans asked that 1/4 their gold stored in U.S. be returned, 312 tons. U.S. agreed, but over a 7 year period. This international activity normally only a month to box and securely ship. The delay raises suspection is that the U.S. doesn't have enough physical gold and will have to buy from other countires to make delivery. Other nations may panic and demand physical gold. Purchase of large amounts will raise prices, raise the U.S. national debt, and make public a debased debtor status of U.S.
Most nations have custodial amounts in other countries to facilitate trade. Austria and Netherlands, like Germany, have lost gold in wars and have larger amounts stored with the U.S. Federal Researve. Any suspection that U.S. can default on delivery can lead to dollar collapse.
Jim asks : Did China demand a downpayment for their mortgage on the USA ?
Or is selling the national gold reserve the secret of the way to give welfare without cost ?
The world is not on a gold standard, ... is it ? ☺
FDR conficated gold 30 days into office in exchange for $20.67. Cyprus tried to confiscate 10% of bank accounts March 2013 and considering nationalizing pension funds. The banking system is probably safe in the USA, but, ... How safe is your IRA?
GOLDEN YEARS
To help save the economy, the Government will announce next month that the Immigration Department will start deporting seniors (instead of illegals) in order to lower Social Security and Medicare costs. Older people are easier to catch and will not remember how to get back home.
I started to cry when I thought of you.
Then it dawned on me ... oh, crap...
I'll see you on the bus !
To DOMESTIC UNREST
Or 8. Threats
Or GrDec Menu
Last updated: Feb 24, 2013
URL: http://www.manorweb.com/creative/2013/8notes.html