One one hand, the government wants to allow uranium mining near the Grand Canyon. On the other hand, it wants to improve the Canyon's ecosystem. Environmentalists, park enthusiasts, and Native American tribes say that allowing potentially-dangerous, and definitely ugly, uranium mines near the Grand Canyon is risky -- and dirty-- business.
The Canyon area is part of not only a massive ecosystem, but it is also home to Native American tribes. The Havasupai people, for generations removed from the modern world, cling to their homes at the bottom of the Canyon.
The Hualapai Indians recently opened a glass-bottomed Skywalk over the western Grand Canyon. On hand to help them: NASA moonwalker Buzz Aldrin of the famed Apollo 11 lunar expedition.
Remote, mysterious, challenging, and beautiful--the Grand Canyon. But now the Park Service wants to allow dozens of new uranium mines in the area. The battle lines are being drawn.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Drew Dumpster: Stacy Peterson Search to Resume, Drew Peterson Cleans House for Media
The tawdry tale of former Bolingbrook cop and crime suspect Drew Peterson and his missing fourth wife Stacy Peterson blooms anew with spring. As for third wife Kathleen Savio, found dead and "drowned" in a dry bathtub, no arrest has yet been made in what officials now consider to be a homicide.
Let's review, shall we? Four wives, the second says she's still terrified of Peterson. Third wife, Savio, dead, after multiple calls for help to Peterson's own police department and a poignant but ignored letter to a prosecutor. She left behind more than a million dollars in assets,which fell into Drew Peterson's custody, along with their two children.
Although it took Illinois authorities years and the pressure of the public spotlight, Fox News reporter Greta Van Susteren, and the intervention of famed forensics expert Dr. Michael Baden to decide Savio had been killed, her family knew her death was no accident. After we read the coroner's initial report and accounts of Savio's death, we here at Peanut headquarters knew it was no accident.
In fact, back in November 2007, shortly after Stacy Peterson disappeared, we told you how easily someone who knows how can make a murder look like an accidental drowning. Given Savio's pleas for protection from an abusive husband, letting her death slide as an "accident," as claimed by Peterson, is an appalling act.
Peterson has a history of abuse claims.Former fiancee Kyle Piry chimed in during the inital investigation into the disappearance of Stacy Peterson. She recounted Peterson's stalking, using his badge to ticket and bully her, along with physical abuse and threats.
When fourth wife Stacy Peterson went missing, her story echoed the fears and experiences of Piry and former wives. Before Stacy vanished, she told her pastor that Peterson killed Savio. Fox News and Dr. Baden got involved. Savio's family asked Baden to do a second autopsy.
After Savio was exhumed, Baden's autopsy showed that Savio had been beaten and killed. Her drowning had been faked. Finally, the local coroner agreed and Savio's death moved from the accidental death category into murder.
First on the scene of her death? The man she feared the most, the man who had literally broken into her home and held her captive: Bolingbrook cop Drew Peterson and one of his best friends. Amazingly, several people who had angered Peterson have turned up dead, and even more amazingly, he's been the first at the scene. Not so amazingly, he controlled the death scenes.
After Stacy Peterson's disappearance hit the national media, there were reports of a mysterious blue barrel the right size for moving a body, a helper in moving that barrel who then attempted suicide, and revelations about Stacy's desire for a divorce. Above all else, however, is Peterson's love of the media spotlight.
From People magazine to joint appearances with his new best friend, lawyer Joel Brodksy (who also has spouse abuse problems in his past), Peterson's been busy. Recently, he's been working the media circuit, giving various reporters "exclusive" interviews in his home, showing him hard at work being Mom, loading the dishwasher, making lunches--well, everything except doing the Donna Reed twirl with pearls.
Peterson, who earlier had bragged about women being so attractive to him that they drive by his house and leave him notes, obviously now has been tutored in being "Mr. Mom." His sarcasm, laughter at Stacy's disappearance--who he insists just left her children and "ran off" with another mean--and open contempt for women, the authorities, Stacy's family, Stavio's family, neighbors, and, apparently, anyone not part of the Drew Fan Club, inadvertently revealed the real Drew Peterson.
Peterson told both Stacy and Kathleen that he was a cop, and he could kill them and get away with it. He knew how, he said. The Peterson case,reaching over decades and culminating in Stacy's disappearance, even had Dr. Phil weighing in.
Dr. Phil said he was "troubled" by Peterson's story and his demeanor. So are millions of other people.
Now hastily retired--to avoid yet another investigation--Peterson remains convinced that what he says goes. Brodsky, his apparent twin-separated-at-birth, has been working his own media circuit. One of the reasons he took the case, Brodsky said, is to get more publicity for his talent.
Of all Peterson's matches to date, Brodsky is the best one. For awhile, the twosome made the media rounds with identical beards, dressed alike, and acting alike. In between TV appearances, Brodsky found time to file the motions to get Peterson's cars --seized during the investigation--returned.
But so far, it's a "no go" on the request to have Peterson's guns returned to the custody of an elder son, with Peterson's right-to-carry card returned to Peterson. Question: if the guns were returned, along with Peterson's card, how long would it take for Peterson to have a gun back in his possession?
Actually, he's had one all along. He allegedly hid one from Illinois state police officers searching his home.
You know, guns. Like the one he almost "accidentally" killed Stacy with before. Seems she went downstairs to get him a soda and the 30-year-veteran cop "accidentally" discharged his firearm through the floor, in Stacy's direction.
Not that death by "accident" is strange when Peterson is around. He was originally fired from the same police department for identifying an undercover officer to a known killer. He got his job back.
Decades later, Stacy Peterson's family resumes the search for her, with some volunteers receiving training from Illinois investigators. Savio's family still waits.
And so do both justice and common sense.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Florida Taser-Like Stun Gun Maker Faces Federal Charges in High-Powered Taser Shoot-Out
A competitor to the now-notorious Taser Brand of electrical stun gun now faces a federal lawsuit for what the Security and Exchange Commission is calling "misrepresentation" that led to inflated stock prices on the NASDAQ exchange. It's not the first go-round in court for Stinger Systems of Tampa, Fl, either.
In 2004 their competitor TASER® International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR), filed a lawsuit United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina against Stinger Systems, Inc. . TASR 's press released alleged that "Stinger Systems has engaged in a pattern of false advertising and unlawful patent marking in violation of federal law."
Stinger, however, hasn't been shy about their competing claims. Among them:
"Stinger Systems is dedicated to offering the world's most state of the art stun technologies. Stinger's flagship product, the S-200 electronic immobilization device, is revolutionizing the industry bringing an all new stun wave form to the market. Packed with great take down power, the S-200's technology still allows for less current per pulse to enter the body than its competitors. In addition to incredible wave form circuitry, the S-200 is packed with revolutionary features like a cartridge eject system, off the shelf batteries, and a covered recessed cartridge.
Stinger Systems believes that its competition does not want to compete by comparing features on a head-to-head basis, as is evidenced by its competitor using old studies comparing its weapon to a previous model S-200 that is no longer in production. Fear of competition based on a product's merits should assist the law enforcement community to easily decide which company has a superior EID and technology."
But will those subdued by stun guns care which brand is used?
In 2004 their competitor TASER® International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR), filed a lawsuit United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina against Stinger Systems, Inc. . TASR 's press released alleged that "Stinger Systems has engaged in a pattern of false advertising and unlawful patent marking in violation of federal law."
Stinger, however, hasn't been shy about their competing claims. Among them:
"Stinger Systems is dedicated to offering the world's most state of the art stun technologies. Stinger's flagship product, the S-200 electronic immobilization device, is revolutionizing the industry bringing an all new stun wave form to the market. Packed with great take down power, the S-200's technology still allows for less current per pulse to enter the body than its competitors. In addition to incredible wave form circuitry, the S-200 is packed with revolutionary features like a cartridge eject system, off the shelf batteries, and a covered recessed cartridge.
Stinger Systems believes that its competition does not want to compete by comparing features on a head-to-head basis, as is evidenced by its competitor using old studies comparing its weapon to a previous model S-200 that is no longer in production. Fear of competition based on a product's merits should assist the law enforcement community to easily decide which company has a superior EID and technology."
But will those subdued by stun guns care which brand is used?
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Hillary Clinton Under Fire for Not Being Under Fire While Obama Sat in Racist Church Damning America
The Barack Obama camp, of course, wasted no time in going negative with what Hillary Clinton calls "a minor blip." Frankly, the fatigue and jet lag of not only globe-trotting but thousands of trips is more believable as a cause of mistakes than is sitting in a hate-spewing , racist minister's church for 20 years and calling it "not agreeing." Obama still will not be able to dig his way out of the Jeremiah Wright mess.
In comparison, here's where Barack Obama spent a couple of decades, learning from the man he calls his mentor and spiritual advisor.
In comparison, here's where Barack Obama spent a couple of decades, learning from the man he calls his mentor and spiritual advisor.
Monday, March 24, 2008
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