EL RRUN RRUN
http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/
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SPACEx BRINGS B'TOWN DOWN TO EARTH; BEDC, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq_4L8b3IDV6nKGBuxdJS8goRQBNAdMws9VS8LHgBD9sRx3ihhO3JXOgfonKmuRqp3M5W9PjwHAsyBzeEycdFRkCRTdZ_XY115Dcig9ENXrYEhi2OpyyDTzt1A7npP7zIlDP6JAxNQwc/s1600/spacex.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq_4L8b3IDV6nKGBuxdJS8goRQBNAdMws9VS8LHgBD9sRx3ihhO3JXOgfonKmuRqp3M5W9PjwHAsyBzeEycdFRkCRTdZ_XY115Dcig9ENXrYEhi2OpyyDTzt1A7npP7zIlDP6JAxNQwc/s400/spacex.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743237890407829282" border="0" /></a>By <strong>Juan Montoya</strong><br /><br />Even as the orchestrated roll call of the usual suspects strode to the microphone on cue offering SpaceX executives the world (if not heaven and earth) for them to bring their launch pad operation to the tidal flats of Boca Chica beach, it had become apparent that the pie-in-the-sky illusions fostered by the oversell by the Brownsville Economic Development Corporations gurus have not been based on reality.<br />Hundreds of local residents (and some brought in from outside the area) were present to give SpaceX a group hug and to tell them that their kids are ready to be aerospace engineers and astronauts, a consequence, BEDC spokesmen said, of the company locating their launch pad here.<br />Mayor Tony Martinez, Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos, Rep. Rene Oliveria, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Brownsville Chamber of Commerce giant Angela Burton, Commissioner Jessica Tetrau-Kalifa (with her young astronaut with NASA jumpsuit matching her little sky-blue dress in tow), BEDC's Jason Hilts, the ports's Eddie Campirano, Airport dirctor Larry Brown BISD's Bertha Pena, John Wood (remember him?), etc., etc., all spoke in favor of the company before representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration for the preparation for the project's Environmental Impact Statement.<br />The representatives of elected bodies came bearing ratified resolutions for SpaceX to know that they were welcomed and loved here.<br />"Welcome to Paradise," Oliveira said (Was it happy hour somewhere?), giving himself credit for passing legislation limiting the space industry's liability in case of an accident, a kind of rocket tort reform.<br />"We will soar together," Martinez intoned.<br />They all downplayed the impact of having SpaceX launch its rockets bearing commercial satellites upon the wetlands, tidal flats, and the handful of endangered critters who make their home in what the BEDC spokesmen call "a whole lot of nothing."<br />And they all spoke of the economic boost ($70 million in economic impact, 600 jobs at a minimum of $55,000 yearly), the educational component (Tetrau's astronaut child), and the tourism draw that would benefit the area.<br />"It will ignite an economic boom," said the CC's Burton.<br />Well, here's what SpaceX <em>is not</em>.<br />SpaceX's Brownsvile operation will <em>not</em> be related (at all) to the company's operations in Cape Canaveral or to NASA.<br />It is <em>not</em> related (at all) to the December 2008 NASA announcement that SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon Spacecraft were contracted to resupply the International Space Station (ISS). The $1.6 billion contract represents a minimum of 12 flights, with an option to order additional missions for a cumulative total contract value of up to $3.1 billion."<br />In fact, <em>NASA has nothing to do with the local project</em>. SpaceX will <em>not</em> fire NASA missions from Brownsville, despite the pipe dreams of BEDC gurus.<br />It also will <em>not</em> send manned spacecraft to the ISS, the moon, or for that matter, Mars, despite the comments of Bob Lancaster, President of the Texas Space Alliance.<br />The reason is simple. In order to reach the ISS whose orbit is inclined at 51.6 degrees, the launch azimuth from Brownsville would be approximately 42 degrees, which would take the craft over populated land masses, a non-no in FAA regulations.<br />"It is exciting to think that you will be able to see the launch of a manned space misson to Mars," Lancaster said to wild applause.<br />Not to be.<br />Instead, it is to be a minor launch site where SpaceX will program launches of limited commercial payloads (communications, weather satellites, etc.) for private customers that could include foreign states or other businesses.<br />All the talk by BEDC spokesmen about Brownsville being the ideal location because of our geography makes little sense. The location of the competing site in Puerto Rico is closer to the equator. In fact, Cape Canaveral, the other competitor, is less than three degrees in latitude than Brownsville (25.9014 to 28.4556) , a negligible difference. So much for geographic advantage.<br />The other claim, that the rocket grade kerosene (RP-1) to be used in the first stage of the rocket was no different (and implicitly no more dangerous than) "the kerosene you use in your campfire," is also a huge stretch. SpaceX's Director of Advanced Projects Steven Davis put that shibboleth to rest admitting that the highly-refined kerosene, if it was the same as camp-fire grade fuel, would not be used to propel the rockets.<br />In fact, even the launching of satellites east over water, there is some objection to the craft being flown over Florida's populated areas, or worse, over Cuba.<br />In the 1961 NASA-Dept. of Defense study of Brownsville as a launch area for manned space flights to the moon, the site was rejected for this very fact and for the fact that "the launch azimuth would be limited to approximately 80 to 90 degrees [imagine North being 0 and east being 90] to minimize land impact of (stages)."<br />Davis said that Space X, which has never launched from Brownsville (in fact, no one ever has), was confident that it could hit the "gate," or as one skeptic said, "thread the needle," between Florida and Cuba.<br />"We know we can do it," he asserted.<br />SpaceX spokesmen have been as confident (if not cocky) in the past when asked about their technical prowess. But if one is to judge by the four-month delay in launching their dry-run to supply the ISS, don't blame some of us for taking those claims with a grain of salt.<br />Regardless, will the FAA give Space X the Certificate of Waiver or Authority to launch and "thread the needle" for flights out of Brownsville?<br />That is probably the one question that might prove the decisive factor here.<br />As for the 600 jobs, Davis said that over a span of 10 years and after the FAA hurdles EIS and the waiver to fly over populated areas were acquired, it would take them a good 10 years to "ramp up" the pace starting with one or two launches per year before the full contingent of the job force would be required.<br />Until then, we guess the BEDC and Brownsville can continue dreaming big.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-2131767636223039275?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/05/spacex-brings-btown-down-to-earth-bedc.html
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BRADSHAW WRITHES UNDER LACK OF SUPPORT, ASSAILS ADELA THRU PROXIES
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<em>"Adela Garza's birth and formative years were spent in A FOREIGN COUNTRY!That is not all all she shares with Obama..." </em>Maria Flores,a Jessica P. Bradshaw supporter in Facebook<br /><br />By <strong>Juan Montoya</strong><br />Shades of Obama!<br />In what is probably the worst insult a GOP can possibly hurl against a fellow Republican, supporters of Jessica Puente Bradshaw to the nomination for the newly-created District 34 congressional district have taken to the Internet to make their ca<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU-SzZlJ-78qb1nLlthCwNhZHsQZITIDUT-67hyphenhyphenbd1CYgLPZ9QZr3zZR9YEmQkyjR-6fLMKIsTxbr15RpuObP5Iiya5q9Q1pcNRsX9bBYDB9T2T6ruRBwhspaT1TUQAHzH8AQx5zyezY/s1600/adela+garz+blog+pic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 190px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743203257783613650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgU-SzZlJ-78qb1nLlthCwNhZHsQZITIDUT-67hyphenhyphenbd1CYgLPZ9QZr3zZR9YEmQkyjR-6fLMKIsTxbr15RpuObP5Iiya5q9Q1pcNRsX9bBYDB9T2T6ruRBwhspaT1TUQAHzH8AQx5zyezY/s320/adela+garz+blog+pic.jpg" /></a>ndidate look good using the time-honored tactic: making her opponent Adela Garza look not only bad, but also calling her a foreigner (gasp!).<br />In the above quote, Flores likens Garza to GOP nemesis Obama while ignoring the fact that Bradshaw has stated that she was born in Matamoros and immigrated to the United States as an adult.<br />But this is not all that is burning Bradshaw's supporters.<br />In her ads, Garza has stated that Bradshaw, who lists both an Austin and Brownsville address in various campaign documents, has passed herself off as a seller of real estate (not a Realtor), a "political analyst," and teacher, finding no certification for the first and last occupation occupational experience.<br />Bradshaw, according to state records, did not begin her real estate classes until mid-2008, obtaining her license possibly by 2009, but then allowing it to expire on Dec. 31, 2010. At most, she must have worked as a Realtor for possibly two years, if that.<br />Her claims that she has been a "political analyst" for three years is also questionable, according to the Garza camp, since that term is very loosely defined. Are we at <em>Rrun-Rrun, </em>then<em>, </em>political analysts because we comment on these races?<br />What's left is her claim to be an educator, but again, why not just claim that and be done with it? Anything else is a stretch. At 40, and without much tangible public service experience what else can she do?<br />When one "Adam Smith" (the economist?) downplayed that Adela had been endorsed by the respected (and conservative) South Texas Property Owners Association, he (aka Bradshaw's husband) charged that the association has in the past endorsed only Democrats, albeit conservatives.<br />"The (Association) donates to Democrats.," "Smith wrote. "South Texans' Property Rights Association donated $1000.00 to Democrat Congressman Henry Cuellar in 2012. This PAC does not like conservatives and particularly conservative Republicans. Beware of its endorsement of candidates!"<br />Smith, of course, ignores the fact that the Association had never found a Republican with a platform that was conservative enough for their efforts to protect property rights in South Texas.<br />"They have no idea what this organization to protect the our property rights," commented Garza in her comments. "And, yes they are bipartisan conservatives which is a very good thing."<br />At the core of Bradshaw supporters' ire is the fact that Garza has received endorsements that they would have loved to have, coming as Bradshaw is from the Tea party under whose banner she ran two years ago.<br />Other commenters rushed to throw light on the Smith and Flores postings.<br />Adryana Boyne said:"Mr. Smith, I can tell you are not aware that many PACS are bipartisan and this one has given money to conservative Democrats who agree with property rights."<br />Likewise, Fernando Trevino Jr. commented that: "Also, if they're a south Texas organizations (which is in their name), they haven't really had many options until recently thanks to the hard work of many Republicans like Adela Garza...doing the hard work behind the scenes to make our party stronger in the RGV."<br />It is obvious that the groundwork that Garza and her followers have established in South Texas has come back as support in her bid to face the Democrat nominee for the congressional district, whoever may be left standing.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-1804896155900579473?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/05/bradshaw-writhes-under-lack-of-support.html
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PETE TAKES OFF THE GLOVES: CAN YOU GUESS WHO'S THE TARGET?
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By <span style="font-weight: bold;">Juan Montoya</span><br /><br />In what is fast becoming a war of attrition, Constable for Pct. 2 Pete Avila has come out firing with ads in the local daily that has many of its readers wondering which of his three opponents in the Democratic primary he is referring to.<span style="font-size:0;"><span style="font-size:0;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcJYK1M02-Yh2__Hf_CotEomeeAqDZVNWCHyej3uaJEF23Ky5808hiXAGiZD8WUdmEfUG5WBHvC5ludedYh09kEWFOduGhKJUBavglNjR7oOSaHwuYUfHk_cgjlakaYH4fKAH46TmM20/s1600/polygraph-quackery-09.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743183628222186690" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcJYK1M02-Yh2__Hf_CotEomeeAqDZVNWCHyej3uaJEF23Ky5808hiXAGiZD8WUdmEfUG5WBHvC5ludedYh09kEWFOduGhKJUBavglNjR7oOSaHwuYUfHk_cgjlakaYH4fKAH46TmM20/s320/polygraph-quackery-09.jpg" border="0" /></a></span></span><br />In the ad with the headline<span style="font-weight: bold;">: "QUESTIONS THE PUBLIC SHOULD ASK ALL PCT. 2 CONSTABLE CANDIDATES",</span> Avila challenged all three candidates to take a polygraph (lie detector) tests along with a blood test "to assure the public that the integrity of our law enforcement officers."<br />Among the questions he asked were:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">1. Have you ever taken a bribe?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">2. Have you ever fixed a case?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">3 Are you under investigation by any federal agency?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">4. Have you ever extorted money?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">5. Are you being investigated in relation to the Limas corruption case?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">6. Have you ever had you license to carry a firearm revoked?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">7. Have you ever used illegal drugs while holding public office?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">8. Have you ever received hush money to protect eight-liners?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">9. Have you ever protected any drug dealers?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">10. Are you one of the investigators for Armando Villalobos’ office being investigated for extorting eight-liners?</span><br style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">11. Have you ever been forced to resign or terminated by the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"THE VOTERS NEED AND DESERVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH! I WILL WILLINGLY ANSWER THE SAME QUESTIONS. WILL MY OPPONENTS?"</span> the ad screams.<br />Now, we've seen the ads put out by some of the candidates in this race and for the most part, they are content to state their qualifications and some of their accomplishments as law enforcement professionals.<br />This is new for a constable's race and we tend to associate this type of thing with, say, a sheriff's race or some other higher position. But Avila apparently thinks that voters will recall some accusations against one specific opponent. The last time he ran he was in a runoff election with Abel Gomez, so some of the questions asked might be pointed in Abel's direction.<br />The comments on the ad were swift, however.<br />One commenter said: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Polygraph tests can at times be a waste of money and resources. If Mr. Avila wants to pay for all the candidates to receive the polygraph, he should by all means do it. However, I doubt even Mr. Pete Avila would pass it."</span><br />Another said: <span style="font-style: italic;">"Most people don't vote, much less compare candidates credentials. For Pete to be this confident... he knows something we don't. And he is right."</span><br />What next in this race? Maybe they'll name names next?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-1406686834269399776?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/05/pete-takes-off-gloves-can-you-guess_1408.html
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GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: THE NEW MASSO TACTIC IN PRIMARY
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<div>By <strong>Juan Montoya</strong></div><br /><div>The unattributed leaflets appearing in Port Isabel that seek to paint a "<em>Calavazita Enterpriza</em> (?)" <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcKOLuAiHpZ8ehUHXcQyJGgKp9rSfi9WkDWCbNZY4AmasIFj5rnjA2lw8K4BwYBuNsBVAMev6Wx3s_oGKzj-PbMdM2Wp3boP10ur-SXSUR_J9XBdLLoG2OHvYUHJ2u3o8D-h3VKTh47s/s1600/masso.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 232px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743174184874629522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcKOLuAiHpZ8ehUHXcQyJGgKp9rSfi9WkDWCbNZY4AmasIFj5rnjA2lw8K4BwYBuNsBVAMev6Wx3s_oGKzj-PbMdM2Wp3boP10ur-SXSUR_J9XBdLLoG2OHvYUHJ2u3o8D-h3VKTh47s/s320/masso.jpg" /></a>linking almost every Cameron County District Attorney candidate to convicted 404th District Court Judge Abel Limas and incited DA Armando Villalobos point to one culprit by omission â€" Carlos Masso.</div><br /><div>(That's him on the right of Mando happily taking the port's cut of the $1 million with his former boss, you guessed it, indicted DA Villalobos.)</div><br /><div>The <em>hoja suelta</em> distributed seeking to associate Masso's opponents with the Bad Men is titled, in a very lawyerly fashion, "Exhibit A."</div><br /><div>In the unattributed missive passed out surreptitiously in that seacoast burg, just about everyone, Maria DeFord, Luis Saenz, and even Republican candidate Chuck Mattingly is taken to task for being "Villalobos Approved" while failing to mention that Masso himself was at one time appointed by the indicted DA to head the White Crime section of the prosecutor's office.</div><br /><div>Labeling Villalobos and Limas as "compadres," it goes on to ask "Is there Compadrismo in Cameron County? You decide."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh639EfSpJvXFMNJCM_R5gfb0zxKBftHJe5O62SvhS8wwJ8c9mcZXMpSqkk1hEZj2rcVSuV6qTBtRc17Kd-u1D2Yq2teQgWqZp-z10ie9EZYKMCKKD2-FPkZ4R5oLx5DLIcbXKVjMXT2ys/s1600/defordhoja.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743168474969374210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh639EfSpJvXFMNJCM_R5gfb0zxKBftHJe5O62SvhS8wwJ8c9mcZXMpSqkk1hEZj2rcVSuV6qTBtRc17Kd-u1D2Yq2teQgWqZp-z10ie9EZYKMCKKD2-FPkZ4R5oLx5DLIcbXKVjMXT2ys/s400/defordhoja.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>Now, we're no strangers to this type of guilt by association tactics by candidates, but never has it been so brazen and pointed to the only person not named by the writer of the propaganda. Of course, Gus Garza, a Republican isn't even mentioned, so apparently Masso doesn't see him as a potential threat to his candidacy.</div><br /><div>But just as the illegal campaign leaflet has no political disclaimer, it would also be reasonable to ask whether only the three DA candidates named â€" DeFord, Saenz, and Mattingly â€" are the only local attorneys who have been contracted as special prosecutors. But that would probably defeat the purpose of the <em>hoja</em>, we imagine.</div><br /><div>If Masso did not authorize the printing and surreptitious distribution of this missive, he might do himself a favor and distance himself from it and call on whoever is doing this to do him no favors.</div><br /><div>Of course, he might say that as part of the conspiracy to make him look bad, someone might have done this just to cast suspicion upon his innocent self.</div><br /><div>Yeah, right!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6016803033174468094-2739192863645561184?l=rrunrrun.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://rrunrrun.blogspot.com/2012/05/guilt-by-association-new-masso-tactic.html
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