SunPower Corporation Acquires European Solar Power Firm SunRay Renewable Energy for $277 Million

There are big monies to be made in the green energy industry. Money or not, it is a really interesting hobby. I build portable jackleg solar systems and it is quite fun to basically create energy for free from the sun.

Although it is not really free, because there is a significant initial cost to assemble even a small basic solar system. However, once you make that initial investment, you just have to sit back and collect your energy. Nevertheless, this below press release is not for a small basic solar system. No, this solar deal is worth nearly $300,000 million.

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SunPower Announces Agreement to Acquire SunRay

More Than 1,200 Megawatts to Be Added to Project Pipeline in Europe and Middle East

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb 11, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX News Network/ -- SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire SunRay Renewable Energy, a leading European solar power plant developer with offices in Europe and the Middle East, including a principal project office in Rome. SunPower will acquire SunRay from its shareholders, which includes its management and Denham Capital. Upon closing the transaction, SunPower will acquire a project pipeline of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects totaling more than 1,200 megawatts (MW) in Italy, France, Israel, Spain, the United Kingdom and Greece. The pipeline consists of projects in various stages of development. SunRay's power plant development and project finance team consists of approximately 70 employees.

"SunRay has a proven track record of developing bankable solar power plants in a complex environment," said Howard Wenger, president of SunPower's utilities and power plants business group. "This acquisition is consistent with our long-term company strategy to develop a strong brand and complementary channels to market. SunRay's exceptional team and pipeline will add to our significant internal investment in North American power plant development. It also complements our European engineering, procurement and construction business that serves a broad range of development partners."

"SunRay has developed an impressive pipeline of utility scale projects throughout Europe," continued Wenger. "We congratulate SunRay on receiving the European Solar Deal of the Year award today from Project Finance magazine for the largest solar PV power plant financed in 2009, the 24 MW Montalto power plant in Italy, which launched SunPower's relationship with SunRay. This acquisition further demonstrates our confidence in the Italian market and regulatory environment, and will accelerate the growth of our European and Middle Eastern power plant business."

"Our experience working with SunPower on Montalto and several other power plants in Italy convinced us that SunRay will be joining the global solar technology, performance and quality leader for solar power plants," said Yoram Amiga, CEO of SunRay Group. "Our combined experience globally will allow us to offer our customers reliable energy delivery at competitive prices. Denham has been a great partner, providing both capital and advice at an important stage in our company's development. We are pleased to have worked with them."

"The SunRay Renewables team has proven itself unparalleled in its ability to develop, finance and construct world class solar projects," said Scott Mackin, partner in Denham Capital. "The marriage of that team with the superior technology of SunPower will create a formidable platform of new, socially and environmentally responsible and highly efficient solar PV projects in many countries around the world. We are delighted to have supported the initial development of SunRay's portfolio, including the initial phase of the award-winning Montalto project, the largest in Italy. This project was completed in partnership with SunPower, and we are confident that the two firms will continue to expand on their success together."

"SunRay has a strong pipeline in Italy, with several power plants already permitted for delivery in 2010," said Gian Maria Ferrero, vice president of SunPower's Europe, Middle East and Africa utilities and power plants business unit. "Italy has demonstrated sustainable, strong growth in both rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems, bringing new jobs to the market and private investment into new power resources without the need for major new transmission investment. The growth of the Italian market has validated our prior acquisition of Solar Solutions, now SunPower Italia. SunPower and SunRay will seek to build on our success throughout Southern Europe and into the Middle East and Africa as demand for new power resources increases."

The total consideration for the acquisition is approximately $277 million, including $235 million in cash and $42 million in a letter of credit and promissory notes. SunPower has sufficient cash to close the transaction and does not intend to raise equity capital to finance the acquisition. The company will provide specific financial guidance regarding the positive impacts of the transaction during its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2009 earnings conference call in March. The parties anticipate closing the transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, in the first half of 2010.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. is acting as exclusive financial advisor to SunPower with regard to this transaction and provided a fairness opinion regarding the acquisition to its board of directors.

About SunPower

Founded in 1985, SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWRA, SPWRB) designs, manufactures and delivers the planet's most powerful solar technology broadly available today. Residential, business, government and utility customers rely on the company's experience and proven results to maximize return on investment. With headquarters in San Jose, Calif., SunPower has offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. For more information, visit www.sunpowercorp.com.

About SunRay

SunRay Renewable Energy is an energy company - an independent solar power producer - with broad skills across the photovoltaic project development value chain. SunRay has built an internationally scalable project development platform which includes engineering, legal and project finance capability. It focuses on utility-scale projects in Southern European countries, using a community-based development model to ensure that its plants are adapted to local community needs. SunRay has a strategic partnership with Denham Capital, a global private equity firm, to develop utility-scale solar projects. SunRay has offices in Malta, Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Israel and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.sunrayrenewable.com

About Denham

Denham Capital is a leading global private equity firm, with offices in Boston, Houston, Short Hills, São Paulo and London. With approximately $4.3 billion of invested and committed capital, Denham makes direct investments in all segments of the energy and commodities value chain, including oil and gas, mining, timber, power, carbon assets and energy-related infrastructure and services. The firm invests globally, with investments currently in the US, Canada, South America, Europe, Russia/CIS, Asia and Australia, and across all parts of the capital structure and all stages of the corporate and asset lifecycle, from development projects to mature, operating businesses. For more information about Denham Capital, visit www.denhamcapital.com. Denham Capital does not provide investment advisory services to the public.

SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE SunPower Corp.

Copyright (C) 2010 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Why Are So Many Senior Executives Resigning from Top Corporations and Businesses?

I want to give a big phat Remixx World! thank you to Dprogram.net for compiling this list of senior corporate executives who have resigned over the last couple of weeks. Like seals leaving a dock before an earthquake, rats abandoning ships or the low-lying animals heading for the hills before tsunami, do these corporate bosses know something we don't know? Are they cashing out their monies and benefits now while they can?

It simply does not make sense to resign from good-paying jobs in a recession unless these people are privy to information that I do not know.

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Compiled list of Resignations from top corporations and other various fields

Resignments:

http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=4591 (Zain CEO Resigns) - 2-4-10

http://www.csmonitor.com/Money/new-economy/2010/0204/Twitter-resignation-Sun-s-CEO-tweets-haiku-goodbye.-So-can-you (SUN CEO Resigns) - 2-4-10

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article6945945.ece (1,000 bankers resign) – 12-6-09

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ao9RQMKtfumQ&pos=5 (AIG CEO Plane Lending Unit resigns) – 2-4-10

http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/1726324.html (Housing development agency official resigns) – 2-3-10

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.digest040feb04,0,5456701.story (Under Armor VP Resigns) – 2-4-10

Click here to read the rest of this lengthy list.

Arizona Quits Western Climate Initiative (Says Cutting Carbon Dioxide & Greenhouse Gases is Too Expensive)

I am certainly not convinced of the science that is put out by the Al Gore camps and allies. While I certainly believe that we need to reduce our pollution as much as possible, I do not believe the solution to pollution reduction is to pay taxes to the global banks for the right to live. Why do the climate changers only seem to focus on the "pollution" that are essential parts of the life cycle like carbon?

Carbon dioxide is only one of the many gases in the atmosphere and it is arguable that carbon dioxide's effect on the planet's temperature is minimal at best. Yet, we rarely hear about reducing other more deadly pollutions and gases. No, it is only carbon, carbon, carbon.

Why not just have everyone on the planet plant one (1) tree? That would add 6 billion plus trees to the world and that would certainly decrease the carbon dioxide, because those trees would convert the carbon dioxide into oxygen that we can breathe. It would certainly not require us to pay a tax and increase the cost of living for everyone on the planet.

Similarly, Arizona says that regulating its carbon and greenhouse gases will be too expensive. Therefore, the State is planning to quit the Western Climate Initiative. I expect other States to follow suit once these States realize that they will be taxed on the right to simply exist when carbon footprints are regulated.

Arizona will no longer participate in a groundbreaking attempt to limit greenhouse-gas emissions across the West, a change in policy by Gov. Jan Brewer that will include a review of all the state's efforts to combat climate change.

Brewer stopped short of pulling Arizona out of the multistate coalition that plans to regulate greenhouse gases starting in 2012. But she made it clear in an executive order that Arizona will not endorse the emission-control plan or any program that could raise costs for consumers and businesses.

Source: The Arizona Republic

Virginia House of Delegates Approves Bill Banning Implanted Microchips and Tracking Devices

Earlier this week, it was Georgia passing a bill to ban microchips. Despite the many feet of snow in the Virginia area, Virginia's House of Delegates has followed Georgia's lead and passed a bill banning implanted microchips. Let's hope the bill becomes State Law.

Warning of sinister privacy intrusions in an Orwellian world, Del. Mark Cole said the bill means no one could be required to wear a tracking implant as a condition of employment or by insurers.

"I personally don't care why a person objects, they should not be coerced under the threat of possible loss of employment to take an implant," said Cole, R-Spotsylvania.

Source: WTOP.com

Vermont Health Officials Say Radioactive Tritium Runoff from Yankee Nuclear Plant Likely In Connecticut River

This is an FYI to anyone who may be reading this blog in Vermont and surrounding areas. There may be radioactive tritium runoff in the Connecticut River. Click on through to the link for a newscast video on the issue.

Vermont's top health official said it's "reasonable to assume" that radioactive tritium leaking from the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant In Vernon is now leaching into the Connecticut River.

Source: WPTZ-5

Image Source: Hendrik Tammen

Global Sugar Shortage Causes Highest Prices in Thirty (30) Years (May Peak in 3rd Quarter)

The Simpsons is a ™ and © of 20th Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.

I guess with a sugar shortage, this will be the pretext and excuse to put mercury-containing corn syrup in everything.

A global sugar shortage, which drove prices to the highest level in three decades, may peak in the third quarter this year on demand from the U.S., Mexico, India and Pakistan, according to U.S.-based Tropix Capital Management.

Source: Bloomberg

Croat Academician Vladimir Paar Warns Another Ice Age Could Begin in Five (5) Years!

If you believe this article coming out of Croatia, then there goes Al Gore's global warming argument. It is funny to hear people say that global warming is the reason why everyone is so cold. They say the summers will be hotter and the winters will be colder. In case you haven't realized, this planet has seasons with natural cycles of cooling and warming. I can believe that this planet is getting colder, but there is no way Al Gore is going to convince me that this planet is warming when I remember how much hotter it was when I was a kid.

"A majority of Europe will be under ice, including Germany, Poland, France, Austria, Slovakia and part of Slovenia", [Vladimir] Paar said in an interview on Croatian news website Index.

"Ice ages in the past lasted about 70,000 years. That's a fact, and a new ice age will occur. It is a question what will happen to people in Central European countries. They might migrate south or might stay put, but with a huge increase in energy spending", the scientist said.

"What I am warning is that global warming is natural. Some 130,000 years ago, the temperature was the same as now, the level of CO2 was almost the same, and the level of the sea was four metres higher".

Asked when the ice age would begin, he said: "That could happen in five, ten, fifty or a hundred years, or even later. We can't predict it precisely, but it will come".

Source: Croatian Times

United States of America to be Hit by Simulated Cyber Attack on February 16, 2010 (Cyber ShockWave 2010 w/Chertoff, Negroponte & McLaughlin)

Ten months ago and repeatedly over that Remixx World! has focused on articles about the H1N1 "swine flu" and cyberattacks, because it is my belief that we will soon some type of cyberattack 9/11 false flag attack that will lead to some type of iPatriot Act that will eliminate the Internet as we currently know it.

2009 was about the H1N1 "swine flu" and 2010 is gearing up to be about cyber attacks. From the Chinese attacks on Google and other companies to the military creating cyber commands, there is a lot happening in this realm. Check out the upcoming cyber attack on the United States on February 16, 2010 called Cyber ShockWave 2010.

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Cyber ShockWave Hits Washington
Copyright 2010 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

Bipartisan Group of Former Senior Administration Officials Respond to Simulated Cyber Terror Attack

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) announced today that it will host Cyber ShockWave, a simulated cyber attack on the United States. Cyber ShockWave will provide an unprecedented look at how the government would develop a response to a cyber crisis. Cyber ShockWave will take place on February 16, 2010, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Cyber ShockWave simulation, created by former CIA Director General Michael Hayden and the BPC's National Security Preparedness Group, led by the co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission, Governor Thomas Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton, follows the acclaimed series of Oil ShockWave simulations conducted in 2007 by the BPC and Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE). Oil ShockWave addressed dependence on foreign oil as a national security threat.

Cyber ShockWave, developed in partnership with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, SMobile Systems, Southern Company and Georgetown University, will highlight the immediate, real dangers of cyber-terrorism by bringing together a bipartisan group of former senior administration and national security officials playing the roles of Cabinet members. The participants, whose mission is to advise the president and mount a response to the attack, will not know the scenario in advance. They will react to the threat in real time, as intelligence and news reports drive the simulation, shedding light on how the difficult split-second decisions must be made to respond to an unfolding and often unseen threat.

Following the simulation, there will be a post-event discussion with the participants and partners to discuss what the U.S. government can do to avoid a real-world cyber attack of this magnitude and what can be learned from the exercise.

Former senior administration officials and national security experts participating include:

• Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff as National Security Advisor
• Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte as Secretary of State
• White House Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend as Secretary of Homeland Security
• Director of Central Intelligence John McLaughlin as Director of National Intelligence
• Senator Bennett Johnston as Secretary of Energy
• Director of the National Economic Council Stephen Friedman as Secretary of Treasury
• Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick as Attorney General
• White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart as Counselor to the President
• General Counsel of the National Security Agency Stewart Baker as Cyber Coordinator

Cyber ShockWave is sponsored by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, SMobile Systems, Southern Company and Georgetown University.

About the Bipartisan Policy Center

In 2007, former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell formed the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) to develop and promote solutions that can attract the public support and political momentum to achieve real progress. The BPC acts as an incubator for policy efforts that engage top political figures, advocates, academics, and business leaders in the art of principled compromise. For more information please visit our website:

http://www.bipartisanpolicy.org/

Queen Elizabeth II Declares Bank Holiday in United Kingdom on June 5, 2012 to Celebrate Her Diamond Jubilee

The Queen may or may not have Sith abilities.

I am quite sure that everyone will enjoy the extra day off. Therefore, mark your calendars for June 5, 2012, because that is the day the Queen will celebrate sixty (60) years on the throne and to celebrate the date, she is giving everyone an extra bank holiday. I wonder if the United States of America will honor Britain's Queen and give us an extra bank holiday. Considering the number of banks that have closed in America over the last year, we might be headed for a bank holiday too, except our bank holiday will not be celebratory.

Workers are to be given an extra bank holiday in 2012 to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee, it was confirmed today . Tuesday 5 June has been picked as the additional day off marking the monarch's 60 years on the throne, Lord Mandelson, the business secretary, told the House of Lords.

Source: The Guardian

Montana Governor Dave Freudenthal Proposes $3 Per Megawatt Hour Excise Tax to Regulate Wind Energy Industry

It is no surprise that Montana Governor Dave Freudenthal is proposing a wind excise tax. There is no way that the government is going to let someone have free energy. Does everything under the sun have to be taxed?

In this case, it is a tax against companies in the industry and I do not know if the proposed wind excise tax will be applicable to individuals who may use wind turbines and solar power systems to generate electricity for their homes and businesses. If this wind excise tax becomes law, then there will be other jurisdictions that will take things further and attempt to impose taxes on solar panels and wind turbines on individuals who are completely off of the electrical grid.

Gov. Dave Freudenthal is pushing several bills to regulate the wind energy industry. Chief among them are a $3 per megawatt hour excise tax, and a temporary suspension of eminent domain powers to “merchant” energy companies that want to connect wind turbines to the electrical grid.

Source: Billings Gazette

Image Source: James McCauley

Iran Says It Will Deliver Harsh Blow to Global Western Powers on February 11 During Islamic Revolution Anniversary

Before you read this article and say that the Remixx World! is fear-mongering, please realize that the original source of this article is from Iran, so it is likely going to be packed-fulled with Iranian propaganda meant to scare us here in the States.

Therefore, as always take the information for what it is. It could be nothing, but hot air from Ahmadinejad. However, I will be monitoring the news wires on the 11th just like I try to do every day to see what Iran does, if anything. Hopefully, this turns out to be merely hot air and saber rattling.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the nation will deliver a harsh blow to the "global arrogance" on this year's anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

"The Islamic Revolution opened a window to liberty for the human race, which was trapped in the dead ends of materialism," Ahmadinejad said during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.

And it is not just limited to Ahmadinejad. The Nation's supreme ruler is saying the same thing.

Iran’s supreme leader said the country will deliver a ‘punch’ that will stun the West to mark tomorrow’s 31st anniversary of its Islamic Revolution.

In an address to air force leaders, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: ‘The Iranian nation, with its unity and God’s grace, will punch the arrogance [Western powers] on the 22nd of Bahman [February 11] in a way that will leave them stunned.'

My prediction is that Iran will do something with its monetary system (i.e., such as switching from a U.S. dollar basis to some other currency). Or Iran will try to launch a missile. Or Iran may even say that it has a nuclear (nookular) bomb. We shall see.

Source: Press TV; Daily Mail

Genetically Engineered Tobacco Plants Can Be Used to Grow Solar Cells Says University of California Scientists

Like something out of a crazy science fiction movie, the technology that is announced on a daily basis is quite astonishing. If it's not lightning control or energy teleportation, it is some type of genetic modification. This time the genetic modification holds the potential to alter the world's energy distribution system -- provided the modification is successful. Namely, scientists have discovered how to grow solar cells from tobacco plants!

Tobacco plants could help wean the world from fossil fuels, according to scientists from the University of California, Berkeley.

In a paper in the journal ACS Nano Letters, Matt Francis and his colleagues used genetically engineered bacteria to produce the building blocks for artificial photovoltaic and photochemical cells. The technique could be more environmentally friendly than traditional methods of making solar cells and could lead to cheap, temporary and biodegradable solar cells.

Source: Discovery News

Large Forest Fire Threatens Iguaque Nature Reserve in Colombia

Huge Fire Threatens Nature Reserve in Colombia

BOGOTA – The forest fire affecting an enormous mountainous area in the northeastern Colombian province of Boyaca since last week is now threatening the Iguaque nature reserve, emergency management officials said on Sunday.

More than 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of native forest have been destroyed by the fire, 800 of them in the Iguaque flora and fauna sanctuary, in the jurisdiction of the municipalities of Villa de Leyva and Chiquiza, some 180 kilometers (112 miles) northeast of Bogota.

About 500 people, including firefighters, soldiers, police, emergency management office and Red Cross personnel, volunteers and Indians are working on the task of putting out the flames, which in some spots are more than 10 meters (32.5 feet) high.

Source: Latin American Herald

Corruption and Fraud Plague European Union Carbon Cap and Trade System

This is one reason why this country does not need a national carbon cap-and-trade market system. The New York Times is reporting that the EU's cap and trade market has been besieged by fraud, including a recent access code theft resulting in $4 million in losses.

Carbon trading is a system that caps the amount of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, that companies may emit each year. Companies exceeding their quota can buy extra certificates from those companies that succeeded in shrinking their carbon footprint by adopting environmentally friendly technology or modifying production in other ways.

How in the hell does transferring the pollution quota from company to company REDUCE overall pollution? If my company saves 500 tons of emission, then some company that polluted 500 tons more than allowed can buy my quota. The net result is still the same amount of population. All this carbon trading is nothing, but a tax on business production.

The system is the main tool used by the European Union to meet its ambitious pollution-reduction goals.

Taking away the gains made in reducing pollution through improving technologies, how has the carbon trade system actually helped to pollution?

Many economists say trading provides the most economically efficient way to reduce pollution...

Exactly. It is an easy way for the central world banks to make money.

But since the start of the system in Europe, coal-burning utilities have earned windfall profits, while the prices of credits have never been high enough for long enough to force utilities and businesses to replace conventional power with significant amounts of renewable energy or other clean sources.

Other forms of shady trades have beset the carbon markets in Europe.

This includes access code thefts and value-added taxes being added to carbon permits sold to businesses, but not paid to governments.

Source: New York Times

H1N1 "Swine Flu" Flavoring Now in Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Chips and Frozen Foods at Walgreens?

I highly doubt these products contain H1H1 "swine flu" virus or flavorings. However, you never know, because aspartame does comes from bacteria. Perhaps there is a new H1N1 sweetener. More likely, this pharmacy is anxious to sell some of the expiring H1N1 "swine flu" vaccines rotting on the shelf, so they are putting stickers on every product in an attempt to promote the shot.

Yes, as if their outdoor billboards advertising "H1N1 NOW AVAILABLE" weren't confusing enough, they've now apparently printed up stickers and started slapping them on every surface in the store with no sense whatsoever of how this could be just a bit incongruous. Nah.

Source: The Consumerist (Laura Northrup via Dan)

Zbigniew Brzezinski Interview with Christiane Amanpour (Obama's Foreign Policy in Gridlock)

Here's another interview from Emperor Palpatine. It is normally assumed in the media and political circles that Dr. Brzezinski is a political genius in the foreign affairs game. If Brezinski is a genius, then why was his time as President Carter's National Security Adviser from 1977-1981 considered one of America's darkest foreign political moments? Nevertheless, Brzezinski is still considered by the media as being a credible source for information. I guess he is a good source for information, because he is an insider, but why would someone want to follow his advice?

President Obama's foreign policy agenda may have "run out of steam" and he must now take risks and provide effective leadership, former U.S. National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski said Friday.

In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Brzezinski said Obama's foreign policy agenda is suffering from gridlock in Washington.

Source: CNN

Cuba Asking Citizens to Register Their Handguns (May Be Allowed to Keep Weapons if Can Pass Aptitude & Psychological Tests)

Why is Cuba suddenly wanting to let its citizens keep and own firearms? Could it have anything to do something with the thousands of American and other troops fifty (50) or so miles away from the Cuba borders in Haiti? Maybe Cuba is worried and wants to ensure that its able-minded citizens are armed in case there is a need for battle. Or maybe the government simply wants to know where the weapons are in case the weapons need to be confiscated.

Cuba has declared a two-month amnesty for citizens to register unlicensed guns, and says those passing aptitude and psychological tests will be allowed to keep their weapons.

The move is unusual in a state where almost no one except some active military personnel and plain-clothed state security agents are allowed to possess weapons...

Starting Feb. 12, Cubans will have the “exceptional and one-time only” chance to register their guns with police, and will be allowed to keep them provided they are over 18 and have passed the proper tests administered at police stations.

Source: Havana Journal

FLASHBACK: Did New Orleans Police Shoot & Kill Contractors on Danziger Bridge Trying to Blow Up Levees After Hurricane Katrina?

During the post-Hurricane Katrina period, I recall hearing a story where there was an alleged shoot-out between the New Orleans Police and "contractors" on the Danziger Bridge with the police killing several of the contractors. Later, when I researched the story trying to find the original account of the event, the story had been changed to one where people were shooting at the contractors and the police ended up killing those people - not the contractors.

It is quite possible that the initial story was incorrect, but this site focuses on the conspiracy theory, so there is no story here in accepting the official story - especially because there have been allegations that someone blew up the levees causing New Orleans to flood. Therefore, it is quite possible that these "contractors" were attempting to further sabotage the levees when the police served and protected the people by taking out these contractors.

1. Why would the initial story report that the contractors had been shot and killed?

2. Who made this initial story?

3. What was this initial report based upon?

4. When the initial story was retracted, was a reason given for the retraction?

5. If the contractors were going to the bridge to fix it, then why would the police shoot and kill them?

You can read further information about this conspiracy at What Really Happened at the Danziger Bridge? The original story appears below at Aztlan:

Police Kill Five Contractors on La. Bridge

Sunday September 4, 2005 11:16 PM

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Police shot eight people carrying guns on a New Orleans bridge Sunday, killing five or six, a deputy chief said. A spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers said the victims were contractors on their way to repair a canal.

The contractors were walking across a bridge on their way to launch barges into Lake Pontchartrain to fix the 17th Street Canal, said John Hall, a spokesman for the Corps.

Earlier Sunday, New Orleans Deputy Police Chief W.J. Riley said police shot at eight people, killing five or six.

The shootings took place on the Danziger Bridge, which spans a canal connecting Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River.

No other details were immediately available.

Source: Guardian Unlimited (via Aztlan)