tyb
GORDO14 USAF E-4B Nightwatch sw from some trackin just west of Peoria, IL and on descent for Dyess AFB-red dot
RUFF02 US NAvy E-6B Mercury nw from Tinker passing underneath 161529 USMC DC-9 Skytrain from Peterson trackin' n Texas and Panhandle (old AC here) and HOOVR41 USAF Rivet Joint sw from Offutt AFB
SpaceX announces first mission to space with all-civilian crew
SpaceX announced plans Monday for the first all-civilian mission to space, a major milestone for private spaceflight and the nascent space tourism industry.
The mission aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will feature a four-person crew led by Jared Isaacman, the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, a Pennsylvania-based payment processing company. The flight is expected to launch sometime in the fourth quarter of this year, according to SpaceX. “When you’ve got a brand new mode of transportation, you have to have pioneers,” SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk told NBC News’ Tom Costello in an interview with NBC Nightly News. “Things are expensive at first, and as you’re able to increase the launch rate, increase the production rate, refine the technology, it becomes less expensive and accessible to more people.”
Private citizens have flown to space before, but these space tourists typically paid to hitch rides into orbit alongside trained NASA astronauts or Russian cosmonauts. Isaacman’s flight will be the first time a crew made up entirely of private citizens will venture into space. The crewmembers will undergo training by SpaceX, including mission simulations for emergency preparedness and how to handle orbital mechanics during their flight. Isaacman said in a statement that the mission, dubbed Inspiration4, is “the realization of a lifelong dream and a step towards a future in which anyone can venture out and explore the stars.”
Anyone, that is, with millions of dollars to spend on the ride. SpaceX did not disclose how much Isaacman paid for the flight.
But Musk said he hopes these early joyrides lay the groundwork for more space tourism in the future, beyond just billionaires who are able to afford the flights now.
"It's like when America went to the moon in '69 — it wasn't just a few people, humanity went to the moon," he said. "We all went there with them. And I think it's something similar here."
An all-civilian mission is a huge stepping stone for the private spaceflight industry, but it also presents enormous challenges. Musk said SpaceX’s top priority will be to maximize the safety of the crew.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacex-announces-first-mission-space-all-civilian-crew-n1256390
CME Hikes Silver Margins After Prices Surge to Eight-Year High
The CME Group is raising margins on Comex silver futures by 18% after futures surged to an eight-year high, the exchange said in a statement.
Margins will rise to $16,500 per contract from $14,000, effective Feb. 2, according to the exchange. The decision is based on “the normal review of market volatility to ensure adequate collateral coverage,” it said in a statement.
The increase means those who want to trade silver futures will need to put up more collateral to ensure they can meet their obligations. While the exchange routinely raises margins when a contract is soaring or extremely volatile, Monday’s move could edge out smaller players who don’t have enough cash to make the necessary deposits.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/cme-hikes-silver-margins-after-prices-surge-to-eight-year-high-1.1557509
02-5001 USAFSOC C-32B on descent for Eglin AFB from Opa Locka Exec. Airport ground stop-departed San Juan, PR earlier
This was BULLA76 and went to Liberia, Costa Rica on Sat and east to San Juan, PR on Sunday
KOMODO4 USAF E-8C Joint STARS off eastern Florida on the track
Former Natural Gas Trader Pleads Guilty for Role in Commodities Insider Trading Scheme
A former natural gas trader pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud for his role in an insider trading scheme. John Ed James, 51, of Katy, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore of the Southern District of Texas. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 26, 2021, before Judge Gilmore.
As part of his guilty plea, James admitted that he conspired with others to misappropriate material, nonpublic information and to use that information to engage in fraudulent, pre-arranged trades in natural gas futures contracts. These pre-arranged trades generated approximately $966,403 in illicit proceeds. He further admitted that the net profits from these fraudulent trades were split between himself and others involved in the fraudulent trading scheme. James also admitted that he and others agreed to falsely document certain proceeds as income on IRS forms in part to conceal the true nature of the funds and to make the illicit profits appear to be legitimate income paid. In a related case, Marcus Schultz, 41, previously pleaded guilty before Judge Gilmore on July 20, 2020, to a one-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act, including 17 C.F.R. § 180.1. Sentencing is scheduled for June 14, 2021. This matter marks the Department of Justice’s first effort to prosecute insider trading in the commodity markets under Section 180.1.
This case is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Houston Field Office and the IRS-CI’s Houston Field Office. Trial Attorneys Jennifer Farer, Drew Bradylyons, and Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady of the Southern District of Houston are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section plays a pivotal role in the Department of Justice’s fight against white collar crime around the country and is the national leader in prosecuting fraud and manipulation in the U.S. commodity markets.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-natural-gas-trader-pleads-guilty-role-commodities-insider-trading-scheme
U.S.-Based Promoter of Foreign Cryptocurrency Companies Charged in over $11 Million Securities Fraud Scheme
A California man was charged in a complaint unsealed today for his alleged participation in a coordinated cryptocurrency and securities fraud scheme that used purported digital currency platforms and foreign-based financial accounts.
John DeMarr, 55, of Santa Ana, was charged in a complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud. DeMarr made his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early of the Central District of California. Judge Early referred the case to the Eastern District of New York for further proceedings.
“The indictment alleges an elaborate scheme in which the defendant conspired to lure unsuspecting investors with fraudulent promises of large returns in the cryptocurrency market, only to divert millions of dollars for his own personal use,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “While the technologies and methods are constantly changing, the Criminal Division’s commitment to aggressively pursuing fraud in all its forms remains unchanged.”
“As alleged, DeMarr made misrepresentations and false promises that coaxed investors into pouring millions of dollars into fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes, all to facilitate his extravagant lifestyle,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Seth D. DuCharme of the Eastern District of New York. “We will continue to root out and prosecute those who would cheat investors to line their own pockets.”
“Mr. DeMarr created an elaborate cryptocurrency scheme, complete with high profile endorsements and incredibly large returns that proved to be a mirage costing investors millions,” said Assistant Director in Charge Kristi K. Johnson of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Mr. DeMarr is now in custody and no longer spending his victims' money, nor hiding from justice by faking his own disappearance.”
“In today’s hi-tech financial world there are increasingly more opportunities for fraudsters to take advantage of people and their bank accounts,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan Korner of the IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “John DeMarr’s Bitcoin operation is one such example of a cryptocurrency investment scheme that did not payoff for his investors. Claiming to be part of a cryptocurrency ‘ecosystem,’ DeMarr created nothing more than an elaborate fraud scheme where he stole his investors’ money to fund his own personal lifestyle, resulting in losses totaling over $11 million. Financial crimes never pay, as one way or another the person behind the computer will be caught and will be held accountable.”
As alleged in the complaint, between 2017 and 2018, DeMarr conspired with others to defraud numerous victims of $11.4 million by inducing them to invest in their companies, “Start Options” and “B2G,” based on materially false and misleading representations. Start Options purported to be an online investment platform that provided cryptocurrency mining, trading, and digital asset trading services. B2G was purportedly an “ecosystem” that would allow users to trade B2G tokens, provide digital wallet staking, and trade digitial and fiat currencies “on a secure, comprehensive platform.”
According to the allegations, however, both Start Options and B2G were fraudulent. In approximately December 2017, DeMarr and others began offering securities in the form of investment contracts to U.S. and international investors through the Start Options website. Investments were accepted in Bitcoin, U.S. dollars, or Euros. To participate, investors had to deposit their funds for a specified contract period, after which they could purportedly withdraw their money at a significant profit.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-natural-gas-trader-pleads-guilty-role-commodities-insider-trading-scheme
RAF POSIDN1 P-8 departed Boeing Field after an extensive stay-here since at least late Nov.
Returning to home base of RAF Lassiemouth on the northern Scottish coast
Boeing’s Poseidon MRA1 (P-8A) is a multi-role maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with sensors and weapons systems for anti-submarine warfare, as well as surveillance and search and rescue missions.
The Poseidon’s comprehensive mission system features an APY-10 radar with modes for high-resolution mapping, an acoustic sensor system, including passive and multi-static sonobuoys, electro-optical/IR turret and electronic support measures (ESM). This equipment delivers comprehensive search and tracking capability, while the aircraft’s weapons system includes torpedoes for engaging sub-surface targets.
https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/poseidon-mra1/
The Trade Desk President/CEO sold: $82.02m-Jan 28,29 Feb 1
Cap 2 recent of $175.47m
Prior to The Trade Desk, Green founded AdECN, which he built in 2004 as the world’s first online advertising exchange. As COO, he led all strategy, product, and business development. AdECN was acquired by Microsoft in 2007 and Green spent two years at Microsoft Online Services Division overseeing all reseller and channel partner business, including ad monetization for Facebook, MSNBC, MSN, Fox Sports, and others*.
from 2007
Ad Exchange AdECN Acquired By Microsoft
https://www.adexchanger.com/investment/ad-exchange-adecn-acquired-by-microsoft/
https://www.thetradedesk.com/us/about-us/our-leadership
*"others"-kek
The Trade Desk, Inc. is a technology company. The Company provides a self-service platform that enables clients to purchase and manage digital advertising campaigns across various advertising formats, including display, video and social, and on a range of devices, including computers, mobile devices and connected television. Its platform enables a media planner or buyer at an advertising agency to purchase digital media programmatically on various media exchanges and sell-side platforms; acquire and use third-party data to optimize and measure digital advertising campaigns; deploy their, or their client's, own first-party data in order to optimize campaign efficacy; link digital campaigns to offline sales results or other business objectives; access other services, such as its data management platform and publisher management platform marketplace, and use its user interface and application programming interfaces (APIs) to build their own technology on top of the Company's platform. Number of employees : 1 310 people.
https://www.finviz.com/insidertrading.ashx?oc=1671445&tc=7&b=2
Man wanted in ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn's escape accuses US of 'betrayal'
A U.S. Army Special Forces veteran accused, along with his son, of smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. Chair Carlos Ghosn out of Japan in a box is imploring U.S. officials to block their extradition. In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, days after a judge cleared the way for the pair to be handed over to Japan, Michael Taylor said he fears they will be treated unfairly in the Japanese legal system. Taylor, a former Green Beret and private security specialist from Massachusetts, said he feels betrayed that the U.S. would try to turn him over to Japan after his service to the country.
"You dedicate your time in the military and you serve in combat and you do a whole bunch of other things," Taylor said from the suburban Boston jail where he and his son, Peter Taylor, have been locked up since May. "And now they volunteer to extradite me and my son to Japan for something like this? Yeah, you feel a great sense of betrayal." The U.S. Department of State agreed in October to hand the pair over to Japan, but a court judge put the extradition on hold after their lawyers filed an emergency petition. The judge rejected the petition last week, clearing the way for the extradition, but the men's lawyers are now appealing to the Boston-based federal appeals court. Paul Kelly, one of their attorneys, said the U.S. has assured them it will not seek to surrender the Taylors to Japan before Feb. 12.
The White House didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the case. The State Department referred questions to the Department of Justice. A DOJ spokesperson said anyone extradited to Japan to be tried for alleged crimes committed there "will be afforded all due process and other rights typically available to all defendants facing criminal charges in Japan." Lawyers for the Taylors have not denied the allegations but say the men cannot be extradited because "bail jumping" is not a crime in Japan and, therefore, helping someone evade their bail conditions isn't a crime either. They say the men will be subjected to "mental and physical torture" in Japan, describing its criminal justice system as "akin to that of an authoritarian regime."
The Taylors' defense team had been lobbying the Trump White House to step in. The father and son hired two high-powered attorneys with connections to former President Donald Trump Abbe Lowell, who has represented Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Ty Cobb, a former Trump White House attorney in the hopes the case would catch Trump's attention before he left office.
Now, Taylor said he's hopeful President Joe Biden's administration will take a fresh look at the case.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210202/p2g/00m/0na/021000c
10X Geonomics, Inc. sold by Paladin Capital Mgmt: $78.29m-April 21,30 2020 reported today
10x Genomics, Inc. is a life science technology company. The Company's integrated solutions include instruments, consumables and software for analyzing biological systems at a resolution and scale that matches the complexity of biology. The Company’s product consists of chromium single cell gene expression solution, cell immune profiling solution, cell copy number variation (CNV) solution, Cell assay for transposase accessible chromatin (ATAC) solution. The Company's Chromium platform enables analysis of individual biological components, such as up to millions of single cells. Its Visium platform is designed to identify where biological components are located and how they are arranged with respect to each other. Its molecular assays are used with its Chromium platform, and with its planned Visium platform, to provide sensitive and robust biochemistries that convert minute amounts of biological analytes into detectable signals. Number of employees : 584 people.
https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/10X-GENOMICS-INC-65338646/company/
https://www.finviz.com/insidertrading.ashx?oc=1788497&tc=7&b=2
Paladin Capital Mgmt
This is just a sample of the "Federal Experts" available from this K St. place of business as usual
Lt. Gen. (Ret) Kenneth A. Minihan Managing Director
Served as the 14th Director of the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, a combat support agency of the Department of Defense with military and civilian personnel stationed worldwide. As Director, he was the senior uniformed intelligence officer in the Department of Defense. He has also served as the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. He has over thirty years experience in national, defense and military information services, information technology development and diverse customer support services. Lieutenant General Ken Minihan has vast experience in large complex global and national information operations, information technology deployment, and customer requirement satisfaction. While the Director of NSA, he helped conceive and provide strategic direction to the National Information Assurance Program.
Richard Ledgett-Team: Management He is a recognized expert in cyber threats, spent nearly 30 years with the National Security Agency (NSA). He was its deputy director and acting chief operating officer from 2014 until his retirement in 2017. Ledgett began his NSA career in 1988. From 2012 to 2013 he directed the NSA/Central Security Service National Threat Operations Center (NTOC), responsible for round-the-clock cryptologic activities to discover and counter adversary cyber efforts. Prior to NTOC he served in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in both the collection and cyber mission areas. Ledgett was the first national intelligence manager for cyber at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. He was principal adviser to the Director of National Intelligence on cyber matters, overseeing the creation of the Unified Intelligence Strategy for Cyber, and leading cybersecurity work across the intelligence community.
Ciaran Martin-Global Security Expert and Managing Director-founding Chief Executive of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, a part of GCHQ, on which he served at Executive Board level for six and a half years from late 2013 until August 2020. He led a radical overhaul of the UK’s approach to cyber security and the organisations running it, pioneering much greater Government engagement with industry, more transparency and sharing around threat data, a collaborative approach to international security partnerships with the United States, the other Five Eyes countries, and allies in Europe and elsewhere. Under his leadership, the UK rose from joint eighth to first in the International Telecommunications Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index. The NCSC model has been replicated in Canada and Australia and much studied in the United States.
https://www.paladincapgroup.com/people/#federal-experts