According to multiple sources including a Zenn Motor Company institutional investor (who all spoke on the condition of anonymity), a sexual harassment scandal may have been mishandled by Zenn's executive team and board of directors. Apparently, an internal investigation has determined that a senior Zenn executive violated sexual harrassment rules with a junior employee. The executive was disciplined but not terminated. Instead, a senior officer who voiced concern to the board of directors that the incident and alleged victim's well being were being mishandled was later dismissed from his job. Additionally, an alleged witness to one of the incidents was also dismissed. The sequence of events, whether related or not, will likely result in questions leading up to the Annual General Meeting on March 24, 2010.
The anonymous reports on the incident matched details dropped by others in various internet message boards in recent days. Zenn CEO, Ian Clifford offered no comment.
Out of respect for all parties, I have left out the names of those involved.
When asked if he felt the incident will be very damaging to Zenn, the institutional investor said it all depends on whether Zenn's board determines to put it behind them quickly or let it drag out (with the standard caveat regarding Zenn's complete dependency on EEStor).
Brain Surgeon, Dr. Lyle Dennis of Gm-Volt.com, cracked open my mind today (I didn't feel a thing and was actually awake the whole time) to a report from a trio of analysts at Deutsche Bank claiming greater optimism for the future of electric vehicles including primarily that the price of batteries "appear to be coming down faster than we expected." The sharper decline in pricing "implies potential for more rapid EV penetration," according to the report.
I would like to echo what the astute seers--Rod Lache, Dan Galves & Patrick Nolan-- from Deutsche Bank have pointed out for us with one slight modification. Not only will the price of lithium ion batteries continue to fall--in my opinion--but they will soon enough become more worthless than dirt. Dirt, as you know, has many uses and for the most part, you don't have to pay any fees to dispose of it as it just sort of stays where it is. Lithium ion however, is a toxic substance. Accordingly, I predict that the introduction of the EEStor EESU into the market place will rapidly turn lithium ion assets into toxic liabilities....worth less than dirt, when you factor in the appropriate regulations that should eventually be introduced to keep them away from the water table.
You may recall a couple articles I wrote concerning a FOIA request issued to NASA headquarters by world famous EEStor follower, RT. In that request, we learned that EEStor had submitted 6 proposals to the SBIR program in 2002. If you check the original release, the last page shows an email from an employee who found the proposals using a search tool at NASA. The original FOIA request should have encompassed those proposals redacted of any proprietary information. Additionally, NASA should have provided any records surrounding those proposals including meeting notes, emails, etc associated with the proposals. They should have done this because it is the law.
Instead, NASA said the proposals no longer existed. Out of anger, I used the word 'Assholes' to convey my displeasure. That is a really inappropriate word to use in a serious blog such as this where my world renowned journalist skills are showcased so frequently. I really regret having said that about NASA. I wish I had chosen a more professional way of expressing myself and calling to light an issue which definitely deserves more light. Therefore, I am redacting what I said earlier and would ask you, kind reader to forgive me for this breach of your trust in my professionalism. I would be very appreciative, dear reader, if you would replace what I said earlier:
'Assholes at NASA'
with this updated phrase which I think may foster more understanding of the actual facts:
'Incompetent Assholes at NASA.'
Perhaps slightly because of my maniacal, non-stop prodding, RT continued to follow up with NASA and recently asked for a print out of the prior search of the proposals. Fortunately, we got a copy of that print out. While it doesn't seem to provide any important new information, (unless you consider what is likely the first attempt at naming the device prior to arriving at EESU), it did lead me on a little quest for knowledge.
First, it would appear from the proposal notes that the first name for an EESU was intended to be Rapid-Energy-Delivery-Battery. REDB. Doesn't roll off the tongue, does it? No. We can conclude then that EEStor has made progress outside of what has been revealed in their press releases. Don't accept any lies to the contrary.
Secondly, at the bottom of the print out, you can see the server against which the query was issued. After poking around, I called the support line for the system in question and learned that indeed all 6 of the proposals ARE IN FACT STILL ON THE SERVER. I asked the person supporting the app to look at each proposal and determine the number of pages in each. (ranges from 14-17). Alas, the documents were not authorized for release....by this particular individual.
At first glance, there would be sufficient facts to warrant calling this a NASA COVERUP!!! But, I'm not prone to conspiracies and so I actually did a bit more digging and as best as I can surmise, we're dealing with nothing more than incompetence and laziness in the FOIA office. I won't name names or go into any detail...it's immaterial. But I am convinced there are more documents that have not been released.
I hope this clarifies this particular episode in the EEStory and that you won't judge me by my incomplete phrasing about NASA earlier.
Lockheed Martin revealed their WORLD CHANGING SEEsuite software capabilities today at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, God Bless Them. Unfortunately for this important Lockheed initiative, no new information about EEStor was revealed. However, Lockheed Martin DID make an excellent choice today and they actually answered a question THAT I SUBMITTED online during the webcast. KUDOS to the person reading the questions coming in from online. I love you!!!
And as luck would have it, tonite, we have a little bit more to reveal about EEStor.....if you can follow the clues.
HAVE A LOOK.
Lockheed will be rolling back the curtains on their SEESuite or grid management applications today at the National Press Club. Early indications are that there will be no new information concerning EEStor. However, based on past events, Lockheed officials have been desperately working on their EEStor poker faces. I anticipate forced grimaces and stone faced indifference when invariably asked about EEStor today at the event.
Are you planning to attend via webcast and slip in a question about EEStor? Please do but keep in mind Lockheed received well over 50 questions last time about EEStor and they refused to address a single one.
My advice to Lockheed in all of this? Provide a tiny update on EEStor so that people aren't distracted by it and so renewable energy bloggers like me will actually put in the effort to write about SEEsuite. It only makes sense.
In his new book, "Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy," veteran Washington DC reporter Eamon Javers provides a vivid picture of the current collaboration taking place between various multi-national corporations and individuals and firms arising from the intelligence community. As Javers discovered, today's large businesses & a growing number of hedge funds are increasingly utilizing the spy skills of individuals trained to support various state sponsored intelligence agencies around the world: NSA, CIA, KGB, FBI, etc.
What is drawing these spys into spying for big businesses like Disney, Mars & Nestle? Money. Javers points out that many US agencies have moonlighting policies which allow agents to perform work on the side if they obtain approval to do so....for the purpose of improving morale and retention. These individuals, current in the art of collecting intelligence and in running counterintelligence operations are going to work for a growing number of private companies formed by former members of intelligence organizations around the world, some of them very high ranking. (Not even going to mention countries where the Intelligence community now rules the people)
Shockingly, some of these private firms combine forces with their adversaries around the world who work or worked for unfriendlies such as the Soviet Union & China. The success of these firms has also turned intelligence gathering into a business into which large companies are investing money and resources. Just as with other types of businesses, these companies are being bought and sold by entities that would give the average American pause, such as companies in the Middle East.
One fruit of Javers work is that conspiracy theorists will have much more reality to draw upon to spin their tales which brings us to Javers "modest suggestion" to society,
The spy firms must be dragged farther into the public view, where citizens can keep an eye on whether what they're doing is constructive or destructive.
Javers recommends that the framework of registration and disclosure successfully applied to the lobbyist industry also be applied to spys.
With Javers thought in mind, it is worth noting that at least 1 individual working in our country's intelligence community keeps close tabs on EEStor and TheEEStory.com and has been doing so for months.
Website statistics for the barium titanate blog and TheEESTory.com show that someone whose traffic originates from the md procurement office (what some consider the contracting office of the NSA) has been lurking on the site for quite some time. Interestingly, it may be more than one individual since the traffic originates from up to 5 separate networks. Either this individual moves around for his/her job or there is more than one interested party at NSA keeping tabs on EEStor information. Interestingly, some of the recent traffic has arrived via google searchers for "eestor scam."
Who are these people at NSA gathering EEStor information? Are they making sure nothing spills out? Are they working for private industry and orchestrating a dirty tricks campaign on behalf of EEStor competitors? Is it an old friend of Dick Weir's or Carl Nelson's--both of whom worked at one time for the CIA? Or is it just the janitor who occasionally hacks into the most secure, well-logged network in the world to check up on his investments?
You be the judge. But please don't complain that you were not informed. MUHAHAAHAAHAAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
While I would have loved to be there and ask the "Hard Questions" to the likes of KPC&B et. cetera, at least the hard-working blogger Ross Miller was at the eBay reveal of Bloom Energy's Bloom Box event.
Check out the blog and pretend you were there yourself!
The service provider supporting TheEEStory's hosting company had an outage this morning (Saturday, February 20, 2010). Seems service has been restored.
Many have wondered why I haven't posted an interview with EEStor's Dick Weir in quite some time. Well, today, I think I can finally shed some light on that issue. As it turns out, EEStor has been in agreement with having another interview for a long time. However, I have been unwilling to agree with their one condition. But, in light of the fact that so many people want to know what is going on now, I decided to bite the bullet and I agreed to their conditional offer in order to get the interview.
In this interview with EEStor founder Dick Weir, I was able to ask any question I wanted. No holds barred. However, the answers provided by Mr. Weir would be---and this is the condition---would be expressed only via a Jamaican dialect.
B: Dick, it's good to be speaking with you again. It's been a long time and this format you've required should probably be addressed from the outside. So, why the Jamaican manner of speaking today?
DW: Dat a mi brudda. Jamaican mon, mi luv a Jamaica, mon. Mi did de day a mi own in Jamaica, mon.
B: I see. Ok. If it's your preference. First question, can you please provide an update on the status of EEStor's commercialization effort?
DW: Da tists a go a home rrreeeun mi brudda. Dis lef nuttin but da prahducks ah rah bots a crunkin Lawd 'ave mercy pan mi bones. Someting a see, mon. Nuh dun yet. Buh di for di tree tousand jooles cc, mon.
[Longish pause]
B: Ahem. Go on.
DW: De nex one mi brudda.
B: Oh, ok. So, when might we hear some sort of announcement from EEStor?
DW: Mi a go bak a wuk pan Chewsday a may pan de Fraday a fe da patans a nite. Nuh di inna buks inna woryd ga dat. Nuh di profs a me fambly. Galang bout mi business inna de bik mi brudda. Aright? Put dis all inna de bag. Inna de bag, mon.
B: That's great news. It must feel really good to be where you are and on the cusp of doing some really important and great things. But, your choice to maintain such a low profile has lead to many vocal critics saying quite a few nasty things such as that you're incompetent and worse, that you've orchestrated everything as part of a scam. What do you say to those skeptics out there who believe this today?
DW: Smaddy tell me sey did a chat bout mi. De bwoy a de biggest liad. Mi wud radda yu nuh chat a mi. Yu see? Dis a skeps tahs uh pan a mango tree, mi brudda. I'm jook mi inna mi yeye. Yu ave an idea.
B: Understood. How is Carl Nelson getting along?
DW: Carl is mi brudda fra ah nudda mudda. Jus lika brudda inna mi haht. No bodda bawl Carl soon cum bak.
B: Tell him we wish him all the best. Moving on now, would you be able to say a few words about your work with Lockheed Martin?
DW: Coodeh, yuh see de big bud eena de sky ah mi Lawd 'ave Mercy. Lockheed mek up thim mind arredy bout de awl of de midda east. Jesum Peeze, a cyan bleve dat wi lose de contree. So dah mista Stevens issa wan big mon. Ya wa see but kept de sinting inna de bag. Butta goooda di questyon, mon.
B: What about Kleiner Perkins, how do they feel these days?
DW: Len out de money an no troubles. Happy like du buds in da tree, mon, smokin de ganga wit mi brudda Carl. But mi brudda carl mak eh mi call dis da "Cannabis" da CAN AAHH BIS. [said slowly and emphatically] De Jon Doerr mak eh Carl call dis de Midical Manywanna a goin green. Oh brudda. [laughing... then a pause as if Weir is taking a drink. A large beer possibly. ]
B: I definitely believe that. And as for your other partner, Zenn Motor Company. Do you have any thoughts on when they might receive their first pre-production unit?
DW: I be tellin a Ian a lang time mi dey inna dis close anna no cigah. Buttta mi askin fa du big jesu a tree days now inna mango tree. Das it. Na bye ti de next time mi rohbatd de callin mi. Bye mon.
[phone hangs up abruptly.]
This interview took place today via phone with Dick Weir at his production facility in Cedar Park, TX
