Barack Obama and Wife Resign Church Membership in Trinity United Church of Christ

Barack Obama And Wife Resign Church Membership
In Trinity United Church Of Christ
Saturday, May 31, 2008 FOXNews.com brings us this report this evening and it starts off like this... Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have resigned their membership at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, after controversies stemming from the church created a persistent distraction for Obama’s campaign... Obama said Saturday that he made the decision with “some sadness,” but that he had been discussing it with his family for “quite some time” and that he did not want to be a continuing burden on the congregation...
Read the rest at link below...
Obama Resigns Church Membership in Chicago

I’m probably like 10,000 other Bloggers out there who are thinking... Let’s see now... Obama had how many years, (over 2o,) to bail on this Church... and its members... and he JUST NOW figures it out!!!?

We’re going to have a lot of fun with this guy over the next few months...
AubreyJ........

"I Invented The Internet, Episode 1: The Audacity" - (Repost)

(Repost)

"I Invented The Internet, Episode 1: The Audacity"
I rate this video as Mature: Some VERY Graphic Images within

About Video: "I Invented The Internet, Episode 1: The Audacity." Lorne Baxter explores the life of Barack Hussein Obama, Jeremiah Wright and the theology behind it. Video is just over 13 minutes long.

Posted on EyeBlast.TV by Illuminati Pictures
Produced by Illuminati Pictures (www.illuminati.tv) - Music by Intelligentzia

Watch Launch and Mission Live Of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-124

Note: This post near top today - Scroll for newer post below

Watch Launch and Mission Live
Of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-124
On NASA TELEVISION
Saturday, May 31, 2008

* Launch Time: 4:02pm CDT *

About Photo: Commander Mark Kelly and crew are set to launch at 4:02 p.m. CDT Saturday, delivering the main segment of Japan's Kibo module to the station
Image credit: NASA

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This will be Launch Try #ONE
(Note: Live Coverage on NASA TV is happening Right Now!)

As of 9:30am CDT... The weather is looking promising for launch today, according to Shuttle Weather Officer Kathy Winters. Isolated coastal showers may be in the area during the morning hours, but a sea breeze will develop in the afternoon, clearing the coast and causing any showers to move inland. There is an 80 percent chance of favorable weather at launch time.

This mission will carry the largest payload so far to the station and includes three spacewalks. It is the second of three missions that will launch components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and Kibo's robotic arm system. Discovery also will deliver new station crew member Greg Chamitoff and bring back Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who will end a three-month stay aboard the outpost.
Info from the NASA.gov website

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Read Latest News and Updates +
Countdown/Mission Elapsed Time Clock
at NASA.gov

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Watch Launch and Mission LIVE
At NASA TV
Click HERE to view
ENJOY!!!

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* View STS-124 Interactive Timeline - Here *

.

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UPDATE: 4:15pm CDT
LIFTOFF!!! Image courtesy of NASA

Space Shuttle Discovery has just achieved a very successful liftoff... that was on time and is now on its way... in space... racing to catch up with the International Space Station for a docking on Monday.

...
I’ll be posting on the mission and all the spacewalks over the next few days so check back!!!
GOD SPEED to the Crew of STS-124 Discovery...
AubreyJ.........

Iraq: On Ground Updates - Friday, May 30, 2008

Iraq On Ground Updates
Shiite Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr Supporters...
Protest Against US Military Long-term Deal
Friday, May 30, 2008

...

epa file photo

AFG.Google.com brings us this report...
Thousands of supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrated in Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq after Friday prayers to denounce a government deal with Washington on US troop levels... Followers of the anti-US cleric brandished placards outside mosques in their Sadr City Shiite stronghold in the capital as security forces stepped up their presence there... A key member of the Sadrist movement, Sheikh Mohannad Al-Gazawi, denounced the proposed deal that will extend the US troop presence in Iraq beyond 2008... "This agreement binds Iraq and gives 99 percent of the country to America," he said...
Read the full report HERE

Can you say IRAN!!!?
AubreyJ.........

Photo for the Day - May 30, 2008

* Photo for the Day * Sugar and Spice
U.S. Army Sgt. Mark Davenport holds a little girl while on patrol in the Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad, May 16, 2008.
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brad Willeford

AubreyJ’s Energy Update Report - Friday, May 30, 2008

AubreyJ’s Energy Update Report
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Investigates Speculation Claims into Crude Oil Market
Friday, May 30, 2008

* The Street.com website brings us this report and it starts off like this... The Commodity Futures Trading Commission said Thursday that it started an investigation into the crude oil market in December in order to determine if prices have been manipulated... The CFTC said its enforcement division launched the probe into practices surrounding the purchase, transportation, storage and trading of crude oil and related derivative contracts. Although the enforcement investigations are typically carried out confidentially, the CFTC said it was disclosing the review because of the "unprecedented market conditions" in the oil arena...
Read the full report HERE

* ClusterStock.com has this take on the news... Speculators have become the popular scapegoat for the recent surge in oil prices, and they've finally begun to attract some serious scrutiny from the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The WSJ reports that the CFTC has launched "a broad nationwide probe" into price manipulation...
Read this report in full HERE

* KATC.com website has this report out from Louisiana... A ban on oil and gas drilling near interstate highways in Louisiana will continue for another month, Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation James Welsh decided Thursday... The drilling restriction within a quarter mile of an interstate was prompted by a November gas well blowout that shut down a 55 mile-stretch of Interstate 10 between Lafayette and Baton Rouge during the busy holiday traffic season...
Read the rest at link below...
Ban on oil and gas drilling near interstates extended

* GoDanRiver.com website has this report...
Myrick urges drilling for oil off North Carolina coast

* Yahoo! News website reports...
Offshore drilling has become the last frontier in the exploration for new oil and natural gas reserves...
Demand For Deep-Water Drilling Rigs In Faraway Places Stays Hot

* CNNMoney.com reports in with their take... Oil executives and some lawmakers believe it's one of the only ways to help calm skyrocketing prices, but others say it takes us further away from a long term solution...
Drilling our way out of rising oil prices
Above link has an interesting News Video titled: Global Oil Reserves

Image credit: DoE

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AubreyJ.........

Haynesville Shale Updates - Thursday, May 29, 2008

This Post Last Updated: Tuesday, June 03, 2008
1:20Pm CDT

Haynesville Shale
Large Natural Gas Deposit, Northwest Louisiana
UPDATES:
Thursday, May 29, 2008

Note: This post will be updated over next few days so check back Photo Credit: AubreyJ.........
Wells of Past, 1967 - Grandfather’s Farm - Red Shute Plantation
Bossier Parish
...
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...
Thursday, May 29, 2008
* KTBS.com brings us this report...
The Haynesville Shale field could be one of the biggest energy discoveries ever. It's already made a lot of people rich. Now, it's not only benefiting landowners in rural areas, landmen are trying to lease to residents in metro areas...
Read the rest then view their Channel 3 News Video at link below...
Know your Mineral Rights

* KSLA.com, not to be left out, has this report...
The ArkLaTex is on the brink of a new era of prosperity with increased drilling in the Haynesville Shale, bringing with it economic opportunity and a whole new set of potential problems... We need only look to North Texas to see what the future might hold for ArkLaTex landowners- thanks to the race for the rights to recover a precious mineral trapped some two miles beneath our feet...

Read the rest then view their Channel 12 News Video at link below...
Waiting to Sign: Leasing Lessons from Fort Worth

.

KSLA.com also posted this write-up Thursday evening and it started off like this...
The potentially prolific Haynesville Shale is already drawing comparisons to the Barnett Shale, which lies about 6,000 feet below the surface of a six square mile are area the covers 20 counties in North Texas, including Tarrant, Johnson and Wise... It's not yet known exactly how much area the Haynesville Shale covers, but it's generally believed to stretch all they way from the northern part of Sabine Parish, through DeSoto, part of Red River and all of Caddo and Bossier, as well as southwest Webster Parish...
Read the rest at link below...
Barnett Shale boom offers insight into Haynesville Shale economic potential

* EarthTimes.org reports...
Goodrich Petroleum Announces Purchase of Reserves, Expansion of Haynesville Shale Acreage and Updated Haynesville Shale Drilling Activities
....

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.

*** Updates ***
Friday, May 30, 2008
...
* ShreveportTimes.com brings us this report this early Friday morning and it starts off like this...
A meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday in the Captain Shreve High School auditorium to provide Shreveporters with information about Haynesville Shale mineral leases on their property...
3 groups call meeting about mineral leases
(Yes... I’ll be there and will report back)

* Businesswire.com has this early report...
Penn Virginia Corporation (NYSE:PVA) today announced horizontal drilling success with its Lower Bossier (Haynesville) Shale test well in Harrison County, Texas... PVA successfully completed the Fogle #5-H (100 percent working interest), which is PVA’s first horizontal test well exclusively targeting the Bossier (Haynesville) Shale formation in east Texas. The well had an initial production rate of approximately 8.0 million cubic feet of natural gas (MMcf) per day with a flowing casing pressure of approximately 5,000 lbs. The well reached a total vertical depth of 11,378 feet with a 3,861-foot lateral in the Bossier formation...
Penn Virginia Corporation Announces Horizontal Drilling Success in East Texas

......

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...
*** Updates ***
Sunday, June 01, 2008

* ShreveportTimes.com...
Presence of gas companies, land men grows

* ShreveportTimes.com also has this editorial up this Sunday...
Don't fritter away gas windfalls

* Forbes.com has this report today and it goes in part like this...
Based on results from the Fogle 5-H well, plus positive results of 17 vertical wells drilled into the same Bossier Shale strata, the company expects to drill at least five more horizontal Bossier Shale wells in 2008...
Penn Virginia natural gas well hits big

* Star-Telegram.com brings us this informative article about the oil and gas company, Chesapeake Energy...
Lean years now behind it, Chesapeake goes full-bore
.....
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*** UPDATES ***
Tuesday, June 03, 2008

* TheEarthTimes website has this informative report...
Mainland Resources, Inc. Stakes Location for Haynesville Shale Drill Test in Louisiana

* PrimeNewsWire.com has this report...
Cubic Energy, Inc. Spuds 4th Haynesville Shale Well

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.
* Links of Interest *

* Louisiana Office Of Conservation Home Page

* Louisiana Office Of Conservation 2008 Schedule of Public Hearings

* Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Home Page

* National Association of Royalty Owners

* Photo Galleries by the Shreveport Times Haynesville Shale

* Chesapeake Energy Corporation

* Twin Cities Development, LLC

* Brammer Engineering
...
* Gas Leases - You’re sitting on a Gas Mine
This link is full of info you need to know before you sign an Oil/Gas Lease Contract
Click it out at link below...
Gas-Lease.org

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Past Post:

> Sunday, May 4, 2008...
Playing the Haynesville Shale - Large Natural Gas Deposit in Northwest Louisiana

> Sunday, May 11, 2008...
Haynesville Shale Updates - Sunday, May 11, 2008

> Thursday, May 15, 2008...
Haynesville Shale Updates - Thursday, May 15, 2008 thru Tuesday, May 20, 2008

> Wednesday, May 21, 2008...
Haynesville Shale Updates - Wednesday, May 21, 2008

*********************************
AubreyJ.........

Update: Drill Here - Drill Now - Pay Less

Update:
Drill Here - Drill Now - Pay Less
A Real Change Campaign to Lower Your Gas Prices

File Photo by NEWT.org

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich writes...
More than 100,000 Americans have now signed a petition urging Congress to immediately start drilling for oil domestically to ease gas prices. The petition is part of the Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less campaign American Solutions launched last week...

The Petition reads:
"We, therefore, the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to act immediately to lower gasoline prices by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries."

Next week, these signatures, gathered from citizens in all 50 states, will be delivered to the U.S. Senate as a first step toward stopping the destructive Warner-Lieberman bill which would raise the cost of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, and aviation fuel.
For more info, click HERE...
Please!

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You’re doing a great job with it, Mr. Speaker...
Thank you...
AubreyJ.........

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My view is this...
* VOTE DBD for a Better Tomorrow *

DRILL Wells... BUILD new Refineries/Plants... and DEVELOP New
Technologies for a better, Energy Independent, Tomorrow.

Read more at link below...
Sheer Stupidity by many in Congress Put Large Areas of Potential U.S. Oil/Gas Supplies TOTALLY Off-Limits

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Update on 'Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.'

About Video: More than 25,000 Americans have signed the petition at www.AmericanSolutions.com/DrillNow
Video post on YouTube by AmericanSolutions

US Demands IAEA Inspect Additional Syrian Nuclear Sites -- Syria-Bound Missile Components Intercepted

Thursday, May 29, 2008
* WashingtonPost.com brings us this report and it starts off like this... The Bush administration is pressing U.N. inspectors to broaden their search for possible secret nuclear facilities in Syria, hinting that Damascus's nuclear program might be bigger than the single alleged reactor destroyed by Israeli warplanes last year... At least three sites have been identified by U.S. officials and passed along to the International Atomic Energy Agency...
Read the full report at link below...
Search Is Urged for Syrian Nuclear Sites

* Telegraph.co.uk has this report up today...
Equipment bound for Syria which could be used to test ballistic missile components was intercepted during a previously undisclosed mission, the United States has announced... Four member states of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a group of 90 countries who seek to prevent the shipment of weapons of mass destruction, were involved in the operation in February, 2007...
Read the rest at link below...
Syria-bound missile components intercepted, claims US

Image Credit Iran's Press TV website

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

No. 462-08 May 29, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Chad M. Trimble, 29, of West Covina, Calif., died May 28th, near Gardez, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
For more information media may contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at (270) 798-9966.

Sharif Presses to Remove Musharraf from Office

Sharif Presses to Remove Pakistan’s President Musharraf from Office
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

File Photo by PresidentOfPakistan.gov website

* ArabNews.com brings us this news and it starts off like this... Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called for President Pervez Musharraf to be removed from office and put on trial for treason... Sharif, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), in a speech to supporters yesterday claimed that Asif Ali Zardari, whose party leads the coalition government, had agreed in talks the day before to remove Musharraf... But a spokeswoman for Zardari said that while his party might consider impeaching Musharraf, its first priority was to cut back the former military strongman’s powers...
Read the rest at link below...
Sharif Presses for Musharraf’s Ouster

* DailyTimes.com.pk has this short report...
Zardari has agreed to ‘oust’ Musharraf, claims Nawaz

* PakObserver.net reports it this way...
Pakistan Muslim League (N) Quaid and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says Pervez Musharraf pushed the country to the brink of destruction and he does not deserve to be given safe passage... Addressing a function held to mark the 10th anniversary of Pakistan’s emerging as a nuclear power here at Awan-i-Iqbal, Nawaz said President Pervez Musharraf had promised to step down in case the people’s mandate went against him on February 18. But he failed to keep his word. He said time has come to bring revolution “because it seems the February 18 decision of the people has not yet been accepted.”... PML-N Chief said President Pervez Musharraf should be tried on charges of treason. “There is no need for giving him a safe passage”...
Read this report in full HERE

This doesn’t sound very good at all...
I’m also surprised that the MSM hasn’t really picked up on this story as of yet.
AubreyJ.........

STS-124 Space Shuttle Discovery Set For Saturday Launch

About Photo: STS124-S-002 (25 Sept. 2007) These seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS-124 crew portrait. From the left are astronauts Gregory E. Chamitoff, Michael E. Fossum, both STS-124 mission specialists; Kenneth T. Ham, pilot; Mark E. Kelly, commander; Karen L. Nyberg, Ronald J. Garan and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Akihiko Hoshide, all mission specialists. Chamitoff is scheduled to join Expedition 17 as flight engineer after launching to the International Space Station on mission STS-124. The crewmembers are attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits.
Image Credit: NASA

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Clocks Begin Ticking Toward Saturday Launch
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Countdown clocks at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida began counting down from the T-43 hour mark at 3 p.m. EDT today. The launch team is tracking no issues as technicians continue preparing space shuttle Discovery for liftoff on May 31 at 5:02 p.m. EDT.

There is a possibility for isolated coastal showers on the morning of launch, but the weather forecast is good overall, with an 80% chance of favorable weather at liftoff time.

The seven-member STS-124 crew arrived at Kennedy at about 12:30 p.m. today, touching down at the Shuttle Landing Facility in T-38 jets. "Discovery's perched on the pad, Kibo is ready to go, the weather looks good, and we're about as ready as we could possibly be," said Mission Specialist Mike Fossum. "I think it's time to go fly."

Discovery's 14-day flight will carry the largest payload so far to the station and includes three spacewalks. It is the second of three missions that will launch components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and Kibo's robotic arm system. Discovery also will deliver new station crew member Greg Chamitoff and bring back Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman, who will end a three-month stay aboard the outpost.

News article from NASA.gov website

Photo for the Day - May 28, 2008

* Photo for the Day *

About photo: Tiger Woods, professional golfer and host of the AT&T National golf tournament, laughs at a question from the media during a news conference at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., on May 27, 2008. Woods is joined by Bret Hart, president of Congressional, where the July tournament is held, and Greg McLaughlin, president of the Tiger Woods Foundation...

This upcoming Fourth of July holiday, Tiger will host the second AT&T National golf tournament at the Congressional Country Club.
Read the story HERE
Defense Department photo by Samantha L. Quigley

Last year's event was a BIG Success and we are all so proud of Tiger for all the support he gives to our Military.
Thanks, Tiger!!!
************
Amy and I can’t wait to watch this year’s Tournament and read up on all the events that go along with it...
AubreyJ.........

New Al-Qaeda Tape Expected For Release

New Al-Qaeda Tape Expected

Calls for Jihadists to use
Biological, Chemical and Nuclear Weapons
Against the West

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

.

Doe file photo

* Telegraph.co.uk brings us this report this morning and it starts off like this...
Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network is to post a new video in the next 24 hours urging jihadists to use biological, chemical and nuclear weapons against the West, the FBI has warned...
Read the rest at link below...
Al-Qa'eda to urge biological warfare in new video message

* Bloomberg.com has this take on the news...
A U.S.-based intelligence group dismissed a media report that al-Qaeda may release a video recording calling on militants to attack the West with biological, chemical or nuclear weapons... ABC News cited unidentified intelligence officials as saying the tape may be released on the Internet within 24 hours and that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation sent a bulletin to 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the country...
Read the rest at link below...
U.S. Intelligence Group Dismisses Report of Al-Qaeda WMD Tape

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Update: 1:45pm CDT

* Wired Blog Network has this article up this afternoon...
ABC, FBI Punk'd by Terror 'Fan Video' (Updated)

* The AllHeadlineNews.com website has this take on the story...
Al Qaeda Video Released, Prompts Extremists To Kill Westerners

* The SKY NEWS website has the full report at link below...
Al Qaeda Calls For WMD Attacks On West

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Update: 3:40pm CDT

* CBSNews.com put this report up late this afternoon...
Nuclear Jihad Web Threat Called Bogus

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Note: I’ll update this post as needed
AubreyJ.........

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

No. 457-08 May 28, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. 1st Class Jason F. Dene, 37, of Castleton, Vt., died May 25th in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident on May 24. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga. The incident is under investigation.
For more information media may contact the Fort Stewart public affairs office at (912) 767-2479

No. 458-08 May 28, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Christopher Gathercole, 21, of Santa Rosa, Calif., died May 26th in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered from small arms fire during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.
For further information, media should contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005, or visit the following Website: http://news.soc.mil/

No. 459-08 May 28, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. Justin L. Buxbaum, 23, of South Portland, Maine, died May 26th in Kushamond, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, Fort Hood Texas. The incident is under investigation.
For more information media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591

Iraq: On Ground Updates - May 28, 2008

Iraq: On Ground Updates
Forces in Iraq Capture Dozens...
Discover Weapons Caches
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Forces in Iraq captured dozens of suspects and found multiple caches of weapons in recent days, military officials said.

Iraqi national policemen discovered a substantial munitions cache early this morning in the Aamel area of Rashid, in southeastern Baghdad.

The national police seized 11 explosively formed projectiles -- bombs specifically designed to pierce armored vehicles -- as well as various sizes of mortar rounds, various explosives, rocket-propelled-grenade launchers, sniper rifles, a machine gun, grenades, a rocket sled, mortar base plates, and several artillery timers.

"Taking these weapons off the streets of Baghdad is a tremendous step in safeguarding the people of Baghdad," said Army Lt. Col. Steve Stover, a spokesman for Multinational Division Baghdad and 4th Infantry Division. "The national police continue to demonstrate their professionalism in keeping the local populace safe and secure."

In operations yesterday:

-- Information from an April 21 operation led coalition forces to Mosul, where they detained four suspected terrorists believed to be associated with al-Qaida in Iraq senior leaders. This included a wanted man believed to have fled to Mosul to avoid pressure from Iraqi and coalition forces in western Iraq.

-- Iraqi police and local members of "Sons of Iraq," a citizen security group, detained 41 men in the Salahuddin province. They also confiscated about 700 rounds of machine-gun ammunition from the detainees, officials said.

-- Iraqi soldiers found four weapons caches. They soldiers seized an RPG launcher and rocket, a trigger device, various size mortars and rounds, bomb-making materials, a homemade bomb, helmets, and life preservers.

-- Iraqi special operations forces captured three suspected Iranian-backed "special groups" enemy fighters in two separate operations around Baghdad. The two suspects are accused of kidnapping, torturing and killing Iraqi citizens. The third suspect is reported to be responsible for attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces, military officials said.

-- Iraqi soldiers took a number of weapons out of the control of enemy fighters during Operation Peace in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, seizing a total of 27 bombs designed to penetrate armored vehicles, and one mortar tube.

-- In two separate operations in Sadr City, Iraqi soldiers found assault rifles and ammunition, sniper rifles, two RPG launchers, mortar rounds and ammunition, a set of body armor, a radio, blasting caps, ammunition pouches, and a pair of binoculars.

-- An Iraqi led coalition forces to two large weapons caches near Duar, 18 miles south of Baghdad. The larger of the two caches, 30 meters from the second cache, was found buried 3 feet deep in the side of a hill. The combined caches contained more than 900 pounds of homemade explosives, various artillery and other military equipment and scores of rounds.

In operations May 26:

-- Coalition forces captured a wanted man believed to have been a leader of al-Qaida in Iraq since 2005. The suspect also allegedly was involved in an attack on U.S. troops near Donkey Island, in Anbar province, June 30, officials said. Seven other suspected terrorists also were captured.

-- Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers detained a suspected terrorist in Tarmiyah, northwest of Baghdad. Soldiers detained the suspect, who is accused of recruiting juveniles in the area to carry out attacks on Iraqi security forces and coalition forces. Military officials linked the suspect to an explosion at an Iraqi security checkpoint in the Tarmiyah area in which four Iraqi security force members were killed.

-- Iraqi special operations forces captured a suspected terrorist in eastern Mosul. The leader is suspected of operating an al-Qaida in Iraq cell in the Mosul area. Three other suspects were detained. The terrorist and his cell are suspected of being responsible for homemade-bomb attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces, officials said.

-- A tip led Multinational Division Center soldiers to about 900 pounds of homemade explosives north of Patrol Base Shanghai, about 22 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. In another operation, they uncovered a cache consisting of 18 50-pound bags of homemade explosive, military officials said.

-- Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered RPG rounds and a machine gun in the Adhamiyah district. In another operation, soldiers seized an 82 mm mortar round, a rocket, two homemade bombs, 12 bags of gun powder, and two hand grenades in the Karkh district. In the Furat area of the Rashid district, soldiers seized an RPG launcher, two RPG warheads and two RPG boosters, military officials said.

-- During a cordon-and-search operation, the Iraqi army found a large weapons cache in Tamim province. The cache consisted of RPG launchers and rockets, hundreds of anti-aircraft artillery rounds, various propellant charges, a machine gun, hundreds of communication devices and more than 2,500 meters of detonation cord, officials said.

-- Iraqi security forces, a Sons of Iraq a security group, and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers discovered three weapons caches in Baghdad containing homemade explosives, mortar rounds, various rockets and fuses, assault rifles and hand grenades, officials said.

-- Iraqi army soldiers discovered a large explosives cache in Mosul. The cache consisted of homemade explosives, nitrate and liquid nitrate, oxygen tanks, gunpowder, and ball bearings. During operations Lion's Roar and Mother of Two Springs, the Iraqi army and Iraqi police have discovered 40 weapons and explosives caches throughout Mosul and Ninevah province, military officials said.

From a DoD’s American Forces Press Service News Article - Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases

AubreyJ’s Energy Update Report - Tuesday, May 27, 2008

AubreyJ’s Energy Update Report
Bans May Soon Be Lifted On Drilling?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008

* The Wall Street Journal website had this article out on May 23rd and it goes in part like this...
...Last week, Exxon Mobil Corp. Chief Executive Rex Tillerson chided President Bush for asking Saudi Arabia to boost its production, while not doing more to increase production at home in the U.S., particularly off the coasts of Florida and California... "There is no question in my mind that there is significant conventional resources available," Mr. Tillerson said in an interview last week. "If you are looking for larger fields, they will probably be found in the offshore areas that are currently off limits."...
Read the full article at link below...
Oil Industry, Lawmakers Aim To Lift Bans on Drilling

* BusinessWeek.com reports it this way...
A new report from the Bush administration says most of the oil and more than 40 percent of the natural gas beneath public lands in the United States are off limits to drilling... Opening those reserves would give energy companies access to an estimated 19 billion barrels of oil and 95 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, administration officials said Wednesday. That would require Congress to roll back environmental safeguards and lift drilling prohibitions on vast areas -- from Florida to Alaska and across the Rocky Mountain West...
Read the rest at link below...
Feds: Much of oil, gas under lands off limits

* The Salt Lake Tribune, (I just couldn’t help myself in putting this one up,) brings us this bull crap for a news article at link below...
Cost of drilling: Wells threaten tourism, hunting and natural beauty

(My take is... If/when we get to $10.00 a gallon for fuel at the pumps... you are not going to have ANY TOURISM, there will be no hunters out, simply because they want be able to afford to drive to the woods to go hunting... and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.)

* CentreDaily.com brings us this news article today and it goes in part like this...
Snow Shoe Township resident Don Morgan thought $200 an acre for gas rights to his 48-acre property sounded like a good deal, especially compared with the $3.50 an acre he gets each year under a soon-to-expire lease... Then he heard about other landowners getting offers of $600, $800 and even $2,500 an acre in some places... “I don’t feel like I was ripped off, but you feel like you got left out,” said Morgan. “I did what I thought was the right thing at the time.”... He’s one of many Pennsylvania residents flooded with offers from gas companies combing the state in hopes of tapping into gas reserves... Natural gas is a hot commodity. Demand is climbing for energy - particularly clean-burning energy that doesn’t have to be imported - and natural gas prices have increased sharply, if not steadily...
Read the article in full at link below...
NATURAL GAS RUSH
> Note: The above report sounds all so familiar as to what’s been going on in my area, (The Ark-La-Tex) over the last so many months...
Read up on the Haynesville Shale - Large Natural Gas Deposit In Northwest Louisiana HERE

* USAToday.com has this article that should sound somewhat familiar...
Pastor Elvis Bowman of the Greater Mount Tabor Christian Center, an aging, homespun church in a low-income neighborhood here, has a new title: energy mogul... By letting Chesapeake Energy drill wells and pump natural gas from beneath its 50 acres, the church has pocketed tens of thousands of dollars and stands to clear tens of thousands more in royalties each month after drilling begins. The money will help pay for a new $8 million church and performance center, a $12 million mixed-use development nearby and a slate of community programs to help the less fortunate...
Read the full story a t link below...
Landowners get windfalls from natural gas drilling

Image credit: WPClipArt
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* VOTE DBD for a Better Tomorrow *

DRILL Wells...

BUILD new Refineries/Plants...

and

DEVELOP New Technologies

for a better, Energy Independent, Tomorrow.

Read more at link below...
Sheer Stupidity by many in Congress Put Large Areas of Potential U.S. Oil/Gas Supplies TOTALLY Off-Limits

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AubreyJ.........

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

No. 448-08 May 27, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Kyle P. Norris, 22, of Zanesville, Ohio, died May 23rd in Balad, Iraq, from wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device during a patrol May 22nd in Jurf as Sakhr, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.
For more information media may contact the Fort Stewart public affairs office at (912) 767-2479.

No. 449-08 May 27, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Blake W. Evans, 24, of Rockford, Ill., died May 25th in Al Jazeera Desert, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
For more information media may contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at (270) 798-9966.

No. 450-08 May 27, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Frank J. Gasper, 25, of Merced, Calif., died May 25th in Najaf, Iraq, of wounds suffered when his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Fort Carson, Colo.
For further information, media should contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005, or visit the following Web site: http://news.soc.mil/

No. 452-08 May 27, 2008
DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Spc. David L. Leimbach, 38, of Taylors, S.C., died May 25th near Bala Baluk, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 118th Infantry, South Carolina Army National Guard, Fountain Inn, S.C., and attached to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry (Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition), New York Army National Guard.
For more information the media may contact the South Carolina National Guard public affairs office at (803) 806-4327.

Airmen MIA From Vietnam War are Identified

No. 447-08 May 27, 2008
Airmen MIA From Vietnam War are Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of four U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

They are:
Maj. Barclay B. Young, of Hartford, Conn
Senior Master Sgt. James K. Caniford, of Brunswick, Md

The names of the two others are being withheld at the request of their families. All men were U.S. Air Force. Caniford will be buried May 28th in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., and Young's burial date is being set by his family.

Remains that could not be individually identified are included in a group which will be buried together in Arlington. Among the group remains is Air Force Lt. Col. Henry P. Brauner of Franklin Park, N.J., whose identification tag was recovered at the crash site.

On March 29, 1972, 14 men were aboard an AC-130A Spectre gunship that took off from Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, on an armed reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. The aircraft was struck by an enemy surface-to-air missile and crashed. Search and rescue efforts were stopped after a few days due to heavy enemy activity in the area.

In 1986, joint U.S.- Lao People's Democratic Republic teams, lead by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC), surveyed and excavated the crash site in Savannakhet Province, Laos. The team recovered human remains and other evidence including two identification tags, life support items and aircraft wreckage. From 1986 to 1988, the remains were identified as those of nine men from this crew.

Between 2005 and 2006, joint teams resurveyed the crash site and excavated it twice. The teams found more human remains, personal effects and crew-related equipment. As a result, JPAC identified Young, Caniford and the other crewmen using forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence, mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

Photo for the Day - March 26, 2008

* Photo for the Day * A young Iraqi girl cuddles her gifts from the 42nd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, at the al-Faraqidh school in the Jamilla neighborhood of the Sadr City district of Baghdad during a food drop and combined medical engagement May 24, 2008. Iraqi Army Soldiers handed out toys to more than 100 children, distributed 500 food bags, and treated more than 500 local residents during the visit at the school in Jamilla.
Photo by Maj. Michael Humphreys, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs

Take a moment Memorial Day to remember the true meaning of the holiday

Take a moment Memorial Day

to remember the true meaning

of the holiday

.

(This post moved up to Monday from Sunday’s posting)

While Americans enjoy the traditional summer kick-off weekend with vacations, backyard barbecues, pool openings and picnics, the White House Commission on Remembrance is asking them to take a moment on Memorial Day to remember the true meaning of the holiday.

Read more at link below...
Commission Urges Americans to Pause, Reflect on Memorial Day
.

About photo: A memorial is displayed in honor of Corporal Mark D. Kidd from Milford, MI with Headquarters and Support Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines. Regimental Combat Team 6 is deployed with II Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq (Multi-National Forces-West) to develop the Iraqi Security Forces, facilitate the development of official rule of law through democratic government reforms and continue the development of a market based economy centered on Iraqi Reconstruction.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl Samuel D. Corum

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President's Saturday Radio Address

"This Memorial Day, I ask all Americans to honor the sacrifices of those who have served you and our country. One way to do so is by joining in a moment of remembrance that will be marked across our country at 3:00 p.m. local time. At that moment, Major League Baseball games will pause, the National Memorial Day parade will halt, Amtrak trains will blow their whistles, and buglers in military cemeteries will play Taps. You can participate by placing a flag at a veteran's grave, taking your family to the battlefields where freedom was defended, or saying a silent prayer for all the Americans who were delivered out of the agony of war to meet their Creator. Their bravery has preserved the country we love so dearly."
Read the full transcript or hear the audio HERE
White House file photo by Eric Draper

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DoD has this Special today...
Comrades, Loved Ones Provide Reminders of Memorial Day’s Meaning

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AP.Google.com brings us this wonderful story...
Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last known living American-born veteran of World War I, was honored Sunday at the Liberty Memorial during Memorial Day weekend celebrations... "I had a feeling of longevity and that I might be among those who survived, but I didn't know I'd be the No. 1," the 107-year-old veteran said at a ceremony to unveil his portrait...
Read the rest at link below...
Last known WWI veteran honored for Memorial Day