Impact Obama Healthcare Plan Firms to Cut

June 6, 2011, 6:54 p.m. EDT

Firms to cut health plans as reform starts: survey
30% of companies say they’ll stop offering coverage
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) — Once provisions of the Affordable Care Act start to kick in during 2014, at least three of every 10 employers will probably stop offering health coverage, a survey released Monday shows.

While only 7% of employees will be forced to switch to subsidized-exchange programs, at least 30% of companies say they will “definitely or probably” stop offering employer-sponsored coverage, according to the study published in McKinsey Quarterly.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/firms-halting-coverage-as-reform-starts-survey-2011-06-06

Gas Drilling Study Baseline Not Used, But Strong Claim Made

Gas Drilling Technique Contaminates Drinking Water, Study Finds

Published May 10, 2011 Associated Press

New research is providing some of the first scientific evidence that a controversial gas drilling technique can contaminate drinking water.

The study published Monday found potentially dangerous concentrations of methane gas in water from wells near drilling sites in northeastern Pennsylvania, although not in central New York, where gas drilling is less extensive.

But in an unexpected finding, the team of Duke University scientists did not find any trace of the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process in 68 wells tested in Pennsylvania and Otsego County in central New York.

In hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, water, sand and chemicals are injected underground to crack the rock and get natural gas to flow into a well. Critics of the technique have worried more about the chemicals since companies have refused to make public the proprietary blends used and some of the ingredients can be toxic.

On average, water from wells located less than a mile from drilling sites had 17 times more methane than water tested from wells farther away, according to the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Methane is not known to be toxic, but in high concentrations it can be explosive and cause unconsciousness and even death, since it displaces oxygen needed to breathe.

Of the 60 wells tested for methane gas, 14 had levels of methane within or above a hazard range set by the Department of Interior for gas seeping from coal mines — all but one of them near a gas well. In nine wells, concentrations were so high that the government would recommend immediate action to reduce the methane level.

Methane is released naturally by bacteria as they break down organic matter. The researchers' analysis shows that the type of methane in the wells with the highest concentrations is coming from deep in the earth, the same place tapped by companies in search of natural gas.

In the most severe case, a homeowner in Bradford County, Pa., who leased her property to a gas company, has so much methane coming out of her tap she can light her water on fire. A natural gas well is located 800 feet from her house.

"Not every homeowner within a kilometer (of a drilling site) will have high methane concentrations," said Stephen Osborn, a postdoctoral associate at Duke University's Center on Global Change. "If you are a homeowner within a kilometer, and our study shows this, I would be a little bit concerned."

What the study does not say is how exactly the methane is getting into drinking water sources, and what part of the drilling is potentially involved. While wells closer to drilling sites had more methane, most of the wells in the study — 85 percent — had some.

Industry groups on Monday faulted the research, saying it did not show that fracking itself was behind the methane contamination, nor did the researchers conduct before-and-after tests to prove the contamination occurred after drilling. The authors themselves suspect that the methane is likely flowing up the sides of the gas well — rather than down pathways created by hydraulic fracturing.

"The authors admit they have no baseline data at all, which makes it impossible to characterize the state of those water wells prior to recent development," said Chris Tucker, a spokesman for Energy in Depth, a national coalition of independent gas producers.

The industry also was critical of the paper's editor, William H. Schlesinger, who selected the study's outside reviewers. Schlesinger, a biogeochemist and president of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y, has supported moratoriums in New York on hydraulic fracturing permits until its effects are completely understood.

Gas drilling has expanded in Pennsylvania and other states where shale formations are thought to hold lots of natural gas, a clean-burning energy source. To get it, companies need to fracture the rock.

As the technique has proliferated, so too has concern among homeowners, and local, state and federal governments about its potential toll on underground drinking water sources which are unregulated and untested. Two federal agencies have launched their own studies, and the state of Pennsylvania — where numerous homeowners are suing drilling companies over water contamination — views methane as among the most serious risks of gas drilling.

In that state, an investigation into an explosion and fire at a house in December, and another at a home in February, is looking at natural gas drilling as the culprit. And a natural gas drilling company last year agreed to pay $4.1 million to 19 homeowners whose water was contaminated by methane gas, even though the company denies causing the pollution.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/05/10/gas-drilling-technique-contaminates-drinking-water-study-finds/

Hold the MSG: Food Triggers for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Illnesses

Alison Rose Levy.Health journalist, coach, and
Posted: October 26, 2009
Hold the MSG: Food Triggers for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Illnesses

Last week, 60 Minutes reported on David and Susan Axelrod's search for a cure for epilepsy prompted by their two decade plus experience of the ailment, which their adult daughter has suffered since infancy. But while Katie Couric admiringly covered the researchers seeking to find "the Cure," ie. new anti-convulsive drugs, once again proactive, preventive health care strategies that might help to reduce incidence of epileptic attacks were overlooked.

How ironic it is that in the midst of the health care reform debate, Axelrod, a key Obama aide, is so poorly informed about integrative strategies that could help his own daughter.

For neurological illnesses, including Parkinson's Disease, epilepsy, and others, a body of scientific research demonstrates that certain food additives, singly and in combination with each other, contribute to excessive nerve cell firing; and thus, may be a possible trigger for epileptic attacks and other neurological incidents. In keeping with that, limiting or altogether avoiding these ingredients is a strategy that some integrative physicians recommend, though many who could benefit are unaware of the dangers these common food additives pose.

Because of their activity--stimulating nerve cells to rapidly fire and burn out, ultimately resulting in nerve cell death, the food additives are considered to be "excitotoxins." While some naturally occur in the body, people who consume processed foods are exposed to a much greater amount than ever before since industrial food scientists regularly add them to processed foods to enhance the food's flavor. The most widely used food ingredients that have excitotoxic activity are monosodium glutamate, aspartame, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and other additives that stimulate the taste buds and mask the flavor of many processed foods, Fresh, natural foods don't require this form of flavor enhancement. The artificial sweetener, aspartame, marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, and under several other brand names, is one of most widely consumed of the food additives with excitotoxic activity.

Nearly all food items sold in convenience stores are full of them, as are many processed, or packaged foods. If you read labels, you will discover that they are listed under many different names; and flavorings such as those in soups, soup mixes, and even many spices will often contain them as well.

With the increase in incidence of neurological illness, including Alzheimer's Disease, a basic proactive health strategy that many integrative practitioners recommend is to limit intake of these food ingredients. More information on excitotoxins can be found in Russell Blaylockm MD's book, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills. Food Additives: A Shopper's Guide To What's Safe & What's Not by Christine Farlow is a shopper's guide to ingredient names.

For health information, science, and action, get the free ezine, the Health Outlook at www.health-journalist.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alison-rose-levy/hold-the-msg-food-trigger_b_333404.html

O'Reilly: Native American Community Don't be Offended Geroninmo Just a Code Name for Bin Laden

Has O'Reilly any kind of sense? Our government can do NO wrong by using Geronimo as a code name for the most-wanted TERRORIST the world has ever sought?

His two guests agreed with him. Arthelle Neville and Greg Gutfield. The government did no wrong, the military did no wrong by using a Native American name as a code for a slaughterer, murderer, claimed by the government to be responsible for the loss of 3,000 lives on United States soil (how many jumped out of World Trade Center building there's a good question on history tests)?

I could understand Gutfield and O'Reilly. Neocons, apparently. Stong-g hand.

Neville? No empathy, no common sense, no sympatico?

Why the hell wasn't the code name an acronym? Aim To Kill. ATK. Or anything benign.

Why select the name of a well known defender of his people? Geronimo.

Our government should apologize profusely. And whoever came up with the code should be out of a job. We're sure it wasn't President Barack Obama. And if he had any authorization of the code name - oh ok - I agree to Geronimo - he should be looked at even far more closely than he has been per his early childhood teaching.

Net the Truth Online

Official Narrative bin Laden Kill Change We Can Believe Now?

The Slippery Story of the bin Laden Kill
Garance Franke-Ruta senior editor at The Atlantic
May 3 2011
The early narrative of the assault on Osama bin Laden had him using his wife as a human shield and firing from behind her. Now we learn he wasn't armed.

http://www.theatlantic

.com/politics/archive/2011/05/the-slippery-story-of-the-bin-laden-kill/238261/

Glenn Beck: Destabilization Following Osama bin Laden's (days ago) Death

What more can be said? Glenn Beck spent many minutes dismissing any questioning surrounding the shooting of Osama bin Laden, such as was it really him since according to several experts, it takes days to obtain results from DNA testing, but somehow, "they" according to Dr. Baden as we noted in an earlier piece, "knew (from DNA) within 5 hours."

Beck then presented his - not a conspiracy theory - that destabilization would occur in the region due to bin Laden's death. He went on at length using his charts indicating he could accept such was intentional destabilization and even used lack of a quick U.S. response concerning Egypt's protests and turmoil as an example of such intentional destabilization!

Next, Beck introduced a guest and says he has few guests on he doesn't agree with many and it's usually just bull-crap - but this guest does not give us any bull-crap.

Michael Scheuer says it's going to be a long war and we're going to be fighting it for a very long time.

The pair move on to the Muslim Brotherhood... then in the final minutes Schaer said exactly what Beck had been angling for:

The Pakistan government is corrupt...

Beck made some comment just before that concerning destabilation.

"no matter if intentional or unintentional destabilization, it will happen..."

Goodbye Glenn. may you dream of butterflies along with dreaming up your own conspiracy uh not conspiracy theories.

Net the TRUTH Online

Khan: Pakistan has 'our most corrupt government'
Print Email
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 02/09/2010

Reporter: Tony Jones

Politician and cricketing great Imran Khan says Pakistan has a bigger problem with corruption than with Islamic extremism.


http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2010/s3001222.htm

Interview Michael Scheuer by CFR

http://www.cfr.org/terrorism/winning-losing-inside-look-war-terror/p7771

CIA Veteran Michael Scheuer ‘Only the Taliban Are Not Corrupt’

Interview conducted by Marc Hujer
Der Speigel online

SPIEGEL: The US now has to face accusations that it is financing the very corruption it is promising to fight.

Scheuer: Not really. President Obama knew about this. His intelligence advisors knew about this. If he’s smart I’m sure the president would want to have somebody close to Karzai to know what’s going on. The US government and other governments are lying when they say that they can clean up corruption and win the war.

SPIEGEL: Is Washington being energetic enough in trying to fight corruption?

Scheuer: We’re really not in a position to push these people. Who’s going to replace them? There isn’t anyone less corrupt. Probably the only incorrupt people in Afghanistan are the Taliban. If you want no corruption, give the government back to the Taliban.

http://theislamicstandard.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/cia-veteran-michael-scheuer-only-the-taliban-are-not-corrupt/

How is a President to look when viewing real time assassination?

President Barack Obama leans forward with interest as Sec. of State Hillary Clinton covers her mouth while viewing real-time live feed of Osama bin Laden assassination

Meanwhile, according to Chicago Sun Time's Lynn Sweet's column which includes a photo of the onlookers, a classified document has been obscured.

Obama, Bill Daley, Hillary, War cabinet watching live feed of Bin Laden raid
By Lynn Sweet on May 2, 2011 5:30 PM

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2011/05/obama_bill_daley_hillary_war_c.html

Revealed at this site for the first time is the title of the obscured document...

Classified Document Obscured in Real-Time bin Laden Kill Watch Photo

(How to look Presidential and Strong when viewing a real-time assassination)

http://dirtline.tripod.com/talkacrosstown/

Guess Hillary's book covered her copy of the document before she could read it.

Net the Truth Online

National Journal Maggie Fox: Did DNA Finger bin Laden

Worth a read, Maggie Fox, National Journal piece: Did DNA Finger bin Laden?

The article reads like an opinion piece to us, so we're posting in its entirety.

We can't help but wonder why Dr. Baden, a guest on Monday morning programming Fox 'n Friends, did not highlight the technique noted in the article to obtain and analyze DNA data, within hours? PCR, or polymerase chain reaction...

Wouldn't Dr. Baden know the exact amount of time such could be compared to known DNA (in this case not DNA previously obtained from the subject and in storage, but from relatives)?

Why did Dr. Baden appear to be skeptical on Monday's Fox 'n Friends regarding the ability to obtain results from an analysis not only within 5 hours (when news broke Osama bin Laden was dead), but sooner than 24 hours?

Surely, Dr. Baden is aware...

The FBI has lots of ways to use DNA fingerprinting to identify culprits.

It can be done in hours using what is called PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, to amplify the tiny bits of DNA and then look for a specific part of the genetic code called short tandem repeats.

Although human beings share 99.9 percent of their DNA, these short tandem repeats, or STRs, tend to be very different from one person to another. The United States uses an agreed-upon set of 13 places for STRs in the genome, and the odds that two individuals will have the same DNA profile are about one in a billion, according to the Energy Department lab taking part in the Human Genome Project.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/did-dna-finger-bin-laden--20110502

Dr. Baden's comments remain puzzling. Others have questioned as well How do we know, or how was it known so early from DNA evidence, this was indeed Osama bin Laden?

Net the Truth Online

Did DNA Finger bin Laden?
By Maggie Fox

May 2, 2011 | 5:13 p.m

His face is one of the most recognizable in the world, but in the end, could it have been DNA fingerprinting that proved to U.S. officials that they had finally nailed Osama bin Laden?

Maybe – but the Obama administration had better be saving some evidence.

U.S. officials have told various news sources that CIA facial-recognition technology was used to identify bin Laden, and that his wife – apparently also killed in the attack – called him by name during the firefight that ended his life.

But they say that DNA was the final piece of evidence.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee told the AP that more than one DNA sample was used to identify bin Laden.

One problem – whose DNA did they compare it to?

According to several reports, U.S. intelligence experts have been collecting DNA from Osama’s many relatives for years. Hospital officials in Boston have been unable to confirm reports that one source of DNA was bin Laden’s half-sister, who allegedly died of brain cancer at a Harvard-affiliated hospital.

Bin Laden had plenty of half-brothers and half-sisters to offer DNA samples. He was the 17th child of Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, who had 54 children with 22 wives. Bin Laden’s father died when he was 10.

The FBI has lots of ways to use DNA fingerprinting to identify culprits.

It can be done in hours using what is called PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, to amplify the tiny bits of DNA and then look for a specific part of the genetic code called short tandem repeats.

Although human beings share 99.9 percent of their DNA, these short tandem repeats, or STRs, tend to be very different from one person to another. The United States uses an agreed-upon set of 13 places for STRs in the genome, and the odds that two individuals will have the same DNA profile are about one in a billion, according to the Energy Department lab taking part in the Human Genome Project.

But does the government have earlier DNA that, for certain, came from bin Laden? Not likely, and so the next-best source is a sibling.

And in that case, says Stephen Quake, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute professor of applied physics and bioengineering at Stanford University, all the DNA analysis will say for sure is that the dead person is one of the many sons of Osama bin Laden’s father.

One factor could make things easier: Osama bin Laden was the only child whom his mother, Alia Ghanem, had with his father. That could make it easier to triangulate any tissue samples with samples from half-siblings.

It is not an exact science, however. DNA was used to establish that Thomas Jefferson was related to the descendants of his former slave, Sally Hemings. In that case the Y chromosome, which is passed down with very little change from father to son over the generations, was used. But all that the DNA indicated in the end was that descendants of Jefferson’s paternal uncle have the same Y chromosome as a male-line descendant of Eston Hemings, the youngest son of Sally Hemings. The research could never finger Jefferson individually with complete accuracy.

“You are still dealing with probabilities,” Quake said.

The best bet, Quake said, will be whole-genome analysis, which takes a week or more using current technology and will produce a complete map of the corpse’s DNA.

“They got the sample, Quake said. “They can take as much time as they want to do the analysis.”

If bin Laden’s mother, now known as Hamida al-Attas, could be persuaded to give some of her DNA, that might provide compelling evidence. She was last reported to be living in Saudi Arabia, and ABC News reported that U.S. officials had asked bin Laden’s relatives for DNA samples after they thought they might have killed him in a missile strike last February.

The White House says that bin Laden was buried at sea. One can only hope they kept some tissue and blood samples to back up the DNA claims.



http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/did-dna-finger-bin-laden--20110502

Fox 'n Friends Guest: What DNA Evidence?

Fox 'n Friends still allowing DNA has already been processed that would prove U.S. forces indeed captured and killed the right man, not just a look-a-like, Osama Bin Laden.

Monday, Dr. Baden commented in two ways to the trio's question:

How do we know it was Osama Bin Laden? Facial recognition, fingerprints, DNA?

Dr. Baden seemed to wonder about facial recognition (not 100% proof), noted fingerprinting could be utilized (but after all wouldn't they have to have his fingerprints on record, duh, we question), and Dr. Baden said DNA can be processed in 24 hours... "they" did it in 5 hours."

Nobody raised any further questions about how the DNA could have been processed long before 24 hours had passed.

Today, Chuck Boone was hot on the trail of proof this was Osama Bin Laden. He wondered why the Obama Administration had already buried the body at sea. Why not bring Osama Bin Laden here, and release the pictures of his demise.

Boone specifically posed: "what was the hurry?" He added further: How do we know this wasn't an operation in the style of Jack Bauer of TV'S "24" fame. Capture and torture, and Boone implied leaving evidence of it with bruising and eye-swelling, or absence of an eye altogether. (yes we were avid 24 viewers, almost all episodes, the sillier episodes we just swtiched channels, screaming at the unbelievability)

Boone then let out pretty much what had been on the 'trio's' minds Monday morning.

How do we know this was Osama Bin Laden?

Ellen Ratnor quickly responded: "... there's DNA evidence..."

Boone as quickly responded: "What DNA evidence."

Just when things were really heating up at that precise point, Steve Doocy ended the exchange.

Net the Truth Online

Sky News: Can US Offer Final Proof of Osama's Death?

US: DNA Test Match Proves Bin Laden Death
Can US Offer Final Proof Of Osama's Death?
Sky News 2011
The circumstances surrounding Osama bin Laden's reported death raise urgent questions over how the US is so sure it got its man.

US officials have said DNA testing has proved the al Qaeda leader was killed in a villa in Pakistan.

They have also identified him by facial recognition.

But photographs of Bin Laden after his reported death have not been released.

The fact his body was buried at sea has so far only added to the speculation, although as a Muslim, he had to be laid to rest as quickly as possible.

Under Islamic law, people can only be buried at sea if they died there, or if there is a risk their body will be exhumed or dug up if buried in the ground.

The release of a photograph purporting to show bin Laden's corpse - which was later confirmed to be a fake - added to the confusion.

Journalists have not yet had the opportunity to ask more than a few questions of the Obama administration about details of Bin Laden's death.

A former British ambassador to the US, Sir Christopher Meyer, told Sky News: "I imagine we will see proof.

"I can't concede the US president would go out to make a statement to the world that bin Laden is dead without being able to produce evidence that he is dead.

"I think we will see some evidence - DNA or photographic - to prove there is not still some phantom Osama bin Laden riding the Tora Bora mountains."

The announcement is not the first time the world has heard of Bin Laden's death. Claims that the US and Britain kept up a pretence he was alive in order to continue their war on terror have been dismissed as conspiracy theories.

It has been suggested that bin Laden died nearly 10 years ago during the battle for Tora Bora in Afghanistan, either from a US bomb or from kidney disease.

And as for his audio and video statements, their authenticity has continually been questioned.

One of his video statements, released just days before the October 2004 US presidential election, was said to have been crucial in helping George Bush secure a second term in office.

But his statement from December 2001, when he was seen to confess to the 9/11 attacks, has attracted the most attention.

Bin Laden had insisted numerous times, through the Arab press and in video statements, that he had no involvement with the atrocities. His sudden confession was picked up on by doubters.

Additionally, his appearance in the December 2001 video was markedly different. He sported a black beard, not his usual grey one, his pale skin had become darker and he had a different shaped nose.

He also looked in good health - a contrast to his earlier gaunt appearance - and critics have pointed to the fact he is seen writing a note with his right hand, although he was left-handed

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20110502/twl-can-us-offer-final-proof-of-osama-s-3fd0ae9.html

Is it really Osama Bin Laden? Dr. Baden Answers Raise Questions

Reportedly, Osama Bin Laden has been killed in Pakistan by CIA intel with the help of Navy Seals.

Osama bin Laden is killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan

Fox New: Osama bin Laden killed

Matt Drudge headline

SHOT IN HEAD; BIN LADEN IS DEAD.....

Yahoo News

US kills Osama bin Laden decade after 9/11 attacks

This morning, just before before 9 am EST, with several guests one after the other, Fox 'n Friends discussed the reports that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in Pakistan, then with guest Dr. Baden, the trio specifically raised the question:

(At this early time) How do we know it is really Osama Bin Laden who has been killed.

They bantered for a while with Dr. Baden, facial recognition, fingerprints, bio-data, DNA?

The question arose again: How do we know this was Osama Bin Laden specifically through DNA?

The discussion was really fascinating.

Dr. Baden's comments were hesitant on facial recognition (especially if the reports are true and Osama Bin Laden had been shot in the head, duh) a little more clear on the potential for fingerprinting confirming identity, but certainly not 100% (that on site testing again), then Dr. Baden proposed the following regarding bio-data/DNA:

"DNA can be determined within about 24 hours. They (meaning medical professionals on scene in Pakistan) must have done it in less than 5 hours"

Nobody on Fox 'n Friends asked follow-up questions after Dr. Baden's thought-provoking pronouncements.

The matter that was on the Fox 'n Friends trio's minds, how is it known for sure that was Osama Bin Laden who was killed, was no longer of any importance.

Why didn't anybody press Dr. Baden on the odd comment after Baden noted DNA can be determined within 24 hours - "they must have done it in less than 5 hours."

Then we find these two interesting headlines

Drudge headline DNA tests won't be complete for days...

Yahoo news headline, U.S. tests bin Laden's DNA, used facial ID: official

U.S. tests bin Laden's DNA, used facial ID: official
Mon May 2, 2:20 am ET

The United States is conducting DNA testing on slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and used facial recognition techniques to help identify him, a U.S. official said on Monday.

Bin Laden was identified by the assault force that killed him in a firefight in Pakistan in which he resisted and was shot in the head, the official said on condition of anonymity.

Results of the DNA tests should be available in the next few days, the official told Reuters.

The strike force was on the ground for less than 40 minutes and the operation was watched real-time by CIA Director Leon Panetta and other intelligence officials in a conference room at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the official said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110502/ts_nm/us_binladen_dna_1

the problem is the headline of the Yahoo piece makes it seem as though the word official applies to the DNA test (and facial recognition) and thus it has already been confirmed by DNA tests Osama Bin Laden is dead.

The Drudge headline read accurately per the Yahoo News text within the body of the article:

Results of the DNA tests should be available in the next few days, the official told Reuters.



We are just puzzled by Dr. Baden's comment "they must have done it in 5 hours."

We're wondering why it was so important for Dr. Baden to allow that DNA testing had confirmed Osama Bin Laden is dead especially when he had just explained a 24-hour time period was possible.

Could it be that Dr. Baden's two divergent answers revealed the real potential for the military and President Barack Obama to be jumping the gun so to speak on the announcement Osama Bin Laden is dead, has indeed been killed by U.S. forces?

Why not wait the 24 hours at least to confirm DNA tests are accurate and this was Osama Bin Laden who was killed by U.S. forces? Or even a few days, because according to the noted prominent Drudge Report headline, DNA test results wouldn't be known, for days!

The Fox 'n Friends group also discussed whether Osama Bin Laden's remains would be 'buried' at sea. Will they use weights so the body doesn't wash back up on shore? Dr. Baden agreed it would be gruesome if body parts washed up onto shore.

We kid you not, the discussion was FASCINATING!

We couldn't help but wonder why Osama Bin Laden's body would not be brought back to the United States to make absolutely certain it is Osama Bin Laden and not yet another potential 'double?'

Notice, too, when speaking, the trio used the name Osama Bin Laden.

The ticker-tape running across the screen reads Usama bin Laden, however.

Maybe it's because the ticker-tape message changes periodically to President Obama or just Obama.

It is interesting as well that reports are Osama Bin Laden has 'already' been buried at sea.

Finally, now we find this headline

AP publishes, retracts photo of bin Laden's dead body

Wire service admits it cannot independently verify identity of person in picture
--Pasadena Star-News, California

Net the Truth Online

UPDATED 12:33 a.m.: AP retracts photo purporting to show Osama bin Laden's dead bodyPosted: 05/01/2011 11:14:26 PM PDT


The Associated Press has retracted a photograph released late Sunday night purporting to show the dead body of terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
AP announced that it cannot independently verify that the person in the photo is Osama bin Laden nor can it confirm the source.

Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17972189#ixzz1LCpRMAOD

Obama Birth Certificate Corsi's Forger's Joke Ukulele vs Net the Truth Online Vick Lee

The only thing at this point we feel inclined to address concerning the recent release of the "long-form" birth certificate by President Barack Obama is World Net Daily's Jerome Corsi (in "A tale of two birth certificates" suggesting the name of the local registrar on the Obama birth certificate is "ukulele."

WND's Corsi looks at the signature and reads a twisting of: ukulele

As he sees it, Corsi comments further on the registrar's name:

"...appears remarkably like a forger's signature joke on the word "ukulele"..."

http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=292717#ixzz1L11AQk1y

We look at the signature and read Vick Lee.

Seriously, folks, all the professional document analysts, forensic document analysts, and researchers a phone call - email - or text message away and available to Corsi, and not one has pointed out the registrar's name could be as short and sweet as Vick Lee?

Unfortunately, not surprisingly, Corsi, the author of the WND article, also has a book coming out in late May, entitled: Where's The Birth Certificate...

But if Dr. Corsi misses a more than equally viable observation of the registrar's name on the Obama birth certificate, (Vick Lee vs ukulele) what else has Corsi missed?

We are simply after the truth. We're not playing politics or games.

Corsi may believe that by using the word "appears" before the claim "a forger's signature joke" gives one room to be wholly inaccurate will pass the smell test (in this case the buy and buy more test), but it shouldn't.

Fortunately, we never buy books other than used and discarded ones from second hand bookstores, or charitable organizations selling used books, where we're sure we'll find Corsi's latest sooner rather than later for about 15 cents.

Exactly what Corsi's Where's the Birth Certificate will be worth should Vick Lee turn out to be the local registrar who penned signature to Barack Obama's long-form birth certificate back when in August, 1961.

Pondering and dismissing the noted "ukulele" assertion as made by Dr. Corsi by no means negates the serious questions that that are to be pursued regarding the meaning of the Constitution's 'natural born citizen' clause as it pertains to qualification requirements pertaining to a President of the United States.

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#A2Sec1

The issue of a President-to-be's citizenship status could crop up in the near future, with a scenario arising such as a candidate seeking the office of the President of the United States having been born in the U.S. but found to be the child of an "undocumented" (illegal) immigrant and potentially one parent being a legal citizen.

With the federal Moter Voter Act Law (making it difficult to remove names from state Voter Registration Lists/local voter registries for years after an elector may have been deceased, or moved out of the voting jurisdiction), and many states issuing applicants driver's licenses based on sketcy documentation, (making it easier for illegals to gain access to the election process)(for instance, see Georgia requirments), and lax or non-existent review precesses to cull local and state voter registration lists (challenges to purges abound), it is not out of the realm of possibility down the road that such a scenario may arise.

The United States also may have precedents of sorts with presidents after the adoption of the original Constitution being born on other than United States soil.

Questions arose, not only with Barack Obama (initiated during the Democratic Primary campaign by supporters of Hillary Clinton) (use search features), but as well with Senator John McCain (use search features).

Moreover, legitimate questions arise out of our history textbooks. That is if such even contain any highlights of former 'Founding' presidents as the trend seems to be veering away from Foundational principles in our political history textbooks.

A few postings in the comments section to Newsbusters piece,
CBS and MSNBC Both Falsely Claim Obama First President to Have Citizenship Questioned" caught our attention recently as well and are deserving of scrutiny.

I seem to remember reading,
Submitted by irishguy on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 9:52pm.

I seem to remember reading, years ago, that there were questions of whether or not Andrew Jackson was born at sea and therefore would not have been eligible to be POTUS. If memory serves, it was a book by Allen W. Eckert, perhaps "the Frontiersman"

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2011/04/28/cbs-and-msnbc-both-falsely-claim-obama-first-president-have-citizenshi#ixzz1L1Ds9J00

#11 No. It was real people talking about a real issue.
Submitted by The Vet on Fri, 04/29/2011 - 12:44am.

Here is the thing. Real people look at this issue and they come to a conclusion. The term "natural born citizen" was mentioned in the Constitution but was never defined in the Constitution nor by any Congress since. And the issue has never been adjudicated before the Supreme Court. So there is still some interpretation open as to exactly what is a "natural born citizen". It is not settled. It will not be settled until either the Supreme Court rules on it or there is an Amendment to define the term.

This is the way real people look at it. Real honest people. John McCain had two American parents but he was born on foreign soil. Barack Obama had only one American parent but was born on American soil. Both ran for the Presidency. The issue was brought up. But was largely ignored. Why? Because the weight of the argument is "natural born citizen" is that you were born into citizenship. And you gained that born citizenship by way of one or more of your parents citizenship. The question was asked. People looked. Said, eh, not that big a deal and we had an election.

And yes. Real people. Honest people had a duty, a right, to look and deem it not a big deal. They look, and say, OK, not completely settled but it is not worth the big national debate to settle this once and for all during a campaign fight. No. It was not racist. But it was worth looking at both of these candidates. The question was brought up and the question was found wanting.

That leads to why, why these birther trolls come here, going on 28 months after the fact, and look honest people, real people in the face and act as though the matter of the definition of "natural born citizen" is settled law. Look at these people. Every single one. Every single act as though their definition of the term IS A FACT. And they will argue and argue and argue as though they have the 11th commandment in stone and the 11th commandment is their definition of "natural born citizen". It is enough to make a grown man cry. The stupidity. The crassness. The rudeness of acting as though this is settle law when in fact it is not.

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/kyle-drennen/2011/04/28/cbs-and-msnbc-both-falsely-claim-obama-first-president-have-citizenshi#ixzz1L1IN1Lx1

What we need is the truth. In order to be taken absolutely seriously on legitimately questioning the meaning of "natural born citizen" internet musings must sort fact from fiction as quickly as possible.

In fact, we're pondering as well the Framers' placement of a comma after "No person except a natural born Citizen," and before, "or a Citizen of the United States" and rather than using the word "and" use of the word "or" with the word Citizen.

Pondering that will be left to another day.

No matter whom the truth hurts, it must be told, and accuracy must reign.

The saying "one rotten apple spoils the bunch" is as true anywhere and no less than in the case of journalism, and citizen-journalism as well, and we contributing to, using, and consuming from the Internet must ensure the truth doesn't become spoiled by the rot.

No matter where the rot appears to be found.

Net the Truth Online

A tale of two birth certificates
'Rosetta Stone' documents provide comparison

By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2011 WorldNetDaily


That Obama's birth certificate lists a registrar that appears remarkably like a forger's signature joke on the word "ukulele" is not the only peculiarity observed in comparing the president's record with other long-form Hawaiian birth certificates that have been fully authenticated.

The question is whether the Obama birth record the White House released Wednesday is an authentic photocopy of an original 1961 vital record or a modern-day forgery.
Read more: A tale of two birth certificates http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=292717#ixzz1L0xZaPtf

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=292717

PA Marcellus Shale (Gov. Corbett) Gas Fee vs Severance Tax

We lean with Governor Tom Corbett in considering a fee on the Oil and Gas industry/drillers vs a new gas severance tax. We don't think the latter would pass Constitutional review, and years and years would go by before anything is determined from litigation.

Gas fee proposed by state to benefit locals

By Brad Bumsted and Andrew Conte
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, April 29, 2011

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_734427.html#ixzz1Kun9kmCs

In the meantime, drillers are willing - it appears - to the imposition of a fee to be imposed and its proceeds to be kept at the local level.

That makes far more sense than having any revenues from the tax go first to the state (in part to cover the state budget deficits created by past Administration) then some to the localities where the drilling occurs.

We urge as well that the Governor review the potential any of the gas itself go to China, rather than wholly being distributed across Pennsylvania, and held in reserve for future generations of Pennsylvanians.

No gas to China and energy independence should be the slogans for a renewed Pennsylvania.

Net the Truth Online

Gas fee proposed by state to benefit locals
By Brad Bumsted and Andrew Conte
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, April 29, 2011 Last updated: 7:14 am

HARRISBURG -- A much-anticipated proposal by the Senate's top Republican to levy a fee on Marcellus shale gas drilling touched off debate on Thursday among supporters and opponents over the industry assessment and who would get the money.

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, said his bill -- to be introduced in a week or so -- gives 60 percent of the collected fees to counties and municipalities with deep wells, as well as townships and boroughs that neighbor drilling production sites. The bill splits the other 40 percent between conservation districts statewide and environmental funds for cleanup and infrastructure, although he said that's up for negotiation.

The fee would be retroactive for 2010 and would raise $45 million for last year. It would bring in $76 million this year and would rise to at least $150 million by 2014, Scarnati said.

"I have to believe this is in the sweet spot of where I believe most legislators will be," Scarnati said.

The senator said it was an attempt to meet the parameters of fellow Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, who opposes a severance tax but has said he would consider such an impact fee if the revenue remains in local hands and does not go into the state general fund.

"It's the beginning of a discussion," said Kevin Harley, Corbett's press secretary.

Governments would use the fee to help cover damage to roads and bridges, for maintenance and improvement costs for water and sewage systems, and for emergency responder costs, Scarnati said.

Scarnati said it is a fee and not a tax because the money does not go to the state general fund.

"What's the difference between a fee and tax? Gov. Corbett's pen," Scarnati said. "That will be the ultimate test."

The Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association, which has opposed a severance tax in the past, issued a statement saying its members are open to discussing an impact fee that raises money to offset problems caused by the industry.

Drillers are open to an impact fee that provides money for local communities as long as it's "clear, straightforward and competitive," Kathryn Klaber, president of the Cecil-based Marcellus Shale Coalition trade group, said in a statement.

"Our industry understands that while there are tremendous financial opportunities in Marcellus shale development, there also can be impacts felt by our host communities," Klaber said.



Read more: Gas fee proposed by state to benefit locals - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_734427.html#ixzz1KulMY5zc

Report Flawed Representation without taxation: how natural gas producers escape taxes in PA

We came across the report Representation without Taxation: How Natural Gas Producers Escape Taxes in Pennsylvania the other day as no doubt it had been used by PA state representatives touting a new tax on Marcellus Shale drillers. We saw no indication on the site of any admission of errors!

Now, we learn in Group admits errors in energy tax report the report is flawed, with errors.

Of course, the error and biased (and potentially unsubstantiated) title of the report Representation without Taxation: How Natural Gas Producers Escape Taxes in Pennsylvania won't matter to the representatives claiming some tax or other is needed on Marcellus Shale drillers...

It is worth noting, a spokesman for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, according to the Tribune-Review article, said of the report:


PBPC used "blatantly wrong and faulty information" to drive its political agenda

Meanwhile, according to the Tribune-Review article, PBPC denies the charge.

We also wonder whether all the talk about imposing an extraction tax is just that, talk, since there will be years and years of litigation should legislation be passed, litigation that goes to the heart of the Constitutionality of the tax and how it could pass Constitutional review.

Net the Truth Online

The following is an informative article, Real Property Taxation of the Marcellus Shale and Other Mineral Interests in Pennsylvania Oil & Gas/Real Estate Alert by Raymond P. Pepe . April 17, 2009

Real Property Taxation of the Marcellus Shale and Other Mineral Interests in Pennsylvania Oil & Gas/Real Estate Alert by Raymond P. Pepe . April 17, 2009
This Alert reviews Pennsylvania’s current assessment laws pertaining to mineral interests and improvements made to land to extract and process minerals; summarizes pending legislative proposals to modify the state’s assessment laws to tax real property interests in gas reserves; and discusses critical issues that should be considered by businesses engaged in the extraction of natural gas and other mineral resources in Pennsylvania, property owners and local governments relating to the assessment of natural gas reserves and other mineral rights.

The Alert also considers whether it is permissible for real property tax purposes to assess mineral interests severed from fee-simple title to property, but to exempt from taxation equivalent mineral interests retained by the surface owners of properties in order to minimize the extent to which taxes will be imposed upon Pennsylvania residents...

CLIPPED EXCERPT

Proposed Legislation
House Bill 10 of 2009, sponsored by Representative Bill DeWeese and 27 other members of the General Assembly, provides that rights held pursuant to a lease or other agreement to extract, remove or recover gas, oil or coal bed methane shall be subject to taxation as real estate and assessed and taxed separately from the surface property in the name of the holder of such rights. The legislation further provides that these mineral interests will be assessed utilizing the discounted income approach to value as supplemented by the sales comparison data.

To facilitate the assessment of mineral interests, House Bill 10 requires a lessee or operator to provide annually to the county assessor “such nonproprietary lease and lease income information as the assessor determines is reasonably needed to determine value.” Using this information, the legislation would allow counties to change the assessed value of gas, oil, and coal bed methane mineral rights whenever “information becomes available that would significantly affect the valuation” of the property, including the “commencement of production on or near the property,” or the “depletion of the hydrocarbon gas subject to the lease and related production.”

CLIPPED EXCERPT

D. Avoiding Constitutional Litigation
The Uniformity Clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution requires all taxes to be uniform upon the same class of subjects within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax. The Pennsylvania Constitution further specifies circumstances in which exemptions or special provisions for taxation of property are permissible, and provides that all laws exempting property from taxation other than those specifically enumerated by the Constitution “shall be void.” Various provisions of the U.S. Constitution further impose limitations upon state taxes, including the due process and equal protection requirements of the 14th Amendment and the Commerce Clause.

House Bill 10 would allow counties to change the value of oil, gas, and coal bed methane mineral interests whenever events significantly affect the valuation of the property. This procedure contrasts with existing Pennsylvania law that authorizes the reassessment of properties only pursuant to countywide reassessments or in the event of subdivisions, the construction of new improvements, or as necessary to correct errors and omissions in a county’s assessment records. As a result, significant questions will arise regarding whether, in the context of tax assessments statutorily required to be determined based upon a common base year, establishing different reassessment schedules for certain types of property violates uniformity and equal protection requirements.

Similarly, House Bill 10 deviates substantially from existing law by taxing mineral interests severed from fee-simple title by a lease or other agreement, but exempting the same mineral interests if retained by the landowner. It is difficult to identify a rational basis for exempting from taxation mineral interests held by fee-simple landowners, but imposing taxes on identical mineral interests severed from the remaining interests in the property, other than a patently discriminatory intent to impose taxes primarily upon businesses engaged in interstate commerce that focus their efforts upon mineral development and to confer benefits upon the owner occupants of properties located within Pennsylvania...

http://www.klgates.com/newsstand/detail.aspx?publication=5553

Representation without Taxation: How Natural Gas Producers Escape Taxes in Pennsylvania

State Budget and Tax Policy
April 25, 2011

Download Full Report

Natural gas drillers in Pennsylvania pay very little in state and local taxes, despite industry claims to the contrary. In tax year 2008, the oil and gas industry[1] paid $38.8 million in Pennsylvania state business taxes.[2]
Of the 783 companies to file corporate net income tax returns, only 15% owed any tax. A significantly larger number of drillers — including nine of the top 10 permit holders in the Marcellus Shale — structure their businesses as limited liability companies (LLCs) or limited partnerships (LPs). This allows them to avoid the corporate net income tax altogether and pay the much lower personal income tax on company profits.

In 2008, 120 companies paid $17.8 million in corporate net income taxes. 51% of companies had capital stock and franchise tax liability, paying $8 million. While a greater proportion (56%) of LLCs and partnerships had tax liability, they paid in total $13 million in personal income taxes.

http://www.pennbpc.org/gas-drillers-escape-taxes

By Jeremy Boren
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, April 29, 2011


A Harrisburg group said on Thursday there are flaws in its report on corporate income taxes paid by energy companies drilling for natural gas in Pennsylvania's mile-deep Marcellus shale formation.

The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center's report, "Representation without Taxation: How Natural Gas Producers Escape Taxes in Pennsylvania," overestimated how frequently firms use their status as limited-liability companies to pay the state's 3.07 percent personal income tax, instead of the much higher 9.99 percent net corporation income tax, a center spokesman said.
"As soon as we realized there was a problem, we corrected it, and we posted it to our website," said spokesman Chris Lilienthal.

The correction notes that individuals and corporations receive profits through an energy company limited liability corporation or limited partnership, meaning a mix of personal and corporate taxes are paid. The original version said energy companies could avoid paying corporate income tax "altogether" as an LLC or LP.

Errors in the report, which relies on 2008 tax data collected by the state Department of Revenue, go deeper than that, said Elizabeth Brassell, a spokeswoman for the Department of Revenue.

The center's researchers relied on flawed mathematical calculations, Brassell said.

She said because of high interest, the department plans to release a report soon about tax revenues generated by Marcellus shale drilling operations. That report, however, likely won't pinpoint how much energy companies pay in corporate and personal income taxes.

Travis Windle, a spokesman for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group, said PBPC used "blatantly wrong and faulty information" to drive its political agenda, a charge PBPC denies.

The board of directors that runs the center is made up of labor union and public university officials. It is advocating for state lawmakers to impose a severance tax on natural gas drillers, which has been controversial.

Read more: Group admits errors in energy tax report - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_734569.html#ixzz1KuaWkk75

PA State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe Addresses Proof Citizenship Residency Requirements for Candidates

It's worth noting state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe's necessary legislation as noted in "Document release adds paper to 'birther' fire" Mike Wereschagin Thursday, April 28, 2011

Our state legislators have an obligation to measure up to their own Constitutional duties. What could be a more proper duty than vetting Pennsylvania election contenders before the formal election process begins.

We've all seen incidents in the state and our own localities wherein candidates have been challenged by opponents to determine whether residency requirements have been met. Usually such challenges are mounted by opponents, with a few challenges arising from district or precinct voters.

Most times, such efforts are successful. A judicial determination is made the challenged candidate does not meet residency requirements. These requirements are enveloped into the PA Election Laws, often, however, there are areas of grey in the law, and one is usually pretty certain before bringing a challenge that the challenge is legitimate.

Not all challenges regarding residency requirements are successful, and many simply are not brought due to the blowback inherent in such a challenge to an opponent.

Rarely do citizens bring a challenge forth because of the huge cost of such, and such must pretty much have strong grassroots support or the publicity of the effort will be a detriment.

Metcalfe's bill will go a long way to enabling voters to have an assurance that candidates who present themselves for election have met all of the state's requirements including citizenship, age, residency, and the broader other constitutional requirements.

We'd be remiss if we also didn't mention the legislator should also look into crafting a bill that forces local county board of elections to ensure the voter registration list for the county is as accurate as is possible. Every voting district and precinct should have completed a full review of the voter registry list at some point within so many years, say 5, and from then on be required to annually review the voter registry and remove any names (throught the proper process) that are not qualified to be on the voter registry.

Karl Rove has his nerve. Previously and recently, Rove was convinced it was only the "fringe" of conservatives who questioned President Barack Obama's birth location. He more than just chastised Donald Trump for seeking President Obama finally just release a copy of the sought-after long-form. Trump noted Hillary Clinton's campaign had raised questions about Obama's standing to be elected for just that reason though that was hush-hush among the mainstream media.

Rove was nearly livid that Trump would make such a huge issue of Obama's birth certificate, charging the request drew conservatives deeper into the insanity.

Now, after Obama released his long-form birth certificate, Rove still dismisses the effort as silly.

So all that Rove admits is more fringe-type people/conservatives were participating in an effort Rove tags as 'fringe.'

Rove's simply trying to make Trump look like the kind of candidate who only draws the 'fringe' to his causes and positions because they've been drawn to Trump on the "birther" issue.

We've said before we don't mind being lumped in with 'fringe' especially when the goal is to seek the truth and nothing but the truth, no matter what the revelations, no matter whom the truth hurts in its enlightenment and information.

If we're among the fringe because we want Pennsylvania to initiate a bill that imposes vetting of candidates at any level before the election process begins, so be it.

Net the Truth Online

As many as two-thirds of Republicans question Obama's birth in the United States, according to recent polls, including a New York Times/CBS poll released last week that found 45 percent of Republicans -- and 25 percent of all Americans -- believe Obama was not born in this country. That showed the claims were gaining traction beyond the fringe, said Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's chief strategist.

"He was happy to use it for his benefit, until it no longer benefited him," Rove said.

Releasing Obama's birth certificate "really doesn't affect the legislation I've introduced" to require similar documentation for all candidates in Pennsylvania, said state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry. He said the bill never targeted Obama.

"It was really kind of alarming that the state was not being responsible in (vetting candidates), from local to state to federal, to ensure that all of us meet the citizenship, age, residency and other constitutional requirements," Metcalfe said

Read more: Document release adds paper to 'birther' fire - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_734212.html#ixzz1Kp8MX8qR

Shale Drilling Faces EPA Crackdown

Wall Street journal
Shale Drilling Faces Crackdown
BY RYAN TRACY
The Environmental Protection Agency will more closely regulate the use of diesel fuel in a drilling process used to recover natural gas, Administrator Lisa Jackson said Tuesday.

The EPA until recently hasn't moved to regulate hydraulic fracturing, a process that involves injecting various types of drilling fluids into wells to free oil and natural gas trapped in shale formations deep underground.

Instead, the EPA relied on state regulators, in part because Congress in 2005 exempted hydraulic fracturing from regulation under the federal ...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703778104576287430280004342.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy

Local Planning Offices Implementing United Nations Agenda 21

Very little doubt about it, local planning offices are implementing the United Nations Agenda 21

Case in point. Standard Building Codes, that's right. State-wide mandated local building codes. Municipalities or counties handling such planning were required to adopt the regulations. Those municipalites that didn't adopt the planning codes forfeited these duties to the county which had a planning office. In turn, the county board of commissioners adopted the state regulations for planning.

Of course, officials would deny there's anything in the planning code that comports with the United Nations Agenda 21. Even if they admitted such, they'd ask you to prove there is something 'nefarious' about the United Nations Agenda 21.

The primary comeback to that is what business is it of an unelected body - the United Nations - to offer regulations - which our federal representatives have signed on to by participating in the United Nations - and in turn states later adopt and then localities adopt the measures in such as local planning codes.

Most citizens have a hard enough time keeping track of how our elected officials ignore their oaths of office on any number of issues.

Continuously, one measure or another is simply unconstitutional, such as free trade agreements on the federal level (these should be treated as treaties as the effect on U.S. law is as if the agreements are treaties) and in Pennsylvania, Keystone Opportunity Zones.

We have long questioned how it is uniform taxation for local officials to waive taxes to businesses or residents locating in a KOZ for some specified amount of years, usually 10 or 12, and some with extensions after extensions? Meanwhile, other property owners locally who don't have property in a KOZ suffer fear of fines, fees, or loss of property for failure to pay their annual tax bills to the local jurisdictions or the state.

There is much wrong with the Agenda 21 coming to your local community. Be aware and hold your local officials accountable.

Net the Truth Online

U.N.'s Agenda 21 is in your community
Henry Lamb
World Net Daily Posted: April 23, 2011

Editor's note: Listen to this column online.

Anyone who reads Chapter 7 of Agenda 21 and then reads his local comprehensive land-use plan will immediately recognize that most of the provisions of the local land-use plan come directly from Agenda 21. More often than not, the elected officials who adopt these plans have never read Agenda 21, and many have never even heard of the U.N. document, signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1992.

The facilitators and professional planners have heard about Agenda 21, but frequently claim that the plan they are working on has nothing to do with the U.N. or Agenda 21. Don't believe it for one minute.

Gary Lawrence, former director of the Center for Sustainable Communities at the University of Washington, and chief planner for the city of Seattle, told an audience in London:

In the case of the U.S., our local authorities are engaged in planning processes consistent with LA21 [Local Agenda 21], but there is little interest in using the LA21 brand. … So, we call our processes something else, such as comprehensive planning, growth management or smart growth.
In community after community, the same scenario is repeated. The federal government, through the EPA or the Department of Commerce or the Department of Interior, offers special grants to communities for the purpose of developing a vision for a greener future and a plan to convert the vision into reality.

Typically, the local government will find a private consultant to "facilitate" the process. The facilitator will identify a local "steering committee," carefully chosen from people who represent various segments of the community, all of whom are known in advance to be sympathetic to the goals of Agenda 21.

Typically, the advisory group will meet in private to lay out the framework for the process and the goals for the finished product. When this is achieved, public meetings are scheduled to give the appearance of public input and ownership. Rarely are these meetings ever publicized adequately to attract the private-property owners who are most directly affected. Care is taken to see that members of local environmental organizations and social-justice organizations constitute the majority of attendees.

These public meetings are said to be "the visioning process." The procedures vary slightly from community to community, depending upon the facilitator. Remarkably, however, the "vision" in every community contains essentially the same elements: restricted auto traffic; bike trails; walkable neighborhoods; integrated housing; high-density urban boundary zones; conservation areas; green belts; and much more – directly from Agenda 21.

Once the vision document is complete, the next step is to convert it into a comprehensive land-use plan, adopted by local elected officials in the form of an ordinance that is enforceable with fines and other penalties. The plans are necessarily so long and complex that few people ever read them, other than the professional planners and enforcement officials. Many, if not most, of these comprehensive plans incorporate many, if not most, of the codes developed by the International Codes Council. Here are some of the codes:

International Building Code
International Residential Code
International Fire Code
International Energy Conservation Code
International Private Sewage Disposal Code
International Mechanical Code
International Fuel Gas Code
International Wildland-Urban Interface Code
ICC Performance Code
International Existing Building Code
International Property Maintenance Code
International Zoning Code
International Green Construction Code
Here's a sample of what to expect. From Chapter 2 of the International Green Construction Code:

CONSERVATION AREA. Land designated by the jurisdiction or by state or federal government, as a result of a community planning process, as appropriate for conservation from development because of the land possessing natural values important to the community including, but not limited to wildlife habitat, forest or other significant vegetation, steep slopes, ground water recharge area, riparian corridor or wetland.
DAYLIGHT SATURATION. The percentage of daytime hours throughout the year when not less than 28 foot-candles (300 lux) of natural light is provided at a height of 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor.

DEMAND RESPONSE, AUTOMATED (AUTO-DR). Fully Automated Demand Response initiated by a signal from a utility or other appropriate entity, providing fully-automated connectivity to customer energy end-use control strategies.

This is a tiny sample of the rules and regulations buried deep within the innocent-sounding comprehensive land-use plans adopted by unaware local officials to achieve the politically correct label of "sustainable community."



Read more: U.N.'s Agenda 21 is in your community http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=290225#ixzz1KLyiFFnH

Where Will PA Gamelands Gas Go? China?

the most sickening aspect of leasing state gamelands in PA for Marcellus Shale drilling is it is very likely the gas obtained will go directly to China.

Something needs to be done about that.

Meanwhile, what benefit to residents of the state have on cost of energy, and how updated are government properties to provide buildings with natural gas.

We'd go further and recommend all PA municipalites convert to natural gas and be funded with any shale fees and/or taxes.

Net the Truth Online

Agency OKs more gas drilling on state game lands
Friday, April 22, 2011
By Marc Levy, The Associated Press
HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Game Commission has expanded the scope of leasing state-owned hunting lands for harvesting natural gas from the lucrative Marcellus Shale formation, this time netting more than $18 million.

The money helps a financially strapped agency that has cut back programs, such as raising pheasants for small-game hunting, while going a dozen years without an increase in the hunting license fees that are its primary source of support.

About two-thirds of the lease money is payment for the extraction of natural gas from beneath game lands in Bradford and Lycoming counties in Northern Pennsylvania by way of wells that would be drilled on adjacent, privately owned land. Another lease on game lands in adjoining Tioga County will allow up to three well pads -- each of which can host multiple wells -- and pipeline construction.

Marcellus Shale drilling involves blasting chemical-laced water into the ground, a procedure called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Critics say fracking could poison water supplies, but the gas drilling industry says it has been used safely for decades.

Ted Onufrak, president of the 90,000-member Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, said most of his members are comfortable with the expansion of Marcellus Shale drilling as long as the Legislature and the governor's office give the game commission the resources to stay on top of the activity.

"If you've got one [commission] land manager in charge of two counties, and first there's 20 wells and then there's 60 wells, that's a lot to ride herd on," Mr. Onufrak said. "They are going to need some additional staff."

The new leases bring the agency's haul from the Marcellus Shale to at least $19 million, game commission officials said. Royalties are also beginning to trickle in from the first Marcellus Shale wells that are producing gas, commission officials said.

The money stays with the game commission, which can use it to buy land or pay for its day-to-day operations. A large chunk of the more than $300 million raised by leasing Pennsylvania's state forest land for Marcellus Shale drilling has been tapped by the Legislature to help wipe out state government deficits.

The commission does not view gas drilling income as a replacement for increasing the $20.70 adult resident hunting license fee, which the agency has sought from the Legislature since 2004, spokesman Jerry Feaser said Wednesday.

Mr. Feaser also said the commission is not under additional pressure to lease game land because of the Legislature's refusal to raise fees. He pointed out that when the energy industry's pursuit of the Marcellus Shale began in earnest in 2008, companies asked the commission to lease its entire land holdings in the northeastern corner of the state, which it has not done.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11112/1141071-113-0.stm?cmpid=healthscience.xml#ixzz1KGIZJZHw

Big Flop Bill O'Reilly Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

The Factor's Bill O'Reilly as loud as is his norm as he faced Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano failed to deliver even one question that would bust Napolitano's all-is-better than-ever at the border lies.

O'Reilly Factor Wed. April 20, 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRoYQ2G678Q

Better than when and what??? That question would have been a natural, but O'Reilly didn't ask it.

Napolitano's statement "border security is better than ever" is nothing new.

Janet Napolitano: Border security better than ever

By JENNIFER EPSTEIN | 3/25/11 6:41 AM EDT Updated: 3/25/11 4:16 PM EDT
While the U.S.-Mexico border region has developed a reputation for danger, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stressed Thursday that protection of the border “is better now than it ever has been” and violence has not spilled into the United States.

Speaking in El Paso at the Bridge of the Americas, which connects Texas to Ciudad Juarez, Napolitano said that border is safe and that her department is working to further secure it. The department is planning to deploy 250 new border agents, and the agency’s proposed 2012 budget includes a request for funding an additional 300, The Associated Press reported.


“There is a perception that the border is worse now than it ever has been,” Napolitano said. “That is wrong. The border is better now than it ever has been.”

It’s also “wrong,” Napolitano said, that the drug-related violence in northern Mexico is spilling over into U.S. border cities. Violent crime rates in cities in the Southwest have stayed flat or fallen, she said. At the same time, she acknowledged, “there is much to do with colleagues in Mexico in respect to the drug cartels.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/51925.html#ixzz1K9rTQO1s

O'Reilly has had quite a while to delve into its truthfulness and gather property owners, alive, but living in fear and armed for self-protection, to face-off on camera with Napolitano.

Napolitano might have claimed "unfair" but hey citizens of the United States are dying at or near their own property at the hands of criminals in drug cartels and human trafficking networks with no curtailment in sight.

While O'Reilly highlighted one such rancher armed for self-protection, the spot was taped, with no ability for the rancher, and others, to smack Napolitano with the clear truth.

O'REILLY: -- are you winning down there? Are you guys -- are you going to tell that rancher, look, we're winning this war against the Mexican intrusion of narcotics and human trafficking? We're winning it so you just hold on a little bit down there? Keep your shotgun handy but things are going to get better? Is that what you are going to tell him?

NAPOLITANO: Well, what I would say is not only are we putting more into that border but that more is on its way and we are very committed to a safe and secure border for a lot of reasons.

O'REILLY: All right. Now, ...

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O'Reilly followed that with a question about violence moving further south into the United States.

Napolitano went on at length, basically saying nothing.

O'REILLY: All right. Now, the cartels obviously have got to be a concern to you because of all the tremendous violence that they -- that they cause and now we're getting reports that some cartels are moving into the south and southwest United States to set up shop. Are you hearing that?

NAPOLITANO: Well, let me -- you know, the cartels have always had distribution networks in the United States. I mean, that's where they make their money. They distribute drugs, you know, through virtually every state in the -- in the country.

What we are focused on in with Mexico right now is seeing if we can root out the cartels themselves and -- and really dismantle them. And that is what is causing a lot of the violence that's going on in Mexico right now.

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Which of the two are brain dead?

Both.

Addressing Napolitano's 'border security is better than ever before' theme, O'Reilly's parting comment to Napolitano was this:

"I'm hoping that you are right."

O'REILLY: All right. Good. You're painting a very optimistic picture, madam secretary. And I'm just hoping that you're right --

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O'Reilly is hoping Napolitano is right?

Wouldn't she continue to claim she is right?

And doesn't O'Reilly presume in the remark that Napolitano has not convinced him she is right and the 'border security is better than ever before?'

The man could see for himself in his own investigative team's video, which preceded Napolitano's appearance, Janet Napolitano was not right.

She lied, and O'Reilly let her off the hook with his offering of hope on a platter.

SHOW: THE O'REILLY FACTOR 8:12 PM EST

April 20, 2011 Wednesday

O'REILLY: So you say you're winning --

NAPOLITANO: So our goal is to have a safe and secure --

O'REILLY: -- are you winning down there? Are you guys -- are you going to tell that rancher, look, we're winning this war against the Mexican intrusion of narcotics and human trafficking? We're winning it so you just hold on a little bit down there? Keep your shotgun handy but things are going to get better? Is that what you are going to tell him?

NAPOLITANO: Well, what I would say is not only are we putting more into that border but that more is on its way and we are very committed to a safe and secure border for a lot of reasons.

(CROSSTALK)

O'REILLY: All right. Now, the cartels obviously have got to be a concern to you because of all the tremendous violence that they -- that they cause and now we're getting reports that some cartels are moving into the south and southwest United States to set up shop. Are you hearing that?

NAPOLITANO: Well, let me -- you know, the cartels have always had distribution networks in the United States. I mean, that's where they make their money. They distribute drugs, you know, through virtually every state in the -- in the country.

What we are focused on in with Mexico right now is seeing if we can root out the cartels themselves and -- and really dismantle them. And that is what is causing a lot of the violence that's going on in Mexico right now.

(CROSSTALK)

O'REILLY: Do you -- do you -- would you advice President Calderon down there to allow U.S. agents, drug agents and the Homeland Security agents, ICE agents to go into Mexico armed and help his guys? Because that's always the problem, he doesn't allow American agents armed down there.

NAPOLITANO: Well, I think we're getting into areas where we work on a case by case basis with President Calderon. And we are actually doing a lot together with the federal government of Mexico with ICE agents, with DEA agents and at times and in coordination with and at the request of Mexico even with some military assets.

O'REILLY: All right. Good. You're painting a very optimistic picture, madam secretary. And I'm just hoping that you're right --

(CROSSTALK)

NAPOLITANO: Right.

O'REILLY: -- on both the border intrusion and the more cartels.

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PA Allowed Wastewater from Drilling into Unequipped City Treatment Plants

what do we get from the recent action by PA DEP to request drillers stop using municipal water treatment facilities to take in wastewater from Marcellus Drillers?

Heads should roll from previous administrations which enabled the treatment facilities to accept the wastewater when it was known such facilities were not able to properly deal with the wastewater.

Heads should roll from any previous legislators who supported this travesty.

Net the Truth Online

Drilling water ban a boon?
Official: EPA ruling could mean more volume at plant
April 20, 2011
It's too early to tell if Warren might benefit from a decision Tuesday by Pennsylvania to ban cities from accepting natural gas drilling wastewater, a Warren official said.

Tom Angelo, director of the Warren Water Pollution Control department, said revenues could rise if wastewater shipped from Pennsylvania wells consistently reaches a higher concentration level of salt.

The city's treatment system, which is legally capped at 100,000 gallons a day, has been handling 30,000 gallons to 80,000 gallons a day of brine water sent from Patriot Water Treatment in Warren, Angelo said.

That volume may change "very quickly," he said, following the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's order that companies drilling in the Marcellus Shale rock formation stop taking wastewater to 15 treatment plants by May 19.

"They'll be scrambling quickly. We'll probably see 700,000 gallons a week," he said.

The department is paid both by volume of water and the water's salt level. The Warren treatment plant will see more revenue if the salt content consistently reaches the allowed ceiling of 50,000 milligrams per liter of water, he said.

He pointed out Warren is better prepared than Pennsylvania cities to accept the polluted water, which drillers pump into 5,000-foot deep wells to shatter the shale rock and release natural gas.

"The biggest problem Pennsylvania had was they were allowing gas and oil companies to go directly to a (city) wastewater treatment plant and discharge with no limit on volume of water or level of salt," he said.

CLIP CONTINUES

Other major gas-drilling states require wastewater to be injected it deep underground into disposal wells. But in Pennsylvania, some wastewater is treated by sewer authorities, largely in western Pennsylvania, and discharged into rivers from which communities draw drinking water.

Environment regulators cited elevated levels of bromide in rivers in western Pennsylvania in its announcement.

Officials at Pittsburgh-area drinking water authorities in Beaver Falls and Fredericktown say their facilities have flunked tests for trihalomethanes in the past couple years.

Complicating the matter is that, in addition to gas drilling, Pennsylvania's multitude of acid-leaching, abandoned coal mines and other industrial sources are also a major factor in the high salt levels that lead to trihalomethanes in drinking water.

Pennsylvania imposed tougher wastewater treatment standards for drilling wastewater in August, although it still allowed facilities that had been permitted to accept drilling wastewater before August to continue accepting limited amounts under the same treatment standards. Fifteen of those 27 facilities that were grandfathered under the August rules were still accepting the wastewater, the DEP said.



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