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blog-heap o' links
Army Cpl. Jeremy S.
Jones, 25, of Omaha, Neb., died on June 27 of injuries sustained from an
improvised explosive device during dismounted combat operations in Baghdad,
Iraq. Jones was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 16:35:11Army Pfc. Michael J.
Potocki, 21, of Baltimore, Md., died on June 26, of injuries sustained in
Al Asad, Iraq, when his unit came in contact with enemy force's small arms fire
during combat operations. Potocki was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder,
Germany. defenselink.mil/ ... 09:35:46Marine Pfc. Rex A.
Page, 21, of Kirksville, Mo., died June 28 from wounds received while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd
Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary
Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 01:22:34Army Sgt. 1st Class
Terry O.P. Wallace, 33, of Winnsboro, La., died on June 27, of injuries
sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during
combat operations in Taji, Iraq. Wallace was assigned to the 4th Battalion,
42nd Field Artillery, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
SAN MATEO, Calif. -- Andrew
Padilla first saw the monkey in the backyard of his Palo Alto home, hanging out
by a fence. He thought it must be a squirrel. It turned out to be a marmoset --
and one that was a long, long way from its native home in the rain forests of
South and Central America... sciencedaily.com/ ... 01:21:49
offshore oil and gas
platforms... new data shows they are performing a critical function for marine
life... 
The only
documented white humpback whale in the world has been sighted off the coast of
Byron Bay as it migrates along the coast of Australia... news.bbc.co.uk/ ... 11:10:47
Zoologists have developed a plan to save the Yangtze
River dolphin, probably the world's most endangered mammal, from extinction.
They hope to take some dolphins from the Yangtze and rear them in a nearby
lake, protected from fishermen... news.bbc.co.uk/ ... 11:07:34A quail believed to have
been extinct for nearly 80 years has been seen by a prominent ornithologist in
the north-eastern Indian state of Assam... Army Sgt. Terry M.
Lisk, 26, of Fox Lake, Ill., died on June 26 of injuries sustained in Ar
Ramadi, Iraq when his unit received indirect fire from enemy forces during
combat operations. Lisk was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment,
1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany. defenselink.mil/ ... 10:43:36Marine Cpl. Jason W.
Morrow, 27, of Riverside, Calif., died June 27 from wounds received while
conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq, on June 26. He was
assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. Marine Cpl. Paul N.
King, 23, of Tyngsboro, Mass. died June 25 while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces
Reserve's 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Ayer,
Mass.Marine
Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar, 30, of Lake Orion, Mich. died June 26
from wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province,
Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 15:43:13The
Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that nine airmen
missing in action from World War II have been identified and are being returned
to their families for burial with full military honors. The nine areArmy Air Forces 2nd Lt.
Hugh L. Johnson Jr., Montgomery, Ala.;Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Byron L.
Stenen, Northridge, Calif.;Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. John F. Green, Watertown,
N.Y.;Army Air
Forces 2nd Lt. John M. Meisner, Pembroke, Mass.; Army Air Forces Staff
Sgt. Walter Knudsen, Sioux City, Iowa; Army Air Forces Cpl. John A.
DeCarlo, Newark, N.J.; Army Air Forces Cpl. Robert E. Raney, Monon, Ind.; Army Air Forces Cpl.
William G. Mohr, Mt. Wolf, Pa.; and Army Air Forces Cpl. Michael J.
Pushkar, Mahanoy City, Pa.Army Sgt. Benjamin J.
Laymon, 22, of Mount Vernon, OhioArmy Sgt. Justin D. Norton, 21, of Rainier,
Wash.Army Master Sgt.
Thomas D. Maholic, 38, of Bradford, Pa., died on June 24 in Ghecko,
Afghanistan, when his patrol unit came in contact with enemy forces using small
arms fire during a cordon and search mission. Maholic was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 22:36:53Army Spc. Channing G.
Singletary, 30, of Sylvester, Ga., died in Baghdad, Iraq on June 23, from a
non-combat-related cause. Singletary was assigned to the Army National Guard's
122nd Support Center, Savannah, Ga. The incident is under investigation..
defenselink.mil/ ... 22:36:34Army Pfc. Devon J.
Gibbons, 19, of Port Orchard, Wash., died on June 23, in the Brooke Army
Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, of injuries sustained on April 11 when an
improvised explosive device detonated near his Bradley Fighting Vehicle during
combat operations in Taji, Iraq. Gibbons was assigned to the 10th Cavalry
Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. 
Researchers scouring through
swamps in the heart of Borneo island have discovered a new species of snake
that can change its skin color... half-meter long poisonous snake... newsday.com/ ...
22:35:15JAMESTOWN, N.D... a woman catching what she thought was a
piranha at the Casselton Reservoir... confirmed by biologists... bloomberg.com/ ... 09:03:31A wild
bear that has been roaming southern Germany for the past month was shot dead by
hunters to prevent it from attacking local farmers and hikers...
Army Staff Sgt.
Virrueta A. Sanchez, 33, of Houston, Texas, died in Balad, Iraq on June
24 of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
HMMWV during combat operations. Sanchez was assigned to the Army's 1st
Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division, Fort Caron, Colo. defenselink.mil/ ... 23:14:13Army Cpl Ryan J.
Buckley, 21, of Nokomis, Ill., died in Baghdad, Iraq on June 23 of injuries
sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during
combat operations. Buckley was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 506th
Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne (Air Assault), Fort
Campbell, Ky. Army Staff Sgt. Mario
J. Bievre, 34, of Constantinople, Ill.Army Pfc. Paul A. Beyer, 21, of
Jamestown, N.D.Marine Cpl. Riley E.
Baker, 22, of Pacific, Mo., died June 22 while conducting combat operations
in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune,
N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 00:49:08Army Pfc. Brian J.
Bradbury, 22, of Saint Joseph, Mo., died on June 21 in the vicinity of
Naray, Afghanistan, when he encountered enemy forces using small arms fire and
rocket-propelled grenades during combat operations. Bradbury was assigned to
the 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division
(Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.Army Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig,
28, of Severn, Md., died on June 21 when his UH-60 helicopter hoist
malfunctioned while attempting to evacuate Pfc. Bradbury during combat
operations. Craig was assigned to the 159th Air Ambulance Medical Company,
Wiesbaden, Germany. The incident is under investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 00:45:30Army Sgt. Sirlou C.
Cuaresma, 25, of Chicago, Ill., died in Baghdad, Iraq on June 21, from a
non-combat related cause. Cuaresma was assigned to the 68th Engineer Company,
62nd Engineer Battalion, 13th Containment Command (Expeditionary), Fort Hood,
Texas. 
People should not use mobile phones outdoors during thunderstorms
because of the risk of being struck by lightning... cnn.com/ ... 01:00:26A worrisome
superbug seen in prisoners and athletes is also showing up in people who get
illegal tattoos... Forty-four tattoo customers in Ohio, Kentucky and Vermont
developed skin infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus... Army Sgt. Jason J.
Buzzard, 31, of Constantinople, Calif., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 21
of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his
HEMTT cargo truck during combat operations. Buzzard was assigned to the 2nd
Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry
Division, Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 16:12:30Marine Lance Cpl.
Nicholas J. Whyte, 21, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died June 21 while conducting
combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion,
8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp
Lejeune, N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 08:47:38Army Sgt. 1st Class
Jared C. Monti, 30, of Raynham, Mass.Army Staff Sgt. Patrick L. Lybert,
28, of Ladysmith, Wis. motorcyclist...
riding in rush hour traffic between Denver and Boulder... struck by
lightning... struck the center divider... dead at the scene... blasted a
4-inch-deep hole in the highway and sent chunks of asphalt hurtling across the
highway.... Army Pfc. Thomas L.
Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore.Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, of San Marcos,
Texas Air
Force Maj. John F. Conlon III, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. On March 4, 1966 Conlon
and another crewmember took off from Qui Nhon Air Field, Binh Dinh Province,
South Vietnam, in their O-1E Bird Dog light observation aircraft. They were on
a visual reconnaissance mission to Cheo Reo, an airstrip approximately 60 miles
southwest of Qui Nhon. The last radio contact with the crew was with a U.S.
Special Forces Camp about 30 minutes after take-off. defenselink.mil/ ... 23:30:05Marine Cpl.
Christopher D. Leon, 20, of Lancaster, Calif. died June 20 from wounds
received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III Marine Expeditionary
Force, Okinawa, Japan.Marine Lance Cpl. Brandon J. Webb, 20, of Swartz Creek,
Mich.Marine
Pfc. Christopher N. White, 23, of Southport, N.C.Marine Staff Sgt.
Benjamin D. Williams, 30, of Orange, TexasSix bottle-nosed dolphins would find the mines, while
four California sea lions would help recover them. "There are a number of
mechanical systems that work to some degree in those areas, but not as well as
the Navy would like them to work," said Tom Lapuzza, spokesman for the Navy's
Marine Mammal Program. "Unmanned vehicles are becoming better at finding mines
and being able to deal with them, but they are still not as good as the
dolphins are..." news.yahoo.com/ ... 08:35:50Cher,
who opposes the war in Iraq but supports the troops, says using her celebrity
to promote effective helmets for U.S. soldiers is rewarding — and "the
right thing to do..." 
The fridge magnet on a cabinet in the
house said, "Cats are like potato chips -- it's hard to have just one." The man
who lived there obviously agreed. He had at least 62 cats... owner had been
hoarding cats for at least 20 years... Cat food, litter and waste covered every
square inch of the home, and the animals had burrowed into the walls and
ceiling. A boneyard of decayed cats covered the lawn behind the property...
foxnews.com/ ... 08:35:19One in
Five U.S. Companies Allow Pets at Work... Millions of Americans believe pets on
the job lower absenteeism and encourage workers to get along... Bulgaria...yHerd of 70 goats sheltering from storm under one
tree... goatherd sheltering under another... lightning strike killed all 70
goats... goatherd unharmed... 
Sir Paul McCartney is celebrating his 64th birthday - an
age he immortalised in song decades ago... 
Reporters Without Borders:
Yahoo! is more ruthless at censoring its content in China than the locals...
Army Spc. Jeremiah S.
Santos, 21, of Minot, N.D., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 15 of injuries
sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during
combat operations. Santos was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. defenselink.mil/ ... 09:33:16Army Sgt. Russell M.
Durgin, 23, of Henniker, N.H., died on June 13, in Korengel, Afghanistan,
when his unit took small arms fire. Durgin was assigned to the 32nd Infantry
Battalion, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y. Army Capt. Patrick D.
Damon, 41, of Falmouth, Maine, died in Bagram, Afghanistan, on June 15,
from a non-combat related cause. Damon was assigned to the Army National
Guard's 240th Engineer Group, Augusta, Maine. This incident is under
investigation. defenselink.mil/ ... 16:40:57Marine Cpl. Michael
A. Estrella, 20, of Hemet, Calif., died June 14 while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 3rd
Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine
Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. defenselink.mil/ ... 16:40:39Army Sgt. Roger P.
Pena Jr., 29, of San Antonio, Texas,died in Musa Qulah, Afghanistan, on
June 14, when his convoy came under enemy small arms fire during combat
operations. Pena was assigned to the 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain
Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. 
Quakestorm, Rat Islands Alaska 2006-Jun-14 eyewitnessnewstv.com/ ...
13:02:17LOS ANGELES.. Doctors at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles are
about to perform what could be a 24-hour-long surgery to separate ten-month-old
twin girls joined from the chest to the pelvis... pakistantimes.net/ ... 13:00:38Indonesia's Mount
Merapi continued to spew lava and searing clouds of gas and ash Sunday... top
danger alert... lava dome lost around 1.3 million cubic meters of material on
Friday evening, releasing heat clouds of gas and ash that reached down five
kilometers (three miles) on its southeastern slope. On Sunday the volcano
spewed a large trail of heat clouds that went four kilometers down its southern
slope. Merapi's deadliest eruption occurred in 1930 when
more than 1,300 people were killed... allheadlinenews.com/ ... 12:01:47..earthquake... 6.3
on the Richter Scale... the Aleutian Islands off Alaska late Tuesday night....
no immediate reports of damage or injuries... no tsunami warning was issued...
Marine Lance Cpl.
Salvador Guerrero, 21, of Los Angeles, Calif., died June 9, of wounds
received while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was
assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine
Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.Marine Lance Cpl. Brent B. Zoucha,
19, of Merrick, Neb., died June 9, of wounds received while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th
Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine
Palms, Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:46:55Navy Seaman Apprentice
Zachary M. Alday, 22, of Donalsonville, Ga., died June 9 from injuries
sustained earlier in the day when the vehicle in which he was riding struck a
land mine. His unit was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in
the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Alday was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th
Marines, 7th Regimental Combat Team, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward),
Camp Pendleton, Calif. defenselink.mil/ ... 20:46:35Army Pvt. Benjamin J.
Slaven, 22, of Plymouth, Neb., died on June 9, in Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq of
injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV
during combat operations. Slaven was assigned to the Army Reserve 308th
Transportation Company, Lincoln, Neb. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:23:16Army Sgt. 1st Class
Clarence D. McSwain, 31, of Meridian, Miss., died in Baghdad, Iraq on
June 8, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated
near his convoy vehicle during combat operations. McSwain was assigned to the
2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne
Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:22:58Army 2nd Lt. John S.
Vaughan, 23, of Edwards, Colo., died in Mosul, Iraq, on June 7, when he
encountered enemy small arms fire during dismounted combat operations. Vaughan
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade
Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. Army Sgt. 1st Class
Daniel B. Crabtree, 31, of Canton, Ohio, died in Al Kut, Iraq, of
injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV
during combat operations. Crabtree was assigned to the Army National Guard's
2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, Columbus, Ohio. defenselink.mil/ ... 11:39:15Army Sgt. Jose M.
Velez, 35, of Bronx, N.Y., died in Kirkuk, Iraq, on June 9, of injuries
sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during
combat operations. Velez was assigned to the Army Reserve 773rd Transportation
Company, Fort Totten, N.Y. 
A new type of hammerhead
shark has been discovered in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean... appears to be
rare, breeding only in waters off the South Carolina coast... kbtv4.tv/ ... 00:09:28
a Beaumont tree trimmer was
stung by bees over 100 times after he became stuck in a tree Friday
afternoon... When firefighters arrived, they were unable to rescue him because
the tree was too close to power lines. Authorities were forced to try to hose
down the victim with foam and water to try and keep the bees off of him...
newsday.com/ ... 00:04:42WEST MILFORD,
N.J. -- A black bear... running into a territorial tabby... Jack, a 15-pound
orange-and-white cat... who ran the [bear] up a tree -- twice... Army Sgt. Carlos E.
Pernell, 25, of Munford, Ala.Army Cpl. Andy D. Anderson, 24, of
Falls Church, Va. Army Spc. Luis D.
Santos, 20, of Rialto, Calif., died in Buritz, Iraq, on June 8, of injuries
sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV during
combat operations. Santos was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor
Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson,
Colo. Sikeston, MO - More than 50
signed a petition asking the Sikeston City Council to look into monkey attacks
on their street. The petitioners claim the monkey is a danger to adults and
children. Phyllis Gates thinks otherwise. " He is usually pretty calm. People
make him nervous..." [Utterly unclear on the concept....] Army 1st Lt. Scott M.
Love, 32, of Knoxville, Tenn.Army Pfc. David N. Crombie, 19, of
Winnemucca, Nev. Army Air Force 2nd Lt.
Robert H. Cameron of Elkhart, Ind.;Army Air Force Cpl. George E.
Cunningham of Rich Hill, N.Y.;Army Staff Sgt.
Richard A. Blakley, 34, of Plainfield, Ind., died in Al Khalidiyah,
Iraq, on June 6, when he was shot by enemy small arms fire during dismounted
combat patrol operations. Blakley was assigned to the National Guard's 38th
Main Support Battalion, Indianapolis, Ind. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:48:44Navy Petty Officer 2nd
Class Jaime S. Jaenke, 29, of Bay City, Wis., died June 5 as a result of
enemy action when her HMMWV was struck by an improvised explosive device in Al
Anbar province, Iraq. She was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion
25, Fort McCoy, Wis. The incident also resulted in the death of Petty Officer
1st Class Gary Rovinski. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:47:12Marine Sgt. Mark T.
Smykowski, 23, of Mentor, Ohio, died June 6 while conducting combat
operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Reconnaissance
Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune,
N.C. defenselink.mil/ ... 12:46:38Army 1st Lt. Ryan T.
Sanders, 27, of College Station, TexasArmy Sgt. Daniel R. Gionet, 23, of
Pelham, N.H. Army Sgt. Travis A.
Vanzoest, 21, of Larimore, N.D.Army Spc. Curtis R. Mehrer, 21, of Bismarck,
N.D.Army Spc. Issac S.
Lawson, 35, of Sacramento, Calif., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 5, of
injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV
during combat operations. Lawson was assigned to the National Guard's 49th
Military Police Brigade, Fairfield, Calif. 
PETALUMA, Calif. -- It all started four years ago when
Roger Dier bought a baby rat to feed his pet Indian python. But when he saw the
furry little critter squeaking for its life, the lifelong animal lover said he
didn't have the heart to let it become just another snake snack... Last week,
animal control officers discovered more than 
Al Clark says the
reptile attacked with amazing speed as the dog ran near the shore. He was
helpless to save his pet... alligator killed the dog at Ridgecrest Park in
Largo on Sunday afternoon. Clark stopped by the park Monday with his other Shih
Tzu, Cassidy... 
TURKEY'S public television TRT,
controlled by the Islamist-rooted government, has barred the popular Walt
Disney cartoon Winnie the Pooh from air because it has a piglet as one of its
main heroes... [Don't suppose Babe would go over too big, either... What
about Porky's?.. Anything with Kevin Bacon?.. Can they perform Hamlet?.. ]
Google is working on a secret weapon in its quest to dominate
the next generation of Internet computing. But it is hard to keep a secret when
it is a computing center as big as two football fields, with
twin cooling plants protruding four stories into the sky... heralds a
substantial expansion of a worldwide computing network handling billions of
search queries a day and a growing repertory of other Internet services... a
multibillion-dollar face-off among Google, Microsoft and Yahoo that will
determine dominance in the online world in the years ahead... Google remains
far ahead in the global data-center race, and the scale of its complex here is
evidence of its extraordinary ambition... Google has lashed together a global
network of computers - known in the industry as the Googleplex... the biggest
computer in the world... design and even the nature of the Google center... a
closely guarded corporate secret... the two buildings here - and a third that
Google has a permit to build - will probably house 
at
the three-day Take Back America Conference in Washington DC... sponsored mainly
by TomPaine.com, a leading progressive think-tank... Senator Clinton orated, "I
do not think it is a smart strategy...for the president to continue with his
open-ended commitment, which I think does not put enough pressure on the new
Iraqi government. Nor do I think it is smart strategy to set a date certain. I
do not agree that that is in the best interests." In response, AP reports that
Clinton's comments prompted " loud booing" by a large portion of the several
thousand attendees...