Holy Saturday – “Could We Start Again Please”

 

For Holy Saturday I have chosen a song from Jesus Christ Super Star. I have read that the show will be shown on Sunday evening at 8pm Eastern time. Not sure if it is the original or if the show has been redone.

 

Good Friday – ‘Jesus remember me’

 

A beautiful chant from Taizé, France, based on the words of one of the men crucified with Jesus, underscores a meditation on the face of Christ, his suffering, death and resurrection

Luke 23:42-43 New International Version (NIV)

⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[a]”

⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

 

 

 

Maundy Thursday – ‘Stay with me’

 

A day for reflection.

Jesus Prays at Gethsemane

40Then Jesus returnedto the disciples and found them sleeping. “- Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour? He askedPeter. 41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”…

 

Stay With Me-Taize

Under 10 percent of “March for our Lives” were under 18

 

So the usual suspects no doubt were involved with the so-called “march” in D.C. on Saturday. Less than 10 percent were under 18.  But no matter, once again, the siren call for our guns begins again. Now ammunition is under attack. Thanks to dear Wasserman-Schultz. No discussion of the failures of the government. The School, the Sheriff. I’ll add a few words from the NRA:

 

A sociologist on MSNBC threw cold water on all the media’s claims that the March For Our Lives protests were spontaneous and led by the nation’s children during a “Morning Joe” segment on Monday.

While Fisher tried to make it sound like these individuals were all potential voters, it is likely that many of those who showed up were simply run-of-the-mill liberal activists.

University of Maryland sociologist Dana Fisher conducted a study of the demographics of Saturday’s march in Washington, D.C., and discovered that only less than 10 percent of those in the crowd were under the age of 18.

The study was done by going through the crowds with tablets and conducting surveys of participants and then extrapolating trends from the data collected, according to Fisher.

More at Daily Caller

Recent Legislation Mandates Additional Sales of U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Crude Oil – Why?

 

While we are looking the other way, Congress is managing to sell off our strategic reserves. Why might I ask? While the recent boon in energy finds in the USA is great, it still needs to be refined. The recent hurricanes have caused shortages requiring a release. We are one terrorist away from possibly needing our reserves again. I include a list of recent releases. As if that was enough, keep this old post in mind.

U.S. giving away ownership and control of our Energy and refineries August 6, 2014 B-ville

Yes, let’s put the USA at risk.

US omnibus bill mandates sale of 10 million barrels of government …

Platts–Mar 21, 2018

The bill also calls for lowering the threshold where the US government can drawdown crude from its emergency stocks. Under the threshold, set in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, the Department of Energy cannot take or sell crude from the SPR “if there are fewer than 350,000,000 barrels … then in February they were chipping away US mandates biggest non-emergency strategic oil sell-off ever

A little history on the stockpile:

The largest stockpile of government-owned emergency crude oil in the world, the SPR was established to help alleviate the effects of unexpected oil supply reductions. Located in four storage sites along the Gulf of Mexico, the SPR held more than 695 million barrels of crude oil at the beginning of 2017, or about 97% of its 713.5 million barrel design capacity. Prior to FY 2017 sales, the SPR inventory level had remained nearly constant for several years.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Note: Volumes sold in fiscal years 2017 through 2020 under the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 Section 404 are estimates based on projected prices of West Texas Intermediate crude oil in the February 2018 Short-Term Energy Outlook and Annual Energy Outlook 2018.

Previous releases:

2012 Hurricane Isaac Exchange  |  2008 Hurricanes Gustav and Ike Exchanges  |  2006 Ship Channel Closure Exchange  |  2006 Barge Accident Exchange  |  2005 Hurricane Katrina Exchange  |  2004 Hurricane Ivan Exchange  |  2002 Hurricane Lili Exchange  |  2000 Heating Oil Exchange  |  2000 Ship Channel Closure Exchange  | 1999 Maya Exchange  |  1996 Pipeline Blockage Exchange 

Non-Emergency Sales:  Although the Reserve was established to cushion oil markets during energy disruptions, non-emergency sales of oil from the Reserve can be authorized to respond to lesser supply disruptions or to raise revenues.

2011 IEA Coordinated Release  |  1996 Weeks Island Sale  |  1996-1997 Sales to Reduce the Federal Budget Deficit

Continued:

A previous Today in Energy article described the three bills enacted in 2015 and 2016 that collectively call for the sale of 149 million barrels in FY 2017 through FY 2025. Most of these sales set volumetric requirements, and revenues from those sales go to the U.S. Department of Treasury. A section of one of those bills—Section 404 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—included authorization for funding an SPR modernization program by selling up to $2 billion worth of SPR crude oil in FY 2017 through FY 2020. In that act, the sales are based on revenue targets that must be authorized by Congress.

Exchanges Agreements:  Oil can also be released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve under exchange arrangements (similar to loans) with private companies.  Exchange contracts provide for a loan of crude oil to be repaid, in kind, within a date certain, with additional premium barrels (similar to interest).

 

For information resources:

H/T: Global Energy Post

U.S. EIA: Today in Energy

A previous Today in Energy article described the three bills enacted in 2015 and 2016 that collectively call for the sale of 149 million barrels in FY 2017 through FY 2025

 www.theenergycollective.com

Natural Gas from Putin’s Russia has to be imported to New England

 

Earlier this year, New England had to import a cargo of Russian liquefied natural gas, even though it is located just a few hundred miles from one of the largest natural gas fields in the world.

So reads the caption. An excellent example of just what has been allowed to happen that puts Americans at risk by a few nitwits. There, I said it and I cut to the chase.

Even the Boston Globe opined that “Massachusetts’ reliance on imported gas from one of the world’s most threatened places is also a severe indictment of the state’s inward-looking environmental and climate policies.”

Better yet, the Jones Act precludes Americans helping out other Americans:

The U.S. has several LNG export facilities that are already operational or will come online in the coming years. Why can’t we ship American LNG to Boston?

One reason is an antiquated federal law from 1920 – the Jones Act – that prohibits cargoes from being transported between U.S. ports unless they are carried on American-flagged ships.

The stupid thing:

There are about 150,000 miles of oil pipelines and more than 1.5 million miles of natural gas pipelines in theUnited States. ALREADY! 

The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently announced that in 2017, for the first time since 1957, the U.S. exported more natural gas than it imported.

Yet, even as we become a global energy superpower, political barriers prevent us from maximizing the benefits of the shale revolution.

Earlier this year, New England — located just a few hundred miles from the Marcellus Shale, one of the world’s largest natural gas fields — was forced to import a cargo of Russian liquefied natural gas. This was necessary because anti-energy activists have convinced local elected leaders to block new energy infrastructure, including pipelines that could bring American gas to the region. This is making households in the Northeast more dependent on imported energy, and forcing them to pay among the highest energy bills in the country. More at Washington Examiner

 

Here are a couple of sites where one can find out pipeline locations down to the county.

Pipeline101 – Where-Are-Pipelines-Located

 

Interactive map of pipelines in the United States | American …

https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical…/interactive-map-pipelines-united-states

The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) Public Viewer from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration allows users to view pipelines and related information by individual county for the entire United States. The map includes: Gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.

Palm Sunday – ‘He Was Despised and Rejected of Men’

 

Holy Week begins. Today I chose Handel with one of my favorite singers, Hillary Summers who has the perfect voice for the work. Wishing all a wonderful day.

“Messiah, HWV 56, Pt. 2: Air “He Was Despised and Rejected of Men”” by John Mark Ainsley, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Brandenburg Consort & Stephen Cleobury

Georg Friedrich Händel/George Frideric Handel(1685-1759)

Hillary Summers, alto

 

Ryan McConnell Funding Bill – did fund border security but it was Tunisia and Jordan not U.S.!

The day the music died. That’s the tune that comes to mind with this monstrosity. The question is why did Trump sign it?

Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell lied.

But they did fund border security in Tunisia and Jordan.

But it was all a lie.
Paul Ryan has not once including funding for the Trump border wall in any financial package since Trump’s election.

FLASHBACK:

In January 2017 Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised to pass funding of $12-15 billion to build the Trump border wall.

 

Via Tucker Carlson Tonight:

 @RandPaul

FollowFollow @RandPaul

More

Page 376 of terrible, rotten, no-good budget busting bill: I found it! I found it! Border security, what President Trump wanted! no . . .wait a minute section says Defense can spend what funds it determines to enhance the border security of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, and Tunisia

6:01 PM – 22 Mar 2018

 H/T:  Gateway Pundit

 

 

Vote tally count Spending Bill – So much for the Art of the Deal

So much for the “Art of the Deal.” One can only wonder if Trump isn’t getting worned down with the constant attacks. How else to explain why he seemed to have so little interest in being involved in the process. Why wasn’t he out on the stump arguing for a decent bill?

A real embarrassment for Trump after he was out looking at the wall models last week in California.

Does anyone really think that McConnell and Ryan just showed up and told him that this was the way it was going to be? No Wall? Wait until next September when this whole spending thing starts up gain during the election cycle. The GOPers can kiss the House good-bye and you can be sure a Democrat House will impeach Trump and it will be the shot heard ’round the world.

Update: The big Ryanesque spending bill isn’t as bad as I thought last night. It’s worse. Forbids hiring more ICE agents. Limits detention beds, making “catch & release” more likely. Call 202 456-1111 if you want to urge Trump to veto

This sums it up:

Democratic leaders celebrate budget bill: “We’re able to accomplish more in the minority”

Here are the individual votes:

Lawmakers approved the bill in a 256-167 vote on Thursday, with majorities in each caucus backing the measure. Ninety Republicans and 77 Democrats voted against the bill. A large numbers of conservative Republicans were among those voting no over the measure’s massive price tag and the lack of transparency in the bill-writing process.

Senate:

Mar 23

63 (65-32)

Agreed to

On the Motion

H.R. 1625

For individual votes and to find out how your Senator voted go

HERE

House of Representatives:

For individual votes and to find out how your House Rep voted go to Gov Track

HERE

H.R. 1625: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018

 House Vote #127

 Mar 22, 2018 12:59 p.m.

 Passed 256/167

This was the House vote on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (preprint text). With this vote, the House replaced the text of H.R. 1625, formerly the TARGET Act, with entirely new provisions related to funding the federal government.

Robert Mueller Has Been Botching Investigations Since The Anthrax Attacks

Here is some light reading for a snowy Spring day…. says it all….drain the swamp! More to follow I am sure on this fine fellow.

Under Mueller’s management, the FBI launched an investigation lasting ten years. They now brag about spending “hundreds of thousands of investigator hours on this case.” Let’s take a closer look at Mueller’s response to understand the context of the investigation — who his people investigated, targeted, and found guilty.

Mueller Has Been Botching Investigations Since The Anthrax Attacks https://t.co/MMGvdCJ3ac

— Bunkerville (@bunkerville) March 21, 2018