FALCON FIREWORKS
An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft sits on the runway during an early Independence Day celebration and fireworks display in Madison, Wis., June 28, 2008. The Falcon aircraft is assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard. U.S. Air Force photo by Joe Oliva

Labels: 115th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, aircraft, Fighting Falcons, Independence Day, photos, USAF, Wisconsin Air National Guard

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Delivers Iraqi Uranium to Canadian Firm
Iraq Proposes Short-Term U.S. Withdrawal Agreement
Iraq: US military says 4 contractors killed in blast

Operation Enduring Freedom
Afghan Officials Blame Pakistan for Deadly Blast - VIDEO - PHOTO ESSAY: (Warning: Graphic Content)
Pakistan denies involvement in Kabul embassy blast
Afghan Children The Victims Amid 'deteriorating Security Situation'

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Freed U.S. Hostage Denounces Colombian Rebels
Cops: 6 Blasts Rock Karachi, Injuring 37 - PHOTOS
Islamabad cops tell of bomb horror; death toll 18
African smuggling rings possible US terror threat
Israel closes Gaza crossings after mortar attack - Video

Other Military News
Pentagon aims for less deadly cluster bombs

Religion of Peace??
U.S. Teens Stuck in Radical Madrasa
Lawmakers Meet With Musharraf to Get American Teens Released From Madrasa
Police Say Georgia Man Killed Own Daughter to Protect Family Honor

Worldwide Wackos
Report: Iran Begins War Game With Gulf Warning
New round, old questions for N.Korea nuclear talks

Politics / Government
ELECTION HQ: McCain Targets Economy, Spending
Obama Holds Fundraisers After Long Day
Obama's plane lands in St. Louis for maintenance
Obama and McCain square off over economy - Video
Obama Flip-Flops Bamboozle the Left!
Nader to Campaign in Hawaii July 3
Rice in Prague to sign radar deal, Poland wary
Rice: Poland visit to discuss defense unlikely
Republican buoyed by calls for energy exploration - Video
U.S. issues "insulting" Berlusconi biography
Democrats to open Obama nomination speech to public
Study: Congress Should Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
G-8 Endorses Slashing Emissions
G-8 Express 'Strong Concern' Over Oil, Call for Output Hike
Medvedev: No Progress Made in Talks With Bush
Russia's new president warms up to Western leaders
G8 papers over differences on climate change - Video
G8 sees downside economy risks, prods China on yuan - Video
London mayor reverses gas guzzler charge on cars

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Arizona towns hurt as gangs see smuggling profit
Judge dismisses case over 9/11 remains
D.C. Officials Weigh Keeping Semiautomatic Pistols Illegal After Blanket Handgun Ban is Struck Down
Details Emerge in Capture of Midwest Killing Spree Suspect
Appeal: Sex Offender Law Makes Homelessness a Crime
Prosecutor: Vermont Girl's Death Was Homicide; Uncle Held Without Bail - PHOTOS
Arizona Family's Pet Chihuahua Found Cut in Half
Father Allegedly Shoots Wife, Kidnaps Son, Then Gets Hit by Bus (Ah...Karma)

Adventures in Political Correctness
'Beer Pong' Video Game Has Controversy Brewing

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
Report: The End of the Internet Is Near
Microsoft says willing to restart Yahoo talks
Microsoft backs Icahn's bid to oust Yahoo board
Game maker tries to legitimize Facebook Scrabble

Science / Medicine and Health / Technology
Novartis completes first step of Alcon buy
Fresenius to enter U.S. drug market with APP
New vaccine sneaks into body, then self-destructs
Magnitude 6 quake strikes southern Peru
New fertility technique targets women with cancer
Temple spat rages in Thailand after UNESCO listing
GM readies Volt unveiling to shift focus from crisis
Pioneer says to launch Blu-ray recorders this year
DreamWorks picks Intel over AMD for chip supply: report
Activision's merger with Vivendi will shake gaming biz
Siemens set to cut jobs amid economic downturn
Drinking games prove deadly to college students
Cholesterol drugs recommended for some 8-year-olds
New End of World Scenario: Sunspots Might Destroy Earth in 2012

Mother Nature
Bertha Becomes Category 3 Hurricane, Still Far From Land
Hurricane Bertha may weaken within a few days
Hot, Dry Weather Developing on Calif. Firelines - PHOTOS
China says key pollution levels down slightly
Australia activists to block world's top coal port
Climate campaigners slam "pathetic" G8 statement

News from My Neck of the Woods
As a new Yankee Stadium rises, will the spirit live on?
NYC to spend billions to cut greenhouse gases

Oddities
Police nab two cannabis growers in cemetery
It pays to go in a public toilet
Thirteen hurt on first day of Spanish bull run - Video
Some coffee fans get grim delight in Starbucks woes
Man rips head from Hitler wax figure - Video

Other News of Note
Plane's Nose Cone Crushed During Flight - VIDEO
Gasoline price at record $4.11/gallon
Bolivia unveils original Che Guevara diary
Aging swimmer shows there's hope for rest of us
No Progress in Dialogue as Crisis in Tibet Deepens

Fox News
Costly Gas Crimps Surfers' Style, Roils Industry
Pop Tarts: Scary Skinny Lindsay Lohan Acts Up, Refuses Friendship with 'The Hills'
A-Rod's Secret Love Shack?
Mortgage Giants Take Beating On Housing, Accounting Fears

Reuters
Church sex abuse row ahead of Pope's Sydney visit Video
Israel closes Gaza crossings after mortar attack Video
Pittsburgh Steelers in ownership talks
Olbermann, Patrick reunite for "Football Night"
Anglicans still left split over women bishops
Zimbabwe talks to resume under Mbeki mediation: government - Video
World stocks at 21-month low as banks plunge - Video
Siemens set to cut jobs amid economic downturn
Allianz's Dresdner sale no exit from banking
SEC should investigate Bear collapse: JP Morgan CEO
Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae shares pummeled
POSCO Q2 seen strong; Japan firms may lag
M&S rises on market talk of bid interest: traders
InBev nominees to Bud board bring experience
Reliance Comm, MTN talks may be extended: report
TNK-BP hit with fresh Russian tax probe
Merrill considers Bloomberg, BlackRock sales: report
Richter says Polpharma deal near collapse
McConaughey's girlfriend has baby boy
"Hancock" joins legion of box office superheroes - Video
Nickelback latest to join Live Nation in global deal
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban welcome daughter - Video
"Kinky Boots" marching to Broadway
Study shows value of food diary in losing weight
Author traces his underpants back to China
Brunch in your pajamas at novelty Singapore cafe
Red Sox blank Twins with Ramirez single
Wife of Yankees slugger "A-Rod" files for divorce - Video
Pittsburgh Steelers in ownership talks
Brewers obtain ace Sabathia from Indians
IOC hails Beijing "gold standard", China slams critics

Associated Press
Mortgage rescue plan draws Senate support
Kuroda lifts Dodgers, Mets bullpen hangs on in win
Mets hold on to beat Phillies 10-9
Brewers send 4 prospects to Indians for Sabathia

News Blaze
Spouses buckle in for Blackhawk orientation flights
Despite being 'retired,' 440th C-130 continues to serve in GWOT
Soldiers' Angels and Patriot Guard
Iraq News
Operations in Iraq
FOB Warhorse Memorial Photos
Videos

CENTCOM
Citizen's tip leads to large weapons find
Troops give shoes, toys to Djibouti orphans
Funding improves Iraqi economy, infrastructure
Colonel: Enemy neutralized in east Anbar
New course prepares Afghan police for field work

USJFCOM
Empire Challenge 2008 focuses on joint and coalition interoperability
USJFCOM partners with Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation
Task Force Ramadi helping to restore water in the desert
USJFCOM commander stresses the need to improvise
Read Day 1's liveblog - Read Day 2's liveblog - Read Day 3's liveblog
ACC commander addresses dominance, relevance and readiness at Joint Warfighting Conference
Multi-National Force - Iraq
Mullen Gets First-Hand Look at Sadr City Improvements
Graduation Ceremony Signifies Education, Hope for Hawr Rajab Locals
Iraqi Army Locates Weapons Cache
Soccer Tournament Celebrates Sunni and Shia Unity in Yethrib
Mussayib Generation Plant putting more Electricity on the Grid
Maximum-security prison constructed near Tallil
Rashid community digs plans for canal clean-up
Baghdad National ERU detains three suspected criminals (Rusafa district)
Multiple IEDs attack local Iraqis throughout northern Iraq
Iraqi, U.S. Engineers partner for long haul (Diyala province)

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS
Chairman Starts USO Tour, Troop Visit
Freed U.S. Hostages Express Gratitude

AFGHANISTAN NEWS
Afghan Army Print Plant Supports Mission
Teams Improve Infrastructure, Stability
Troops Kill, Detain Militants, Seize Weapons

FACE OF DEFENSE
Soldier’s Rap Carries Positive Rhymes

MILITARY NEWS
Workshop Prepares Troops for Civilian Careers
Air Guard Unit Certifies in Firefighting Technique

IRAQ NEWS
Improved Security Improves Energy Generation
Official Sees Increase in Iraqi Confidence
Airport Road Revitalization Project Begins in Baghdad
Coalition Nets al-Qaida Suspects; Iraqis Find Weapons

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Organizations Agree to Share Resources for Vets
Rice Practices 'Golf' Diplomacy
Tournament Kicks Off With Salute
PGA Celebrates Warriors

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
1663 - King Charles II of England grants a charter to Rhode Island.
1693 - NY City authorizes America's first police uniforms.
1776 - Colonel John Nixon gives the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.
1777 - Vermont becomes the first state to abolish slavery, and adopts male suffrage.
1796 - The U.S. State Department issues the first American passport.
1797 - William Blount of Tennessee becomes the first U.S. Senator expelled by impeachment.
1835 - The Liberty Bell cracks (again).
1870 - Governor Holden of NC declares Casswell County in a state of insurrection in the wake of a wave of KKK violence (including murders). Democrats have him impeached a year later.
1905 - Part of Angel Islandin San Francisco Bay is allocated for an Immigration Detention Center.
1923 - Warren G. Harding becomes the first sitting president to visit Alaska (Metlakahtla).
1947 - Demolition begins in NYC for the construction of the UN headquarters.
1950 - General Douglas MacArthur is named commander-in-chief of UN forces in Korea.
1969 - The U.S. begins withdrawing troops from Vietnam.
1978 - The Pioneer-Venus 2 multi-probe is launched to Venus.
1979 - Voyager 2 takes the first-ever photograph of Jupiter's satellite Adrastea.
1988 - Stevie Wonder announces he will run for mayor of Detroit in 1992.
1990 - Clocks display 12:34:56 on 7/8/90 (1234567890)

Birthdays
1838 - Count Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin, inventor of the rigid dirigible
1839 - John D. Rockefeller, US capitalist; founded Standard Oil
1907 - George W. Romney (Gov-Mich)/US Secretary of HUD
1908 - Nelson A. Rockefeller (Gov-NY) 41st Vice President
1918 - Nelson Mandela, jailed South African political activist
1931 - Roone Arledge, ABC-TV executive

Passings
810 - Pepin, son of Charlemagne, king of Italy
1957 - Grace Goodhue Coolidge, First Lady
1959 - Dale Buisand and Chester Ovnand, first Americans KIA in Vietnam

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Bram, Richard C., USMC (OH); disappeared while on a hike near Chu Lai Air Base

Dingwall, John F., USMC (NY); disappeared while on a hike near Chu Lai Air Base

1966
Browning, Ralph T., USAF (FL); F105D shot down, released by DRV February, 1973 - retired as a Brigadier General as of 1996 - alive as of 1998

Longanecker, Ronald Lee, USMC (OR); passenger on a CH46a shot down - KIA, body not recovered

1969
Andre, Howard V., Jr., USAF (TN); A26A shot down - KIA, body not recovered

Sizemore, James E., USAF (CA); A26A shot down - KIA, body not recovered

Labels: Headlines, History