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Congressmen and senators have departed Washington, D.C., for the July 4 recess. But unlike ordinary Americans who may take a break from their normal jobs for the holiday week, Republicans will be busy — taking time to rally voters and prepare for the giant legislative battles which await them upon their return. Roll Call reports that Republicans are hoping to call attention to cap-and-trade, health care, and other items on the liberals’ wish list:

Posted Jun 28th 2009 12:58PM by TMZ Staff The FAA is already deflecting blame for the death of Billy Mays -- claiming the legendary TV pitchman wasn't wearing a seat belt when he took a shot to the head during a rough landing on a flight he was on yesterday. Here's what we know -- Billy Mays was aboard US Airways Flight 1241 flying from Philadelphia, which landed roughly when the front tire blew out as it touched down. After the flight, Billy told FOX 13 in Tampa that something struck him in the head -- here's Billy's actual quote:...

"I'm unavailable. Please don't leave a message. I'm unavailable. Please don't leave a message. Are there goals that I might aim for now If I knew just when I'd die and how? Would I put my appetites in check? Would I salvage anything I've wrecked? Would I focus on important things Or just take what inattention brings? Would I change the ways I think and feel About annoying things with which I deal? I'm unavailable. Please don't leave a message. I'm unavailable. Please don't leave a message." Click to watch video.

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. -- A North Attleboro man was ordered to find a new home for his German shepherd this week following dozens of complaints about the animal’s noisy barking. Town selectmen voted unanimously Thursday to give the dog the boot after receiving complaints from neighbors who live near 28 Smith St. for four years. The dog’s owner, Eduardo Perez, was given 10 days to find a new home for the animal outside of North Attleboro or surrender it to an animal shelter. Perez told the Sun Chronicle of Attleboro that he plans to appeal the decision in court. Neighbors...

BET Awards to highlight Jackson's legacyBy Sandy Cohen ASSOCIATED PRESS updated 12:33 p.m., June 28, 2009 LOS ANGELES -- After three days to process the shock and grief, attendees at the BET Awards -- a show thrown into "total overhaul" by the death of Michael Jackson -- were preparing for what was sure to be a spectacular celebration of the "King of Pop," put on by an dazzling collection of the artists he influenced most. Already an affair of major star wattage, Sunday night's show was thrown under a white-hot spotlight in the wake of Mr. Jackson's death, adding attendees...

There's one corner of the country where Democrats are growing increasingly disenchanted with President Obama, and it's right in his front yard. In the District of Columbia, which gave 93 percent of its votes to Obama last November, dismay is turning to anger in some Democratic leaders, who have totted up a list of instances they see as disses of their city. The most egregious to them is the White House's silence about a bill that would have given city residents a voting representative in Congress, despite Obama's campaign promise that he would enthusiastically back it. They're also ticked that...

President Obama on Sunday called on all actors in Honduras to respect the rule of law after military leaders there arrested President Manuel Zelaya to head off Zelaya's attempt to hold a vote on constitutional changes deemed illegal by the country's Supreme Court and Congress. Zelaya, in a move similar to his ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, had wanted to overturn the law that prohibited him from seeking another term in office. He called the arrest a "coup" and a "kidnapping." "I am deeply concerned by reports coming out of Honduras regarding the detention and expulsion of President Mel Zelaya,"...

WASHINGTON, June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from American Life League president Judie Brown regarding Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley's announcement that archdiocese-affiliated Caritas Christi Healthcare has withdrawn ownership of CeltiCare Health Plan. The announcement comes only two days after A.L.L. announced it would launch an investigation into the scandal.(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081105/DC44231LOGO ) "Praise God! After months of tireless effort from American Life League and pro-life heroes in Boston and around the country to expose a potential scandal only days away from becoming a tragic betrayal of Catholicism's unwavering commitment to the dignity of the human person, Cardinal Sean...

A new and even more scandalous rape allegation has surfaced at Duke University. Yet the usual media and campus PC crowd are keeping mighty quiet. Identity politics apparently trumps all sense of outrage. Of course, after the disgraceful media and university reaction to the phony allegations against Duke Lacrosse team members, it is wise avoid jumping to conclusions, but the comparative silence on the current case is nonetheless remarkable, considering how many particulars of the case were left out of the main AP account. Mike Adams, writing on Townhall, lays out the facts the MSM won't: Frank Lombard is the...

Traditional Holy Mass Propers † FEAST OF SAINT IRENAEUS, MARTYR † Missa Dóminus illuminátio mea et salus mea, quem timébo? ( "....The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?...." ) 28 June 2009 Anno Dómini "....the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to come...." "Nothing is so consoling, so piercing, so thrilling, so overcoming, as the Mass, said as it is among us.I could attend Mass forever, and not be tired.It is not a mere form of words; it is a great action.The greatest action that...

Bread trailer stolen from a church By Christina Hernandez, WINK News Story Updated: Jun 26, 2009 at 7:47 PM EDT LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. - Stealing from charity - it's hard to believe anyone would do that, but it happened at a church in Lehigh Acres. The Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church helps out struggling residents every week, but Friday morning, it was a lot harder to do that. The church does something called 'free bread day' for those in need every Friday morning. Thursday night, the trailer the donated bread is loaded into went missing. Chuck Emery volunteers at the church...

A proposal to send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to counter drug trafficking has triggered a bureaucratic standoff between the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security over the military's role in domestic affairs, according to officials in both departments. The debate has engaged a pair of powerful personalities, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, in what their subordinates describe as a turf fight over which agency should direct the use of troops to assist in the fight against Mexican cartels and which one should pay for them. At issue is a proposal...

Luxury ocean liners in Russia are offering pirate hunting cruises aboard armed private yachts off the Somali coast. Wealthy punters pay £3,500 per day to patrol the most dangerous waters in the world hoping to be attacked by raiders. When attacked, they retaliate with grenade launchers, machine guns and rocket launchers, reports Austrian business paper Wirtschaftsblatt. Passengers, who can pay an extra £5 a day for an AK-47 machine gun and £7 for 100 rounds of ammo, are also protected by a squad of ex special forces troops.

Shadegg: This legislation will affect the livelihoods and lives of every single American, yet it will have been impossible for any Member of Congress to have read before the vote occurs.Today, Congressman Shadegg (AZ-3) released the following statement regarding House consideration of the Majority’s so-called “Cap-and-Trade” bill: “Late this afternoon, during floor debate, the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House acknowledged that the 300-page manager’s amendment adopted by the Rules Committee at approximately 4 a.m. this morning was still being “integrated” into the 900-page bill by the House Clerk. The Speaker Pro Tempore noted that this task was being done...

Five years ago if you had gone around asking people if they knew who Barack Obama was, the answers would most likely have sounded much like the responses Jay Leno got when he did his Jaywalking segments. In 2003 nobody had any idea who Barack Obama was. As far as most people knew he could have been anyone from a garbage collector in Detroit to Osama Bin Laden’s right hand man. I find it pretty amazing that in five short years, Barack Obama went from being a complete unknown, to sitting in the Oval Office. While it is not unheard...

In a move characterized as “a major step toward restoring fiscal responsibility to the federal budget, the Obama Administration has “zeroed out” funds earmarked to promote democracy in Iran. The funding began in 2004 with an appropriation of $1.5 million. More recently, around $60 million was appropriated, mostly to fund Persian language broadcasting services at Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. “This relic of the Bush Administration is both dangerous and unnecessary,” contended White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel. “At a time of turmoil in Iran, the US Government should not be seen as taking sides. This foments...

The stark evidence of the growing imbalance between what the Government raises and what it spends is likely to intensify the political row over the public finances and may strengthen calls for cuts in spending. Treasury figures show that welfare payments will exceed income tax receipts by almost £25 billion. Normally, income tax receipts comfortably cover the benefits bill. In 2009/10, the Treasury is expecting to take in £140.5 billion in gross income tax receipts. Social security benefits are projected to be £164.7 billion. The disparity between tax revenue and welfare costs was identified by Andrew Brough, a fund manager...

Iran has exploded once again with reports via Iranian tweeters that clashes have broken out: AP reports clashes protestors with Basij at demo today. Tear gas, broken arms and legs [video at site]More on the protest: TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — About 5,000 protesters marched slowly and silently through Tehran on Sunday near a mosque where the government was allowing a demonstration for the first time in days. And this from tweeters: Authorities are riding on motorcycles alongside the marchers, who are telling each other to walk slowly and drag their feet. Police are telling the demonstrators to move faster. The...

After repudiating negotiations on dismantling its plutonium-based nuclear program, North Korea admitted this month to having an even more worrying way to make bombs. Following nearly seven years of adamant denials, North Korea announced it can enrich uranium—a simpler method of building nuclear weapons than reprocessing plutonium. Uranium can be enriched in relatively inconspicuous factories that can better evade spy-satellite detection, and uranium bombs may work without test explosions. The admission—made in a threatening response to a June 12 U.N. Security Council resolution punishing Pyongyang for an underground plutonium bomb test last month—poses a new challenge to the U.S., China,...

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The Honduran army ousted President Manuel Zelaya and threw him out of the country on Sunday in Central America's first military coup since the Cold War, after he upset the army by trying to win re-election. U.S. President Barack Obama expressed deep concern after troops came for Zelaya, an ally of leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, at dawn and took him away from his residence.