Big Dan's Big News May 17, 2008

● Gas prices could top $4 by summer

● The New Daily NEPA/AAA DAILY GAS RECORD:

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton Regular Mid Premium Diesel
Current $3.777 $3.982 $4.158 $4.667
Yesterday $3.768 $3.972 $4.148 $4.649
Month Ago $3.391 $3.575 $3.733 $4.380
Year Ago $2.982 $3.144 $3.283 $2.915

Highest Recorded Price:

Regular Unl. $3.777 5/17/2008
Dsl. $4.667 5/17/2008


I thought Bush has nothing to do with gas prices! Then what's this? Bush is in Saudi Arabia pressing them for more oil production to bring down prices!

● Saudis announce slight oil output increase

● The Bush administration, bowing to intense political pressure, said Friday that it would cancel oil shipments into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve starting in July.

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● A day after the president's 'appeasement' comments, Obama accuses the Republicans of strengthening America's enemies in the Middle East and using 'fear-mongering' to silence critics.



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● Gay-marriage opponents vow to fight ruling. Conservative group plans to ask California court to put its ruling on hold. (IE: they want to tell 2 consenting adults what to do!)

● Iran blames United States after at least 3 diplomats wounded in Baghdad shooting

● MIDEAST: Siege Hits Palestinians Before They Are Born. GAZA CITY, May 14 (IPS) - The Israeli siege of Gaza that has restricted access to food, water and medicine is now beginning to hit unborn children and newborn babies. "Many babies are born suffering from anaemia that they have inherited from their mothers," Dr Salah al-Rantisi, head of the women's health department at the Palestinian ministry of health in Gaza told IPS. And the mothers are becoming anaemic because they do not now get enough nutrition through pregnancy.

● Did Hezbollah thwart a planned Bush/Olmert attack on Lebanon?

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NEPA:

● Juvenile jailing excessive in county. It doesn’t take long to compile a record of removing juvenile defendants from their families at a rate 150 percent higher than the state average. For Luzerne County President Judge Mark Ciavarella, it takes just 90 seconds per case.

● State AG supports juvie court challenge. In a brief, Tom Corbett agrees with effort to challege rulings in county juvenile court cases.