I love the fact that when I close a project window all the files maintain their scrolling position - I'd love to have a persistent "scroll memory" across all my files on a project, so whenever a file is closed the scroll point is saved for when it's next opened.

Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1965, the Federal Lands and Energy Security Act of 2013, with a bipartisan vote of 228-192. This package of bills would protect and expand onshore American energy production and create new American jobs by streamlining government red-tape and regulations. Also, this legislation would establish an efficient and effective process to responsibly produce both renewable and conventional energy on our federal lands as part of a true all-of-the-above approach American energy production.

“For far too long the Obama Administration has deliberately blocked increased energy exploration and development in America, causing both oil and natural gas production on federal land to decline since President Obama took office. The real growth in American energy production is happening on state and private lands and this bill would bring that growth to federal lands,” said Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04). “This legislation unleashes America’s energy potential on federal lands by streamlining the federal permitting process and opening up proven energy reserves to increased energy production in places like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The passage of this legislation today is an important step forward to increase much-needed energy production in America that will create jobs, grow the economy, and make energy more affordable for hardworking American families.”

H.R. 1965, the Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act of 2013, includes the following five Natural Resources bills:

Federal Lands Jobs and Energy Security Act (Lamborn CO-05) - This bill would reform the leasing process for onshore oil and natural gas projects on federal lands to eliminate unnecessary delays; reform the process for energy permitting, once a lease is in hand, to encourage the timely development of our federal resources; ensure funds are available for efficient wind and solar permitting; and set clear rules for the development of U.S. oil shale resources.

Planning for American Energy Act (Tipton, CO-03) - This bill would establish common sense steps to create an all-of-the-above American energy plan for using federal lands to meet our Nation’s energy needs.

National Petroleum Reserve Alaska Access Act (Hastings, WA-04) - This bill would cut through bureaucratic red tape to unlock the full potential of energy resources in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) by ensuring that oil and natural gas are developed and transported in a timely and efficient manner.

BLM Live Internet Auctions Act (Johnson, OH-06) - This bill would give the Secretary of the Interior the authority to conduct internet-based auctions for onshore leases to ensure the best return to the Federal taxpayer, reduce fraud, and secure the leasing process.

Native American Energy Act (Young, AK-At Large) - This bill would streamline burdensome and duplicative government regulations and remove the barriers erected by the Obama Administration that are blocking Indian tribes from developing energy resources on their own land and creating new jobs.

Related Link:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xxba0t_asia-global-energy-international-news-scam-ridden-us-biofuel-program-targeted-for-fix-by-epa_tech

The Canadian’s abduction, originally motivated by conflicts over mining, became “an impulse toward a peace process” said Leon Valencia, a former member of the ELN who is now a leading analyst on the armed conflict and director of the Peace and Reconciliation Foundation. “They [the ELN] were pressuring for demands over mining,” said Mr. Valencia, “and now the act of liberating [Mr. Wober] gives them an entry into negotiations.”

Over the last several months, government and ELN envoys have been in exploratory talks to assess the possibility of peace negotiations. While the agenda of any possible talks remains secret, there is little doubt among those who are familiar with the ELN that the group will put mining on the negotiating table.

“Peace negotiations will certainly include mining,” said Archibishop Monsalve, who is part of a small group of religious leaders who have been discussing potential peace talks with members of the ELN in jails and in the regions where they are active.

The ELN has historically called for social justice for the poor and local control over natural resources. Resource-extraction companies have long been considered their military objectives and the ELN made a practice of bombing oil pipelines and extorting oil companies.

The ELN is a Marxist-Leninist group founded in 1964, with liberation theology underpinnings. With an estimated 2,000 fighters, the ELN still manages to exert control in pockets of the country and inflict damage on civilians, the military and infrastructure. Last weekend, the ELN killed 13 soldiers in an ambush.

The area where Mr. Wober was abducted has a long history of armed conflict between guerrilla, paramilitary and government forces in a decades-long battle over gold deposits. The South Bolivar region is home to an estimated 10,000 traditional miners, who feel squeezed out of their livelihoods as the government grants mining concessions, often to foreign companies. Several Canadian companies have title in the region, and there are almost 50 Canadian mining companies in Colombia, estimates Cesar Diaz, the head of a Colombian mining industry group.

The debate over who gets to control mining resources has reached an apex over the last month as thousands of miners have taken to the streets across Colombia demanding the government stop treating them as “illegal” by granting mining rights in huge swaths of the country to foreign companies. President Santos has been aggressively promoting mining as a pillar of the economy.

This debate may reach the negotiating table in Havana, now that Mr. Wober’s freedom has been granted. “If we want to have an integral peace process, the ELN need to be at the table,” said Mr. Valencia.

The FARC and ELN have been bloody foes at times and co-operated at others. In June, the groups released a joint statement from a secret meeting announcing, in a rare moment of unity, that they wanted to work together to include the ELN in the peace process.

In a communiqué published Tuesday, the ELN said it hoped its gesture of returning Mr. Wober would “contribute to a healthy exchange and support for peace in Colombia.”

A spokesman for Braeval Mining said the company is “greatly, greatly relieved” about Mr. Wober’s release, adding that the Toronto-area man is receiving assistance from Canadian consular officials and will return home “at the earliest opportunity.”

“Gernot does have a wife and a young child and we have every expectation that they want to be united as quickly as possible,” Chris Eby said.

RELATED ARTICLE:

http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Tana-Goldfields-Articles/3379489

https://groups.diigo.com/group/tana-goldfields-articles/content/tana-goldfields-articles-10-tips-how-to-avoid-gold-investment-scams-10180248