Cara Ellison Corporation Announces Purchase of Alberta, Canada

Cara Ellison Corporation announced Friday that a subsidiary of the company’s development company – Cara Ellison Exploration and Production -has purchased Alberta, Canada. The company has increasingly poured development dollars into the Alberta oilsands. Last year, the company purchased two smaller competitors, and bought majority stakes in over fifteen projects. “The oilsands are a very important part of our strategy going forward,” said president Tom Marks in a conference call with analysts earlier this year.

Still, the purchase of the entirety of mineral, land, and energy rights across a vast swath of Canada has created consternation among competitors and outrage among some Canadians who believe the aggressive strategy is bad for the environment and even worse for Canadian national identity. Numerous officials of the Alberta government spoke on the condition of anonymity because they acknowledge they must have a working relationship with the company for the foreseeable future, and the response was universally critical. “We should… buy America and see how they like it!” sputtered one overwhelmed minister. But the company was quick to address fears in a statement on Friday. “We have no interest in disrupting the normal lives of Canadians,” said Ellison in a conference call with analysts. “They won’t even know we’re there.”

In addition to purchasing Alberta, Cara Ellison Corp. has also been active in attempting to develop the New Albany Shale which spans Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

The New Albany Shale holds 160 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, of which 1.9 Tcf-19.2 Tcf is considered technically recoverable. Production from the New Albany shale has been stymied by technical challenges resulting from its low permeability and low reservoir pressure, as well as high drilling and completion costs. But Ellison is excited about the advanced technologies and cost savings realized from horizontal drilling and the proximity of production to points of use. “We believe we’ve discovered a way to overcome geology,” Ellison says. “The response of sealed natural fractures – which is a pathway for natural gas – to hydraulic fracturing has been very positive in at least the Clegg Creek Member. But we’re actually moving away to a deeper basin, where our engineers are testing a new method of simply creating artificial ruptures using small nuclear devices.”

Research shows that in 2003, a group of Ellison’s engineers were granted a patent for a drill that uses small nuclear shocks to bore into the earth. Despite the patent, the company says they’ve never practically tested the device – until recently. The result was a 3.2 earthquake felt in Chicago. The company says it was just a “coincidence of unfortunate timing” and that the device did not “directly cause the quake”, and adds “that’s what testing is for, to see what happens.”

Despite the nonchalance of the executives, the engineers actually using the device are downright excited by its potential application. Bill Harris, the lead production engineer for the project, becomes ebullient at the possibility that not only natural gas might tapped in these resource-rich shales, but that “other energy sources as well.”

Asked if the risks of a nuclear accident outweigh the potential for more natural gas, Harris does not hesitate to point out that if the company can retrieve the trillions of cubic feet of gas in the New Albany Shale, it can more than adequately compensate anyone hurt from a nuclear incident.

Exuberance aside, serious issues have risen. In June, Cara Ellison was photographed by the New York Post dining with several administration officials from the National Nuclear Security Administration as well as the SEC. One of those executives was dismissed after President Obama said it was critical to avoid even the appearance of endorsing Cara Ellison’s strategy. Ellison, who is presently under indictment for 751 counts of bank fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy, insider trading, bribery, and blackmail, flatly denies that there was anything nefarious in the meeting. When asked for particulars, Ms. Ellison referred this reporter to the company’s director of communications, Perry Kanaly, who did not answer repeated phone calls and emails for comment.

American Hero Andy Sullivan On Fox & Friends

We need more of this. I like this guy. In a world of doublespeak, he is plainspoken and honest. It makes me happy that there are men like this in the world today.

How The Mosque Disrespects The Dead

[Preface: I asked Sean to write a few words about the Ground Zero mosque. I've edited this slightly for clarity.]

How The Mosque Disrespects the Dead
By Sean.

When my wife left for work on the morning of September 11, 2001, Manhattan looked the same as every other day. The skyline was a familiar frame where we had lived for most of our lives. Looking up through the shafts of steel, the blue sky gleamed. We talked about going out for dinner that night. With my parents staying at our place, we could leave our son with his grands. She wanted to sit on a patio and enjoy the nice weather. About an hour after I had said goodbye to her for the last time, the city changed forever. Terrorists using hijacked aircraft destroyed the buildings where we worked. The skyline was no longer the same, but the soul of the city changed as well. A black cloak lay over the city, smothering us with grief. After a few years, the citizenry adjusted to “The New Normal”. We were not the only ones. Families of the heroes on Flight 93, and the people in the Pentagon had a transformative new reality to assimilate into their experience. The whole country understood we were at war with the people and yes, the ideology, of the people who had committed these cowardly acts.

Almost as soon as workers began to haul away the rubble, a group of 9/11 families began a campaign to force the city to look for human remains in the debris that was shuttled off to Fresh Kills. The families have generally been unsuccessful. The city says it is too expensive to look for every scrap of human remains. The bodies will forever be mingled with the garbage that the city of New York throws away. Of all the political causes that arose out of the 9/11 attacks, this one touched me the most. I’m enraged that some of the dead are being treated like garbage. Many still remain in that pit and though I hate the fact that they met their untimely deaths there, I was at least consoled by the promise of a beautiful, respectful memorial where the families could grieve and the city could restore its faith in the goodness of humanity.

A decade later, the pit remains where my former office building dominated the southern tip of Manhattan. Two blocks away, a mosque will be erected, declaring victory in the place of the Twin Towers.

Now there is no place for the dead. The choice between a garbage dump at Fresh Kills or in the shadow of a mosque is a slap in the face to every single victim from the city of New York. I expect this from radical Muslims. They came here to kill us. The fact they would also piss all over the graves of the dead is perfectly in character. But the city of New York and Mayor Bloomberg have to be ashamed for allowing the three thousand dead to be disrespected this way. They could have stopped it but they welcomed it in the name of political correctness.

Will the mosque be allowed to issue its adhan five times a day? The thought of visiting the Ground Zero memorial, if it is ever built, and hearing the Muslim calls to prayer, would be enough to make me sick. The irony of this seems lost on the ruling class who have remained silent on the issue. For the families, it is a reality that must be confronted. It is like killing them all over again.

There are over 100 mosques in the five boroughs of New York. If they need more space, they can build one somewhere else. Building a mosque so the shadow looms over the bodies of my wife and friends is not a legitimate choice for anyone who cares about peace and respect. Ground Zero is a grave. In June, a new batch of remains were found. This is a decade later! I have no doubt that remains will continue to be found for many decades. Muslims shouted Allah Akbar as they killed my wife and friends and scattered their bones all over the city. The least they could do is let the dead rest in peace.

Q & A With Andy Sullivan About The Ground Zero Mosque

Several days ago, I was listening to a Rush Limbaugh podcast on my iPod as I was running. Rush took a call from a guy whose voice sent a smile careening over my face. He had that heavy New York accent that I have always adored. It grounded me to my time in New York, to the mixed blessing of Manhattan. But more than how he was saying it, I listened with fascination to what he said. He was passionately opposed to the Ground Zero Mosque.

Maybe it was his accent, or just the fact that I agreed with him, but for whatever reason, his call to Rush stuck with me for days after. Then I received a mass- email from someone asking for assistance spreading the word about the Ground Zero Mosque. I scrolled down and saw that it was originated from an “Andy Sullivan.”

I sent him an email asking if he was the same Andy who called Rush Limbaugh and sure enough, it was him. I was very pleased that he agreed to chat with me. He has begun the Hard Hat Pledge, asking the construction guys in NYC to refuse to build the Ground Zero Mosque.

“We are practically declaring war against our 3rd termer disaster of a Mayor who I would love to confront face to face. The people like myself who have quietly been suffering for the better part of a decade do not need to have a Mosque built on the ashes of our loved ones,” he wrote in a plea for signatures.

Andy is scheduled to appear on Fox on Wednesday morning to discuss his Pledge and bring attention to the cause.

This is the slightly edited version of our conversation:

Cara: Who are you?

Andy: I’m a son of Irish immigrants and have been working with my hands since I’ve been able to pick up a hammer (35 years). I presently am a construction field supervisor for the largest drywall company on the east coast. My labor of love Blue Collar Corner was born out of feelings of outrage and betrayal. No more talking heads telling us middle class how we should feel or what we should think.

Cara: How did you become involved in this cause? Why do you feel so passionately about the mosque at Ground Zero?

Andy: The fact that I was there during the 9/11 attacks and experienced Satan’s trip to downtown, makes this one of the most important things of my life. School mates, coworkers, friends and worst of all my first love of my life all perished in that day of carnage. Not to take anything away from our brave cops and firemen, but it was the 9/11 Hard Hats that were the first responders by virtue of the fact we were there working at the time. Pulling out people victims and remains in the days that followed ate at my soul like nothing I have ever experienced. I can go on about all the double funerals one without a body and one with a tea spoon of remains. I feel sick even writing this now.

Cara: What has the response been to your Hard Hat Pledge? Have you run into any resistance? With the economy in the bucket, it would seem that the temptation is pretty strong among the workers to build the mosque. Are the workers tempted? Or would you say they’re as outraged as you are?

Andy: Its amazing every trade I talk to say the same thing: they will go elsewhere for work no matter how dire their situation ( I freakin love my NYrks). I will not even entertain the possibility of a Mosque in that location.

I am humbled by the nationwide reaction from these people I don’t know showering me with blessings and love. I pray I can protect the memories of the slain and give peace and serenity to the 911 families of whom I pray for every night. We will not rest until I know the Mosque issue is resolved. If they need a building to put their Mosque in, use one that serves no purpose … Like the U N.

The Ground Zero Mosque Must Go

I’ve pretty much stopped writing political stuff because the subject is overwhelming me. I’ve gotten to the point where I am paralyzed by the atrocities that I see happening around me. Any slight protest brings allegations of racism and hatred – things that I know I am not.

I’ve been silent over the economy, the takeovers of the auto industry, student loans, and mortgages. I remained silent when I heard the newest rumor that President Obama is about to bail out 15 million mortgages by forgiving the principle. I’ve been quiet during the Shirley Sherrod incident, even though I felt strongly that she is a racist and her sudden realization that treating a white farmer is wrong was beside the point because the NAACP was cheering her racism and she was eating it up. I’ve been quiet when President Obama condemned al Qaeda not because they are murdering terrorists but because they are racists who allow blacks no advancement inside the organization. I did not say a word as I’ve seen joblessness hover at 10%. I’ve not remarked on the BP oil spill or the fact that Michelle Obama is spending taxpayer dollars on a vacation that most of us can never imagine or the fact that that Arizona can not legally protect its borders. Not a peep was uttered from me over Elana Kegan’s confirmation to the Supreme Court or the neverending extensions of unemployment benefits or the fact that usage of food stamps is at a record high. I did not say a word over the monstrous health care bill after it was passed.

I’ve been quiet because I am scared. Frankly, I’m afraid because I’m trying to publish a book and I don’t want editors to read one of my posts and come away with the reflexive feeling that I am a radical, racist, right winger, because that’s not accurate. But to the left, anyone who is not an Obama Socialist is a crazy racist.

But on the subject of the Ground Zero mosque, I will not be quiet. I do not care if my book never gets published, I will not be quiet for the sake of appeasing the appeasers. No, I will not be quiet anymore.

I am angry. I am angry that my country has become weak and that weakness is symbolized by the monstrosity of the Ground Zero Mosque.

There are plenty of places for mosques in New York City, but Ground Zero is a war memorial. It is a place of unimaginable destruction. It is a place of unhealed wounds. To build a mosque there is to desecrate not only the lives that were ended in that place, but the lives of every man and woman who has died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I never believed I would write these words either, and it pains me deeply to do so, but we should bring our soldiers home. We have no intention of winning the war. Any deaths now are just wasted lives – they die for nothing. While they die, our leaders welcome in the terrorists, welcome Sharia law, welcome the advancement of the terrorists using our own laws and culture against us.

Bring our soldiers home and admit defeat.

Or stop the mosque at Ground Zero, grow some balls, and get serious about defending this country.

Mayor Bloomberg said in defense of the mosque that “we let anyone in.” That is not true. We do not allow in war criminals, Nazis, drug dealers. We have solid precedent to not allow in terrorists if we choose to, but we’re pretty cool with them these days. As long as they have a good backstory (such as Pre Traumatic Stress Syndrome or perhaps being a “Family man from Connecticut”) we tend to look the other way.

I am disgusted with our leaders. I’m disgusted with the state of the USA. I want us to return to a place of sanity. Punish criminality. Bring back some jobs. Quit taxing us to death. Do not allow the Ground Zero mosque to be erected over the graves of the dead killed on September 11, 2001.

And yes, I realize the people who are building the mosque were not the actual perpetrators who killed three thousand people that day. But we don’t know who they are or where the money is coming from, and even if we did, the Muslim history of building mosques over conquered lands is enough to make me say No way. No way, not over Ground Zero.

Oh, and while we weren’t looking, the Flight 93 Memorial is *still* a giant Muslim crescent that points toward Mecca.

Our world has gone crazy. I do not even recognize us anymore.

The Case Against The Ground Zero Mosque

I’ve been pretty apolitical lately, but I can not let this subject pass without comment. The Ground Zero Mosque is wrong; it is grotesque. My viewpoint can best be summed up by Debra Burlingame, co-founder of 9/11 Families for a Safe and Strong America and the sister of hijacked American Airlines flight 77 pilot Charles Burlingame:

Muslims came to America nine years ago, brutally murdered 3,000 men, women and children in the name of Allah, and yet the burden is on us, their families, their widows and children, to exhibit tolerance for Muslim insensitivity. Shame on the politicians, whose moral vanity knows no boundaries. We will fight this.

Exactly. The burden to prove we are cool with Muslims is one we should not undertake. Muslims should be outraged over this as well – they died on 9/11 too. This mosque is intolerable.

John Hawkins has created a round up of quotes against the Ground Zero Mosque. It is well worth the read.