"I OBJECT!!!"

If you are going to skip out on your civic duty, i.e. serving on a jury, it's probably not smart to get on a radio talk show and brag about how you did it. Well unfortunately that is exactly what one radio caller did. According to reports "A Colorado woman was charged with two felonies after allegedly calling into a local radio station and bragging about how she posed as mentally unstable to get excused from jury duty, KDVR reports." The suspect was quickly identified as Susan Cole who had told the judge and those present that she was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after appearing in the courtroom wearing her hair in curlers, bright red lipstick and black eyebrows with a shirt that stated "Ask me about my best seller". Without hestiatation the judge on the case did not object to dismissing Mrs. Cole from the courtroom, excusing her from jury duty. If you would like to read more about this story please go to the link below. For other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/21/radio-caller-faces-2-felonies-after-bragging-how-faked-ptsd-to-avoid-jury-duty/#ixzz1pr0z1MBb

Standoff with a Killer

French police found themselves in a standoff with the gunman, and possible Al-Queda suspect, who barricaded himself in an apartment building after reportedly shooting seven children that were attending a school in Toulous. The suspect is claiming to be Mohammad Merah, an escapee from a prison in the Kandhair province back in 2008. Merah shot seven students attending a French school. According to foxnews.com "Hundreds of riot police poured in to surround the building in the southwestern city of Toulous after three police officers were wounded in the failed initial attempt to arrest the 24-year-old Frenchman of Algerian descent. After hours of trying to persuade him to surrender, police evacuated the five-story building, escorting residents out using the roof and fire truck ladders." President Nicolas Sarkozy remains adamant that the French will not allow terrorism to divide their country. To read more about the incidient please go to the following link below or to www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/03/21/french-police-investigating-school-shooting-raid-house-2-officers-injured/?test=latestnews#ixzz1pkyDdffB

Earhart Mystery Takes a Dive

To American women everywhere Amelia Earhart was the daredevil of her time. Now a search for her by a team of scientists and historians will coincide with the 75th anniversary of her disappearance. Many believe Earhart survived her final flight and managed to land her plane on an island with her navigator Fred Noonan. According to reports the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has decided to dive into the mystery. "Clinton will meet Tuesday with historians and scientists from The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, which is launching a new search in June for the wreckage of Earhart's Lockheed Electra plane off the remote island of Nikumaroro, in what is now the Pacific nation of Kiribati." For this and other news on the research and mystery of Amelia Earhart you can go to the following link: http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-wades-amelia-earhart-mystery-052516853.html or visit www.foxnews.com or www.cnn.com.

Message from Beyond

In June of 2011 Jack Froese passed away at the age of 32 due to heart complications. Jack's friends and family have since reported having received e-mails beginning in November of the same year from Jack. One account told by Jack's best friend Tim Hart was that the e-mail read he was watching and that his friend should really clean his attic. Hart says this brings a type of closure to him, making him feel better knowing that Jack is in some way still present in his life. Family members such as Jack's cousin Jimmy McGraw also claims to have heard from Froese who reportedly warned Jimmy about an ankle injury that took place after his death. McGraw stated, "I'd like to say Jack sent it, just because I look at it as he's gone, but he's still trying to connect with me. Trying to tell me to move along, to feel better." There are special websites dedicated to sending out e-mails 30-60 days after someone's passing. If you would like to read more about the messages from beyond and how to create your own go to: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/emails-dead-man-account-helping-family-friends-closure-193306965.html.

Santorum Sweeps South

Rick Santorum was looking for victory this past week in both the Alabama and Mississippi primaries, and victory is exactly what he got. However, Santorum's competition former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney pulled in a lead winning Hawaii's primary creating for himself a slight lead in the race. So is this the sweeping victory the GOP had hoped for, the victory that would ultimately in some way define the race and finally give us a front runner for the general election? As it has been with the former primaries and caucus' of the past few months the answer is still "no". There is no clear front runner in the GOP, so it appears that it is once again up to Florida and the delegates to decide. When speaking of his wins in the two southern states Santorum told reporters, ""We will compete everywhere. The time is now for conservatives to pull together." As for the third candidate, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, he has decided yet again to remain despite his campaigns loses in both states this Tuesday. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Sign of the Times-Part 2

Yesterday I posted a story about a young boy residing in Miami, Florida who's parents had decided to punish him for his bad grades by making him hold up a sign on the side of a road saying that he was a class clown and that's why he received 'F's for the term.

I need to be clear that I have a background in education and it appears to me that time provided to the child at home, or at the school, with a tutor/practice material in the subjects that he is failing over the break would be more beneficial than having him to stand on a street corner all day with a sign and having strangers to honk at him.

No one is perfect, no one has ever made straight A's all through school, including myself. Yes, that's right, I will admit to the occasional bad grade especially in elementary. And often there is a reason for a child to goof-off in class. Either they find the material boring and need to be challenged, or they are having some difficulty within their personal lives and seek attention regardless if it be negative or positive.

Granted that an 'F' is the last thing any parents wishes to see a child come home with. I believe there was a lack of communication between the parents and the school. Which begs the questions of why did the teachers not speak to the parents about their concerns in regards to this particular student and his grades before the report cards were issued? Why did they not provide the parents with different strategies they could implement to assist him in raising his grades before the break, or at least by the end of the year? These are things we should be asking ourselves when it comes to our children's education but the most important thing is to stay involved as parents, as well as educators.

For this and more news on education please go to www.ed.gov.

Southern Showdown

With any luck the next round of primaries in Alabama and Mississippi, will help to thin the herd of GOP candidates seeking office and the ability to push forward to the general election. While Romney exudes the confidence he needs not to win the Southern states stating that John McCain did not win either of them in the 2008 primaries, Santorum and Gingrich both need to show a strong footing in the states to remain serious contenders and to gain the delegates needed. Santorum contends that Romney needs to win over the Evangelical voters in order to succeed in the southern states.

According to reports: "Evangelical voters play an outsized role in both state primaries. Four years ago, 77 percent of GOP primary voters in Alabama and 69 percent in Mississippi said they were born again or evangelicals, a group that Romney has struggled to bring to his side in the primaries. His best showing in a contested primary was 38 percent in Florida."

Will this be the southern showdown members of the GOP are hoping for? Or will it just cause more confusion and chaos amongst the party causing us to lose sight of what is really on the line? Our country. For this and other news please go to www.cnn.com, www.msnbc.com or to read further about the primaries go to the following link provided at foxnews.com:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/12/republican-candidates-court-southern-support-before-primaries/#ixzz1p0TCULvp

'Sign' of the Times

March is often the time for school children and even college students across the nation to be thinking about 'Spring Break' and not about 'grades'. Well, at least, that is probably not what 7th grader Michael Bell Jr. had intended to be thinking about any way. The 7th grader from Miami, Florida has been prescribed a punishment by his parents that truly is a sign of the times.

Michael Bell Jr. is currently spending his Spring Break not at the pool or playing video games with friends but instead he is holding a sign on a street corner detailing his failures in school. Bell's report card not only obtained failing grades but according to his teachers he was the class cut-up. According to reports the sign reads: the front of Michael's sign reads: "Hey, I want to be a class clown. Is it wrong?" The back of the sign says: "I'm in the 7th grade and got 3 F's. Blow your horn if there's something wrong with that."

Both of Michael's parents are with him and help him through the day, this is the only way his father and mother feel they are going to reach him about the seriousness of his studies and how they impact his future.


For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com. Or to Read more about this story click on the following link: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/12/florida-parents-force-son-to-stand-on-corner-with-sign-as-punishment-for-bad/#ixzz1ovQWyZxK

Take a Bow

After Tuesday's big state showdown in the Republican primary former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich declared his intention on staying in the GOP race despite having won only his home state of Georgia. In fact it is because Gingrich won the Peach State that he decided to keep his eye on the prize. But is it a lose-lose situation for Newt? Some analysts seem to think so.

According to Fox News, "Newt Gingrich could be facing a win-or-walk-away situation in the Deep South on Tuesday -- and the early numbers are not promising for the trailing presidential candidate, with two new polls showing him behind in Alabama. The new polls each showed a different leader in the state, neither of them Gingrich."

Perhaps it is time for the former speaker to take a bow and appreciate the good campaign he has run thus far and that he has ended his political career on a high note, at least accomplishing his goal of winning Georgia's primary. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Super Split

As predicted last night's Super Tuesday primaries were just as confusing as those prior to them. For those who thought it would give a clear and concise picture of the race and who would represent the Republican Party in the 2012 Presidential Election it became even more muddled by Santorum's wins in N.D., O.K., and T.N. Newt Gingrich even showed some progress in the polls in Georgia's primary. Overall though one can certainly argue that it was Mitt Romney's night. The former Governor of Mass. walked away with Alaska, Idaho, and yes Massachusetts to name a few. But what does this mean for the rest of the primaries? What will it mean for the Republican Party nomination? Will Romney hold firm or will his delegate count get snatched up last second by another candidate? For this and more on Super Tuesday please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Super Tuesday Success

With Super Tuesday here it is easy to understand why candidates for the Republican Party are scrambling to get in air time on some of the 24 hour news networks, shaking hands at public events and delivering messages that outline their platforms and ultimate goal of being elected as President of the United States.

But will Super Tuesday be a big win for candidates like Mitt Romney or Rick Santorum or will it prove to be an upset and actually leave Republicans scratching their heads? Many feel this will be the decisive moment of the two-month-old campaign, siting that ten states in total are taking to the polls.

Many others feel that Ohio will be the ultimate decision maker. Reports from foxnews.com stated that both Romney and Santorum are going all out in Ohio trying to get in the last minute votes. Romney told foxnews.com, "I hope that I get the support of people here in Ohio tomorrow, and in other states across the country. I believe if I do, I'll get the nomination." For this and more news on Super Tuesday please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com, or www.msnbc.com.

Lincoln's Day Too

President's Day has always been reserved for February 21st, but that could soon change. Some lawmakers are pushing for the day to be moved to February 22nd. The push has historians and educators alike crying out for the 16th President of our nation to have his own day in the spotlight. Is there something wrong with that?

Being a Lincoln buff and having read most books on our nation's Civil War leader I say absolutely not. Usually my opinion's do not enter into my blogs but the truth is I see nothing wrong with Lincoln having a day just as Washington does or Martin Luther King Jr.

David Blanchette a spokesman for the Lincoln Presidential Library stated, "If Washington is going to be singled out, we certainly think Lincoln should have his own day as well, the two presidents who have most shaped the country as we know it today are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, so we think it's certainly appropriate to honor both individuals on their specific birthdays equally." Maybe someday....if we're patient....Lincoln will have his day too.

If you would like to read more about the issue please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Mid-West Storms

Powerful storm systems ripped through the mid-west this morning leaving 9 people dead in their wake. According to news reports: "At least three people were critically injured in the small eastern Kansas town of Harveyville. The tornadoes were spawned by a powerful storm system that blew down from the Rockies on Tuesday and was headed across the Ohio and Tennessee river valleys toward the Mid-Atlantic region." Wind gusts were recorded as high as 80 mph out in Oklahoma. Kentucky has issued tornado warnings and watches throughout much of the state as the storm system threatens to reach them as the evening approaches. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com, www.msnbc.com.

Ohio Shooting leaves 2 Dead: 3 Wounded

Local authorities in Ohio described a young man who opened fire in Chardon High School yesterday as an "outcast". According to reports, "Witnesses say the gunman opened fire on the group (inside the cafeteria) before being chased from the building by a teacher and apprehended by authorities about a half a mile away." The first victim 16 year old Daniel Palmer was shot and died just hours after the shooting. The second victim Russell King Jr. was airlifted from the scene and has been pronounced brain dead. King was 17 years old. The suspect has been identified by family attorney Robert Farinacci as T.J. Lane. According to FoxNews.com, Farinacci stated that Lane's family wanted to offer "their most heartfelt and sincere condolences." Lane was known to be a loner who kept mostly to himself. Three other students were wounded in the incident. For this and more information please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Punishment Leaves Child Dead: Grandmother and Step-Mother Face Murder Charges

When our parent(s) used to ask us if we had finished our "green beans" at the dinner table often we would say "yes" all the while knowing that in reality the family dog finished them off for us so we could receive dessert. But 'fibbing' for one child in Attalla, Alabama caused her not to lose the privilege of dessert, but to lose her life.

According to authorities, "9-year-old Savannah Hardin (photograph right) died after being forced to run for three hours as punishment for having lied to her grandmother about eating candy bars. Severely dehydrated, the girl had a seizure and died days later." Both the child's grandmother and step-mother, who helped come up with the punishment, are in jail facing murder charges.

Savanna Hardin was witnessed running from her home by a neighbor, Roger Simpson who stated that he did not give the child running a second thought around 4 p.m. No one, according to Mr. Simpson, appeared to be chasing the child or forcing her to run the laps. The action was simply mistaken as a form of 'play'.

Coroner's reports show Savanna was severely dehydrated. The 9 year old passed away at the Children's Hospital in Birmingham on Monday. Her grandmother and step-mother are being held under $500,000 bond each. Would the punishment had been the same if Savanna admitted to having eaten the candy bar? Perhaps, but perhaps this is proof that you're doomed if you do and doomed if you don't. For this and more information please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Home State Advantage

As candidates prepare for the next round of primaries Mitt Romney leads the deligates in his home state of Michigan. Romney's father, George Romney was Governor of the state from 1963-1969 and President of American Motors Corporations. Romney's opponent Rick Santorum continues to have a strong showing in national polls and according to news reports, "Most troubling for Romney is how competitive Santorum has become in Michigan -- the state where Romney was born, where his father was governor and which he won four years ago." Will Romney have a the home state advantage or will the former Pennsylvania Senator Santorum steal his political thunder? For this and other news about the primaries please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Powell out Plotted

Susan Powell's husband, Josh, a suspect in her disappearance and the murderer of their two young sons, will not be buried next to his boys. Washington State police said that two officers purchased plots beside the boys to keep their father from being buried near them. Pierce County Sheriff's Sgt. Ed Troyer and Sheriff Paul Pastor stated, "It's Disgusting that a murder suspect would be buried next to his victims." Troyer also wrote the following statement on Twitter.
The two young children Charlie age 7 and Braden age 5 were attacked in their home by their father with a hatchet and perished in an explosion set off by their father. Police now believe that Josh Powell's own father, Steven Powell, has information about Susan's disappearance. Steven Powell is being held on child pornography charges and invoked his right to remain silent, not wishing to cooperate with investigators according to The Salt Lake Tribune. For this and more news about Susan Powell, her disappearance and the investigation please go to the link below, or visit www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/15/josh-powells-family-wants-him-buried-near-sons/#ixzz1mYllfrK5

"No Soup for You!"

I am certain we all remember the infamous Soup Nazi's phrase "no soup for you!" from Jerry Seinfeld's show in the '90s. Well imagine a state worker telling your child "no homemade lunch for you!" A Hoke County pre-schooler was offered chicken nuggets for their lunch as opposed to the homemade lunch prepared for them that consisted of a turkey and cheese sandwich a banana, apple juice and potato chips. According to a report by the Carolina Journal the lunch, “did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines," and "When home-packed lunches do not include all of the required items, child care providers must supplement them with the missing ones." The mother received a bill for $1.25, the cost of a lunch tray from which her daughter only ate 3 chicken nuggets that were used a substitute. The mother, as any parent would be, is deeply concerned that the worker told her child that they were not packing their lunch properly. For this and more information please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Whitney

Whitney Houston passed away on February 11, 2012 in her Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel room at the age of 48. Houston who is best known for her powerfully soulful voice that crossed genres like gospel and pop was preparing to attend Clive Davis' pre-Grammy celebration party. Houston's bodyguard and hairstylist found her in her hotel room tub, submerged in the water and called 9-1-1. Attempts to revive the songstress failed. Whitney's ex-husband Bobby Brown made it to L.A. yesterday to be with the couples daughter Bobby Christina who has been treated at Cedar Sinai twice according to TMZ "She was first brought in mere hours after her mother's death to be treated for stress and anxiety." Those close to Bobby Christina fear she may be suicidal and continue to try and support her during this difficult time. Houston's body flew from L.A. to her New Jersey home Tuesday, no word on what caused her death. Funeral arrangements have been made for Saturday. For this and more on Whitney Houston please go to www.etonline.com, www.tmz.com or www.foxnews.com.

Whooops!

The phrase "my bad" has a whole new meaning to some 300 applicants of the federal fellows program. After having applied for the prestigious program that helps educate and provide opportunities for future leaders of government, the 300 hopeful applicants each received an e-mail of acceptance by mistake.

One applicant, initially having been very upset over the mix up, told Fox News " I may have dodged a bullet, because this incident really highlights the incompetence, inefficiency, disorganization and lack of accountability of the PMF program.” The mix up, one very similar to the one Vaser College made last month by sending out dozens of acceptance letters to prospective students who had actually been declined entry, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of recipients of this e-mail. Angela Bailey, PMF's assistant director of employee services said in a statement to the public, "Within minutes, we realized some semi-finalists received erroneous notifications. The PMF Program Office immediately stopped the notifications and investigated the problem.” For this and more news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com. To read more of the article on PMF go to the link below.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/09/prestigious-fed-program-pulls-vassar/

Santorum Sweeps States

Presidential hopeful and former Senator of Pennsylvania Rick Santorum pulled an upset of all upsets last night as he walked away victorious in not one but three states. Santorum won Colorado, the Minnesota caucuses and the non-binding Missouri GOP primary. Mitt Romney, who had remained strong in the polls in such states as Florida had previously won Colorado during his bid in 2008. When asked to respond to Santorum's sweeping victory, Mitt Romney stated that "he had a good night". Ron Paul also created a buzz in the state of Minnesota coming in second with 27% behind Santorum's 44%. The candidates now move on to Arizona, Maine and Michigan, but Santorum has clearly proven that it is anyone's race. For this and more news on the GOP primaries please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

You're Fired!

In light of reports of sexual abuse by Miramonte School in Los Angeles by two deviant teachers the elementary school has decided to remove the entire staff amid the scandal. According to news reports "a tense meeting Monday night between Los Angeles school officials and parents resulted in the temporary removal of all teachers and staff from the Miramonte School where two teachers have been removed and jailed in recent days for allegedly sexually abusing students." All students are home and not required to return to classes until Thursday. The Superintendent of Miramonte School's stated that their current action was to help the children and their parents to feel safter in the school and to also learn of other possible offenses. "Some might see this as an extreme measure but this is an extreme circumstance," Superintendent John Deasy wrote in a letter to school workers last night. "I need to take action within the scope of what I can control. This is it." For more information this story please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Up in Smoke

In 2009 Susan Powell went missing from her West Valley City home in Utah leaving behind her two young children, Charles and Branden. Powell's husband Josh has been under suspicion for her 2009 disappearance and authorities have recently learned that Charles and his younger brother Branden were beginning to talk about what happened the night their mother vanished. A month after Susan's disappearance authorities spent 12 days searching the vast Utah dessert for any trace of the young wife and mother. Josh Powell however, maintained his innocence stating that "for those who know me, they know I could never hurt Susan." In the late hours of February 5th Josh Powell lit his home on fire, killing both himself and his two children. Powell e-mailed his attorney just before ending his life that simply stated "I'm sorry, goodbye." Powell was denied custody and ordered to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation by the courts. Custody of the boys were given to Susan's parents, Chuck and Judy Cox. Authorities involved with the investigation of Susan Powell's disappearence and now her husbands murder-suicide, continue to search for answers. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com, or www.msnbc.com.

Super Bowl Surprise

After weeks of waiting and anxiously anticipating the outcome of Super Bowl XLVI (46) guess what? Yeah that's right....the New York Giants are taking home the Vince Lombardi trophy. The New England Patriots, after losing a Super Bowl to Eli Manning's brother Payton and the Indianapolis Colts in 2007, lost again. The Giants came in strong and went out stronger leaving the Patriots and their fans just a margin of hope during the 3rd and part of the 4th quarters with the score as close as 15 to 17. The Giants took home the win scoring 21 over the Patritos 17. For this and more news about Super Bowl XLVI please go to www.nfl.com, www.espn.com or www.foxnews.com.

Anonymously Hacked

We've all seen movies like Anti-Trust, read books like Steve Berry's Digital Fortress and we frequently hear on the news about scams and schemes developed via the World Wide Wed (if I can use the phrase) that help individuals gather our personal data that would allow them to use it for their own benefit. A call between Scotland Yard and the F.B.I. being hacked....that's not the plot of a new cyber thriller. It's the real deal. According to reports a group of hackers who call themselves 'Anonymous' have released a sensitive recording between the Yard and the F.B.I. to the general public.

"The group released a roughly 15-minute-long recording of what appears to be a Jan. 17 conference call devoted to tracking and prosecuting members of the loose-knit hacking group and its spinoff group LulzSec." According to sources there was no confidential information on the released recording. This is certainly not the first time that 'Anonymous' has hacked into and provided the public with very sensitive information. The group has also targeted the Church of Scientology, the music industry, financial companies and even credit card companies. For this and more information on 'Anonymous' please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com, or www.msnbc.com. To read the full article and transcripts of the released recordings go to the link below.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/02/03/hackers-claim-to-have-intercepted-call-between-fbi-scotland-yard/?test=latestnews

It's a Bird...It's a Plane....It's---A Promotion?

If you happened to be in lower Manhattan last Friday, you might have been one of the lucky people to see 3 human figures circling the Statue of Liberty. No, it was not Superman but instead it was a promotional idea for the movie 'Chronicle' starring Michael B. Jordan, Dan DeHaan, Michael Kelly, and Alex Russell. A recent Yahoo.com article stated "those aren't people in the air, but some very intricately designed radio-controlled airplanes." The movie centers around three teenagers who discover they each have abilities that help them to fly, crush cars and even move things with their minds. For this and other movie news please to your local movie website or to view the article and video on the figures flying high click on: http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/flying-people-stun-yorkers-promote-movie-chronicle-194823215.html.

Winner Take All

The Florida primaries were full of drama, accusations and plenty of finger-pointing on the issues but make no mistake, Mitt Romney came ahead in the end. Former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich stated last night to Fox News that this was still "a two man race". Romney walked away with 85 delegates while Gingrich fumbled for a mere 26. The "two man race" is seeming more like a "one man show". Recent polls are are displaying that if the Presidential election were held today that Romney and Obama would be in a dead heat for the Oval Office. From this angle it only looks like things are heating up for the candidates and Arizona and Michigan are among the next two battle grounds for the race to continue. For this and more information please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com, or www.msnbc.com.

Faith in Florida

Today is decision day for Florida Republicans. Romney is surging ahead of Gingrich in the polls as his rival, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, tries to sway voters by going after Romney's character and religious beliefs. Gingrich is accusing the former Governor of Massachusetts of being no different than President Barrack Obama and stated to Fox News reporter Bret Baier, "I think Governor Romney is extraordinarily insensitive to religious freedom in America and the Obama administration is clearly engaged in a war on religion." Most believe that this recent attack on former Governor Mitt Romney's faith is the sign of Gingrich's "campaign "flailing" in the face of a collapse" as he struggles to hold onto the Republican nomination in Florida. Gingrich has already stated to the press that he will continue to the Republican Convention even if he does not take Florida in the primary. It is estimated that 2million people will turn out for the Sunshine State's primaries this evening. Voting begins at 7am Eastern. For this and more news on the Republican Presidential Campaigns please to go www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Fumbling for Florida

Candidates for the 2012 Presidential election have bounced from Iowa, to New Hampshire then South Carolina and finally Florida. While Santorum saw a late victory in Iowa and Romney stole New Hampshire by just a few votes from Libertarian candidate Ron Paul, South Carolina seemed to be the promised land for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Will the same be said of Florida?

I am sure everyone recalls the insanity that was 2000 when the Presidential election hung by a 'chad'. Will it be the same for the 2012 Presidential Primaries? Romney and Gingrich both received strong indorsements from various candidate and office holders over the weekend. Gingrich was backed by former candidate Herman Cane, and Romney found himself indorsed by former Presidential candidate Bob Dole who called the Gingrich a "one-man-band who rarely took advice." According to news reports the "Quinnipiac poll taken around the time of the South Carolina vote showed Romney’s Florida margin at only 2 points. At the beginning of the month, Romney led by 12 points. Eight weeks ago, Gingrich was up by 13 points." For the Republicans who remain undecided about which candidate they want to see run against President Obama, hang in there--just not like that pesky chad. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Tarmac Throw Down

When President Obama stepped off of Air Force One today he probably was not expecting to be greeted with an envelope from Governor of Arizona Jan Brewer that invited him back to the state to discuss the topic of immigration. Obama was in Arizona to carry out a plan stipulated in his recent State of the Union address on Tuesday. The President and Governor Brewer proceeded to exchange words about her recent book Scorpions for Breakfast. According to Brewer, who spoke with Fox News correspondent Greta Van Susteren about the matter, the Presidents actions, "I was trying to be very gracious to him and he reacted in a manner that took me back, kind of left me breathless, to tell you the truth." Governor Brewer also said that they were glad to have the President in attendance nevertheless. For this and more on the latest news about President Obama and Governor Brewer please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Back to the Future

Some of you are probably wondering why I titled this particular article/blog "Back to the Future". Well besides my love of Michael J. Foxx in the 1985 classic movie, it kind of sums up the weekend the NFL was having. The New England Patriots played the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and, as expected by this Patriot fan, they're going 'back' to the 'Super Bowl' (aka the future!). Before the February 5th kickoff fans of both the New York Giants and the N.E. Patriots are asking questions like "who's better? Eli or Brady?" The truth is that they are both equally great players and have made sturdy careers out of football. Bottom line? It's anyone's game. The Patriots won against the Ravens 23-20 while the Giants took out rivals the 49ers 20-17. Until game day we can speculate on the outcome, taunt other NFL fans whose teams did not make it this year and we can also look forward to those one-of-a-kind Super Bowl commercials that are sure to kick off the end of a great season.

Lights Out!

Lights out for search engines Google and Yahoo, shopping website Amazon, and encyclopedia window to the world Wikipedia all in a 24 hour protest to a new anti-piracy bill that is currently circulating in Congress. According to news reports the bill titled Protect Intellectual Property Act will require "ISPs to block access to foreign websites that infringe on copyrights. Online piracy from China and elsewhere is a massive problem for the media industry, one that costs as much as $250 billion per year and costs the industry 750,000 jobs, according to a 2008 statement by Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). But how exactly the bills would counter piracy has many up in arms."

The bill has its supporters too. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and News Corp, to name a few, say that critics of the bill simply misunderstand its intentions. It is not a surprise that a bill to ban such information has been created and is now before Congress for a vote. To learn more about the Act and what it would mean for the above mentioned websites and the way we receive information please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.msnbc.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/01/18/wikipedia-goes-dark-for-24-hours-to-protest-us-web-piracy-bills/?test=latestnews#ixzz1jpBN5iIE

A Golden Age

Statistics tell us that the likelihood of us living to 100 or close to it is often slim. In fact studies have shown that on average a male who reaches his 65th birthday has a 20% chance of living to age 90 and a female who reaches her 65th birthday has a 32% chance of seeing 90. Personally I believe it is genetic, or a strong sense of character that can pull one close to or at the century mark. No better example can be given than Betty White. Betty has had a career in television. The star of the Golden Girls and now one of TVLand's biggest hits, Hot in Cleveland, is preparing to celebrate her 90th birthday next week and launch her new show 'Off their Rocker'. Happy Birthday to the Golden Girl who has graced so many lives and has been a joy to watch on both the small and big screens all these years.

The Verdict is In

Joran Van der Sloot, suspected Natalee Holloway kidnapper and murderer, was sentenced to 28 years in Lima, Peru. Van der Sloot was being tried for the murder of Stephanie Flores, a young woman who was escorted by Van der Sloot back to his hotel room and supposedly witnessed material on his computer that would tie him to the Holloway case. Flores was brutally strangled and left for dead. The three judge panel also ordered Van der Sloot to pay $75,000 in reparations. According to news reports: "Due to time already served, the judges said Van der Sloot's sentence would end in June 2038. But under Peru's penal system, Van der Sloot could become eligible for parole after serving half of the sentence with good behavior, including work and study." Van der Sloot reserved his right to appeal the verdict. Although there is no justice in his arrest, trail or conviction for Natalee Holloway in this case, there is comfort in knowing that he will at least be held accountable for his actions against Stephanie Flores. For this and other news please visit http://www.foxnews.com/ or http://www.cnn.com/.

In the Case of Natalee

A Birmingham, Alabama judge will decide whether or not to declare Natalee Holloway, who went missing 6 years ago in Aruba, officially deceased. According to reports it is Natalee's father who is pushing forward to have his daughter declared legally dead. "Probate Judge Alan King is hearing a request by Holloway's father to have her declared dead. The judge ruled in September that Dave Holloway had met the legal presumption of death for his daughter and it was up to someone to prove she didn't die in Aruba. He set the hearing Thursday to allow time for anyone to come forward." No new evidence has emerged in the search for Natalee and the last person suspected to have seen her alive, Joran Van der sloot, appeared before a Peruvian court earlier this week and admitted his guilt in the case of Stephanie Flores. Flores was found murdered in her hotel room on May 10, 2010 when she saw evidence on Van der Sloot's computer that would tie him to the Holloway case. For more news on Natalee Holloway or Joran Van der Sloot's murder trail please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.cbsnews.com.

Not Your Status Qou Candidate

For someone who does not seem like much of a political threat, status qou breaker and Congressman Ron Paul who is the author of such books as END THE FED and A Republic: If you Can Keep It, certainly made his debut in the race for the White House these last couple of weeks. From Iowa to New Hampshire his name and reputation has gained a following on both the internet and on the campaign trail. Paul's following is greater in number than the conservatives or liberals would like to admit. Television reporters, news anchors and newspaper outlets struggle to find ways to ignore the Congressman's message of fiscal responsibility, ending the Federal Reserve and supporting the return to the gold standard. But there is no denying that Ron Paul exudes a confidence about himself whether it is while he's discussing monetary policy or if it is simply in a back and forth between himself and fellow candidate for office Newt Gingrich. Last night during the New Hampshire primary Mitt Romney cleared a leading 39% of the vote. Meanwhile Gingrich and Santorum, who were expected to be big hitters, were hardly a 'blip' on the radar. Is this what is in store for Romney if he continues to hold onto first place? Or can he hold onto first place? It's up the South Carolina but it is certainly clear that Ron Paul is definitely nipping at the heels of what he calls 'the establishment'. For this and more news on Congressman Paul and the New Hampshire Primary please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com, or visit Paul's official website at www.ronpaul2012.com. (Photo by the New York Times).

Primary Kick-Off

The New Hampshire Primary is well underway with the first ballot for our nation's next Republican candidate for President of the United States cast at midnight. So it comes as no surprise when news outlets report the rise of Mitt Romney. The former Governor of Massachusetts has a home just up the road and held office in the neighboring state. But Gingrich and others have taken sharp aim at Romney throughout the past week with numerous campaign made-for-tv ads. However, Romney's supporters have backed him so far as to raise $1 million worth of air time to combat Gingrich's campaign to push Romney from the race. But perhaps it is the underdogs Romney and Newt should be worried about, and not so much each other or playing politics. Congressman Ron Paul from Texas has been known for his grand fundraisers as well and last night picked up several votes along the way in New Hampshire's first few open primary districts and is a close second to Mitt. For this and more news on the Republican Primaries for President please go to www.foxnews.com or www.cnn.com.

Honoring Arizona

One year after the bloody shooting that occurred in Arizona by a crazed gunman, Gabrielle Giffords returns to the site of the tragedy to remember and mourn the victims lost on that fateful day. Giffords, who had been among the crowd for a rally, was brutally shot in the head and quickly airlifted to the nearest medical facility for treatment. In the year that followed Giffords has went through several months of intense physical therapy to help her recover from the injuries she sustained. For Giffords her source of strength comes from various places, the country who has embraced her, her staff who worked closely with her and most of all her adoring family. Both Giffords and her husband published a book at the end of last year titled Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope. Her husband, Mark Kelly is a successful NASA astronaut, U.S. Naval captain and naval aviator who was scheduled to go back into space a final time before his wife was seriously injured at her January 2011 rally. According to FoxNews.com Jared Lee "Loughner has pleaded not guilty to 49 charges in the shooting. The 23-year-old, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is being forcibly medicated at a Missouri prison facility in an effort to make him mentally ready for trial." For this and more on congresswoman Giffords, her heroic story of survival and the case against Loughner please go to www.foxnews.com or www.cnn.com.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/08/tucson-marks-one-year-anniversary-deadly-rampage/#ixzz1iss6DiXf

A Year in Re-View

Although most of us have by now put 2011 well behind us, it is the job of In View (formally The Globe) to report on some of the top news stories of 2011 before we kick off a new year.

Almost a year after being attacked at a rally in Arizona, her home state, Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D) is well on her way to recovery and is seeking re-election. Giffords will reportedly attend a candle light vigil that will mark the 1 year anniversary of the shooting.



Another large story that captured the nation's attention in 2011 was that of Tot-Mom, so named by HLN host Nancy Grace, or to the public Casey Marie Anthony. Anthony was said to be the most hated woman in America when the verdict to release her was handed down and the courts found her not guilty of her daughters demise. Anthony was facing charges of first degree murder in the case of her daughter Caylee Anthony. Caylee was missing for nearly 31 days before she was reported missing and her remains were later discovered in a wooded area near her grandparents Florida residence.




2011 saw its moments of despair but it also saw moments of happiness and of hope. Prince William and his long time girlfriend Kate Middleton tied the knot in an April ceremony amidst a large and supportive crowd of onlookers. The Prince and Princess toured parts of Canada and the United States during the summer. Catherine's wedding dress is currently on display for all to see in Buckingham Palace.






For four years Amanda Knox had waited patiently for her day of justice to come inside of an Italian prision. Knox, a Seattle native, was charged with the murder of Mereditch Kutcher and convicted of the crime in 2009 along with her then boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. Knox was released due to lack of evidence in the case against her. Amanda was released on May 26th, 2011.











2011 instantly propelled several figures into the political spotlight. Amidst economic woes, high unemployment rates, and national spending issues it was the year of the Tea Party, Occupy Wall Street Protestors and a reminder of the upcoming 2012 election season. Among those to step up to the plate and throw their hats in the ring were Hermann Cain, Michelle Bauchman, former Governor of Mass. Mitt Romney, Gov. John Huntsman, Rick Santorum, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Texas Governor Rick Perry and Senator Ron Paul. Needless to say, this is going to be a very interesting year for politics, our economy and our nation. This is hail and farewell to 2011.

Crowns and Goals

Last night thousands of people tuned in to see who the next Miss America would be. Surprisingly it was the youngest contestant, Teresa Scanlan, who took home the crown. The Nebraska native wishes to use her title as Miss America to help women prevent and conquer eating disorders. Teresa Scanlan is 17-years-old (photo on left).







While last night was a crowning moment for a new Miss America, this afternoon will define the race to the Super Bowl as the New England Patriots take on the New York Jets. Kickoff is at 3:30pm today at Gillette Stadium. Bundle up if you're going to be out in the crowd and have a great game. For more information on Miss America please go to www.yahoo.com. For today's NFL game times and information please go to www.nfl.com or www.espn.com.

Massacre's Massive Spin

Over the weekend the United States has been mourning the deaths and injuries of those involved in the Tuscan, Arizona shooting that occurred Saturday morning at a Safeway grocery store. Senator Gabrielle Giffords was among the injured and is said to be doing well and responding to simple commands according to her doctors. However, the shooting left several others fatally injured including a 9-year-old little girl.

22-year-old Jared Loughner (pictured at left) is currently in police custody but is no longer cooperating with authorities. Instead one of Jared's former community college classmate spoke out this morning on NBC's the TODAY show about his behavior and how she feared the worst. So much so that she made her concerns known to her professor and he to the school administration.

But what is considered to the Arizona Massacre has suddenly taken a turn with liberals pointing fingers and blaming conservatives for the shooting.

According to Fox News.com "many on the American Left said the horror could be traced to the malign influence of American conservatives; members of the Tea Party; right-wing pundits Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck; former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin; and Fox News. That was the narrative of culpability spun in the immediate aftermath of the shootings by some leading liberal commentators and Democratic politicians -- despite warnings from religious leaders, lawyers, academics, ethicists, reporters and historians that such a rush to judgment only further deepens the partisan divide in America, and further poisons its discourse." (foxnews.com, 2011, p. 1).

Regardless of the finger pointing and current political climate, the truth is that no one can really be blamed for the shooting and the loss of so many lives over this past weekend except for the shooter himself, Jared Loughner. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com or www.cnn.com.

Blogging 1-0-1

I know some people have a very lofty opinion of blogs and they like to talk about how much blogging is a lot like a journal and that all our thoughts should be kept to ourselves. However, I am a firm believer in freedom of speech, freedom or press etc... So that being said I would like to ask those who believe that our thoughts should be kept to ourselves what type of world we would live in if Bill Gates had decided to keep Windows to himself and not share it with the world? We'd be scribbling our thoughts out on paper that's where! But even then there would be no guarantee that those thoughts would stay private. So yes, blogging for me is a lot like a journal except my thoughts happen to be focused towards Global events, both breaking and past and this is like my own permanent scrap book if you may. I regret that I have not been blogging over the last several months but am grateful to be back and wish everyone a very Happy and prosperous New Year.

Representative Shot

Representative Gabrielle Giffords, the youngest woman ever to be sworn into congress and a member of the Democratic Party was severely wounded earlier today in her home state of Arizona. According to authorities a 22-year-old lone gunman named Jared Loughner is responsible for the attack that claimed the lives of a 9-year-old girl and a Federal Court Judge. Several others were wounded. Representative Giffords was hosting a rally "Congress on Your Corner" when the gunman opened fire and shot her through the head at point blank range.

FoxNews.com is reporting:

"Federal District Judge John M. Roll, a friend of the congresswoman, was among the dead that also included a 9-year-old girl and at least one of Giffords' aides. A total of at least 19 people, including three members of Giffords' staff, were shot at the "Congress on Your Corner" event, held at a Safeway grocery store. Several of the wounded are in critical condition at the university hospital." (Fox News, 2010, p. 1).

Giffords was initially pronounced dead by several leading news organizations but according to doctors Giffords life was saved and she is now responding to commands. They expect a full recovery. Thoughts and prayers go out to Representative Giffords, her family, staff, and those who lost loved one's and those who were injured due to this recent incident.

President Obama condemned the attack on the Representatives life in a speech shortly after the news about Giffords was announced. News organizations are now treading that Giffords was the intended target of 22-year-old Jared Loughner. Arizona has lately been a hot-bed of several controversial political topics such as border control. The shooter is now in police custody. To learn more about this and other news stories please to go www.foxnews.com or www.cnn.com.

When the Saints Go Marching In!

It's a win for the New Orleans Saints. An amazing football season came to an end tonight with the much anticipated match up of the year that pitted the New Orleans Saints against the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 44. The Colts are a long time favorite of football fans everywhere and were thought to have the upper hand again this year.
The Saints seemed to struggle through much of the 1st half of the game, but made a stunning recovery after half time. Coming back in the 3rd quarter the Saints were nearly tied with their rivals 16 to 17 but broke free with a touch down that put them 22 to 17 and eventually the underdog team found themselves in the winners circle. At 31-17 the Saints became another NFL team to win a Super Bowl. For this and other news please go to www.foxnews.com, www.cnn.com or www.nfl.com.

Phil the Chill

Punxsutawney Phil has been an expert on matters of weather for years, especially when it comes to how much longer we can expect to see snow and ice. The groundhog rose bright and early this morning to show off his new shadow. That's right, another six weeks of winter weather is yet to be enjoyed or dreaded by all. For most of the South and Northeast this year has been full of 8-15inch snow falls, winter weather advisories and school closings. With another weekend winter watch in effect, will Phils prediction become a winter weather reality? For more go to www.foxnews.com or www.yahoo.com.

Brown's Breakthrough

Little known Republican candidate Scott Brown from Massachusetts shocked the nation and the capitol yesterday evening by winning his bid of former Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. Brown, whose campaign was aided by the help of former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney and his team, defeated Democrat Martha Coakley. According to news reports "With nearly all precincts reporting, returns showed Brown leading Coakley 52-47 percent, by a margin of 120,000 votes. Independent candidate Joseph Kennedy was pulling 1 percent." For this and more information on Scott Brown please go to http://www.foxnews.com/, http://www.cnn.com/, or http://www.msnbc.com/.