Swing states, or those with undefined political preferences, will decide who will be the next president of the United States. In the 2008 election President Obama obtained 365 electoral votes, when only 270 are needed to become president. The result proved his overwhelming success compared to the previous President George W. Bush, who only obtained 286 electoral votes in the 2004 election. But in November, reelection will not be that easy for President Obama because of the swing states.

In the 2008 election, Barack Obama won back crucial states to the Democrats, such as Florida or North Carolina, which had been in Republican control since the 2000 elections. But this could change this year; the Republicans want to regain control of Florida and hosting the Republican Convention there is proof of it. The Democrats want to remain in control of North Carolina, explaining why they organized their convention in Charlotte.

President Obama’s road to reelection will not be an easy one. Although the last two presidents have achieved reelection, the economic crisis has weakened Barack Obama, and that’s why Mitt Romney will have a chance, since he is seen as someone who knows how to handle economic problems. A recent Gallup poll shows that 60% of the people surveyed said Romney would do a good job handling the economy over the next four years; 52% said president Obama would.

The recent Gallup poll showed in which aspects Mitt Romney is stronger, but it also shows his weak points: he doesn’t generate enthusiasm from his voters and he hasn’t been able to establish a strong connection with the people. The results of the poll show it, and Obama is perceived as a much more likeable candidate with an advantage of over 27 points against Romney.

USA Today/Gallup lists twelve states that can determine this election: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

One state that is not considered a swing state, but could become one at any moment, is Arizona. In the U.S. electoral history this state has only voted for the Democratic Party once since President Truman, but the number of independent voters has grown in recent years in this state. This scenario makes Mitt Romney’s victory uncertain because there are a large number of undecided voters waiting to hear proposals, and that’s why closed elections are expected.

An interesting case of another closed state is New Mexico. In the 2008 election President Obama won with 56.7% of the votes. The Hispanic vote was decisive in this state, but the Arizona Republican Governor Susana Martinez, who has high approval ratings, and the economic crisis, has given Mitt Romney a slight chance to win this state.

The swing states are the ones that will determine the election. If the electoral votes for each one of them are summed up, there are 150 electoral votes, and if Arizona is added, which may become a swing state at any moment, that brings it up to 161 electoral votes that don’t have a clear destiny: they may go Republican or Democrat. The only thing certain about this election is that it would be a close race and if Obama wins, it may not be a comfortable victory like in 2008. Both candidates will have to work hard to achieve the magic number of electoral votes: 270.

Image Courtesy of  Steve Adamson / Shutterstock.com

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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, health insurance companies in Arizona are pursuing double-digit premium increases for more than 30 insurance health plans in the state.

Officials from AARP Arizona are weighing-in with the Arizona Department of Insurance on the transparency of health insurance plan rate reviews.  The department is currently reviewing the process for rate reviews of health insurance plans.  AARP believes consumers should have the opportunity to be more engaged in the process.

“AARP welcomes the opportunity to work with the Arizona Department of Insurance on this very important issue,” said David Mitchell, AARP Arizona State Director. “We are supporting three key points that we hope will be included in the review process.”

AARP would like to see proposed rate increases posted online for public comment before the rate increases are considered “reasonable or unreasonable,” and that policyholders are notified of potential rate increases before they are classified as such.

“We also think it’s important that press releases are issued informing the public of the opportunity to give public comment whenever a significant premium increase for Arizonans is considered by the Department of Insurance,” said Mitchell.

In addition, AARP supports the adoption of an alert system similar to that which the state of Minnesota currently uses. “We believe policyholders should be allowed to enroll in an alert system that automatically indicates when rate hikes are submitted for review by the department,” Mitchell added. “We think informing policyholders is not only important, but that the notices should be easy to understand, state the implications of the increase and what options are available to policyholders.”

The Arizona Department of Insurance is currently gathering comments from various stakeholder groups on this issue.  “AARP strongly supports the opportunity for consumers to be active participants in the insurance market and we applaud the Arizona Department of Insurance for their continued work in this area,” said Mitchell.

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The Bureau of Reclamation has received a proposed set of common-sense solutions to solve the imbalance between supply and demand for water in the Colorado River Basin, where the Bureau projects river flow will decrease by an average of about nine percent over the next 50 years due to climate change.

The proposal by Environmental Defense Fund — which includes ideas by other conservation groups and stakeholders — was in response to the deadline for public input of “options and strategies” for a study to define and solve future imbalances in water supply and demand in the basin through 2060.

“Our proposed solutions don’t include expensive new infrastructure and diversions that threaten the health of the Colorado River and the recreation and tourism economy of the region,” said Dan Grossman, Rocky Mountain regional director for Environmental Defense Fund and a former vice chairman of the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee in the Colorado Senate.

“Instead, we are focusing on common-sense ideas — including water banks, water re-use and municipal and agricultural efficiency — to solve the imbalance between supply and demand, while protecting the healthy flows of the river.”

Water banks are institutional mechanisms that can be set up in one state, or by multiple states, to use existing storage in a more flexible manner — particularly during drought — by holding “deposits” of water leased or purchased from existing users.  For example, they hold the potential to be a cost-effective way of preventing the chaotic effects of a ”call” on the river under the Colorado River Compact.

The compact stipulates that when river flows are insufficient to satisfy the Lower Basin states’ water entitlement on the river, the lower basin can place a call on the river water, forcing upper basin states to stop diverting water until the lower basin’s water entitlement is satisfied.

“Managing the Colorado River in a hotter and drier west requires bold and innovative thinking,” added Grossman.  “We can’t continue to adhere to the dogmas of the 19th and 20th centuries and expect to solve this impending crisis.”

The Colorado River Basin is one of the most critical sources of water in the western United States and Mexico, providing water to 30 million people in seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming.  The Colorado River Basin Water Supply & Demand Study – due to be completed in June by the Bureau of Reclamation and agencies from the seven basin states – is focusing on the needs of basin resources that are dependent upon a healthy river system.  They include:

• Water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use;
• Hydroelectric power generation;
• Recreation;
• Fish and wildlife and their habitats;
• Water quality including salinity;
• Flow and water-dependent ecological systems; and
• Flood control, all under a range of conditions that could occur over the next 50 years.

“As we begin forging a new path forward for managing the Colorado River in the age of limits, we need to think about the impacts of our actions on future generations in the west,” concluded Grossman. “Current demands from residential development and agriculture are overtaxing a river that is diminishing because of a changing climate.  We need flexible, market-driven solutions that will protect the river and the ecosystems and western economies it supports.”

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Nearly one in four American children attend rural schools and enrollment is growing at a faster rate in rural school districts than in all other places combined, according to ‘Why Rural Matters 2011-12’, a biennial report by the Rural School and Community Trust.   In addition, rural schools show increasing rates of poverty, diversity, and students with special needs.

These widespread trends are most evident in the South, Southwest, and parts of Appalachia. ”As the evidence mounts that rural education is becoming a bigger and even more complex part of our national educational landscape, it is becoming impossible to ignore in the quest to improve achievement and narrow achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged groups.

The day of closing our eyes and hoping rural education will just go away are ending,” said Jerry Johnson, a co-author of ‘Why Rural Matters 2011-12’. More than 9.6 million students are enrolled in rural school districts in the United States, which is over 20 percent of all public school students in the United States.

An additional 1.8 million students are enrolled in rural schools in districts not classified as rural by the federal government.  Together, these 11.4 million students who attend rural schools comprise more than 23 percent of all public school students, according to the Rural School and Community Trust, a respected national nonprofit organization.

Of those students attending schools in a rural district, two in five live in poverty, a rate that has increased by nearly a third in nine years.  One student in four in rural areas is a child of color, and one in eight has changed residence in the past 12 months.

Between the 1999-2000 and 2008-2009 school years, rural districts’ enrollment increased by well over 1.7 million students, showing a growth rate of more than 22 percent.  In comparison, non-rural enrollment increased by only 673,000, or by a 1.7 percent increase, for the same time period.  As a result, the rural districts’ share of national public school enrollment increased from 17.4 percent to 20 percent over the decade, according to federal data in the report.

These enrollment gains were particularly strong in the most rural states in the South and Southwest.  Ten states are among the top 13 in both the number and the percentage of rural enrollment growth — Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

The top five states with rural enrollment increases — Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arizona — had a total gain of over 1.1 million, more than half the gain for all states that gained rural enrollment.

“Rural minority students are concentrated in certain states, and that concentration is increasing,” said Jerry Johnson. Over 69 percent of all rural minority students now attend school in states where they represent more than one third of the rural student enrollment.  That is up from 58 percent as reported in ‘Why Rural Matters 2009’.

The report uses 25 statistical indicators grouped into five “gauges” to take the measure of rural education in each of the 50 states.  The five gauges are then combined to produce a “rural education priority” gauge.  The higher the ranking, the more important and challenging rural education is in a state’s overall education system and the more urgent it is for policy makers to pay attention to it.

The 13 highest priority states are all in the South, Southwest, and Appalachia, except Alaska, and all, but three, of the 12 next highest priority states are adjacent to them with the exception of Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

The report notes that rural education ranks high in importance in many Northern states, including Iowa, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, and Vermont.  However, these states tend to rank low on other measures such as student poverty, diversity, or poor student performance and low graduation rates.

“These states symbolize rural education to many people. They are the basis for a myth that all of rural America is uncomplicated, stable, and reasonably well-off. That myth is part of what keeps rural education on the margins of the national debate about education policy,” said Marty Strange, the policy director for the Rural School and Community Trust and co-author of the report.

“But these classic Yankee and Prairie-Plains states are simply an important part of a much more varied, complex, and challenging rural America that education policy makers must better understand,” said Strange. The report found that states most responsive to rural schools have above average fiscal capacity.

For example, the report points out that of the 13 states with the lowest expenditures for rural teachers, all but Nebraska and South Dakota are below the national average in state fiscal capacity.  On the other hand, states with the highest rural teacher salaries are primarily in the Northeast, the West, and the Mid-Atlantic. All these states are above the national average in state fiscal capacity per capital.

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Illegal immigration was the fastest growing federal arrest offense between 2005 and 2009, increasing an average rate of 23 percent each year, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) announced today. In 2009, 84,749 suspects were arrested and booked for immigration offenses, up from 38,041 in 2005.

A federal arrest is a formal charge of violating federal law. Persons who were apprehended, detained, released or deported without a formal arrest charge were not included in the number of federal suspects arrested and processed.

During 2009, a record 183,986 suspects were arrested for federal offenses, up from 140,200 in 2005 and nearly double the 83,324 suspects arrested in 1995. Illegal immigration (46 percent) was the most common offense at arrest in 2009, followed by drug (17 percent) and supervision (13 percent) violations.

More than half (56 percent) of all federal arrests occurred in the five federal judicial districts along the U.S.-Mexico border: Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Western and Southern Texas. The federal caseload handled in these five districts in 2009 comprised more than a third of all federal defendants prosecuted (35 percent), convicted (35 percent) and sentenced to prison (37 percent).

Most federal defendants (77 percent) in cases terminated in 2009 had been detained prior to case disposition. Defendants were most likely to be detained when charged with immigration (95 percent), violent crime (87 percent), weapons (82 percent), and drug (81 percent) offenses. About 88 percent of defendants charged in the five judicial districts along the U.S.-Mexico border were detained in 2009.

Of the 193,234 matters concluded by U.S. attorneys in 2009, two out of three involved immigration (46 percent) or drug (20 percent) offenses. Immigration matters concluded increased an annual average of 31 percent since 2005, while drug matters declined an annual average of 1.4 percent.

About 48 percent of suspects in matters concluded were prosecuted by U.S. attorneys in 2009, compared to 60 percent of suspects in 2005. One reason for the decrease in prosecution by U.S. attorneys is the growth in immigration matters disposed by U.S. magistrates. About 67 percent of immigration offenders were disposed by U.S. magistrates in 2009, up from 46 percent in 2005.

Of the 95,000 federal cases concluded in 2009, 40 percent were represented by a public defender (up from 22 percent in 1995), 36 percent by a panel-appointed attorney (up from 32 percent in 1995) and 21 percent by a private attorney (down from 37 percent in 1995). Among cases terminated with a public defender in 2009, nearly 49 percent involved immigration offenses.

About 95,900 federal defendants were adjudicated in 2009, and most were convicted following a guilty plea (88 percent) or a bench or jury trial (3 percent). The median time from case filing to disposition was 6.5 months in 2009.

More than three-quarters (78 percent) of convicted defendants were sentenced to prison in 2009. The average prison term imposed on federal offenders in 2009 was 57 months, down from 61 months in 2005. Prison sentences in 2009 were an average of 82 months for drug offenses, compared to 113 months for violent offenses and 87 months for weapons offenses.

At year-end 2009, 393,810 persons were under some form of federal supervision. Of these, 62 percent were in secure confinement and 38 percent were in the community. Of offenders under active federal post-conviction supervision in the community, the majority of offenders (98,465) were on supervised release, compared to probation (22,748) and parole (2,158).

The number of federal prisoners age 55 and older nearly doubled, from 8,221 in 2000 to 15,323 in 2009. The median age of prisoners increased from age 35 in 2000 to age 37 in 2009. Most federal prisoners in 2009 were male (93 percent), black non-Hispanic (37 percent), and U.S. citizens (74 percent).

The reports, Federal Justice Statistics, 2009 and Federal Justice Statistics, 2009 – Statistical Tables, were written by BJS statistician Mark Motivans. The reports, related documents and additional information about the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ statistical publications and programs can be found on the BJS website at http://www.bjs.gov/.

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The Bills come into the game on Sunday looking to avoid losing two in a row for the first time this season when they travel to Jerryworld to square off with the Cowboys who are trying to keep pace with the Giants for the NFC East. “The focus is trying to win a game. … We got everything in front of us — we hold our own destiny in our own hands, so we gotta go take care of business,” coach Chan Gailey said.

Buffalo, who sit at 5-3 tied atop the AFC East with the Patriots and the Jets, failed to take care of any business last Sunday against the Jets. They fell 27-11 and saw their high power offense, which is tied for the highest scoring in the AFC with the Patriots at 27.8 points per game, sputter as the Jets made them look like the one win Dolphins. The Bills went 3 for 11 on third down and turned it over three times.

Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two interceptions and had his worst game of the year going 15 of 31 for 191 yards and a touchdown. ”It was a bad game,” said Fitzpatrick. “We certainly didn’t have our best effort out there, and I think that’s where a lot of disappointment and frustration comes in.”

Fitzpatrick will look to bounce back facing a Cowboys pass defense that’s right in the middle of the pack ranked 16^th giving up 232.5 yards per game. The Bills are led by running back Fred Jackson who is having a career year leading the AFC at 100.4 yards per game and helping the Bills to the 7^th ranked rushing attack with 135 yards per game.

However, the Jets held the team to only 96 yards on the ground and forced Jackson’s first fumble of the year. They will look to get back to the run, as Dallas has struggled lately giving up 401 yards on the ground the past two weeks. Dallas will get Sean Lee back who is their leading tackler and this should help them somewhat.

For Buffalo to keep pace for the AFC East title they’ll have to go at least 2-1 on their three game road trip facing Dallas, Miami, and then the Jets again before heading home to face Tennessee. ”It will be a difficult stretch, but we don’t have to play all three of them at the same time,” Jackson said. “If we go out and continue to make plays like we have been throughout the season, we feel like we’ll be OK.”

Buffalo has struggle so far on the road this year by going 1-2, but the losses came against the Giants and the Bengals, both who are in first place in their divisions. Each loss was only by three points. The Cowboys sit at 4-4, but are looking to make a push in the second half of the season as they benefit from an easy schedule. They also benefit from the first place Giants having a tough stretch over the next few weeks.

After the Bills the Cowboys face Washington, Miami, and Arizona who have a combined record of 6-18. After that, the Giants come to town in what looks to be a pivotal matchup. ”We’ve done a lot of things to build on over the first eight games, a lot we can be positive about. … But we have to get better,” said Garrett

When starting running back Felix Jones got hurt, people expected the running game to take a step back, but the opposite has happened with rookie DeMarco Murray shining rushing for 466 yards in three games. They hope he can keep it up against a Bills run defense that ranks 20^th giving up 120.8 yards per game.

“We are going to have a great 1-2 punch when Felix gets healthy,” Witten said. “It’s going to put us in a great situation.” The Cowboys are a little banged up with Felix Jones still being questionable and wide receiver Miles Austin out for possibly a month after he reinjured his hamstring last week.

With no Austin, Dez Bryant figures to see a lot more targets, along with tight end Kevin Ogletree and wide receiver Laurent Robinson. Buffalo’s defense, while rich with playmaking ability, they lead the AFC with 15 interceptions, isn’t that great. They rank 25^th against the pass giving up 260.4 yards per game.

The game should be a close contest as both teams can put up a lot of points in a hurry. Both teams need to win to keep pace in their respective races, but with the Bills on the road and Dallas’ defense being run by Rob Ryan, Rex’s twin brother, they will see a dose of the same stuff they saw against the Jets. The Cowboys should be able to get a win at home. Final Prediction: Bills 17 Cowboys 27.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/DallasCowboys

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The US government decided that the problem of obesity amongst children in America has gone far enough and will be stepping in to regulate. The government will be limiting what foods can be advertised to children.

Data from the National Health and Examination Survey shows that about one-third of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese. Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.

According to the New York Times 11 food giants, including McDonald’s, Campbell Soup and PepsiCo, have already agreed to stop advertising products that do not meet nutritional standards to children 12 years old and younger.

“We are hopeful that people will look at this and say that the community has done a substantial, enormous amount of work,” Dan Jaffe, executive vice president of the Association of National Advertisers told the New York Times.

The Council of Better Business Bureaus and its Children’s Advertising Review Unit will be reviewing these companies marketing plans and will report to the public on their findings.

The Times reports, according to industry estimates, advertisers spend almost $900 million annually on television made for children younger than 12.

“This is great public relations for the companies, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough,” said Susan Linn, co-founder of the Boston-based group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. “It is going to be impossible to monitor if the companies are actually doing what they say.”

Obesity currently results in an estimated 400,000 deaths a year in the United States and costs the national economy almost $122.9 billion yearly.

Obesity and weight gain are caused by consuming more calories than the body needs. It is most commonly cause by having a poor diet, consuming high calories, fatty foods, and living an inactive lifestyle.
Obesity impacts more than people’s lifestyles, it can also lead to lower self-esteem, cause depression and can cause people to be uncomfortable in social situations; Obesity can considerably weaken someone’s quality of life.

The government stepping in plays a role in the fight against childhood obesity. But parents need to do their part as well. To avoid childhood obesity, parents should incorporate healthy diets and exercise into their children’s daily lives.

Both children and parents should participant in activities that involve physical exercise and limit the time watching TV, playing video games or on the computer.

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Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) made an unexpected return to Congress on Monday to vote on the debt ceiling bill. Seven months after being shot in the head in Tucson, Arizona, Giffords recovery has astounded doctors.

House Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduced Giffords to thunderous applause and a standing ovation. Colleagues shook Giffords hand and welcomed her back to her job for the first time since she was critically injured during a political event that left six dead.

“I have closely followed the debate over our debt ceiling and have been deeply disappointed at what’s going on in Washington,” Giffords said, in a statement from her office. “After weeks of failed debate in Washington, I was pleased to see a solution to this crisis emerge.

I strongly believe that crossing the aisle for the good of the American people is more important than party politics. I had to be here for this vote. I could not take the chance that my absence could crash our economy.”

Giffords voted in favor of raising the debt ceiling which passed through House by a margin of 269 to 161. Her office, in a statement, noted that in December 2009 and again in February 2010, she had objected to raising the nation’s debt limit. This vote, the statement added, “was substantially different, with the strength of the U.S. economy hanging in the balance.”

After the vote was cast, Giffords received multiple additional rounds of applause, as Pelosi called her “the personification of courage.”

“Her presence here in the chamber as well as her service throughout her career in Congress, brings honor to this chamber,” Pelosi said. “Thank you, Gabby.”

Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said he found out that Giffords would show for the vote when he saw her, hinting that Pelosi and others in the know played it close to the vest.  ”I just said, ‘I love you, glad to have you back, great to see you,’” he said. “I only found out when I saw her. [It was] a little emotional.”

Jared Lee Loughner, of Tucson, has been charged in the shootings that injured Giffords and others.

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Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, with help from his dad, hit a record twelve home runs in the final round of the 2011 MLB Home Run Derby to take home the trophy in his first ever derby appearance.

The MLB couldn’t write a script any better than what happened at Chase Field Monday night. In the most sentimental part of the contest, Cano chose his father, former major league pitcher Jose Cano to pitch to him in the derby.

The MLB chose a different approach in choosing the competitors in 2011. They named the past two years champions, David Ortiz in 2010 and Prince Fielder in 2009 as the captains of their respective leagues. Each of them were able to hand pick three other members from their league to join them in the derby. Ortiz went with an all AL East roster of Jose Bautista, Robinson Cano and Adrian Gonzalez while Fielder chose his teammate Rickie Weeks along with Matt Kemp and Matt Holliday.

The American League roster seemed to be a bit more impressive than the National League from the get-go, and proved to be just that after the bats began to swing.

Adrian Gonzalez is the runaway favorite halfway through the season for the American League MVP, and he kicked off the derby looking like just that. Gonzalez pounded nine homers through his first ten outs including a few mammoth blasts.

Matt Holliday struggled a bit at first, but still found a way to get five balls out of the park.

Cano stepped up next and the father-son connection worked out pretty well for the Yankees second baseman notching some of the furthest shots of the first round including a ridiculous 472 ft. blast to center field. Cano ended up with eight homers, punching his ticket to the second round.

Rickie Weeks stepped up fourth to the plate probably as the biggest underdog in the field of competitors. Unfortunately, Fielder’s loyalty in picking his teammate to join him in representing the NL did not work out all that well and Weeks was only able to muster three dingers.

The much anticipated Home Run Derby debut of Jose Bautista came next and the spotlight was bright on him. Bautista led the league in homers in 2010 and leads again halfway through the year again this season, notching a remarkable total of 85 homers since the start of last season The Blue Jays outfielder, nicknamed “Joey Bats” unfortunately went quiet in his first derby appearance. Nerves probably got the best of him and he ended up with a paltry four balls out of the park.

Matt Kemp, like Gonzalez is an arguable MVP favorite for his league. The center fielder that has the tools to do everything on the baseball field also wasn’t able to get in a rhythm. Solid contact wasn’t his problem crushing line drives down the foul line, but he was unable to get enough lift on the ball. Kemp made nine outs before hitting a long ball but was able to get the monkey off his back on his last few swings and finished with two bombs.

Defending champion and American League captain David Ortiz stepped up next and made a shocking decision. He left the Yankees vs. Red Sox rivalry in Boston and also chose Robinson Cano’s father to throw to him in the derby. “Big Papi” ended up with an appropriate five homers in his fifth Home Run Derby.

The National League captain and Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder uncorked his long powerful swing for a total of five home runs as well.

Since Fielder, Ortiz and Holliday all ended with five dingers, and there was only two spots to fill in the second round, the three of them were thrust into a “swing off” to determine who would get those two spots. In a “swing off” each competitor gets five swings, regardless of outs or home runs to see who can put the most out of the park. The two former champions got the best of Holliday including five homers in five swings for Fielder, advancing them to the second round, leaving Prince as the lone national league representative remaining in the contest.

The total home runs combined between the first and second round for each player would determine who would advance to the finals.

Cano, one of the most pure hitters in the game today blasted twelve homers in round two to lock up his spot in the finals. Gonzalez was then able to pound eleven of his own to put the pressure on the former champions. Ortiz faltered, eliminating him, and though Fielder was able to blast the longest home run of the contest at a “Ruthian” 474 ft., his low first-round total held him back allowing fans to see a Yankees – Red Sox rivalry in the finals.

In the final round, scores reset and the remaining two players duke it out to see who would get the honor of lifting the iconic silver trophy in the end.

Ultimately, after a great show from both men, the Yankees slugger was able to edge out his opponent and take home the crown.

Cano joins the ranks of names like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire as champions of one of the most exciting events in sports today.

The consolation prize for 2010 champ Ortiz? His 77 career derby home runs eclipses the former record of 74 held by none other than “the kid,” Ken Griffey Jr.

And hey, at least he picked some great hitters.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/

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A wildfire that claimed the lives of two forest rangers in Florida.

A wildfire in Florida took the lives of two forest rangers, as the state continues to be affected by more than 400 blazes. According to BBC news, “the rangers had been trying to contain a 12-acre(4.8-ha) blaze near the Georgia border, but the fire flared up and trapped them”. While trying to save Josh Burch, 31 and Brett Fulton, 52 two other individuals were also injured due to the fire. The two rangers who were trying to contain the fire were not just injured they were immediately killed.

State Forestry director Jim Karels told the Associated Press News Agency that “the weather can change in Florida very quickly and that’s what we experienced”. Investigators describe how “wildfires have burned more than 200,000 acres of land in Florida since 1 May 2011.
The fire known as the Blue Ribbon Fire in Florida’s Hamilton County which killed the two rangers  had previously been contained. It “was burning roughly 85 miles (136 km) north-east of the city of Tallahassee”. This has known to be the first time anyone working for the Florida Division of Forestry has died from tackling a blaze since the year 2000, when a pilot died from dumping water on a wildfire that took place near the town Fort Myers.

Wildfires across the country have been affecting residences, outbuildings and commercial properties. Many of these fires being so disastrous that homeowners are forced to move from their hometowns. Wildfires can be caused by many things some of which include lightning, volcanic activities and spontaneous combustion. The news about the wildfire in Florida had come as the responders continued to battle around thousands of fires in the region of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico.

In Texas a fast-moving fire in Grimes County destroyed thirty-five homes on Tuesday, after destroying more than 4,000 acres of land. A fire which started because homeowners lost control of a fire in their grill, near the town of Stoneham. Earlier this month, a huge wildfire had hit the state of Arizona forcing thousands from their homes. The blaze had raged for 11 days.

BBC news describes “the largest of the US wildfires is considered to be the Wallow Fire in eastern Arizona and Western New Mexico, which officials said on Tuesday had burned more than 525,000 acres”. The Wallow Fire is now eighty-two percent contained according to Azfamily.com. “Approximately 15,000 acres have burned in New Mexico; the fire’s now covers a total of 538,043 acres”. More than 7,000 firefighters are involved in Arizona and New Mexico to contain wildfires there and a total of 10,400 firefighters are involved in the efforts to contain the wildfires across the US.

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On Wednesday, Jared Loughner was dragged out of the court room in Tucson because of an angry outburst.  After the strange interruption by Loughner, a U.S. District judge Larry Burns ruled that Loughner was mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Loughner is accused of killing 6 and injuring 12 including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson in January. He has pleaded “Not Guilty” to the 49 counts. During the hearing, Loughner stated, “Thank you for the freak show. She died in front of me.” His words were loud but mumbled, and it wasn’t clear who he was talking about.

The decision means that Loughner will be held in a federal facility for four months in order to restore his competency.  When he is considered competent, he will face trial.  If he is not mentally competent at the end of his stay, the length of time will be extended.  This can be done repeatedly with no time limit. If psychiatrists eventually decide that Loughner’s mental competency cannot be restored, it will be up to the judge whether competency can be restored.   If the judge decides there’s no likelihood of restoration, the judge can dismiss the charges against him. In that case, state and federal authorities can petition to have him civilly committed and could seek to extend that commitment repeatedly, said Heather Williams, a federal public defender in Tucson who isn’t involved in the Loughner case.

Loughner has already spent five weeks in March and April at a federal facility in Springfield, Mo., where he was examined by two court-appointed mental health professionals. The two were asked to determine whether Loughner understands the consequences of the case against him.  The competency reports have not been released.

After the outburst, two marshals standing behind Loughner’s chair grabbed him by each arm and led him from the courtroom. A short recess was held and Loughner returned when he calmed down.  Judge Burns gave him the choice of staying for the proceedings or watching in another room on the closed circuit television.

Loughner’s lawyers haven’t said whether they intend to present an insanity defense. But they noted in court filings that his mental condition will likely be a central issue at trial and described him as a “gravely mentally ill man.”

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The “small government” Republicans continue to initiate some really big, intrusive government ideas.  Abortion is just one of the debates taking place in states all across the nation.  In Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer signed a law that outlaws abortions performed on the basis of the race or gender of the fetus.  The strictest abortion measure in the nation cleared a hurdle when it passed a state House committee in Ohio.

Under the new Arizona statute, doctors and other medical professionals would face felony charges if it was proven that they performed abortions for the purposes of helping parents select their offspring on the basis of gender or race.  The women having such abortions would not be penalized.  State legislators stated that Arizona is the first state in the nation to enact such a law.  “Governor Brewer believes society has a responsibility to protect its most vulnerable — the unborn — and this legislation is consistent with her strong pro-life track record,” a spokesman said.

But like the non-existent beheadings that supposedly have occurred in the Arizona desert, opponents of the law say there is no clear evidence of those types of abortions occurring in Arizona.  A Planned Parenthood official in Arizona condemned the governor’s action in a statement to Reuters.

“This law creates a highly unusual requirement that women state publicly their reason for choosing to terminate a pregnancy — a private decision they already made with their physician, partner and family,” said Bryan Howard, the group’s chief executive.

In Ohio, the so-called Heartbeat Bill would outlaw abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat.  The Health Committee voted 12-11 to approve the measure.   The bill still needs to be approved by the House, where its future is uncertain.

Although many pro-life groups support the measure, Ohio Right to Life is against the bill, fearing legal challenges could jeopardize other gains that anti-abortion activists have made in the state.  The Roe v. Wade ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a woman’s right to an abortion until fetal viability. A fetus is usually considered viable at 22 to 24 weeks. Fetal heartbeats can be detected as early as six weeks.

If the Heartbeat Bill is passed, supporters and opponents expect a lengthy legal battle that may end up in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.  That may be the entire point of the legislation–to revisit Roe vs. Wade.

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UFO sightings continue to be reported during this winter from all across the world.  Although many have been dismissed as hoaxes, many more still remain unexplained mysteries.  The Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) has had a more active than usual past few months of unexplained lights in the sky and other UFO type sightings.

In the middle of March, there were numerous reports of lights over night skies across the United States.  In two separate California events, witnesses filed reports for red-orange lights in the sky on March 8 and March 9.  “We look up after last night’s sighting and see a reddish orange light moving across sky – too slow to be a plane or satellite – in the southern view of the sky,” the reporting witness stated. “It came from the west above the ocean and headed east.”

Another witness reported that in Golden Valley, Arizona, there was a “yellow to amber” orb in the sky on March 9, 2011.  The strange object traveled silently below the normal flight path of an airplane and dimmed to a “dull gray” color according to the report on MUFON.  “Notably about these objects is ‘how’ they move,” the report read. “If you watch very carefully you will notice their movement is not in a straight path but in a jittery, wobbly type of motion. It is not extremely noticeable but you can see it.”  Three photographs were also submitted with the report from Arizona.   – Photo # 1, Photo # 2, and Photo # 3.

Over Georgia, a witness reported a sphere shaped object hovering over trees on March 9^th.  The report stated it was not the first time the objects had been seen.  “I observed a shining oval/sphere shaped object hovering above some trees for about 20 seconds, then it disappeared,” the witness stated. “It seemed very close. This has been happening here for several months now, but this is the first time I have reported it.”

Another report from California stated that a couple saw three star-like objects hovering in the sky for a 15 minute period, also on March 9^th.

“… we noticed an orange light traveling in the western sky, from north to south,” according to the report. “This object seemed to be at a much lower altitude compared to the other two objects. This object traveled in a generally strait (sic) direction but it did appear to slightly change direction at times. It also changed speed, sometimes slowing down, then speeding back up. We watched it for about 40 seconds, until it disappeared, possibly behind some clouds.”

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One of the largest annual gatherings of UFO enthusiasts was held last month in Scottsdale, Arizona.  The 20^th annual International UFO Congress allows people who believe in aliens or who have had encounters with UFOs to meet and share their stories.  An estimated 700 people from all over the globe attended the five day-long conference.

“These people here, they jump on planes and drive cross-country to be here and they’ve been coming for 20 years,” said Tim Crawford, president and chief executive officer of Los Angeles-based UFO-TV, who has been a regular vendor at the annual conference. “Clearly they come to the eye of the storm. This is where the researchers and speakers come.”

The International UFO Congress was established in 1991 to host an annual conference devoted to UFOs, the possibility of alien life in outer space, government cover-ups and related topics.  It previously was held in Laughlin, Nevada. According to the UFO Congress’s website, this year’s conference ”boasts more than 20 speakers and a plethora of exhibitors from around the globe, and covers a large variety of topics related to the UFO phenomenon including technology, government cover-ups, exopolitics, black projects, crop circles, alien visitation and more. Panels of astrophysicists, nuclear physicists, abductees, and former top-secret-clearance military personnel make up just a portion of highly decorated and influential speakers.”    One such expert who spoke was former Canadian deputy prime minister.  Travis Walton also spoke at the event.  Walton was famous for his firsthand encounter with a UFO while working as a logger in Arizona in 1975. His story was made into the movie “Fire in the Sky.”

The conference included the unveiling of an “outer-space security and development treaty of 2011,” according to Carol Rosin. The goal, Rosin said, was to ultimately have the treaty ratified by leaders of several countries and presented to the United Nations.

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The Arizona State Senator responsible for last year’s controversial “Papers, please” legislation continues to push forward anti-immigration laws despite the backlash from his previous attempt.  Republican Russell Pearce has proposed two more far-reaching measures to punish undocumented immigrants in his state.

In his first measure, children of undocumented immigrants would no longer be allowed to attend K-12 public schools.  The bill would ask school administrators to turn in families that did not provide citizenship papers.  That is not all.  The legislation would also prohibit undocumented immigrants from attending community colleges and universities.  Currently, students without citizenship or legal resident status are able to attend college, but they must pay out-of-state costs. The measure would also impose strict penalties on undocumented drivers — including seizing and selling their cars. Arizona already denies driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, but this bill would increase the penalties, including requiring a 30-day jail sentence for those driving without proof of legal residence.  Pearce’s other bill would deny citizenship to children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants.

The measures seem destined for constitutionality challenges and that may be their intended design.  The outlandish bills are likely being put forward to draw legal challenges in hopes that the Supreme Court might rule in the state’s favor. Pearce is reportedly planning on a run for the U.S. Congress in 2012, and this proposed legislation has certainly thrust his name into the national spotlight.  “This is clean-up,” Pearce told reporters. “All it does is do what the voters have passed in terms of no taxpayer dollars for illegals. It just ties it up.”  Pearce also called the influx of undocumented immigrants, an “invasion.”   “If you are ever going to stop this invasion, and it is an invasion, you have to quit rewarding people for breaking those laws,” he said.

Immigration advocates are horrified at the proposed legislation from Sen. Pearce.  “What [Pearce] wants to do is deter people through attrition so they will leave Arizona,” attorney Jose Penalosa, who works with Somos Republicanos, told the Huffington Post. “He’s attacking it at the heart of the issue, which is children. He’s kidnapping kids.”

Meanwhile, the “Papers, please” law is being challenged by the Obama administration in federal court.

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A real-life vampire in Arizona was sentenced earlier this month to 3 years probation after he stabbed his roommate.  Aaron Homer, a 24-year old, pled guilty to aggravated assault in a Maricopa County court.

Homer and his roommates, 25-year-old Robert Maley and Amanda Williamson, 21, lived in an apartment in Chandler, Arizona.  In the police report, Maley stated that the pair was “into vampire stuff and paganism.”

Maley told the police that he allowed Homer to suck his blood at one point during their bizarre relationship.  According to the Arizona Republic, Maley allowed Homer to suck his blood for 2-3 minutes in the past because Homer threatened his ex-girlfriend.  “He had allowed them to suck his blood one time, but did not want them to suck his blood anymore and when he told (Homer) that, (Homer) became very angry and stabbed him,” the police report says.

Maley was stabbed in the left arm.  With his wound bleeding, Maley left the apartment because of an outstanding warrant.  Firefighters treating someone next door heard a loud bang.

“They see a man running with blood coming out of his arm,” said Chandler Police Det. Dave Ramer.

When police arrived, Williamson and Homer were in the apartment, which was covered in blood. There was also “a trail of blood leaving the apartment,” the police report says.

The pair remaining in the apartment gave conflicting stories.  Williamson stated she stabbed Maley in self-defense because he attacked her.  Homer gave various versions of the events, but police stated they did not make sense.  The knife was found between bedroom mattresses.  Maley was then tracked down a few blocks away, blood still gushing from his arm.

Maley told police what happened.  After police informed Homer what Maley had reported, Homer “showed police how angry he was and said he stabbed Maley because he was making fun of (their) religion.” Homer said he stabbed him and called him a profane name.

Homer was charged with aggravated assault and Williamson was arrested on charges of false reporting.  Maley was also arrested for his probation violation.  He was treated for his stab wound, which required several stitches.  “I’ve never heard of a case like this in Chandler,” Ramer said.

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According to a new report, over 11 million homeowners owe more than their homes are worth.  This number rose at the end of last year, further distressing an already weak housing market.  The number of underwater mortgages had risen during the previous three quarters of 2010, but that was likely because many homes had already fallen into foreclosure.

Approximately 11.1 million households, or 23.1 percent of all mortgaged homes, were underwater in the October-December quarter, according to report released Tuesday by housing data firm CoreLogic. That represents an increase from 22.5 percent, or 10.8 million households, in the July-September quarter.

When home prices fall, underwater mortgages typically rise.   Home prices in December hit their lowest point since the housing bust in 11 of 20 major U.S. metro areas. In a healthy housing market, about 5 percent of homeowners are underwater.

Roughly two-thirds of homeowners in Nevada with a mortgage had negative home equity, the worst in the country. Arizona, Florida, Michigan and California were next, with up to 50 percent of homeowners with mortgages in those states underwater.  Oklahoma had the smallest percentage of underwater homeowners in the October-December quarter, at 5.8 percent. Only nine states recorded percentages less than 10 percent.

In addition to the 11 million mortgages underwater, another 2.4 million homeowners are getting close to being underwater as well.  When a homeowner owes more than the home is worth, they cannot qualify for refinancing.  Although home prices began to stabilize last year, they have begun to fall again because of ongoing unemployment and record number of foreclosures.

Underwater mortgages also slow down home sales.  Homeowners often don’t want to take a loss or get the bank to agree to a short sale, so they may hold onto a property that otherwise they would sell.   Home sales have been weaker in areas where there are a large number of homeowners with negative equity. The total amount of negative equity increased to $751 billion nationwide, up from $744 billion in the previous quarter.

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