Protests Turn Violent in Bahrain

The daily protests in Bahrain turned violent, on Thursday.

Protesters have been massing every day for weeks, as the people demand changes in the government.

On Thursday, the protests turned violent as they began throwing rocks, bricks, bottles, and fire bombs at police.

Police responded with tear gas, in an attempt to disperse the riot.

When that didn't work, they fired bird shot into the crowd.

One person was killed and dozens were wounded by the gun fire and in the ensuing panic.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Killed in Syria

On Thursday, Iran announced that Commander Hassan Shateri of the Revolutionary Guard was killed.

Shateri was officially the head of the Iranian Committee for the Reconstruction of Lebanon.

Yet he was admittedly killed while in Syria, by rebel forces.

Iran has repeatedly been accused of supplying Syria with weapons, ammunition, and military experts.

The Commander's presence in Syria would definitely once again suggest that those accusations have real weight.

Syrian Rebels Seize Major Oil Field

The Assad regime took another blow, on Thursday, as rebel forces made further gains.

Rebel forces seized the town of Shadadah as well as the neighboring Jbeysa oil field, which is one of the largest in the country. Other rebels captured a military base near the town of al-Sahwa, in the south.

The loss of the oil field puts greater strains on the nations economy. That in turn puts greater pressure on the regime which continues fighting a war, that they are very slowly losing.

Despite their not showing any signs of giving up, national forces have not gained ground in months. They brag about stopping rebel attacks, in some areas, while the rebels are almost daily able to claim gains.

Meanwhile lives continued to be lost. With the total around seventy thousand, during the twenty-two month long conflict.

Georgia Trying to Claim Tennessee Land

Georgia is attempting to argue that the border with Tennessee has been placed wrong. According to them, the border is actually off by a mile or more.

Officially, the border is set at the thirty-fifth parallel, but their argument is that it wasn't measured correctly in 1818. It's such a big deal to them that the Georgia State House voted 171-2 to seek the land that they say belongs to them.
What's at stake is water rights. Currently the recognized border puts the Tennessee River out of reach for Georgia to gain any rights to the water. However, the border they claim would put a section of it, near the Alabama border, in Georgia, giving them rights.

It would also put a good chunk of Chattanooga, inside of Georgia. If the border was moved, about thirty-thousand of the cities residents would find their state changing. It would also see their taxes increase as Tennessee does not have a state income tax, while Georgia has one of six percent. A border move would also change Tennessee and Alabama's border a bit.

Fog Blamed for Ukraine Plane Crash

Heavy fog is being blamed for a fatal airplane crash, in Ukraine.

Five people were killed and nine injured when the plane over shot the runway at the Donetsk Airport.

After missing the the runway, the plane clipped a weather tower with its left wing.

It then hit the ground with the right wing and engine, causing the plane to flip and end up landing on it's back.

Officials are investigating, but believe that the pilot should not have tried landing in the weather conditions.

US Airways and American Airlines Announce Merger Deal

US Airways and American Airlines have set the details towards their merger.

In an eleven billion dollar stock deal, AMR Corp, which owns US Airways, will take over control of American.

Over the next four years, they will combine the two fleets, under the name American Airlines.

The combined company will be the largest airline in the world.

Only approval from the US government stands in the way of the merger.

Triumph to Dock Thursday Night

The Carnival Triumph is finally in sight of shore.

She is expected to arrive in Mobile, Alabama sometime Thursday night.

On Sunday, an engine fire crippled the the ship, and left her adrift for two days.

Two tug boats were able to rendezvous with her, on Tuesday, and began towing her to the nearest port.

A third tug boat joined them Wednesday, increasing their speed.

Forty-two hundred people are aboard the vessel.

Carnival is pledging full refunds, a free cruise voucher, and a further five hundred dollars in credit to all passengers who were aboard for the failed cruise.

Sangster's Thoughts: Gun Control and What America Needs to Do

Colorado is headed the wrong way on guns, and our Democrat controlled house and senate are driving us. All of the voting has been down party lines. Republicans voted to protect 2nd Amendment Constitutional rights, while Democrats voted for more limitations to be put on the freedoms Americans are supposed to have.

Unfortunately, Colorado is not the only state headed in this direction. Other states are considering similar or even stricter laws. There are many places which are already paying the prices for their gun laws, which have taken weapons away from the public. Chicago is one of those which comes to mind.

Some may see these as measures that are needed to protect us from gun violence. However, what they actually do is limit the public's ability to defend itself from violent criminals, mentally unstable individuals, foreign enemies, and from an oppressive government.

As Americans, we are guaranteed the rights to own and use firearms. This is not just a single shot musket or rifle. It is not a five shot revolver or a pistol that holds ten bullets. When it was written, people had their own personal cannons. The 2nd Amendment gives us the right to any weapon we can obtain. That would include an Abrams tank, an Apache helicopter, a Raptor jet fighter, or a super carrier.

Our Founding Fathers thought it of such importance, that they placed it second in the Bill of Rights. The 2nd Amendment is the right which protects all the others. Without the right to weapons, we have no way of actually protecting the other rights, we are given.

Gun control, is simply that. A form of control upon what weapons Americans can have. If that is controlled then everything else eventually becomes controlled. That isn't just rhetoric, it's fact that's been prove in history, time and time again.

Americans need to stop complaining and whining that the government should take more control. That's not how true Americans think or act. Real Americans act, within Constitutional laws. What Americans need to do is block restrictive laws from being put into place. They need to call their representatives. They need to vote out anyone who votes for gun control. They need to vote in people who will defend their freedoms.

While they are doing that, they need to go out and buy a gun. They need to take the proper classes to gain concealed carry licenses. And most importantly they need to be willing to take matters into their own hands and defend their homes, their schools, their movie theaters, their churches, themselves from any enemies that threaten life and freedom.

Colorado's House Begins Voting on Gun Measures

On Wednesday, Colorado's House Education Committee voted seven to six to remove the ability of properly trained to people to have concealed carry firearms on college campuses.

The bill will still face further voting to actually pass the whole of the House and Senate, but it's one more step, in the wrong direction.

Another House committee is discussing whether or not to revive fees on mandatory background checks, for gun purchasers.

Tuesday saw a House committee voted that private gun sales require background checks and also placed a limit on how many bullets can be held in a single magazine or clip.

All of the voting has been down party lines, with Republicans voting against the measures and Democrats voting for.

Golfer Uses Tee to Remove Spider Venom, Then Finishes Round

Daniela Holmqvist might just be the toughest player in golf.

While playing on the fourth hole at the pre-qualifier for the ISPS Handa Australian Open she had a ball go in the rough, on Tuesday.

After knocking the ball out of the rough, she felt a pain on her leg, just above her sock line.

Her caddie saw a spider on her leg and told her she had just been bitten by a black widow.

Medics were called, but Holmqvist took matters into her own.

She used one of her golf tees to remove the venom.

"It was the only thing I had handy. A clear fluid came out. It wasn't the prettiest thing I've ever done, but I had to get as much of it out of me as possible."

Under the supervision of medics the twenty-four year old then continued on to finish the Royal Canberra Golf Club course.

Though she didn't advance, she won in a completely different way.