Utah revives plan for execution by firing squad

Utah has reinstated the option of death by firing squad if lethal injection drugs cannot be obtained 30 days before a scheduled execution.  Utah is one of 32 states in the U.S. that allow capital punishment. Utah stopped allowing inmates to choose a firing-squad execution in 2004, citing the excessive media attention it gave prisoners. Those sentenced to death before the law changed still have the option of choosing it. Under current Utah law, death by firing squad is only an option for criminals sentenced to death before 2004. It was last used in 2010. 

The Supreme Court started allowing capital punishment in 1976, and since then lethal injection is one of the most common methods used. For years, states used a three-drug combination to execute inmates, but European drug makers have refused to sell them to prisons and corrections departments out of opposition to the death penalty.

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Relentless snowstorm pummels part of New York

A ferocious storm dumped massive piles of snow on parts of upstate New York, trapping residents in their homes and stranding motorists on roadways, as temperatures in all 50 states fell to freezing or below.  Some parts of upstate New York in the Buffalo area got six feel of snow, and more is expected in the next 2 days. The storm was also blamed for four deaths.

Residents were ordered to stay in their homes, but some people were even stranded in their vehicles.  A women's basketball team was trapped in their bus for 17 hours before they were rescued.  The storm has created an emergency situation for rescue vehicles since they were not able to get through the blocked roads.  A warm-up is expected this weekend which could trigger flooding.  Heavy snow is common in cities near the Great Lakes like Buffalo, although this storm was unusual.

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Obama vows to use executive orders to accomplish goals

President Obama was defiant last week, as post-election backlash escalated among Republicans.  The GOP believes that by winning both houses of congress in majorities that it received a mandate from voters to take control of contentious issues like immigration, climate change and healthcare.  However, Obama pointed out that only 33% of Americans voted, and that past efforts to compromise with the Republicans in congress have not been successful.  Obama plans to use executive orders especially to push through immigration reform which would remove the deportation threat for millions of undocumented workers.  Obama returns to the U.S. after a trip to Asia that saw a landmark deal with China.

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Regular pot habit changes your brain

Regular pot use by especially younger smokers can deteriorate the orbitofrontal cortex, or the part of the brain that helps you make decisions, according to a new study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.  The researchers compared non-users to regular users, some of whom had regular daily exposure to marijuana for as long as thirty years, but where the average duration was ten years.

Another adverse effect encountered by the study was lowered IQ ratings in chronic users, by as much as 5 points lower, however this finding was not conclusive, but tended to indicate the duration and onset of use, in adolescents had negative long-term effects.  Studies like this one challenge the widespread belief that marijuana is a harmless drug.

CNN story on marijuana

First major winter storm hits the Northern Plains

Plunging temperatures will accompany a strong winter storm that is expected to pelt Minnesota with more than 18 inches of snow.  The mid-section of the state will bear the brunt of the heaviest snow, as well as North and South Dakota.  Frigid temperatures, some of which could drop as much as 40 degrees overnight are expected to linger following the storm, as a warm-up is not expected.  The cause of the storm is the remnants of Typhoon Nuri that hit Alaska over the weekend.  The heavy snow is due to Gulf of Mexico moisture flowing northward and colliding with the jet stream.

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GOP wins ensure more gridlock

In a decisive result Tuesday, Americans declared their discontent with Democratic leadership by electing the first all Republican Congress since 2006.  This will contribute to more gridlock on issues like immigration, minimum wage equity, healthcare and climate change, that Republicans have refused to budge on in the past.  President Obama will likely have to use his veto power more in the next two years in response to legislation that will likely be passed.  The last two years of Obama's presidency do not hold positive impacts for future presidential candidates unless voters grow disenchanted with government results and place more blame on Congress.

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New 'Call of Duty' boasts star power and fire power

The latest version of the popular video game franchise, "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" launched on November 3.  The sensory assault experience is said to rival the quality of a fast-paced action movie.  The realm of Call of Duty puts players in realistic warfare situations, with an intriguing story line voiced by Oscar-winning actor, Kevin Spacey. One setting is the streets of Seoul, South Korea, which is under attack by North Korean troops.  Sales of the game for its first year are expected to top $1.26 billion.  

USA Today review

What is pushing oil and gas prices lower?

Gas prices are at their lowest price in over four years.  Several factors have led to this decline, according to economic experts.  One of the main reasons for lower prices is the boom in domestic oil production.  U.S. oil production has risen 50% in the past several years.  Higher efficiency energy sources are contributing to the price drop as well.  Another reason for the low prices is overproduction by oil producing countries in oil cartels like OPEC.  OPEC controlled prices for years and kept them at an artificially high level.  The duration of low prices is uncertain, however, as some of the factors do not have a predictable outcome.

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