Thirty years ago yesterday, the residents of the Northwestern United States were shaken by the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Although no one was injured or killed, the fallout lasted for days and the ash could still be seen around many cities as much as a year later. The greatest damage was done to the surrounding plant and wildlife. Researchers wondered how the area would ever recover. Now, thirty years later, they have been pleasantly surprised by the resilance of many of the species of plants and animals that have encouraged the regrowth. Amid the sadness of the devastation, it’s nice to see nature making a comeback. You can read more at yahoo.news.com

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The increase of illegal aliens crossing into the United States is something that all border states have been fighting for some time. However with the recent increase in violence, Arizonans in particular have had enough. Monday, Republican Senators McCain and Kyle demanded 3,000 National Guard Troops be sent to the border. This is only a portion of what they are asking for. Their 10 point plan outlines the various aspects of security and enforcement that need to be increased to keep this country safe. To read more visit CNN.com.

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If you are going to the races at Cheltenham this upcoming week there is a little something you need to know about the three main enclosures from which you can see the races.

The first main enclosure is the Sun’s Best Mate and it sits opposite the main stands so it is very easy to find. Inside you will find a number of great places to eat when you get hungry as well as some great bars and betting facilities in case you want to just hang out and watch the race from there. There will in great fashion be a number of cover bands and other forms of entertainment in here, but you should get your tickets into here now because seats are already filling up fast and there is already no room left on the big race day, and Friday the 19th.

For most of the festival Tarstalls and Club will be combined. The exception being on the Open Saturday and the Festivals. This will be great news for people who get in here because with them combined you have a much greater view of everything going on. From here there is access to the Member’s Lawn, paddock, viewing steps and if the weather is good the center of the fence near the finish line. This is a great place for all race fanatics to gather and watch from the best area in the house. At the Guinness Villiage near the Tarstalls there will also be additional seating, bars bands and more entertainment. From the Tarstalls you have great access to all sorts of different areas of the event, with the ability to go to any of the wide choice of betting, restaurants and bars available inside these two areas, The Paddock, the Centaur, The Hall of Fame, the unsaddling enclosure where you may be able to see some of your favorite horses. This is another great place to grab a seat. If you have any extra time, you may want to check out the Tented Villiage and make your way around the vendors as you never know what great things you will find there.

The final place is the Club, which is the most exclusive you can get. Here the best viewing and refreshments are available, as well as having access to all the other facilities offered in the other enclosures.

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The salt fields on the island of Ibiza have been the treasure of the island for more than 2,000 years. This salt, created from the sun and seawater, has been a source of employment and a source of food, and trade for the inhabitants of the island for many, many years. The natural sea salt from Ibiza is known as one of the best varieties in the world. Not only have the salt fields been providing economic security over time, now when tourists venture our from the Ibiza boutique hotels, they make a trip to the fields just simply to take in the beauty of the landscapes. The fields are striped with the pools, turned pink when the summer sun reflects. The smell of the seawater is incredibly fresh, like Santa Monica would be were the city of Los Angeles not behind it, pure. The machinery and the old equipment is the only sound. Perfect percussion with the piles of white gold. Otherwise, all is silent.

The term white gold refers to the fact that the salt served as a form of currency for the Phoenicians. There is a park with a center for information, and that gives tours and lectures on the significance that these salt fields have had on the island throughout history. Photos at the center serve to impress the fact that for a long time, before tourism and the party nights in trendy clubs, the people survived from the salt of the earth. The history is such that to work there in the fields today is a privilege and a well respected form of employment. Only nine-teen people run the fields today, and the positions are highly sought after. Today, production has slowed, as the ports for the island just can not handle the need. For the people of the world still want the salt from this Balearic Island, it is too small of an island to keep up with the international demand. The main companies that are importing Ibiza’s Salt are Norway, Iceland, and Great Britain. But some come in search of it from as far away as Canada and India and the United States. The city and the officials in the Salinera Espanol company out of mainland Spain are sure that they will find a solution, and succeed in giving the world what the world desires…salt. Salt from Ibiza.

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Police are investigating the theft of a six-foot tall emerald idol from a Kerala temple, but have few leads at the moment. The theft was discovered by a priest on Saturday morning when he opened the temple.

The statue of Lord Shiva is made of emerald green stone. Officials are unable to estimate its value. The King of Nepal gave the idol to the King of Mysore who in 1910 gifted it to the Sringeri Mutt. The idol was installed in this temple, marking the birthplace of Adi Sankaracharya.

Thieves also made off with silver decorations and prayer utensils that are kept near the idol. Police also reported that cash was stolen from the Arya Amba Samadhi in the temple complex.

Kerala is proud of its diverse religious and spiritual heritage. The state is home to Hindus, Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The beautiful architecture of the various churches, temples and mosques in the area draw thousands of tourists to the best hotels Kerala each year.

The temple is located in Kalady, Kerala on the banks of the Periyar river. Police are visiting neighboring states to find clues to the robbery.

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The 2008 Presidential election has been very intense on the Democratic Party’s side. While it appears that Senator Barack Obama is going to be the Party’s nominee, Senator Hillary Clinton has not ended her presidential run. The two have campaigned throughout the country and broke old and new spending records.

I have several maps of Florida that have the cities that the two Presidential-hopefuls have campaigned in. And not surprisingly, it is very blank. Because the State of Florida broke Democratic Party rules and moved their primary ahead, they have thus far been disqualified from the delegate count. That is why the Senators did not campaign there very much.

And my Arizona maps does not have many pins either. Neither candidate spent very much time there. Barack Obama did air several commercials though. He also had the endorsement of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.

The maps of Texas have many pins tacked into the cities and town of Texas. This is a huge state and both wanted to get as many delegates as possible. Obama went throughout most of the state, giving speeches and gaining a lot of support from the Hispanic community. Clinton also went through most of the state and gained the support of many leaders in the Hispanic community.

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I recently saw a documentary called “Crystal Darkness.” The methamphetamine crisis is so terrible that all of the stations here in Arizona aired the documentary without commercials at the exact same time. I think that a lot of people must have called in with concerns or seeking help.

It seems like the only way any of these people will live is if they get into drug rehab programs. The addiction is too strong to do it on your own. And from what I’ve read, meth is more addictive than other addictive drugs. There is a drug rehab in Arizona that participated in the documentary. Some of their counselors worked the phones.

And from what I’ve heard and read, alcoholism is just as much a problem as meth and other drugs. The difference is that alcohol is legal for those over 21. But getting into an alcohol addiction treatment program can be difficult also. While meth might be more chemically addictive for most, alcohol holds a strong grip on those that suffer from alcoholism.

Every state should simultaneously air that documentary also. I think that if it helps one person, it is worth it.

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The Daily American staff will celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by regularly seeking to highlight one West Frankfort establishment in our ‘Spotlight on Business’ profile.

Read More at Daily American…

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The majority of Americans are wage earners. They neither have their own businesses nor help run businesses. Their wages have been more or less stagnant for two decades while the cost of living has risen relentlessly. Now their jobs are being exported and their unions broken, and yet the business section of their newspaper doesn’t interest them as much as, say, sports or obituaries.

Something is wrong with this picture, something verging on hoax. We need to reexamine the history and function of business news, whether it’s the business section of a newspaper or the business segment of a telecast or even publications given over wholly to business.

As newspapers grew from muckraking and often scurrilous weeklies to staid metropolitan and regional dailies in the 19th Century it was thought that their readers would be primarily affluent and literate upper-class citizens, decision-makers. But as the country expanded westward a middle class was created, and this newly affluent and educated middle class was interested in money matters. But it was assumed, wrongly that money matters would never rate high on reader interest indices. As we discussed in the last segment of this series, that’s not true. Disasters and money rank Number One and Number Two among reader preferences. Read more

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