At 8 o’clock EST tonight, the polls will close in Massachusetts and votes will start being counted for one of the most closely watched mid-term elections in recent history. Voters will be choosing a candidate to fill the late Ted Kennedy’s seat, and whether they elect a Democrat or a Republican is so important that this has become a national issue, with Barack Obama himself visiting the state on Sunday to campaign for the Democratic candidate. Currently, the Democrats have a filibuster-proof majority, with 60% of the Senate voting Democrat. If, however, the Massachusetts seat went to a Republican candidate, they would lose that power which would, inevitably, change how the health care reform bill gets passed. According to The Plain Dealer, Republicans are hoping to send a message, by winning this election, that their party has rebounded from the great losses they suffered from the 2008 election. ...

Residents of Florida, the Sunshine State, have experienced a very rare event; snow flurries and sleet have been detected in the central areas of the state according to The Miami Herald and numerous sources. Key West has seen its coldest temperature in 112 years according to News 24. (This Key West record cold was just 47° F. )

Florida Citrus growers become concerned about their crops when temperatures dip below freezing...

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The airport in Bakersfield, CA was closed down this morning due to an “ongoing security incident,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Closing down the Bakersfield airport means that no planes can land or depart until the airport is reopened, which should hopefully happen sometime later today. To help deal with the closure of the airport in any incoming flights are being diverted to other airports, mainly to Los Angeles International.

Amanda Simpson made headlines this week when President Barack Obama appointed her as Senior Technical Advisor for the Commerce Department. Amanda Simpson made headlines because she is among the first transgenders to be appointed to the federal government. It is Amanda Simpsons hope that while she was not the very first transgender appointee to the federal government that she will be soon one of the hundreds.

If you listen to 101.5 KGB, in San Diego this morning expecting to hear Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw you probably got a huge surprise. Every morning faithful listeners would tune in to Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw to get their fill of the morning show. The show was such as huge success that they have released 18 best-of CDs and three motion pictures, all on DVDs. The proceeds that the CDS and DVDs earned all went towards the DSC fund, which helps San Diegans in need.

No matter where you live on January 1st, plenty of new laws go into effect. In New Hampshire, as of the first of the year, it is now going to be legal for same-sex couples to be married, which is quite a significant law. This year New Hampshire also has a bizarre law going into effect, which states that physical therapists can now be certified to practice on animals. In California, restaurants are no longer allowed to use any oils, margarine, or shortenings that contain more than half a gram of trans fat per serving. Louisiana has just enacted a law that prohibits stores from selling lighters that appeal to children. Many more notable laws have been passed, so be sure to check out any changes that have been made in your state. ...

Well, this is new to me, but evidently HGTV has been giving away a ‘dream house’ every year for the last fourteen years. Now, the internet is all a buzz after the 'HGTV Dream Home 2010 special'. This year the give-away is a Pueblo style contemporary home that is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (The home is part of a $2 million dollar grand prize package that includes $500,000 and a 2010 GMC Terrain.) I don’t enter to many contests, but I find it interesting because I do enjoy nice architecture and much of the house is impressive. Although contemporary/modern is not my first style choice, I would not balk if someone handed me the keys. Here’s a quick tour of the home.

As of midnight, December 31, 2009, Cablevision subscribers in the New York Tri-State area, will not have the privilege to learn what makes make a garden grow or how much garlic to sprinkle atop their mouth-watering cod, because the top-ranked programs have been canceled. ...

Hawaii's KITV television is reporting that Rush Limbaugh, who is on vacation in Hawaii, has been rushed to the hospital with chest pains. The 58 year old talk-show host was reported to be in serious condition at Honolulu's Queen's Medical Center.

In the mood of heightened security, NASDAQ employees had to evacuate today after a suspicious van was found in the parking lot next to their building. The van, which had no license plates, was reported to have been there several days. It also had a placard in its window reading “Detective’s Crime Clinic, Metropolitan New Jersey and New York”, although police investigation revealed that this was a phony law enforcement agency. After securing the area and warning office workers in nearby Conde Nast and NASDAQ buildings to evacuate, bomb squad officers sent in a robot to examine the vehicle. After the robot looked inside the vehicle, policemen opened it up and found piles of clothing and scarves, which looked like the belongings of a street peddler. They also found an altered registration card, and are currently trying to locate the van’s owner. ...