Don't mind the construction on here for the next few weeks....we're just getting read to unveil...


Randy and I are SO excited to be doing a blog together! We thought about waiting until we're officially married, but it'll just be so fun to blog about these few weeks before the wedding, together!

Watch out for Randy in bold and Maddy in normal font!

New URL: www.hereisthelowdown.com
Don't worry, www.averagedayofaginger.blogspot.com will still get you here!


So again, don't mind the mess for a few weeks while I reconstruct! If you have questions, suggestions, comments, or advice please let me know!

Happy Monday everyone!

If you haven't heard already, yesterday the Supreme Court overturned DOMA and Prop 8. Both of these pieces of legislation's purpose was to keep marriage between a man and a woman in the United States. With the overturning of these rulings, states can now decide if they want to allow gay marriage or not.

Click here for more information.

KSL Headline: Friends, family gather to remember BYU student after body found

After an extensive search of Y Mountain in Provo, 22 year old Tyler Mayle's body was found last night. He had been missing since Saturday, though it hadn't been reported until Monday. Experts think he was trying to climb a steep cliff and fell 60 feet or so. They are still looking into the details of the tragedy. Family and friends gathered to search, and then sing tribute, to Tyler. 

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: U.S. Is Secretly Collecting Records of Verizon Calls

The Obama administration is carrying out a new surveillance program which involves collecting American business communications, legal due to the Patriot Act. A senior official for the Obama administration said that this court order does not allow them to hear the conversation or even get the names, but rather allows them access to metadata, such as length of calls, for Verizon custoemrs.

Click here to read the full story.

KSL Headline: US woman facing drug charge released in Mexico

Arizona mother Yarina Maldonado was released from the Mexican prison where she was being held today. Maldonado was accused of smuggling drugs after 12 pounds of marijuana were found under her seat in a passenger bus back to the U.S. She was held in a Mexican jail, but after her accusers failed to appear in court and a surveillance video showed her carrying only a blanket, purse, and water bottle, she was released and is now traveling home.

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: Universities Show Uneven Efforts in Enrolling Poor

Affirmative action opponents have found a new target of what they call "reverse discrimination": money. These opponents argue that universities give a leg up to poor students. Educators however, argue with this, even presenting the evidence that getting poorer students to college costs more money. They point out the need to find, recruit, help them apply, and even after all this money of getting them to college, they still need financial aid to stay there. The Supreme Court will rule soon over a similar case, and both sides are eager to see the outcome.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: A Deal That Could Benefit Mobile Users

A Japanese bank is looking to buy considerable stock and invest millions of dollars into Sprint communications company. This considerable increase of money would make the communications industry more competitive by making Sprint phones cheaper, and with higher broadband.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: Assad Says Syria Has Received Advanced Missiles From Russia

The President of Syria announced on a television news conference that Russia has delivered the first shipment of missiles to his country. This move implies, says the President's opponents that neither Syria nor Russia were serious when saying they would like negotiations before a war broke out. 

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: Anti-West Hard-Liner Gains in Iranian Race


Saeed Jalili has emerged as the front-runner in the Iranian presidential race. This is unsettling for Western countries as he has said he will have "no compromise whatsoever" with the West on matters such as nuclear weapons and Syrian involvement. 

Click here to read the full story.

KSL Headline: Family claims mother held in Mexico for smuggling pot was framed

An Arizona mother is being held in a Mexican prison after officials claim they found marijuana under her seat in a bus. First authorities claimed the money was under her husband's seat, then changed the story to say the 12 lbs of drugs were under her seat. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake is monitoring the situation.

Click here for the full story. 

Sister Monson, beloved wife of LDS Church leader President Thomas S. Monson, passed away around 6:30 this morning. She was surrounded by her family in a Salt Lake City hospital where she had been checked in for several weeks.

Click here to read the Church's official statement.

End it like Beckham: Global superstar David Beckham retires

NBC News Headline: Search for Susan Powell's Remains Underway in Oregon

A tip to Susan Powell's father has reopened the search for Susan Powell's body. An anonymous tip suggested that the search continue in Oregon where the family had rented a home and were staying around the time when Susan went missing. 

Click here for the full story.

Washington Post Headline: Groups that sought tax-exempt status say IRS dealings were a nightmare

The IRS has reportedly been targeting ultra-conservative groups involved with the Tea Party or other "patriotic" groups. This extra examination of these groups have made filing incredibly difficult for these groups, even driving them to spend more money on attorneys and fees than they would have on the taxes they were trying to get exempt from. The IRS's dealings with these groups has sparked quite a controversy, and even the president has reprimanded the actions.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: An Atrocity in Syria, With No Victim Too Small

As the war in Syria rages on, the destruction is becoming more frequent, and more viral. Different groups have filmed themselves committing atrocities and put them up for the world to see. A mass killing this month is just one of the many horrible episodes of war that have happened recently. There is no knowing how, or when, this will end.

Click here for the full story.

KSL Headline: 3 children hit by texting driver

Three girls were hit by a driver in Midvale who was supposedly texting, and didn't even see the girls when he hit them. All of the girls survived, but were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Their conditions are said to be improving, and the hope is they will be able to come home soon. The parents are upset and hope that something is done to prevent further texting and driving accidents.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: Russia Detains American, Saying He Is C.I.A. Agent

Russian officials have reported they have detained an American CIA agent after he reportedly tried to recruit a Russian. The United States Ambassador to Russia will be getting involved with the court proceedings this week. 

Click here to read the full story.

KSL Headline: Teen driver dies in I-215 wreck

A 17 year old girl died early this morning after hitting a concrete wall on I-215. Troopers say that several witnesses saw the car collide and roll just after midnight. Troopers also believe speed may have been a factor.

Click here to read the full story. 

New York Times Headline: $8 Million Bail for Cleveland Kidnapping Suspect

More details are being released on the condition and daily life of the 3 women who were kidnapped in Cleveland. Now a judge has ordered that bail for the man is 8 million dollars, 2 million dollars for each of the cases as well as for the 6 year old child. 

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: Prices Cut for Cervical Cancer Vaccines for Neediest

The two companies that make cervical cancer vaccines have announced that they will cut their prices in poor communities, making sure that more women can get the life-saving vaccine. In the poorest places, the vaccine will be able to be administered for below $5 per dose. 

Click here for the full story.

KSL Headline: Suspect in Ohio helped neighbors look for missing

Three girls were found this week after being missing for over 10 years. Officials have now learned that the three suspects actually went to rallies to find the missing girls, handed out fliers and even spent time with the missing girls' families. 

Click here to read the full story.

KSL Headline: Mother dies unexpectedly after giving birth to sixth child

A Utah mother passed away after giving birth to her 6th child. The 36 year old began showing signs of complications where the placenta attaches itself to the uterus and other organs, which can cause hemorrhaging, at her 5th month. 

Click here to read the full story. 

New York Times Headline: U.S. Directly Blames China’s Military for Cyberattacks

The U.S. government directly accused China for the attacking U.S. government computers. Until now the U.S. has avoided directly blaming the Chinese military, but now they have a full report explaining how the Chinese military wanted insights on how American policy makers think and act.

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: Google Glass Picks Up Early Signal: Keep Out

KSL Headline: Limo that went up in flames had extra passenger

A limo with a bride-to-be and her bridesmaids caught on fire on a San Francisco bridge, killing five of the passengers. The limo was licensed to carry eight passengers, but for some reason was carrying nine that day. Officials are unsure whether or not this has anything to do with the fire.

Click here to read the full story.

KSL Headline: Prosecutors weighing charges in soccer referee's death

The Utah referee who was left in a coma after being punched during a game, passed away on Saturday night. Prosecutors are now trying to determine what charges the 17-year-old assaulter will face. 

Click here for the full story. 

New York Times Headline: Israel Bombs Syria as the U.S. Weighs Its Own Options

Israeli aircraft dropped a bomb in Syria on Thursday, and now the U.S. is pondering what to do. Ideas have been floating around including a U.S. airstrike. This bomb dropping has been described as "game changing" for all the countries involved. 

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: As Senators Head for Exit, Few Step Up to Run for Seats

As more Senators come to the end of their terms and announce they will not be running for reelection, the expectation is that several young politicians will start battling for their spots. Oddly enough, few have raised their hands to put themselves in the race. This shows that the thought of being in or even running for the Senate is more unappealing than ever. 

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: Some Retailers Rethink Role in Bangladesh

After a factory disaster that left hundreds dead, Western companies are scrambling to improve working conditions in Bangladesh. Some large American companies have decided to leave the country, including the Walt Disney Company, who has ordered an end of production of branded merchandise in Bangladesh and has released a new policy on overseas production.

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: North Korea Imposes Term of 15 Years on American

North Korea announced that its Supreme Court has sentenced an American citizen to 15 years of hard labor on charges of trying to overthrow the government. 44 year old Kenneth Bae was arrested after leading a tour of businessmen out of China to North Korea in November. 

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: Colleges Adapt Online Courses to Ease Burden

Colleges are working online to make sure students are more prepared for college, as well as make sure they graduate on time. With state budgets being cut, more students are unable to get higher education. These massive online classes are being tested to help fix the higher education problems.

Click here to read the full story.

New York Times Headline: Flow of Tainted Water Is Latest Crisis at Japan Nuclear Plant

Workers in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear district in Japan are struggling to contain radioactive wastewater. Water is pouring into the plants reactor building at an alarmingly fast rate, which contaminates the water. Workers are doing all they can to contain it.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: Push to Require Online Sales Tax Divides the G.O.P.

There is lots of debate going on about what is a tax increase and what isn't. Mixed with this debate is the issue of whether Internet sales tax is a tax increase for Americans. The most heavily involved group that is pro-Internet sales tax is small businesses who believe their Internet competitors have an unfair advantage.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times: With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan

According to Afghan leadership, millions of dollars have secretly flowed from the CIA to the hands of presidents and other leaders in Afghanistan. Apparently, this money was spent to gain the influence of the Afghan leaders and sway their decisions regarding terrorism and America. The CIA declined comment.

Click here for the full story.

New York Times Headline: Europe Facing More Pressure to Reconsider Cuts as a Cure