Checking out Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale, AZ

Today, RSG went to "Butterfly Wonderland" in Scottsdale. It is known as "America's largest butterfly atrium." This place opened in May 2013. As you enter the building, the patron encouraged us to watch the 3d movie. The 3d movie was alright, and it's about butterflies. After the movie, it was cool to see butterflies in the atrium. The atrium is hot & humid though. The butterflies are cool, and the atrium is worth checking out. Next, RSG checked out fish and stingrays in the aquarium section. Finally, RSG had to check out the bees (& and ants, etc.). Overall, Butterfly Wonderland is a fun place for family and people of all ages. The picture above is butterflies, yet they look like bats. RSG is not a fan of bats, but the butterflies looked nice. Definitely, check out Butterfly Wonderland since Rahulio recommended it. :)

Some National Parks have reopened. Government shutdown fixed??

In 1996, the US government was shutdown for three weeks (21 days to be precise). Now, let's move forward seventeen years to the present year of 2013. The government shutdown is on day 16. When will the problem be fixed by Congress, the POTUS, and other parties? In related news, Arizona, Colorado, New York, North Dakota and Utah have decided to pay for their national park operations. Originally, national parks (like the Grand Canyon) were shut down in these states. Here's a rundown on some other federal agencies news: 1. The FAA asked 800 employees to return to work last week. It appears that airlines are not shutting down anytime soon. 2. Immigration court proceedings scheduled before the shutdown are being canceled, impeding green card applications. 3. Five states had to close their Head Start programs, while other states relied on contingency funding. This news affects the education of young kids. Recently, a couple in Texas donated $10 million to Head Start as additional funding. 4. More than 12 million people who requested automatic extensions on their spring tax return must still file their returns. The government has to collect on taxes always. In closing, the US government must come to a decision before October 17. This day is the final day for RSG, and his friends (taxpayers of the US). That last statement can be an ultimatum! If the government shutdown extends past October 21, the GDP will decrease further. If GDP drops, it could be another recession. Hope it's not as bad as "the last Great Recession."