Know the Races

Know the races: A dinner party primer.

By

Morgan Clendaniel

Nov 28, 2006

By Morgan Clendaniel

November 28, 2006

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For the first time in several years, it’s within the realm of statistical possibility that Democrats could take control of both chambers of Congress. Here are some of the closest and most interesting races to be decided this November 7th. When the votes are counted, the results of these campaigns could be either a revitalized Republican majority, or a potentially far-reaching change in the governance of our country. The SenateSix races that can shift the balance.1. MONTANABURNS (R) v. TESTER (D)In a recent Vanity Fair article, convicted briber Jack Abramoff claimed that he received every appropriation he requested from Conrad Burns’ committee. The senator’s connection to the ever-widening Abramoff scandal has many Montanans up in arms. His opponent, state legislator Jon Tester, won an insurgent primary campaign, trouncing the Democratic establishment’s candidate. It will be difficult to unseat a long-serving politician like Burns, but Tester’s authentic Montana persona (which includes a combination of pro-gun and conservationist positions) could prove just the thing.2. PENNSYLVANIASANTORUM (R) v. CASEY (D)If you google incumbent Senator Rick Santorum, one of the top results will be an unprintable sexual excretion maliciously named “santorum” by syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage. Santorum, number three in the Republican leadership, is one of the Senate’s most conservative members, and his negative comments on issues like homosexuality have riled Democrats as much as they’ve rallied Republicans. Democrats would like nothing more than to remove him from power. They’ve fielded Bob Casey, Jr., the pro-life son of a beloved ex-governor, who has surged ahead in the polls.3. OHIODEWINE (R) v. BROWN (D)After fighting off conservative primary challengers upset at his membership in the “Gang of 14” who compromised on filibusters in the Senate, Mike DeWine may still be tainted by a growing scandal in Ohio state politics that-no joke-involves the buying and selling of rare coins. Rep. Sherrod Brown, who forced the withdrawal of popular anti-war Iraq vet Paul Hackett from the primary, is hoping that anger at the President, and a conservative backlash against DeWine’s more liberal policies, will finally give national Democrats a reason to forgive Ohio for 2004.4. VIRGINIAALLEN (R) v. WEBB (D)Incumbent Virginia Senator George Allen is a conservative poster boy often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in ’08. Opposing him is newly-minted Democrat James Webb. Democrats hope that Webb’s mÃ©lange of liberal (anti-war, pro-choice) and conservative (pro-gun, Reagan’s Secretary of the Navy) positions will so befuddle the state’s swing voters that they will give up trying to figure him out and simply elect him. Webb’s recent party shift may strike some voters as opportunistic, while Allen’s blatant presidential campaigning may turn off others. In the end, it may come down to Virginia’s sizable population of military voters deciding how much more war they’re willing to stomach.5. WASHINGTONCANTWELL (D) v. McGAVICK (R)First term Senator Maria Cantwell won her last election by 2,229 votes, out of 2.5 million votes cast-a mere .09 percent of the total. This tenuous margin of victory puts her at risk against challenger Mike McGavick, a former insurance CEO. McGavick hopes that the absence of Bush’s name on the ballot will keep him from being negatively associated with a national party that is increasingly unpopular in the state. Based on his poll numbers, his dreams may come true. Keeping this seat is the linchpin of the Democrat’s dream of winning back the Senate.6. MINNESOTAKENNEDY (R) v. KLOBUCHAR (D)Truly unpopular Democrat Mark Dayton (the only senator to close his office during the anthrax scare) wisely decided to retire rather than get trounced in this election, so this seat is up for grabs. Prosecutor Amy Klobuchar will try to hold on to the seat for the Democrats. She’ll be running against Rep. Mark Kennedy, who is being hammered for having sided with the White House position in 97 percent of his congressional votes. Since neither candidate offers anything particularly exciting, this race will be a referendum on how the people of Minnesota judge the policies of both parties, without factors like charisma clouding their decision.Other races to watch: Missouri, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Tennessee

THE HOUSE

Most people don’t know who represents them in Congress. Even fewer can name the challenger to their current representative-one of the reasons why it’s rare for an incumbent to lose a House race. Should the Democrats manage to grab 15 seats from the Republicans, you’ll be hearing from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2007-a vision of the future that is ratcheting up the GOP fundraising. Here are 15 races that, unlike most of the 435 House contests, have outcomes that may be in doubt.CONNECTICUT2nd DistrictEastern ConnecticutSIMMONS (R) v. COURTNEY (D)If Democrats want to take back the house, the best targets are moderate Republicans who serve in Democratic-leaning districts. Rep. Rob Simmons is a prime example. If his district decides they’ve had enough of the Republican party line, Joe Courtney is in-despite the fact that Simmons doesn’t very often toe that party line.FLORIDA22nd DistrictIncluding West Palm BeachSHAW (R) v. KLEIN (D)As of June, state Senator Ron Klein had raised more money than any other nonincumbent candidate in his attempt to unseat 13-term Rep. Clay Shaw. But Shaw is a savvy vet of these House races, and the 22nd was redistricted in 2002 to give Shaw an edge against Democratic challengers-even popular, well-funded ones.LOUISIANA3rd District Southern LouisianaMELANCON (D) v. ROMERO (R)In this district hit hard by Katrina, Rep. Charlie Melancon is running against state Senator Craig Romero, who has grabbed a bunch of cross-the-aisle endorsements.NEW MEXICO1st DistrictAlbuquerque and vicinityWILSON (R) v. MADRID (D)Patricia Madrid, New Mexico’s attorney general, is fighting to take this seat in a district that went for Kerry by a slim margin in 2004. Wilson is popular, but may be dragged down by New Mexicans’ low opinion of her party.NEW YORK24th District (open)Central New YorkARCURI (D) v. MEIER (R)Twelve-term congresswoman and moderate Republican Sherry Boehlert retired, leaving a vacuum in this fairly conservative (for New York) upstate district. State Senator Ray Meier is well liked, but District Attorney Michael Arcuri may be helped by having Democrats on the ticket (Clinton for senator, Spitzer for governor) who will win in a landslide.NORTH CAROLINA11th DistrictIncluding AshevilleTAYLOR (R) v. SHULER (D)Charles Taylor made the ill-advised decision (later retracted) to come out against using federal money to pay for a memorial to the passengers of United Flight 93. Conservative Democrat (and former college football star and pro football burnout) Heath Shuler is coming on strong.OHIO18th District (open)Suburbs of ColumbusPADGETT (R) v. SPACE (D)Bob Ney, often implicated in the Abramoff scandal, suddenly dropped out of the race in early August. He has anointed state Senator Joy Padgett as his successor, but a Republican primary had not yet taken place at press time. Challenger Zack Space hopes his pledge to accept absolutely nothing from lobbyists if he is elected will resonate with voters tired of corruption.PENNSYLVANIA6th DistrictWest suburbs of PhilidelphiaGERLACH (R) v. MURPHY (D)Lois Murphy is challenging Rep. Jim Gerlach again after losing to him in 2004. Gerlach needs to be as moderate as possible while still appearing conservative. His district isn’t happy with the war, but isn’t particularly liberal at heart either.GEORGIA8th DistrictIncluding MaconMARSHALL (D) v. COLLINS (R)Mac Collins lost a Republican primary in the 2004 senate race, and is looking to get back to Washington. Rep. Jim Marshall’s district has been redistricted since he won his seat, and now leans more Republican than when he was first elected. Couple that with Collins’ large war chest, and Marshall faces a tough test.IOWA1st District (open)Eastern IowaBRALEY (D) v. WHALEN (R)The fight for this open seat in Iowa may be an indication of how things will settle nationwide on election night. The district has been controlled by Republicans for years, but has been turning bluer recently. If Bruce Braley can claim the seat, Washington, D.C. might look different come 2007.IOWA3rd DistrictIncluding Des MoinesBOSWELL (D) v. LAMBERTI (R)Iowa’s hallowed place as the starting gate for the presidency means that its local races get a lot of attention from presidential candidates who want an Iowa friend come primary season. Sadly, incumbent Rep. Leonard Boswell has been hampered by health problems, making Jeff Lamberti’s well-financed campaign to unseat him seem a bit heartless.ILLINOIS6th District (open)Chicago SuburbsDUCKWORTH (D) v. ROSKAM (R)Tammy Duckworth lost both legs in Iraq, and her critique of the war has propelled her into a tight race with Peter Roskam, a well-funded state senator. It’s a historically Republican district with an open seat, so Duckworth is going to have to get lucky.8th DistrictNorthern suburbs of ChicagoBEAN (D) v. McSWEENEY (R)Rep. Melissa Bean has money in the bank and the weight of incumbency, but millionaire businessman David McSweeney has a chance in this slightly Republican district. McSweeney’s business ties with Enron, however, won’t endear him to many voters.INDIANA8th DistrictSouthwestern IndianaHOSTETTLER (R) v. ELLSWORTH (D)Rep. John Hostettler once claimed that abortions and breast cancer are medically linked. He was also arrested for trying to carry a gun onto a plane. Pro-life, pro-gun Democrat Brad Ellsworth is just the kind of challenger that this conservative district might choose to replace their volatile congressman.TEXAS17th DistrictIncluding Waco and College StationEDWARDS (D) v. TAYLOR (R)This district includes the western White House in Crawford, and the president won it by 70 percent in 2004, yet it’s represented by Democrat Chet Edwards. Proving that Democrats aren’t the only party that can benefit by fielding Iraq vets, recently returned soldier Van Taylor is offering a formidable challenge to Edwards.

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Photo credit: Canva – A young hero rises to the occasion.

Local, News

11-year-old Kentuckian rescues man drowning in apartment complex pool

The boy’s quick actions saved a life.

Erik Barnes

7/9/2026

An 11-year-old boy in Kentucky is being praised for rescuing a man from drowning in a pool at an apartment complex.

Avory Woolery spotted the man at the bottom of the pool. The man appeared distressed and that’s when Woolery dove into action.

“There was this man in the pool, like unconscious underwater, almost shaking, maybe, and my adrenaline kicked in,” Woolery told WKYT-TV. “I went underwater, I grabbed him up, his friend, I believe, put him on the floor and started doing CPR on him to try and save him the best he could, until somebody called 9-1-1.”

‘He’s a human being’

When asked why he took initiative, Woolery said that he dove in to get the man because no one else appeared to notice the drowning man’s plight.

“No one was doing anything, so I put on my goggles. I went underwater,” Avory said. “I grabbed him up and I just felt really bad because there was no way that I was going to let another man die today. He’s a human being. He should be treated as such.”

As Woolery noted, another person performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived. The Lexington Fire Department said the man was taken to a local hospital and is still in serious condition. While still hospitalized, worse could’ve occurred if young Avory didn’t intervene.

Fatherly pride

Sean Woolery, Avory’s father, was proud of how his son was able to calmly and quickly react to the situation.

“I’m proud of him. Somebody, when I was walking up here, somebody said, ‘Thank you, you taught him how to swim,’” he said.

A life was saved thanks to young Avory being able to notice signs of drowning and staying calm under pressure during a dangerous situation.

How to spot a drowning victim

While many public pools and beaches have lifeguards, it’s still important to recognize the signs someone is drowning so you can get them the proper help. After all, that’s what Avory did.

But the signs of someone drowning don’t necessarily match the ones that are seen on television or film. Many drowning victims are unable to yell for help, loudly splash, or grab attention since water is gathering into their lungs.

The Red Cross offers some more accurate signs of someone drowning along with tips to help them. A distressed swimmer/drowning victim will look like they’re having trouble making forward progress in the water. They’ll likely appear vertical and unable to tread water. They may look like they’re struggling to keep their mouth and nose above water. They could also appear motionless and face down in the water.

What to do if you see someone drowning

Should you see these signs, yell at the person to see if they can respond. Alert the lifeguards (if present) and have someone call 911 immediately. If there is no lifeguard, it’s recommended to get the person out of the water the safest way possible without going in. This means offering flotation devices like life jackets or buoys for the drowning person to grab.

There’s a reason why it’s usually not recommended to swim to rescue a drowning person. It’s because if they are conscious, the drowning person could instinctually grab at you. They could accidentally pull you down underwater with them. While Avory did swim to save that man, the victim was unconscious. It was an extreme situation in which trained professionals weren’t present.

If swimming is the only option, it’s recommended to swim to the victim with a flotation device in hand for them to grab onto without touching them. This can allow you both to stay afloat with less struggle. That said, it is always best to wait for water safety professionals to act first if at all possible. The Red Cross has some other water safety tips to follow that could save lives and prevent common drowning incidents.

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Photo credit: Canva – Donkeys and other livestock could help prevent mass wildfires.

Environment, Science

A Spanish park has been free of wildfires for over a decade thanks to 18 donkeys

Gnawing our way to a wildfire solution.

Erik Barnes

7/9/2026

According to NASA, wildfires have doubled worldwide due to climate change. Throughout the globe, governments and environmentalists have been trying to find ways to curb the fires. One particular national park in Spain has found a solution that has been keeping them fire-free for over a decade: donkeys.

Since 2014, the Firefighting Donkey Battalion unit consisting of 18 donkeys has been preventing wildfires in Doñana National Park in Doñana, Spain. The mission these donkeys do is simple: eat the dry brush that usually sparks and fuels wildfires. The donkeys spend up to seven hours a day using their voracious appetites to graze and clear a 130 by 50 feet area of dried grass, scrub, and other vegetation.

Why donkeys?

While humans can do this type of clearing out of dry brush, using donkeys for this work is arguably more effective. While it is a slower process, it is consistent and thorough. Donkeys are able to quietly patrol in areas that are inaccessible to vehicles. In exchange for the feasting, the donkeys get about eight gallons of water and rest. No money or fuel needed.

The donkeys’ bodies are also pretty much built for this kind of environmental work, too. Their stomachs are built to eat the same rough and dry grass repeatedly without issues. These daily grazings slowly but surely remove potential origin sources for fires. As a bonus, the donkeys are naturally disposing of the dried vegetation whereas humans would have to find a different way to dispose of it.

Having donkeys or other livestock graze in such areas was once more common in agriculture prior to modern farming. Some argue that the machinization of farming and urbanization have reduced the number of grazing animals. This in turn allows more vegetation growth that become dry spots for more wildfires to occur.

The method expands

This method has been so successful that other areas of Spain have adopted it. In 2020, Tivissa launched the Burros Bomberos project with three donkeys to so much success they’ve expanded. They now have 40 donkeys grazing and clearing nearly 400 hectares of land.

The Andrea Association in Allariz uses a team of donkeys to clear and maintain nearly 1,000 hectares of a biosphere reserve. Using GPS to monitor the donkeys’ activity, the group of grazers travel 19 kilometers per day to feed. Similar initiatives have since started in Basque Country, Catalonia, and Galicia, too.

Other ways to combat wildfires

In the United States, California has been using goats in a similar function. The group Fire Grazers Inc. has been contacted throughout California to bring hundreds of goats to eat dried vegetation. Much like donkeys, goats are built to eat rough and dry brush. This includes certain plants such as star thistle that are painful for human hands to grab.

It’s important to note that donkeys or other animals that eat dry scrub are the primary solution to wildfires. The same folks behind these initiatives also advocate proper forest planning and land management. This includes reducing the amount of easily flammable species of plants and trees such as pine. It takes thought, care, work, and maybe a bunch of donkeys to make a difference.

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Photo credit: Canva – A study is showing giraffes could be using math.

Exploration, Science

Spanish zoo study suggests that giraffes can do basic math

These hoofed mammals can understand addition.

Erik Barnes

7/9/2026

The results of an experiment done in a Barcelona zoo suggest that giraffes are capable of doing basic mathematics.

A group of researchers from the University of Leipzig, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and the University of Barcelona published their study observing four giraffes at the Barcelona Zoo. The experiment involved the giraffes observing containers that had different amounts of carrot pieces inside.

How did this experiment work?

The researchers showed each giraffe the two yellow containers and the amount of carrots within each one. After a few seconds, they closed the containers, keeping the carrots out of sight. They then showed each giraffe a green container which had extra carrots inside. Researchers took the carrot pieces from the green container and placed them into one of the closed yellow containers. They then let each giraffe independently choose which of the two closed yellow containers they preferred, without them seeing the total number of carrot pieces within each box.

The results found the giraffes would choose the container that had the most carrot pieces around 68% of the time. This suggests to the scientists that the giraffes were mentally adding the carrots up in each container before making their choice. After all, there have been past studies suggesting that other hoofed mammals, such as horses, had similar capability of basic quantity tracking.

The researchers did the experiment again. Only this time they subtracted the amount of carrots in each container. The giraffes were mostly unsuccessful at finding the container with the most pieces. So while giraffes showed signs of knowing addition, they don’t quite process all forms of arithmetic.

Math = Survival

Scientists believe that this understanding of addition helped giraffes survive in the wild. They cite that acacia trees, a dietary staple for wild giraffes, can be spread far apart in Africa. Being able to figure out which area has the most trees and the most leaves can help them decide where to graze next.

Giraffes also live in flexible groups that often change in size. One grouping can mix in with another group and then branch off or away. This means that the giraffes often have to keep track of those currently within their group and surroundings to survive.

Can other animals do math?

Giraffes are just the latest animal species known to have some form of mathematical skill. Chimpanzees displayed similar abilities to count as giraffes in a similar experiment that involved them picking the bowl with the most chocolate pieces rather than carrots. Chickens and black bears also showed aptitude in quantity tracking, too.

Scientists theorize that most of the animals that can do this basic math through evolutionary survival. After all, the animal that can deduce where more food is tends to live longer.

One species that displays remarkable mathematical ability are Tunisian desert ants. An observation of their navigational skills of finding their way to food and back to their nest suggests they use the sun as a compass in combination with mentally keeping track of the number of steps they take in a three-dimensional space. In short, these desert ants possess basic geometric and trigonometry skills.

While you wouldn’t want wild animals to calculate your taxes, it’s interesting to see how rudimentary math is a language that goes beyond species.

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