Why conservative Alaska legalized marijuana. Who's next?

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On Tuesday, Alaska became the first red state to legalize the smoking, growing, and owning of small amounts of marijuana, bringing the decriminalization movement to a conservative stronghold.

The frontier state narrowly approved the measure last fall, by 53 percent, joining Colorado and Washington states in legalizing recreational use.

Under the law,adults 21 and older may possess up to anounce of potandgrow as many as six plants. But smoking in public and buying and selling the drug remains illegal, which makes it difficult to (legally) acquire.

"You can still give people marijuana, but you can't buy it or even barter for it," Alaska Public Media's Alexandra Gutierrez reports. "So, it's a pretty legally awkward spot. That probably won't stop people from acquiring it, though."

Alaska is the third state to legalize recreational marijuana after Colorado and Washington. Oregon and Washington, DC, are expected to follow later this year. But Alaska is unique in that it is the first solidly red state to legalize the drug.

Why did a conservative state take a decidedly liberal position on marijuana?

Although it is a Republican stronghold, Alaskans are known for their rugged individualism and libertarianism.

"This is a conservative state, but it's a state with a heavy libertarian streak," Bickford said. "People here generally want to be left alone and really don't think the government is the solution to their problems," Taylor Bickford, a spokesperson for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska, told Vox News.

And it turns out Alaska has always been on the forefront of pot legalization. It was one of the first states to decriminalize marijuana in 1975, and voters in 1998 legalized the drug for medicinal purposes, according to the site.

This time, an unlikely coalition of libertarians, individualists and small-government minded Republicans helped legalize recreational marijuana last fall.

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Why conservative Alaska legalized marijuana. Who's next?

Argentina's new 'Malvinas' bank note ridiculed by Falkland Islanders

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The new bank note will go into circulation next month, Alejandro Vanoli, president of the central bank, announced on Monday. The design of the note was unveiled last year by President Cristina Kirchner, on the 32nd anniversary of the Argentine invasion of the British archipelago, which in Argentina is termed the Malvinas.

The 50 peso note, worth 3.70, has been designed and produced by Argentina's Mint House, and shows the map of the South Atlantic territories and another map of Latin America and the Caribbean - meant to show the support Argentina has rallied among regional nations in its long-standing sovereignty dispute against London.

On the other side features an image of Gaucho Antonio Rivero - an Argentine rancher, or gaucho, who in 1833 is alleged to have headed the resistance fight against the British occupation of the archipelago.

The notes were swiftly ridiculed by the Islanders themselves.

"Surprised they can afford a colour printer," said one, referring to the struggling Argentine economy.

He then tweeted a photo of the Falkland Islands currency, which features the image of the Queen.

"At least we stick to the facts."

Argentinas economy contracted 1.5 per cent last year and will shrink 1.4 per cent this year before growing 2.6 per cent in 2016, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

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Argentina's new 'Malvinas' bank note ridiculed by Falkland Islanders

What Actually Happened in the Falklands, With or Without Bill OReilly

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TIME History conflict What Actually Happened in the Falklands, With or Without Bill OReilly Cover Credit: TODD SCHORR The Apr. 19, 1982, cover of TIME, featuring the war in the Falkland Islands The conflict between Britain and Argentina took the world by surprise

After more than three decades out of the spotlight, the Falkland Islands are back in the news, this time because of controversy over a claim that Bill OReilly has made misleading statements about his time covering the conflict that took place there in 1982.

OReilly says that he has always been honest about the fact that his reporting on the war was from Buenos Aires, not the islands themselvesas TIME reported back then, only 27 British reporters were able to get therebut Mother Jones magazine contends that his statement that he reported from active war zones suggests otherwise. The controversy continued Tuesday as OReilly further insisted that he never misled anyone.

But what exactly did happen in the Falklands?

In 1982, the archipelago had long been home to little else besides shepherds, sheep, 10 million penguins and a history of diplomatic disputes.

The islands had first been seen by British eyes in the 16th century, were claimed by the U.K. in the 17th century, went to Spain in the 18th century and back to Britain in 1833. Meanwhile, Argentina, which became independent from Spain during the period of Spanish control of the Falklands, claimed the right to the landthey had gained the Malvinas, their name for the islands, when Spain left, they arguedeven over the objections of many who actually lived on the Islands. Argentinas military ruler, General Galtieri, hoped to boost his own popularity by scoring a win in the islands. The locals, largely descended from Brits, did not support leaving the shelter of the British crown (which held them as a dependency, not an independent member of the commonwealth) for then-unstable but nearby rule.

In early April of 1982, the Falklands (and, by extension, the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands) were defended by a few dozen British marines already on the islands when thousands of Argentine troops suddenly swept in. In fighting that lasted mere hours, the South American nation seized the territories from the U.K., which responded by breaking off diplomatic relations and, via the U.N., demanding that Argentina withdraw. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her government promised that, were the request denied, the islands would be retaken by force. And, when the British navy arrived in the areato enforce a blockade and evacuate the invadersthat result began to seem more and more likely.

Even as war loomed, TIME observed that the spectacle was out of nowhere, it seemed, or out of another century. One of the worlds major powers, no longer famous for its empire, and a country on another continent, fighting a sudden territorial war over a couple of islands? Just plain weird. Nonetheless, the pride of two nations was on the line, and citizens on both sides supported action.

President Ronald Reagan was unable to mediate a diplomatic solution and, at the end of the month, thousands of Argentine troops prepared for a confrontation. Rather than landing in the Falklands directly, the British forces landed on South Georgia Island, one of the Falklands dependencies, to the east of the main archipelago. South Georgia was quickly captured, bringing the two sides within striking distance.

By May, Britains Defense Secretary announced that the nations aircraft had taken action to enforce the total exclusion zone and to deny the Argentines use of the airport at Port Stanley, the Falklands capital. Military targets in the Falklands were bombed and other nations, including the U.S., ended their neutrality in the conflict. (The U.S. sided with England; the Soviets would eventually speak up for Argentina.) Fighting increased, as did patriotic support on both home fronts, even as the costs began to climb.

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What Actually Happened in the Falklands, With or Without Bill OReilly

Caritas Health Shield IncClinica Caritas HMO in the Philippines, Health Card, Health Care – Video

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Caritas Health Shield IncClinica Caritas HMO in the Philippines, Health Card, Health Care - Video

Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Together we can do more. – Video

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Nationwide Children #39;s Hospital - Together we can do more.
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Nationwide Children's Hospital - Together we can do more. - Video

Fort Smith Health Care Attempts To Match Staffing To Community Needs

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In the past few months, Fort Smith health-care providers have seen advancements in two particular medical specialties as a response to an evolving local market.

Recruitment of several medical specialists is also an ongoing task for both of Fort Smiths major hospitals, which conduct a community assessment every three years.

Cardiology and urology are two medical areas that have shown the greatest need.

Heart patients with atrial fibrillation have found a new cardiac electrophysiologist at Sparks Health System with Dr. German Kamalov following a restructuring at Cooper Clinic to focus on patient monitoring.

Urology patients now have 24-hour access to a team of urologists at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith through a partnership with Urologic Specialists of Oklahoma. The group of over 20 urologists has served the Tulsa market for over 60 years and began last year working with Mercy Fort Smith. In early April the program expands to offer two urologists in Fort Smith two days per week one in surgery and one in the outpatient clinic.

Currently the urologists rotate in Fort Smith on three- to four-day shifts. The groups outpatient clinic is in the Mercy Medical Tower, 2713 S. 74th St., Suite 104, in Fort Smith.

Sparks Urology Group in Fort Smith has four urologists and a physician assistant located at 5500 Ellsworth Road with Drs. Ronald Knobloch, John David Terrell, John Lange, Gerald Wahman and Lauren Smith.

Cooper Clinic also has two specialists in urology. Dr. Carey Andreoiu is one of only three urogynecologists in Arkansas. She joined Cooper Clinic in 2014 and is specially trained in the evaluation and treatment of Urologic problems unique to women. She also provides general gynecological care.

Dr. Matei Andreoiu, Cary Andreoius husband, is also a urologist and joined Cooper Clinic in 2013. He specializes in treating urologic conditions of both men and women including kidney stones, kidney or bladder tumors, prostate problems and male impotence.

The Andreoius received fellowship training through the Cleveland Clinic Florida and are trained in the da Vinci Robotic Surgical System. They perform procedures at both Mercy Fort Smith and Sparks.

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Fort Smith Health Care Attempts To Match Staffing To Community Needs

Health Care Sector Update for 02/24/2015: TCON,BIOC,CBAY

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Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ +0.38%

PZE -0.31%

MRK +0.30%

ABT +0.05%

AMGN -0.81%

Health care stocks were ending slightly lower today with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index dropping less than 0.1% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 retreating 0.1% as a group.

In company news, Tracon Pharmaceuticals ( TCON ) reached a new, all-time high Tuesday after analysts at Oppenheimer, Stifel Nicolaus and Needham & Co. all began coverage today of the oncology and age-related drug treatments company.

Oppenheimer started TCON with an Outperform rating and a $22 price target, with analyst Yigal Mochomovitz citing the company's TRC-105 drug candidate as an "explored and novel" target to block blood vessel growth in cancer.

Stifel began its coverage of TCON with a Buy rating and a $16 price target while Needham also initiated the stock with a Buy rating and a price target of $19 a share.

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Health Care Sector Update for 02/24/2015: TCON,BIOC,CBAY