The presence of armed military vehicles in American neighborhoods have some concerned that the government is attempting to acclimate the American people with the notion of martial law.

Phoenix pastor Michael Salman is currently serving a 60 day sentence in a Maricopa County, Arizona jail for violating his probation by holding religious services on his property, which is said to be in violation of zoning and building codes.

Salman, a husband and father of six children, is an ordained pastor at the Church of God in Christ and a founder of Harvest Christian Fellowship. In 2010, Salman was found guilty of nearly 70 Class 1 misdemeanors involving code violations in his home where he held church services, including not having lighted emergency exits, and not having fire doors or sprinklers. He appealed his convictions but the court upheld them.

The latest installment of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Dog Days, proves to be an entertaining film, particularly for avid readers of the graphic novels (fictional stories that are presented in comic-strip format and published as books). Much of the humor and plot devices will likely appeal more to younger audiences, but certain elements in the movie may redeem it for adult moviegoers.

Despite the impassioned pleas of several congressmen, both the U.S. Senate and House voted on Wednesday to tighten sanctions against Iran’s energy, shipping, and insurance sectors, in an effort to cut off the necessary funding for Iran to develop its nuclear program.

The Israeli news outlet DebkaFile reports that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned the country's top military chiefs during a recent war council meeting to expect "war within weeks." According to DebkaFile,

“While retaliation had been exhaustively drilled in regular military exercises in the past year, Khamenei ordered the biggest fortification project in Iran’s history to save its nuclear program from even the mightiest of America’s super-weapons. Rocks are being gathered from afar, piled on key nuclear installations, covered with many tons of poured concrete and finally plated with steel.”

Some members of the Federal Reserve are encouraging the Fed to make policy changes to pre-empt problems that may arise as a result of a global financial crisis provoked by a European downturn. However, the Fed is also hesitant to make a decision in fear of possible political ramifications as the presidential election nears and Republicans and Democrats remain on opposing sides on the issue of Fed monetary policies.

The GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee Mitt Romney surprised the mainstream media and the American people by hosting an unprecedented fundraiser in Israel July 30, which was attended by 20 to 30 people and raised over $1 million for his campaign.

On Thursday, the United States Senate voted to move forward on the Cybersecurity Act of 2012, clearing the way for amendments to be proposed. To the dismay of Second Amendment advocates, New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer proposed an amendment that introduces new gun control.

Chick-fil-A has been enduring the wrath of the pro-gay community recently because of the company’s Christian stance on same-sex marriage. However, what was once a conflict of ideologies is now becoming an issue of constitutional rights, as city officials are attempting to block efforts to open Chick-fil-A restaurants.

The U.S. Senate is preparing to consider the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 after its sponsors made changes to the original legislation that addressed privacy concerns and federal overreach. Despite the changes, however, the bill continues to remain controversial.