VATICAN CITY — Benedict XVI always cast himself as the reluctant pope, a shy bookworm who preferred solitary walks in the Alps to the public glare and the majesty of Vatican pageantry. And on Monday, the Vatican announced that the leader of the world's billion Roman Catholics was stepping down — the first pontiff to do so since 1415.

The Vatican announced Monday that Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down on Feb. 28. While such papal resignations are extremely rare, there are precedents in the two millennia history of the Catholic Church.

CASA GRANDE — Stumpy the tortoise, star of the Casa Grande-based Wildman Phil reptile show, was safely reunited with his owner Thursday, a day after he and several other reptiles were kidnapped in the metro Denver area.

Haven’t Americans (especially Arizonans) done enough to appease the illegal alien amnesty activists (either homegrown or from California)? The millions of dollars spent to defend our state, cities, towns, counties and law enforcement agencies from the Obama administration, the ACLU, Hispanic plaintiffs and others from enforcing U.S. laws about illegal entry into the country.

With Biden and Ryan’s debate behind us, the nation is still asking, “What happened to Obama?” in his first debate and can he fix it in the next round?

With Joe Biden and Paul Ryan’s debate behind us, the nation is still asking, “what happened to Obama in the first debate?” and “can he fix it in the next round?”

NEW YORK — It's not just in your head. Mondays really are the worst.

LOS ANGELES — Some of Oliver Stone's best-known and most-celebrated films — including "Platoon," ''Wall Street," and "Born on the Fourth of July" — focus on complicated men. But his latest, the violent drug thriller "Savages," has a couple of formidable females at its center: Salma Hayek as the stylish, ruthless leader of a Mexican drug cartel and Blake Lively as an Orange County princess who must find a resourcefulness she never knew she had.

If you don’t like something or want to get something done, you don’t let little things like the Constitution get in your way.

“If the mandate remains intact for Obamacare the Republicans could build on it, like photo ID to prevent health care fraud by people faking an illness.”

When Pixar was given the opportunity to make a feature-length animation in the early ’90s, they strived to distinguish themselves from Disney by not telling a fairytale. The studio has maintained this custom for almost two decades with unique stories about monsters, toys, superheroes, and so on. Among all the Pixar films, “Brave” is certainly the most loyal to the Disney fairytale formula. The movie comes equipped with several familiar themes, such as a princess who wants more, a disapproving parent, and witchcraft. It’s interesting to see Pixar tackle a more Disney-like story and for the most part “Brave” is executed quite nicely.

When Pixar was given the opportunity to make a feature-length animation in the early '90s, they strived to distinguish themselves from Disney by not telling a fairytale. The studio has maintained this custom for almost two decades with unique stories about monsters, toys, superheroes, and so on.

When Pixar was given the opportunity to make a feature-length animation in the early '90s, they strived to distinguish themselves from Disney by not telling a fairytale. The studio has maintained this custom for almost two decades with unique stories about monsters, toys, superheroes, and so on.

If you don’t like something or want to get something done, you don’t let little things like the Constitution get in your way.

LOS ANGELES — "Rock of Ages" revels in the big hair and tight leather pants of a very specific place and time: the Sunset Strip in 1987, when bands like Guns N' Roses and Poison got their start. But a lot of great movies came out that year, too. Here are five of them; I would have included "The Princess Bride" but I already find reasons to mention it every other week:

“Since Arizona legislators can vote on laws to watch teachers’ language, what they teach and close down schools, let’s make laws for politicians that they must be 100 percent honest, moral and not waste time making stupid laws.”

"Everywhere I go, all I see is our younger generation walking around looking like cell-phone zombies. Is it just me or are others of you out there as concerned as I am?"

Much like one of his predecessors, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Barack Obama has all but declared war on the United States Supreme Court.

Much like one of his predecessors, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Barack Obama has all but declared war on the United States Supreme Court.

‘HAPPY FEET TWO'

‘HAPPY FEET TWO'

The penguins are as adorable as ever in "Happy Feet Two." Yet a couple of shrimp-like krill at the bottom of the food chain almost steal the show in this animated sequel that sticks to the formula of the original while adding enough variety to give it a life of its own.

Did the tea party get slapped in this week’s elections?

Did the tea party get slapped in this week’s elections?