| In the age of Trump, can Democrats turn Orange County blue? Their first target is Darrell Issa Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:00 AM PST  Republican Representative Darrell Issa enters Trump Tower in New York, Dec. 14, 2016. Democrats and Republicans don't agree on much these days. Since 2001, Issa has represented the coastal suburbs of northern San Diego and southern Orange counties.
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| ‘Day Without a Woman’ strike seeks to continue legacy of massive D.C. march Posted: 08 Mar 2017 06:06 AM PST  This "general strike" action, held in connection with International Women's Day and in solidarity with the International Women's Strike, has been criticized by some U.S. movement supporters for asking women to risk their jobs in a nation where only 10.2 percent of women are in unions. "Protesting itself is not enough, which is why we stepped to the next level of asking people to sacrifice, you know, being a part of the strike," Tamika Mallory, co-chair of the Women's March organization, said in a video posted to Facebook.
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| ‘That energy is still here’: New Yorkers rally for ‘A Day Without a Woman’ strike Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:53 PM PST  With the Plaza Hotel, which President Trump once owned, as a backdrop, a crowd gathered at the southeast corner of Central Park on Wednesday afternoon as part of the "A Day Without a Woman" strike. Set to coincide with International Women's Day, the protest was organized by the same team behind January's Women's March on Washington, a massive Saturday protest that coincided with many sister marches across the country and ultimately became the largest single-day demonstration in United States history. Wednesday's gathering was promoted as "a show of solidarity and revolutionary love," ahead of another rally in Manhattan's Washington Square Park on Wednesday evening, and the crowd, overwhelmingly female but otherwise diverse, was appropriately buoyant.
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| Debating health care bill, GOP congressman asks why Democrats haven’t proposed a tax on the sun Posted: 09 Mar 2017 07:15 AM PST  The Republican plan to repeal Obamacare was approved by the House Ways and Committee in the early Thursday, capping an 18-plus-hour debate over the legislation. And the marathon session was not without its testy moments.
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| U.S. Plains blazes kill six, Kansas wildfires largest recorded Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:22 PM PST ![U.S. Plains blazes kill six, Kansas wildfires largest recorded]( "U.S. Plains blazes kill six, Kansas wildfires largest recorded") By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Firefighters are getting under control some of the fast-moving wildfires that have killed six people and scorched about 1.5 million acres (over 600,000 hectares) from Colorado to Kansas, causing thousands of evacuations, officials said on Wednesday. The threat of wildfires remained high in the U.S. Plains due to dry weather, strong winds and parched vegetation. The National Weather Service issued a critical fire risk warning for the Texas Panhandle into Oklahoma, Kansas and western Missouri.
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| Chinese survey ships entering Philippine territory: Manila Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:40 PM PST  Chinese survey ships have been entering waters recognised by the United Nations as Philippine territory, Manila's defence secretary said Thursday, in a move he described as "very concerning". Delfin Lorenzana said the ships were seen last year near Benham Rise -- a Philippine territory 250 kilometres (155 miles) off the east coast of the main island of Luzon -- as well as Reed Bank in the South China Sea, which is claimed by both Manila and Beijing.
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| Judge won't stop construction of Dakota Access pipeline Posted: 07 Mar 2017 08:52 PM PST  BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge declined Tuesday to temporarily stop construction of the final section of the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline, clearing the way for oil to flow as soon as next week.
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| Best-Paying Jobs in America: Report Posted: 09 Mar 2017 03:04 AM PST  A report that lists 25 of the best paying jobs in America from fields such as health care, technology and law found the highest salaries are going to physicians, followed by pharmacy managers and patent attorneys.
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| Small town mayor offers different window on Texas transgender debate Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:02 AM PST ![Small town mayor offers different window on Texas transgender debate]( "Small town mayor offers different window on Texas transgender debate") Small town mayor Jess Herbst wasn't sure whether to expect pitchforks and torches when the next council meeting rolled around. The packed meeting – 15 to 20 people – was the first since news of her transition from Jeff to Jess Herbst, pitching a reluctant New Hope, Texas, front and center in the zeitgeist surrounding the transgender rights movement. A little over a month ago, Ms. Herbst shocked the town of about 700 when she revealed in a note to the town that she was transitioning from male to female.
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| European Diplomats to Congress: For Our Sake, Don’t Cut Foreign Aid Funding Posted: 08 Mar 2017 10:35 AM PST  Foreign diplomats warn slashing U.S. military and foreign assistance could endanger allies under Russia's shadow.
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| Obama said to be ‘livid’ over Trump wiretapping claim Posted: 08 Mar 2017 07:10 AM PST  Obama greets Trump at Trump's presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., in January. President Trump's recent Twitter attacks against former President Barack Obama, including his evidence-free claim that Obama tapped his phones at Trump Tower before the election, have apparently put a strain on what Trump had recently described as their unlikely friendship. An Obama aide told the Wall Street Journal that the former president was "livid" over the accusation that he ordered the wiretapping of Trump Tower.
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| U.S. aid group Mercy Corps says Turkey has revoked its license Posted: 08 Mar 2017 07:37 AM PST ![U.S. aid group Mercy Corps says Turkey has revoked its license]( "U.S. aid group Mercy Corps says Turkey has revoked its license") Turkey has ordered U.S.-based Mercy Corps, one of the largest humanitarian organizations delivering aid to Syria, to immediately shut down its Turkish operations, the group said on Wednesday. Mercy Corps said the Turkish government had not given a specific reason for the decision, which will mean ending a program that provides regular assistance to hundreds of thousands of besieged Syrian civilians and refugees. "Our hearts are broken by this turn of events, which comes after five years of cooperation with the government of Turkey and other local partners," Mercy Corps said in a statement on its website.
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| Deadly bus-train wreck puts railroad crossing under scrutiny Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:55 PM PST  JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The site of a train-tour bus crash that killed four people in Mississippi has a troubling history of accidents, including two this year, local and federal officials said Wednesday.
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| How Homeland Security plans to end the scourge of DDoS attacks Posted: 08 Mar 2017 08:48 AM PST ![How Homeland Security plans to end the scourge of DDoS attacks]( "How Homeland Security plans to end the scourge of DDoS attacks") In late October, in Surprise, Ariz., more than 100 phone calls bombarded the police department's emergency dispatch line. Calls also overwhelmed the nearby city of Peoria's 911 system and departments across California and Texas.
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| Schools Closed As Women Join The 'A Day Without A Woman' Protest Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:15 PM PST  Participants in the A Day Without A Woman protests are expected to wear red, take the day off, from paid and unpaid labor and avoid shopping for one day.
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| What WikiLeaks CIA Hack Means for You and Your Gadgets Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:40 AM PST  The WikiLeaks revelation might be part of a Russian disinformation campaign meant to undermine the U.S. intelligence agencies in general, and to more immediately lend credence to President Donald Trump's allegations that former President Barack Obama spied on him. Some of the CIA hacking tools mentioned in the WikiLeaks dump are real.
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| At tonight’s White House dinner: ‘Pathological liar,’ meet ‘Lyin’ Ted' Cruz Posted: 08 Mar 2017 10:30 AM PST  On Wednesday evening, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his wife, Heidi, will dine with President Trump at the White House. "His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being — you know, shot. Trump brought the rumor up again the day after accepting the Republican nomination in Cleveland.
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| How Planned Parenthood Could Derail Obamacare Repeal Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:00 AM PST ![How Planned Parenthood Could Derail Obamacare Repeal]( "How Planned Parenthood Could Derail Obamacare Repeal") In yet another political fight over abortion, Republicans are divided over a provision in the new House bill that blocks funding for the women's healthcare provider.
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| Seattle judge weighs fate of arrested Mexican 'dreamer' Posted: 08 Mar 2017 12:44 PM PST ![Seattle judge weighs fate of arrested Mexican 'dreamer']( "Seattle judge weighs fate of arrested Mexican 'dreamer'") A Seattle federal judge on Wednesday wrestled with whether he has the power to release a Mexican immigrant with a work permit who was arrested by U.S. authorities last month. Daniel Ramirez Medina was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers who went to his house to arrest his father. Ramirez's lawyers have denied their client has any gang involvement or criminal record, and called his arrest unconstitutional.
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| Catholic Church of Guam sets up $1M abuse settlement fund Posted: 07 Mar 2017 11:36 PM PST ![Catholic Church of Guam sets up $1M abuse settlement fund]( "Catholic Church of Guam sets up $1M abuse settlement fund") HAGATNA, Guam (AP) — The Roman Catholic Church of Guam has established a $1 million settlement fund for victims of child sexual abuse.
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| San Diego-Los Angeles Fault Could Cause 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:33 AM PST  The fault system, which runs mostly offshore but also on land, was earlier thought to be two separate faults, according to a study published Tuesday.
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| Kuwait turns Silk Road into a massive causeway Posted: 07 Mar 2017 08:31 PM PST  Kuwait is building one of the world's longest causeways to its remote north where it will pump billions into "Silk City", aiming to revive the ancient Silk Road trade route. The oil-rich emirate is eager to inject life into the uninhabited Subbiya region on its northern tip that has been chosen as the location for Silk City. The plan is to reinvigorate the ancient Silk Road trade route by establishing a major free trade zone linking the Gulf to central Asia and Europe.
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| How a Syrian refugee lost his case against Facebook and fake news Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:30 AM PST ![How a Syrian refugee lost his case against Facebook and fake news]( "How a Syrian refugee lost his case against Facebook and fake news") In 2015, Mr. Modamani was one of several asylum-seekers to take a selfie with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Later, his selfie began to appear in two types of common anti-migrant Facebook posts, one of which incorrectly identified him as one of several migrants who had attempted to set a homeless man on fire in December. Recommended: How well do you understand the conflict in Syria?
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| Jon Huntsman Reportedly Offered Post as U.S. Ambassador to Russia Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:54 PM PST  Taking on one of the toughest jobs in diplomacy.
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| Hit man in San Antonio murder-for-hire slaying put to death Posted: 07 Mar 2017 09:46 PM PST  HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A paid hit man was executed Tuesday night in Texas for gunning down a San Antonio woman in a life insurance scheme nearly a quarter-century ago.
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| You, Too, Can Become a Memory Champion, Scientists Say Posted: 09 Mar 2017 07:10 AM PST  They use a well-known memory method called the method of loci, and now a new study shows that many people can learn this method. It induces brain activity patterns that resemble those of memory athletes, researchers reported today (March 8) in the journal Neuron. "Training normal humans to be memory athletes bulks up the brain's memory networks," said the study's senior author, Dr. Michael Greicius, an associate professor of neurology at Stanford University.
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| Uber vows not to trick regulators with 'Greyball' tool Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:01 PM PST  Uber on Wednesday promised not to use a recently uncovered "Greyball" software program to trick regulators trying to catch drivers breaking the law. The smartphone-summoned ride service last week acknowledged the use of the secret software program to steer drivers away from trouble, including sting operations by local authorities to catch lawbreakers. According to Uber, the tool was used in cities where it was not banned from operating, and the main intent was to protect drivers from disruption by competitors using the smartphone application to interfere instead of summon legitimate rides.
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| U.S. to expand mental health care for some veterans Posted: 08 Mar 2017 05:56 PM PST ![U.S. to expand mental health care for some veterans]( "U.S. to expand mental health care for some veterans") (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said on Wednesday that it intends to expand mental health care to former service members with other-than-honorable (OTH) administrative discharges. As part of the proposal, former OTH service members will be able to seek treatment at a VA emergency department, Vet Center or contact Veterans Crisis Line, the department said in a statement. Veterans who receive do not receive an honorable discharge are not eligible for many Veterans Affairs benefits.
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| Another day of flowers and speeches, but where is Russia's women's movement? Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:00 AM PST ![Another day of flowers and speeches, but where is Russia's women's movement?]( "Another day of flowers and speeches, but where is Russia's women's movement?") A day off work is seldom controversial in Russia. "Who needs this holiday?" says Alyona Doletskaya, former editor of the Russian edition of Vogue. Recommended: Sochi, Soviets, and czars: How much do you know about Russia?
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| Top Asian News 4:50 a.m. GMT Posted: 07 Mar 2017 08:50 PM PST ![Top Asian News 4:50 a.m. GMT]( "Top Asian News 4:50 a.m. GMT") KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — One day after a stunning breakdown in diplomatic ties, Malaysia said Wednesday that it wants to negotiate with Pyongyang despite an increasingly bitter dispute over the investigation into the killing of Kim Jong Nam, the long-exiled half brother of North Korea's ruler. Malaysia has said two female attackers wielding VX nerve agent killed Kim on Feb. 13 at a crowded airport in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia's investigation has infuriated North Korea, which has dismissed the inquiry as politically motivated. The dispute took a surprising turn on Tuesday, when North Korea announced that it was blocking all Malaysians from leaving the country until the dispute is resolved.
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| US review finds deliberate tax fraud at Caterpillar: report Posted: 08 Mar 2017 08:42 AM PST  A US government-commissioned review concluded Caterpillar intentionally committed tax and financial reporting fraud, the New York Times reported Wednesday. Federal agents last week raided the Illinois headquarters of the US industrial giant, which failed to account for $7.9 billion in overseas income for tax purposes, according to a report by Leslie Robinson, an accounting professor at Dartmouth College. Robinson said Caterpillar's actions were "deliberate" and "fraudulent rather than negligent," according to the newspaper.
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| 2018 Toyota C-HR SUV Targets a Younger Audience Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:00 AM PST   Toyota is finally entering the burgeoning subcompact SUV segment with its all-new C-HR. The C-HR is based on Toyota's new midsized global platform, which also underpins the latest Prius and upco...
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| China to launch lunar space probe before year's end Posted: 07 Mar 2017 06:39 PM PST ![China to launch lunar space probe before year's end]( "China to launch lunar space probe before year's end") China announced plans on Tuesday to launch a space probe to bring back samples from the moon before the end of the year, in what state media cast as competition to U.S. President Donald Trump's ambitions to revitalize U.S. space exploration. The Chang'e-5 lunar probe is undergoing a final round of tests and is expected to be on standby for launch from August, the official People's Daily said, citing the China National Space Administration. The launch will involve new challenges for China in sample collection, taking off from the moon and high-speed reentry to the Earth's atmosphere, making it "one of China's most complicated and difficult space missions", Hu Hao, an official from China's Lunar Exploration Programme, told the paper.
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| Honduras to probe alleged drug cartel links with ex-president Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:32 PM PST  Honduras's prosecutors said Wednesday they would investigate alleged links between public figures, including an ex-president, and the Los Cachiros drug cartel. Devis Leonel Rivera Madariaga -- a former boss of the notorious Los Cachiros cartel who has confessed to killing 78 people -- said Monday he paid former president Porfirio Lobo (2010-2014) and his son Fabio hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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| Georgia county agrees to restore black voters' rights Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:39 AM PST ![Georgia county agrees to restore black voters' rights]( "Georgia county agrees to restore black voters' rights") ATLANTA (AP) — Election officials in Georgia's sparsely populated, overwhelmingly black Hancock County agreed Wednesday to restore voting rights to dozens of African-American registered voters they disenfranchised ahead of a racially divided local election.
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| Neanderthal used 'aspirin' for tooth pain: study Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:44 PM PST  Nearly 50,000 years before the invention of penicillin, a young Neanderthal tormented by a dental abscess ate greenery containing a natural antibiotic and pain killer, analysis of his teeth revealed Wednesday. The male, who lived in El Sidron in what is now Spain, ate an antibiotic fungus called Penicillium and chewed on bits of poplar tree containing salicylic acid -- the active ingredient of modern-day aspirin, researchers said. The youngster's fossilised jawbone reveals the ravages of an abscess, and his dental plaque contained the remnants of an intestinal parasite that causes acute diarrhoea, "so clearly he was quite sick," they wrote in the journal Nature.
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| iPhone users are going to want Twitter’s latest update Posted: 08 Mar 2017 03:41 PM PST  There's a new Twitter update out today. I know this news normally ranks just above the latest Windows Update in terms of interest, but the new version of the app brings a feature that could clean out a whole bunch of space on your iPhone. The update adds storage options to the Twitter app. If you go to Settings-->Storage, you can see what content you currently have cached. I didn't even know that Twitter cached any more data than a couple recent tweets, so I was a little shocked (and just a touch annoyed) to see it's been hogging a couple hundred megabytes. I made the mistake of buying a 32GB iPhone, so the last few months have been a very slow battle against filling up the storage on my device. Once you delete any lingering U2 albums and delete random old slo-mo videos, it's actually difficult to free up any storage on an iPhone without making compromises. There are some neat tricks you can try to free up storage from temporarily cached files, like buying a movie off iTunes that's too big for your device. But that's a scatter-gun approach, whereas I'm guessing you really won't miss the cached data off Twitter. From what I can work out, the cached data includes cached media files like pictures, and some cached data on users like bios. The update also brings the Twitter app one step closer to external apps that offer a cache-clearing option.
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| Putin hosts Netanyahu for talks set to focus on Syria Posted: 09 Mar 2017 09:42 AM PST  MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday for talks focusing on the situation in Syria and Israeli concerns about the role of Iran and its proxies there.
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| Anti-abortion stance denies women their future: Trudeau Posted: 08 Mar 2017 10:00 AM PST  "When we take a stand against abortion... we are taking away the power of women to choose their path, their future, when, how, (and) with whom to start a family," he said at an event to announce Can$650 million over three years for women's health initiatives overseas. The prime minister's support of a woman's right to choose to have an abortion sharply contrasts with US President Donald Trump's anti-abortion stand. Trump nixed federal funding for NGOs that offer or promote abortions abroad.
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| 2018 Porsche 911 GT3: The Manual Is Back Posted: 08 Mar 2017 11:26 AM PST  The new GT3 gets naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six from a race car and real manual gearbox. We're in heaven.
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| Jailhouse shock: Taiwan prison aims to jump-start island's solar power dream Posted: 08 Mar 2017 02:03 AM PST ![Jailhouse shock: Taiwan prison aims to jump-start island's solar power dream]( "Jailhouse shock: Taiwan prison aims to jump-start island's solar power dream") By J.R. Wu and Damon Lin PINGTUNG, Taiwan (Reuters) - On Pingtung jail's sunlit roof, prisoner no. 24 has a view of a brighter future. Ex-cop Chen, serving time for bribery, is learning how to install solar panels in a program that's part of Taiwan's shimmering vision of a future without nuclear power. The 48-year-old is working on a project that has seen the southern Taiwan prison become the first to send solar power into the island's electricity grid.
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| New Jersey mayor charged with corruption in warehouse scheme Posted: 07 Mar 2017 07:39 PM PST ![New Jersey mayor charged with corruption in warehouse scheme]( "New Jersey mayor charged with corruption in warehouse scheme") Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres and three supervisors in the city's Department of Public Works were named in a state grand jury indictment unsealed on Tuesday charging them with conspiracy, official misconduct, theft, falsifying public records and other offenses. The indictment, announced by state Attorney General Christopher Porrino, mark the latest in a series of public misconduct scandals to embroil elected officials in New Jersey during the past few years.
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| Americans Think Jeff Sessions Should Resign Posted: 08 Mar 2017 01:34 PM PST  A majority of voters also supported an outside party investigating Trump's campaign, its members and their alleged contact with Russia.
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| Harley-Davidson Introduces New Model – And it's Not a Cruiser! Posted: 09 Mar 2017 01:02 AM PST  Harley-Davidson Introduces New Model – And It's Not a Cruiser! With 2017 Street Rod Harley Takes Step in New Direction Harley-Davidson has pulled the cover off a new motorcycle that is set to take American motorcycling in a new direction. With standard
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| Internet-connected 'smart' devices are dunces about security Posted: 08 Mar 2017 04:44 PM PST  NEW YORK (AP) — These days, it's possible to use your phone — and sometimes just your voice — to control everything from your TV to your lights, your thermostat and shades, even your car or medical device. (At least, once you have gadgets that can listen.)
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