| Clamor for ouster of top Democrats slows in Virginia Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:27 PM PST  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The clamor for the resignation of Virginia's top two politicians seemed to die down Monday, with some black community leaders forgiving Gov. Ralph Northam over the blackface furor and calling for a fair hearing for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax on the sexual assault allegations against him.
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| McConnell: Senate to Vote on Green New Deal So Lawmakers Can ‘Go on Record’ Posted: 12 Feb 2019 11:40 AM PST  Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday that the Senate will vote on the Green New Deal resolution introduced last week by a coalition of progressive lawmakers vowing to eliminate all greenhouse-gas emissions within ten years, while simultaneously creating millions of jobs in a government-subsidized green-energy sector."I've noted with great interest the Green New Deal. And we're going to be voting on that in the Senate. Give everybody an opportunity to go on record and see how they feel about the Green New Deal," McConnell said with a sly smile during a Tuesday press conference.> .@Senatemajldr: "I've noted with great interest the Green New Deal. And we're going to be voting on that in the Senate. Give everybody an opportunity to go on record and see how they feel about the GreenNewDeal." pic.twitter.com/1HP5lSDjzM> > -- CSPAN (@cspan) February 12, 2019The resolution, which was introduced by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Senator Ed Markey (D., Mass.) on Friday, provides a sweeping list of climate-change- and social-justice-related measures including the refurbishing of every structure in the country with renewable-energy technology and the creation of millions of federally funded jobs in the green-energy sector.A "frequently asked questions" document that accompanied the resolution referenced the complete elimination of air travel and farting cows. Ocasio-Cortez has since disavowed the FAQ, which was posted on her website, and suggested her political enemies disseminated the document to sabotage the proposal.McConnell and Trump are reportedly united in their desire to tie Democrats to the bill's socialist policy framework ahead of the 2020 elections — an endeavor that should prove simple since virtually the entire 2020 Democratic presidential field endorsed it as soon as it was introduced.When confronted with the multi-billion-dollar price tag most experts place on the proposal, its allies have argued that climate change is an existential threat that necessitates a national mobilization effort unseen since World World War II."There's a lot of people now going back on the Green New Deal, they're like 'Oh it's impractical, oh it's too expensive, oh it's all of this,'" Senator Cory Booker (D., N.J.), one of the many Democratic presidential hopefuls, said during a speech in Mason City, Iowa Friday. "If we used to govern our dreams that way, we would have never gone to the Moon. 'God, that's impractical. See that ball in the sky? That's impractical.'"
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| Catalan separatist trial gives Spanish far right global platform Posted: 10 Feb 2019 06:41 PM PST  Far-right Spanish party Vox is on track to get a global soapbox as it takes part in the much-hyped trial of Catalan pro-independence leaders as a "popular prosecutor" -- a Spain-specific legal mechanism that has left Madrid embarrassed. Vox burst on to the political scene by winning 12 seats in southern Andalusia's regional parliament in December. Its involvement in the upcoming trial of Catalan separatist leaders will be as so-called "popular prosecution", a set-up which allows any citizen or organisation to be an accuser in court alongside public prosecutors.
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| Lawmakers meet on border security, scrambling to avert shutdown Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:00 PM PST  The top four congressional negotiators on border security funding resumed talks, with the possibility of another shutdown if they fail to reach a deal.
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| Jeff Bezos investigation: Text messages 'were leaked by brother of mistress Lauren Sanchez' Posted: 12 Feb 2019 12:00 AM PST  Investigators working for Jeff Bezos have reportedly concluded that the intimate text messages published by the National Enquirer were leaked by the brother of the Amazon boss's mistress. The team, led by investigator Gavin de Becker, believed that Michael Sanchez – the brother of Mr Bezos's girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez – gave the texts to the tabloid, several media reports have suggested. Mr Sanchez has previously denied he was involved in leaking the material and this weekend he attacked the Amazon founder.
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| The Latest: Washington state braces for more now Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:53 AM PST  SEATTLE (AP) — The Latest on winter weather in the United States (all times local):
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| At Khomeini's Iraqi place of exile, Iranians remember revolution's leader Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:50 AM PST  The former home of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who in 1979 led an uprising that ousted the Shah of Iran, is bustling with tourists on the 40th anniversary of the birth of the Islamic Republic. Escaping for a moment Najaf's crowded Shi'ite Muslim shrine nearby, they tour the humble home which is now a museum and gallery showcasing Khomeini's political and personal life. "The house captures the spirit of Khomeini.
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| Burning Man nixes 'Fyre Festival-style' camp that charged up to $100,000 Posted: 11 Feb 2019 04:31 PM PST  Burning Man, the annual weeklong arts and culture event in the Black Rock desert of Nevada, prides itself on the principle of "radical inclusion." But that may no longer apply to exclusive camps for wealthy attendees that offer luxury amenities while fouling up the environment. In a blog post this weekend titled "Cultural Course Correcting," Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell revealed a number of changes to ticket sales and camp placement for Burning Man 2019, to be held in August, that were widely praised by attendees. And for the first time in the event's history, she publicly disinvited an entire camp.That camp's name was Humano the Tribe, one of the so-called "turnkey" or "plug and play" camps that caters to high-rolling attendees with prefab pads and personal "sherpas." Some attendees have compared Humano's presence to the Fyre Festival -- both in terms of its audacious pricing and its incompetence.A price list for Humano's camp at Burning Man 2018, obtained by Mashable, shows accommodation starting at $25,000 for a 160 sq. ft. "Single Bedouin Tent" with minibar and AC. Prices go all the way up to $100,000 for a "Moon Village" with two bedrooms, a private bathroom, and "super-powerful AC." That's on top of a "tribal fee" of $2,000, the cost of "initiation."A 2018 Camp Humano brochure offers the "Maximum Comfort Arctic Cocoon," which reportedly costs $50,000 and was sold out at last year's event.Image: humano To put that in perspective, the price of a Burning Man ticket starts at $190 for low-income attendees and tops out at $1,200, a voluntary price for those who can afford it. "Main sale" tickets are $425. Median personal income for attendees in 2017, the latest year for which census data are available, was $60,000. Still, there has been an uptick in wealthy attendees in recent years, particularly those from Silicon Valley. Debate has raged for years about whether turnkey camps should be allowed, and the extent to which the rich are "participating" rather than "spectating" (spectators are a big Burning Man no-no). Humano, with its Facebook and Instagram pages full of models in basic Burner attire, and a camp layout that does not appear inviting to neighbors, would seem to be the poster child for everything that old-school Burners say has gone wrong with the event.The Humano brochure tells attendees to "honor the Burning Man principles" -- without saying what they are.Image: HUMANO brochureHumano did not respond to requests for comment. Reportedly the camp's founders have claimed to the Burning Man organization that the price list is the work of a third-party concierge that added its own exorbitant fees. However, the price list document appears to have been created in the name of Humano co-founder and restaurant investor Santiago Gomez.In any case, it was not the outrageous price list that was responsible for Humano's de-invitation. It was the camp's ignorance of the most sacred Burning Man tenet: Leave No Trace. Goodell described the camp as a "strain on resources" with multiple environmental citations from the BLM (Bureau of Land Management), which owns the land on which Burning Man is held, and multiple complaints from neighboring camps at the 2018 event.What she didn't mention, however, is that the camp was literally leaking toilet water. Humano's brochureImage: humanoThose private toilets were supposed to save $100,000-tier guests from the indignity of using the event's many public Porta Potties. However, Burning Man sources say Humano arrived with PVC piping that did not properly connect to its toilets. Instead of fixing the problem with proper plumbing available 90 miles away in Reno, Humano simply duct-taped the piping. That led to what is euphemistically termed black water leaking onto the playa, which is about as much of a health hazard as you can get. Ironically, Humano's brochure had promised a "green theme camp" with a workshop devoted to waste. The camp also had problems containing its post-washing grey water, and neglected to clean its dance floor of trash for several days after the organization inspected and requested it. Burning Man takes trash so seriously that it produces a "MOOP [matter out of place] map" every year, designed to shame camps that leave so much as a bottle cap. It is no spoiler for the as-yet-unreleased 2018 map to say that Humano's location is deepest red.SEE ALSO: Make Burning Man suck again!The hits keep coming. Humano's brochure claimed that its private chefs would focus on "raw and organic ingredients" from "local farms," despite the fact that there are no farms local to the Black Rock Desert. Its art car vehicle, the "Tribe Car," was said to be returning from a "one-year hibernation." Left unsaid: that was because Burning Man's own DMV ("Department of Mutant Vehicles) had banned it the previous year for various infractions. Image: humano brochureA lengthy Reddit thread devoted to Humano features various camp neighbors accusing them of "ruining multiple blocks" with MOOP and leaving trailers in areas zoned for other camps. There are also allegations that Humano's packages were priced to include the companionship of multiple female models. Mashable was also shown unmet requests for refunds from Humano attendees who paid upwards of $130,000 for a stay in a luxury RV and didn't get what they bargained for. And all this may be just the tip of the iceberg of bad camps. "There are a dozen other camps that have been sent warnings," Goodell wrote. What remains to be seen is whether the organization can hold the worst excesses of such groups at bay before they destroy the host organism. WATCH: Forget body painting--body marbling turns your skin into a psychedelic work of art
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| 'And I did inhale': Kamala Harris admits marijuana use Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:29 AM PST  Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., said in a new interview that she supports the legalization of marijuana — admitting that she has not only smoked pot, she has inhaled.
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| China condemns Turkey over claim of famed musician's death Posted: 11 Feb 2019 02:57 AM PST ![China condemns Turkey over claim of famed musician's death]( "China condemns Turkey over claim of famed musician's death") BEIJING (AP) — Beijing on Monday condemned Turkey over its claim that a celebrated musician from China's Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group has died in custody, releasing a brief video clip that it said proved he was alive and in good health.
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| Green New Deal: McConnell wants Democrats to go 'on record' about AOC's climate change plan Posted: 12 Feb 2019 01:34 PM PST  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell doesn't like the Green New Deal, but he wants a vote on the controversial so Democrats can be put on the record.
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| Dueling rallies — for and against Trump — roil through El Paso during president's visit Posted: 11 Feb 2019 09:01 PM PST  Trump spoke in El Paso, a border community that has found itself at the center of a divisive national debate over immigration and border security.
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| Nigerian widows sue Shell for complicity in activist deaths Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:53 AM PST  THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The widow of a Nigerian activist executed by their country's government more than two decades ago accused oil giant Shell of complicity in his death at a civil case in a Dutch court Tuesday.
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| Pentagon to review certification of Elon Musk's SpaceX launch vehicles Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:54 AM PST  "Our objective is to determine whether the U.S. Air Force complied with the Launch Services New Entrant Certification Guide when certifying the launch system design for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle-class SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles," U.S. Department Of Defense Deputy Inspector General Michael Roark said in the memo. The review will begin this month, the memo stated.
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| AccuWeather Alert: Two bouts of winter weather heading our way Posted: 11 Feb 2019 02:51 AM PST  Winter storm watches and advisories have been issued for parts of the New York area as two systems threaten to bring some snow, ice and rain through Tuesday.
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| Are We Really on the Brink of Electing a Socialist President? Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:30 AM PST  Increasingly, the Democratic party seems to think so. This kind of view has long had a space in the Democratic party — recall Huey Long's slogan, "Every man a king" — but it seems to be going mainstream. The wacky ideas of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are not limited to the lefty fringe of the House backbench but instead are being endorsed by major presidential candidates.
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| The 2020 BMW 7-series Sedan's Kidney Grille Is 40 Percent Bigger Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:40 AM PST  The BMW flagship sedan also gets revised engines and plenty of new tech.
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| Former Trump lawyer Cohen's Senate testimony postponed due to surgery Posted: 11 Feb 2019 03:06 PM PST  Testimony by U.S. President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen planned for Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee has been postponed as he recovers from a recent surgical procedure, an attorney for Cohen said. "The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has accepted Mr. Cohen's request for postponement of tomorrow's hearing due to post surgery medical needs," Lanny Davis said in a statement to media. Cohen, who is set to go to prison on March 6, had been subpoenaed to appear before the Senate committee, one of two main congressional panels investigating whether Russia interfered in the U.S. 2016 presidential election.
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| Denver teacher strike, Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: 5 things to know Tuesday Posted: 12 Feb 2019 01:21 AM PST  Lawmakers hope to avoid another government shutdown, Denver teachers' strike resumes and more things to start your Tuesday morning.
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| Have You Shopped Walmart's New MoDRN Collection Yet? Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:41 AM PST |
| U.S. Warships Patrolling Beijing-Claimed Waters Prompt Chinese Protest Posted: 11 Feb 2019 01:31 AM PST  China's foreign ministry said the country's navy "warned off" off the U.S. warships Monday as they attempted to assert free navigation rights in the disputed South China Sea. The ships sailed close by Mischief Reef, where China has built an airbase on reclaimed land, and the adjacent Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by the Philippines.
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| Israel extends detention of Palestinian over teen murder Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:37 AM PST  An Israeli court Monday extended by 10 days the detention of a Palestinian over the brutal murder of an Israeli woman that has gripped the country, Shin Bet security services said. The body of 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher was found on Thursday south of Jerusalem and her suspected murderer Arafat Irfaiya, 29, was arrested on Saturday. The Israeli intelligence service Shin Bet has labelled it a "nationalist" attack, a phrase used to refer to violence related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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| Snow slams Northwest again and even Hawaii gets some Posted: 11 Feb 2019 07:28 PM PST  SEATTLE (AP) — Schools closed across Washington state and the Legislature canceled all hearings Monday with winter snowstorms pummeling the Northwest again as a larger weather system wreaked havoc in the region and even brought snow to Hawaii.
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| See How the 2020 Toyota Supra Looks with TRD's Mild Aero Tweaks Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:20 AM PST  Power gains and a fat rear wing are still up in the air.
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| 2019 Volvo S60 Is Sophisticated and Comfortable Posted: 11 Feb 2019 10:33 AM PST  All-New 2019 Volvo S60 Is Sophisticated and Comfortable The 2019 Volvo S60 is a stylish compact luxury sedan that's new from the ground up. In fact, it's an entirely different car than the outgo...
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| Brexit: extending Article 50 would serve no purpose - FT quotes PM May Posted: 12 Feb 2019 12:37 PM PST  (Reuters) - British Prime Minster Theresa May told business leaders on Tuesday that extending the Article 50 process under which the UK is meant to leave the European Union on March 29 would serve no purpose, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. May said delaying Britain's departure from the EU would bring no end to Brexit uncertainty or push parliament any closer to approving a withdrawal agreement, the FT report said, citing people who took part in a phone call with the prime minister. ...
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| Another government shutdown? Trump says that's 'up to the Democrats' Posted: 11 Feb 2019 02:29 PM PST  The White House has continued to suggest another shutdown is possible if Congress does not deliver money for a border wall.
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| Journalist Sues Twitter for Banning Her over ‘Women Aren’t Men’ Tweets Posted: 11 Feb 2019 02:57 PM PST  After a number of temporary suspensions, Twitter in November permanently locked the verified account of Murphy, a Canadian writer and self-described feminist, informing her that she had violated the platform's hateful-conduct rules. In late October, Twitter added "targeted misgendering or deadnaming of transgender individuals" to its list of prohibited behavior and applied the policy retroactively to Murphy's earlier tweets. "Women aren't men," read an October tweet from Murphy.
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| Venezuela's Guaido Expresses ‘Dismay’ at Populist Italy's Stand Posted: 12 Feb 2019 08:44 AM PST  Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi briefed the lower house on the Rome administration's stand, shortly after the two coalition partners, the rightist League and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, worked out a compromise. "The government believes that the last presidential elections did not attribute democratic legitimacy to the winner, that is Nicolas Maduro," Moavero Milanesi told lawmakers.
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| U.S.-Russia nuclear treaty 'in real danger': NATO chief Posted: 12 Feb 2019 07:46 AM PST  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was speaking days after Washington announced it would withdraw from the treaty in six months unless Russia ended what it says were violations of the pact. Rough cut (no reporter narration)
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| Ilhan Omar: Democrat congresswoman accused of antisemitism over Israel tweets Posted: 11 Feb 2019 12:34 PM PST  Ilhan Omar, a newly elected US congresswoman, has been accused of antisemitism after she criticised a pro-Israel lobby group online. In two tweets posted late on Sunday night the Minnesota Democrat implied that funding from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) was responsible for US politicans' support for Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial Israeli government. Following calls from fellow Democrats for her to apologise, Ms Omar has since posted a message on her Twitter account acknowledging the backlash.
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| The Toyota 86 British Green Limited Is a Thing of Beauty from Toyota Japan Posted: 12 Feb 2019 09:15 AM PST  British racing green and a black-and-tan interior make this Toyota 86 just about irresistible.
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| Now that he's been convicted of all counts, what's next for El Chapo? Posted: 12 Feb 2019 03:38 PM PST  Drug lord Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán was convicted of charges have him facing life in prison. What now?
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| Democratic senators urge administration to reject Sprint, T-Mobile merger Posted: 12 Feb 2019 11:58 AM PST  The signatories included potential or confirmed presidential candidates Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Sherrod Brown, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker. Also signing the letters were Senators Richard Blumenthal and Tom Udall. The senators noted the four largest wireless carriers including AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc control 98 percent of the market.
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| Congressional lawmakers reach deal on border wall funding Posted: 11 Feb 2019 08:35 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional negotiators reached agreement Monday night to prevent a government shutdown and finance construction of new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, overcoming a late-stage hang-up over immigration enforcement issues that had threatened to scuttle the talks.
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| 7 of the Best Semiconductor Stocks to Buy for 2019 Posted: 12 Feb 2019 12:06 PM PST ![7 of the Best Semiconductor Stocks to Buy for 2019]( "7 of the Best Semiconductor Stocks to Buy for 2019") The best semiconductor stocks this year.
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| Withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria likely to start in 'weeks': U.S. general Posted: 10 Feb 2019 07:14 PM PST  U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. Central Command, cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where U.S.-backed fighters have launched a final assault against Islamic State enclaves near the Iraqi border. The U.S. military has already started withdrawing equipment from Syria. Asked whether the withdrawal of America's more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, Votel said: "Probably weeks.
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| Venezuela opposition prepares protest, presses for aid to be let in Posted: 11 Feb 2019 10:28 PM PST  Venezuela's opposition plans more marches Tuesday to press the military to let in US humanitarian aid, which President Nicolas Maduro says is the stepping stone to an invasion. Opposition leader and self declared president Juan Guaido will lead a rally in eastern Caracas but demonstrations have been called all over the country. "We are going back to the streets to demand the entry of humanitarian aid that will save the lives of more than 300,000 Venezuelans," said Guaido, who is speaker of the National Assembly.
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| Retool the classic pound cake to make it ultra-chocolatey Posted: 11 Feb 2019 07:44 AM PST  We love pound cake and we love chocolate, but the combination is often a disappointment. That's because most recipes simply add chocolate to a standard pound cake recipe, which mars its finely tuned texture and usually produces lackluster chocolate flavor.
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| Rick Steves: The pros and cons of cruising in Europe Posted: 11 Feb 2019 09:21 AM PST ![Rick Steves: The pros and cons of cruising in Europe]( "Rick Steves: The pros and cons of cruising in Europe") Cruising might not be for everyone, but it's an economic, efficient and popular of mode of travel in Europe and beyond.
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| Israel's Mueller Holds Key to Netanyahu's Fate Posted: 12 Feb 2019 12:11 AM PST  Now, the protege has become a potential adversary, holding the fate of Israel's prime minister in his hands. This month, Attorney General Avihai Mandelblit is expected to announce whether he intends to indict Netanyahu in a tangle of corruption cases that have raised painful questions about the state of Israeli politics and the future of a deeply divided country. The stakes are high, with the potential to end the political career of a man who has steered Israel for 13 years and is seeking a fifth term in elections on April 9.
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