Seattle on Monday became the first city in the nation to allow drivers of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to unionize over pay and working conditions. Supporters erupted into cheers after the City Council voted 8-0 in favor of the legislation, which is seen as a test case… Read More
Whoa! HUGE Christmas tree burns down
Fire tore through a 96-foot-tall Christmas tree outside a Southern California hotel, sending a bright chute of flames and then smoke into the air. The tree outside the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel in Costa Mesa was destroyed early Monday. Photos showed just its burned-out shell still standing at the hotel… Read More
To get the oil, they’ll build an island
Arctic offshore drilling by Royal Dutch Shell PLC drew protests on two continents this year, but a more modest proposal for extracting petroleum where polar bears roam has moved forward with much less attention. While Shell proposed exploratory wells in the Chukchi Sea about 80 miles off Alaska’s northwest coast,… Read More
Bowe Bergdahl faces life in prison for cowardice
Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will face charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy in a general court-martial, instead of a misdemeanor-level forum, the Army announced Monday. A conviction could result in a life sentence for the accused deserter. Bergdahl was held prisoner by the Taliban for five years and… Read More
Now hiring: Astronauts
Need more office space? How about outer space? NASA opened its astronaut-application website Monday. It’s accepting applications through Feb. 18. Contenders need to be U.S. citizens with a bachelor’s degree in science, math or engineering. Expect intense competition: More than 6,000 applied for NASA’s last astronaut class in 2013, with… Read More
Naughty Christmas decoration alarms, then amuses, cops (see the pic)
Deputies paid a visit to a southern Maine home after its owner’s raunchy anti-terrorist Christmas light display was misconstrued as support for the Islamic State group. The Portland Press Herald reports the homeowner, who wasn’t identified, used lights to spell out the word “ISIS” on a board below the deck… Read More
Busted! Hillary to be charged with ethics violations
Could this be the charge that finally sticks? Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is facing increasing scrutiny after reports surfaced last week that she intervened in a request forwarded by her son-in-law on behalf of a deep-sea mining firm to meet with her or other State Department officials, according to… Read More
Planned Parenthood disposes of babies in landfills
A disturbing new report from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has found that Planned Parenthood is throwing aborted fetuses away like common trash, sending them to be discarded in landfills. In a surprise response, the controversial organization admitted it engages in the practice, but tried to argue it was legal. An investigation into Planned Parenthood’s three… Read More
Shocker! Cruz now beating Trump in Iowa
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has long dominated the headlines and the polls. But two new polls show his once commanding lead in Iowa has slipped away and he may be trailing Texas Senator Ted Cruz. One poll released by Fox News and another by Monmouth University claim Cruz has taken the… Read More
California to allow child molesters near schools
Parents are expressing outrage after a California court ruling sided with convicted sex offenders over the safety of children at school. According to the Associated Press, three-quarters of California’s paroled sex offenders – previously banned from living near parks, schools and other places where children congregate – now face no… Read More