| Trumpism versus conservatism at CPAC Posted: 23 Feb 2017 03:59 PM PST  NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — "Conservatism" will be supplanted by "Trumpism" when the president speaks Friday at the annual gathering of right-wing activists known as CPAC — the Conservative Political Action Conference — Trump's adviser Kellyanne Conway predicted Thursday. "This will be TPAC when he's here, no doubt," Conway quipped.
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| Where does the Trump saga end? Posted: 23 Feb 2017 02:00 AM PST  Which is strange, because normally you wouldn't be idly speculating about the end of a presidency barely a month after the inauguration. Certainly, in parts of the country that voted overwhelmingly for Trump, the sense is he's just getting started.
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| Shooting of 2 Indians in US bar sends shock waves in India Posted: 24 Feb 2017 07:36 AM PST  HYDERABAD, India (AP) — The shooting of two Indians in a crowded suburban Kansas City bar has sent shock waves through their hometowns, and India's government is rushing diplomats to monitor progress in the investigation into the crime.
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| Tesla Reports Loss for Q4, Looks to 2017 For Growth Posted: 22 Feb 2017 06:54 PM PST  A merger with Solar City, expansion into the energy storage market, and roll out of Model 3 and solar roof makes for a busy 2017.
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| Trump asks NASA to explore putting crew on rocket's debut flight Posted: 24 Feb 2017 12:55 PM PST ![Trump asks NASA to explore putting crew on rocket's debut flight]( "Trump asks NASA to explore putting crew on rocket's debut flight") By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The Trump administration has directed NASA to study whether it is feasible to fly astronauts on the debut flight of the agency's heavy-lift rocket, a mission currently planned to be unmanned and targeted to launch in late 2018, officials said on Friday. The study marks President Donald Trump's first step in shaping a vision for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Under former President Barack Obama, the U.S. space agency was working on the heavy-lift Space Launch System rocket and Orion deep-space capsule with the aim of sending astronauts to rendezvous with an asteroid in the mid-2020s, followed by a human expedition to Mars in the 2030s.
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| Russia lays to rest late ambassador Churkin with full honours Posted: 24 Feb 2017 04:31 AM PST  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the country's ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin who died suddenly on Monday, aged 64, was an outstanding diplomat as officials pay their respects at sombre memorial ceremony in Moscow. Rough Cut (no reporter narration)
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| France Is Training Eagles to Take Down Terrorist Drones Posted: 23 Feb 2017 09:41 AM PST  The latest tool in ISIS's armory could soon be foiled by an original aerial ace.
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| Activist heroically flies over barricade to seize Confederate flag Posted: 23 Feb 2017 02:16 PM PST  By climbing a flagpole outside the South Carolina's statehouse, Bree Newsome practically wrote the modern book on removing Confederate flags from public spaces. Apparently, not everyone read that book, so now we have a sequel. Black Lives Matter activist Muhiyidin d'Baha was arrested on Wednesday in South Carolina after epically leaping over a police tape barricade to snatch a Confederate flag out of a protestor's hand. Since it took place directly behind a CBS newscast, the stunning moment aired on live TV — the cameraman followed d'Baha as he quickly ran across the shot. SEE ALSO: How Black Lives Matter made the leap from social media to social action Check out the unbelievable moment here. Protester jumps barricade and attempts to get Confederate flag from man #chsnews pic.twitter.com/hTBql8qS9Z — Ray Rivera (@RayRiveraLive5) February 22, 2017 The flag was held by a member of the South Carolina Secessionist Party, protesting outside of the College of Charleston's Sottile Theatre, at an event featuring Newsome, an African-American activist, filmmaker and one of the driving forces behind the South Carolina state government's decision to permanently remove the Confederate flag from Capitol grounds. D'Baha was counter-protesting the demonstration when he dove over the police tape, and is now being lauded on Twitter for his remarkable act of resistance. This is Muhiyidin d'Baha, a #blacklivesmatter organizer and, like Bree Newsome, a #RoleModel and #hero. Conviction and courage in action. https://t.co/UgZ3ZVfWs5 — Donald Deeley (@DonaldJDeeley) February 23, 2017 @RayRiveraLive5 Somebody give that young man a medal. He's definitely doing great work. — JL Sigman (@JLSigman) February 23, 2017 That's the shit right there. No place for the confederate flag to be used like that in the US nowadays. We live in 2017, not 1862. https://t.co/uGDpCj2sDX — Jeff (@Vivalawino) February 23, 2017 the guy snatching the confederate flag is a hero, he didn't deserve to be arrested — ️ (@PRINCESSYIXING) February 23, 2017 Not all heroes wear capes @RayRiveraLive5https://t.co/2uw64XNBTu — Melanin God™ (@TrueTashan) February 23, 2017 D'Baha, our new personal hero, was arrested after his leap for justice, and reportedly charged with disorderly conduct by the Charleston Police Department. Advocacy group Showing Up For Racial Justice Charleston has set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for d'Baha's bail, already garnering over $12,000 of their $12,500 goal. D'Baha, you are an inspiration to us all. We leave you with this perfect tweet. @RayRiveraLive5 Racist's worst nightmare coming true. "My God, it's happening," he thinks as a flying black activist appears out of nowhere — Olivia Rodricks (@olivia_rodricks) February 23, 2017 BONUS: Trevor Noah has a lesson on how to talk to conservatives
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| Pakistan says gas leak, not bomb, behind Lahore blast Posted: 24 Feb 2017 03:52 AM PST  An explosion that killed seven people and caused panic in the Pakistani city of Lahore was caused by a gas leak and not a bomb as police had earlier stated, officials said Friday. It was not caused by explosives or a result of terrorism," Punjab provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah said Friday. Thursday's explosion sent panic through Lahore, where reports of a second blast were quickly debunked.
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| ‘Truly heartbroken’: Sean Hannity honors longtime friend Alan Colmes after death at 66 Posted: 23 Feb 2017 09:57 AM PST  Fox News host Sean Hannity paid tribute to his longtime friend and colleague Alan Colmes on Thursday after the liberal commentator's death at 66. According to a statement released by his family, Colmes passed away Thursday morning after a brief illness and leaves behind his wife Jocelyn Elise Crowley. Hannity and Colmes rose to national prominence as co-hosts of the Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes," which ran from 1996 until 2009.
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| Florida Police Officer Charged With Manslaughter Posted: 23 Feb 2017 11:12 AM PST  The officer had shot and killed a 73-year-old woman during a public demonstration in August.
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| The Maha Shivaratri Hindu festival Posted: 24 Feb 2017 06:58 AM PST ![The Maha Shivaratri Hindu festival]( "The Maha Shivaratri Hindu festival") Maha Shivaratri, or the night of Shiva, is a festival celebrated annually in honor of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of death and destruction. See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr
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| Live from CPAC, it’s Bannon and Priebus Posted: 23 Feb 2017 01:05 PM PST  Polished White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and pugnacious chief presidential strategist Steve Bannon took their strained buddy routine to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, reminiscing about Donald Trump's election victory, promising revolutionary change in Washington, denying their ongoing West Wing power struggle and — naturally — bashing the news media. Bannon, the rumpled adviser who never tires of calling reporters "the opposition party," lasted not quite three and a half minutes after their awkward opening handshake before making sure everyone in the room knew that he was the scrappy one and the former Republican National Committee chairman was the softy. Priebus had just dismissed news reports about their rivalry as all just a big "misconception" and had embarked on a chummy description of their work day just a stumble away from the Oval Office — "we share an office suite together, we're basically together from 6:30 in the morning until about 11 o'clock at night" — when Bannon cut in.
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| India police arrest cheap mobile maker on fraud charges Posted: 24 Feb 2017 12:14 AM PST  LUCKNOW, India (AP) — The director of an Indian company that claimed it was selling the world's cheapest smartphone was arrested Thursday on fraud charges, police said Friday.
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| U.S. reverses Obama-era move to phase out private prisons Posted: 23 Feb 2017 03:00 PM PST ![U.S. reverses Obama-era move to phase out private prisons]( "U.S. reverses Obama-era move to phase out private prisons") The U.S. Justice Department has reversed an order by the Obama administration to phase out the use of private contractors to run federal prisons. In a memo made public on Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the Obama policy impaired the government's ability to meet the future needs of the federal prison system. The Obama administration said in August 2016 it planned a gradual phase-out of private prisons by letting contracts expire or by scaling them back to a level consistent with recent declines in the U.S. prison population.
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| Hard landing as plane skids on Dutch runway in raging winds Posted: 23 Feb 2017 10:50 AM PST  A passenger plane skidded along a runway at Amsterdam's busy airport Thursday as its landing gear collapsed on hitting the ground during heavy winds, but no passengers were injured, officials told AFP. Video images of the Flybe plane carrying 59 passengers and crew from Edinburgh showed the plane struggling to stay on course as it came in to land at Schiphol airport, with The Netherlands buffeted by a strong winter storm. Airport officials said they were still investigating the cause of the incident.
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| Every day a sweet dog peeks out from under a gate, waiting for his friend Posted: 24 Feb 2017 08:04 AM PST  May we all find a secret dog bud that will wait for your pets every day. Elisa Lee a 17-year-old senior at Lakewood High School in California has developed somewhat of a routine with her newfound friend Ralph, a golden retriever that really enjoys some friendly pets. SEE ALSO: Meet the dog who's basically a saint This is Ralph he is a dog that lives near school and waits for me everyday after school to say hi to him before I have to leave pic.twitter.com/9gJyYLk6IB — elisa (@babygirIe) February 22, 2017 "One day my friend was giving me a ride home and I saw this dog near the gate," Elisa explained in an email. "At I was afraid that he would bite me since most dogs would bark at you and seem aggressive if you came near their house. Days have passed and he was still waiting there, so one of my friends encouraged me to try to pet him." "The first time I had pet him he was so excited and started licking my hand and pawing at it, Elisa said. "Ever since then I would go after school towards the spot where he lives in to pet him and usually always find him there waiting for me." But if Ralph isn't at the gate waiting for Elisa, he's usually not too far away, unless it's raining outside. "Sometimes he's not there, probably chewing on a toy or laying in the grass, said Elisa. "But if I call his name he is sure to come to the little spot one the right side of the gate where he can see me better." Recently, Elisa says that she had a four day weekend and wasn't able to stop by Ralph's place because she didn't have school. When she returned, Ralph was a little upset the two weren't able to hang out for a while. @katiewright we had a 4 day weekend and he got mad at me since I didn't say hi for a while pic.twitter.com/Y6GBYPfWFq — elisa (@babygirIe) February 22, 2017 Prepare yourselves: Ralph also gets sad when Elisa has to leave. "A lot of the time he looks so sad when I leave and tell him 'bye,' Elisa explained, but she says she always reassures Ralph that she'll be back to hang out. One day, Elisa spotted an older man walking a golden retriever, but she wasn't quite sure if it was Ralph. "I thought to myself in my head kiddingly 'oh what if that's the dog I pet everyday.' And to my surprise, I noticed his cute nose that is pink and has a brownish outlining and realized it was him," Elisa explained. The owner confirmed Elisa's assumption that the dog was Ralph, and told her his name and informed her that Ralph is a little over a year old. Elisa says that she wanted other to appreciate how awesome Ralph is, so she posted a tweet with a few photos, explaining that she visits him every day. The tweet blew up, and has since been retweeted over 12,000 times, gaining tons of Ralph fans on the internet. This also prompted a bunch of people to joking tweet back at Elisa with the hashtag #FreeRalph. Elisa says that she is a little concerned about what happens when she graduates this year, because she won't be near where Ralph lives every day. "I am quite sad that I got to only meet him this school year," Elisa said. "I'm worried about what will happen when I graduate but I'm sure his owner loves him so he should be just fine. I hope Ralph can make new friends around our school and be happy!" BONUS: Popular Twitter account that rates dogs now has a cute mobile game
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| Housing Bubble Ahead? Analysts Don't Think So Posted: 23 Feb 2017 12:49 PM PST ![Housing Bubble Ahead? Analysts Don't Think So]( "Housing Bubble Ahead? Analysts Don't Think So") Home prices rose again last year, and the housing market is starting off 2017 at a brisk clip. According to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller data, which includes the 20 largest U.S. cities, home prices regained their 2007 peak late last year and increased 5.6 percent from November 2015 to November 2016 -- the latest figure available. Zillow's Home Value Index, which measures median home value nationwide, predicts its index will reach the 2007 level this spring.
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| Little Tikes Recalls Thousands Of Toddler Swings Posted: 24 Feb 2017 08:53 AM PST  More than 540,000 of the company's 2-in-1 Snug 'n Secure Pink Swing was included in the recall.
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| Off-Duty Cop Fires Shot During Scuffle With Boy, 13, Sparking Widespread Outrage Posted: 23 Feb 2017 06:38 AM PST  Video of the confrontation encouraged hundreds to swarm Anaheim, Calif., streets.
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| Resistance Report: Tom Cotton’s master class in holding a town hall Posted: 23 Feb 2017 08:21 AM PST  ON THE TOWN. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas held a town hall for the ages in Springdale, Ark., Wednesday night, drawing pointed questions from an Obamacare supporter, a Lutheran pastor, a descendent of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a 7-year-old boy.
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| NASA's Jupiter-circling spacecraft stuck making long laps Posted: 23 Feb 2017 09:10 AM PST  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA's Jupiter-circling spacecraft is stuck making long laps around the gas giant because of sticky valves.
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| This might be one of Apple’s greatest iPhone innovations yet Posted: 23 Feb 2017 11:47 AM PST 
Apple's next flagship iPhone will have a bigger display-to-body ratio than any other iPhone before it, rumors indicate, as Apple is preparing for a radical design change. The iconic home button of the iPhone is going away. Or better said, the physical button is going away, but the button's features will remain. By eliminating the home button, Apple can extend the display without increasing the size of the iPhone. While most reports expect the iPhone 8's new OLED screen to also incorporate a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, at least one rumor says that Touch ID is going away, and a new facial recognition system that will take its place. But a new discovery seems to indicate that Apple is very fond of fingerprint sensors, even if that means coming up with novel ways to integrate them. A new patent application titled Acoustic Imaging System Architecture found by Apple Insider reveals that Apple is contemplating using acoustics to replace two distinct sensors that prevent it from offering an all-screen iPhone right now, with special emphasis on the fingerprint sensor. 
The patent application indicates that Apple might ditch Touch ID as we know it, but it'll do so without sacrificing the fingerprint-reading capability of the iPhone that's a crucial element for unlocking the device, signing into apps, and making Apple Pay payments. Instead, Apple might use an array of transducers placed around the display that can generate acoustic waves and monitor the way users interact with the screen. The sensors would not hinder the interaction with the screen, as they can be placed in areas that you wouldn't normally touch. The system would be able to detect a foreign object, like a finger, and create a unique signature for the wave reflections caused by the ridges on a finger pad that make up the fingerprint. Considering each fingerprint is unique, the acoustic data generated by the system would create unique signatures for each finger. The system could be used to preserve the fingerprint-based biometric security feature in a device whose front side is made up of a large display, with no room for traditional Touch ID fingerprint sensors. 
These acoustic sensors could also be trained to recognize other body parts, like an ear. The phone would thus know whether the user is talking on the phone and would turn off the display during the call. That would eliminate the need for a separate proximity sensor on the iPhone, freeing up more space for the display. Interestingly, even the drawings indicate that Apple wants to remove the home button, and the new acoustic imaging system might help out with those efforts. While this invention is all about increasing the screen size of an iPhone display without increasing its overall footprint, and while the acoustic sensors can be placed on the edges of the display as shown in these images, the patent notes that they could also be found anywhere inside the phone. The patent was filed last year in mid-August. Around that time, we already knew that the iPhone 7 would have a "boring" design and that Apple's radical design changes would arrive at some point in the following years. That said, this is just a patent application for the time being, and there's no telling whether Apple will actually make use of the technology in the upcoming iPhone 8. However, the patent does indicate that Apple may simply change the way Touch ID works, rather than killing the security feature completely. Let's not forget that Apple's Touch ID tech was so good when it debuted that competitors had a hard time replicating it — the most obvious case was the Nexus 6, which shipped without a fingerprint sensor since nothing could match Apple's. Not to mention that Apple is still advocating strong encryption-based security in its devices, iPhone included, and there's probably no better way to secure a device than using one's fingerprint.
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| Iraq air force strikes IS targets in Syria Posted: 24 Feb 2017 11:58 AM PST  The Iraqi air force struck members of the Islamic State group inside neighbouring Syria on Friday, officials said, adding that the targeted militants were responsible for recent bombings in Baghdad. The strike was announced by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in a statement and is believed to be the first of its kind by Iraqi jets on Syrian territory. "We ordered the air force command to strike Daesh terrorist sites in Husseibeh and Albu Kamal, in Syrian territory," the premier said, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist organisation.
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| Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes Lake Tanganyika area: USGS Posted: 23 Feb 2017 11:02 PM PST ![Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes Lake Tanganyika area: USGS]( "Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes Lake Tanganyika area: USGS") (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck the southern area of Lake Tanganyika early on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter of the quake, initially reported as a magnitude 6.1, was in a national park area in northern Zambia close to Lake Tanganyika. The quake, which struck at 2:32 a.m. (0032 GMT), could be felt across the lake in Tanzania and to the north in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, the USGS said.
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| India is so tired and so overworked Posted: 24 Feb 2017 05:39 AM PST  We told you that our lack of sleep is costing the world billions of dollars. We also told you that Gen-Z might be the most hardworking people ever. Now it's time to put the spotlight on India — a country of 1.3 billion people with 65% below the age of 35. SEE ALSO: Facebook's new bereavement leave raises an important point about grief in the workplace In short: India is tired, overworked, sleep-starved and vacation-deprived. Here are 5 stats that show India needs to up its work-like balance game: 1. Almost a quarter (22%) of Indians are concerned about being tired. That is their biggest health concern, this report says. Image: Shutterstock / lenetstan 2. Indian millennials reportedly spend 52 hours a week at work, the highest in the world. The average for the US is 45 and the UK is 41. Image: Shutterstock / Elnur 3. An average employee works around 2,195 hours every year, more than those in most countries. Image: Shutterstock / WeStudio 4. In big cities like Mumbai, some spend up to 8 hours a day commuting to-and-from work. Image: Shutterstock / Constantin Stanciu 5. India is the 4th most vacation-deprived country in the world, as this study reveals. Image: Shutterstock / MihaPater Seriously India, just take a break! BONUS: This social experiment takes a poignant look at academic pressure placed on students
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| Pope Francis Speaks Out Against Catholics Leading 'Double Lives' Posted: 23 Feb 2017 01:00 PM PST  He delivered a strong message against hypocritical Catholics during a Thursday mass in Rome.
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| White House press secretary Sean Spicer on marijuana enforcement and Ivanka Trump's role Posted: 23 Feb 2017 01:08 PM PST  Spicer said the Department of Justice will be key in recreational drug enforcement and president's daughter will advise on areas she's passionate about.
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| Exclusive: Trump wants to make sure U.S. nuclear arsenal at 'top of the pack' Posted: 23 Feb 2017 03:09 PM PST  By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the "top of the pack," saying the United States has fallen behind in its weapons capacity. In a Reuters interview, Trump also said China could solve the national security challenge posed by North Korea "very easily if they want to," ratcheting up pressure on Beijing to exert more influence to rein in Pyongyang's increasingly bellicose actions. Trump also expressed support for the European Union as a governing body, saying "I'm totally in favor of it," and for the first time as president expressed a preference for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but said he would be satisfied with whatever makes the two sides happy.
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| Israeli prime minister meets Australian opposition leader Posted: 23 Feb 2017 09:54 PM PST  SYDNEY (AP) — Australia's opposition leader Bill Shorten said he raised his Labor Party's concerns about Israel's settlements in Palestinian territories during discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday.
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| Citizen Sleuths Spring Into Action in Indiana Murder Mystery as Reward Reaches $50G Posted: 23 Feb 2017 12:58 PM PST  Everyday people are springing to action a day after haunting audio of the killer was released by authorities.
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| 22 Ingenious Ways To Repurpose Old Junk Posted: 24 Feb 2017 02:46 PM PST |
| Turkey-backed Syria rebels seize battleground town from IS Posted: 23 Feb 2017 08:36 AM PST  Al-Bab (Syria) (AFP) - Turkish-backed Syrian rebels said Thursday they had fully captured the town of Al-Bab from the Islamic State group, marking a key defeat for the jihadists after weeks of heavy fighting. As Ankara said its allies now had "near complete control" of the town, a fresh round of peace talks opened between the Syrian opposition and regime in Geneva. Al-Bab, just 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border, was the last IS stronghold in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo.
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| Here’s why it's so frickin’ hot right now Posted: 23 Feb 2017 03:36 PM PST  There's something about a warm February day that reminds you that something just isn't right. It gives you that nagging feeling that maybe global warming is real after all. February 2016 has featured prolonged warm weather the likes of which many areas have not seen before, or have only experienced on rare occasions. Taken as a whole, the month-to-date in the U.S. has seen a ridiculously lopsided ratio of daily record highs to daily record lows, which is a key indicator of short-term weather variability and, over the longer term, human-caused climate change. SEE ALSO: Seth Meyers interviews 'rogue' climate scientist worried about Trump For individual days' worth of warm weather, you mainly have the jet stream to thank. This current of fast-moving air at about 35,000 feet above the ground has been steering a never-ending series storms into the West Coast, where California's mountains have picked up a crazy 500 inches of snow so far, and then moved across the U.S. in a way that has cut off flow of frigid air from the Arctic. While transient weather variability is playing a key role here, the widespread record warmth across the U.S. so far this year is part of a long-term trend toward more warm temperature records versus cold ones. Me enjoying this weather but knowing our Earth is danger pic.twitter.com/Jy6bINvZ6C — breanna (@bre_lliant) February 19, 2017 This February offers a vivid illustration of this trend. Through Feb. 22, daily record highs have been blowing away daily record lows by a greater than 100-to-1 ratio, which, if it holds for a few more days, would itself set a record. (Although it might need an asterisk, considering the short calendar month.) And it's not the daily records that are most impressive, but rather the number of monthly records that are being tied or broken from the Gulf Coast all the way to the Midwest and northeastward into Canada. During the past week alone (not including Feb. 23), there were 736 daily record highs set or tied in the U.S., compared to zero daily record lows for the same period. Even more startling is the number of record warm overnight temperatures set or tied in the past seven days, which total a whopping 940. There were no record cold overnight low temperatures set or tied during the same period. And the monthly records, which are far harder to break than daily milestones, are astounding. Temperature anomaly across North America for Feb. 19 as seen through the GFS computer model. Image: weatherbell analytics According to the National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI) in Asheville, North Carolina, February has seen 248 monthly record highs set or tied, along with 203 records set or tied for the warmest overnight minimum temperature. In comparison, there were no monthly cold temperature records set or tied through Feb. 22. These figures do not include records that have been broken on Thursday, which so far include 69 degrees Fahrenheit in Albany, 63 in Toronto, Canada, and 62 in Burlington, Vermont, both of which were monthly records. On Wednesday, the record warmth was centered across the Midwest, where the three major cities in Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay), all saw temperatures hit record highs for not just February, but for any month during meteorological winter, which encompasses the months of December, January and February. Milwaukee, for example, broke its monthly all-time record high for February when the temperature reached 71 degrees Fahrenheit, and Madison set a monthly record with a high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Chicago hit 70° today for the 5th time during Feb. since 1871. Also happened Saturday. Highest Feb. temp of 75° (2/27/1976) in jeopardy Wed. — NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) February 20, 2017 In Ottumwa, Iowa, where the ground would normally be snow-covered this time of year, the high on Wednesday was 79 degrees, which set a monthly record as well. Some cities set records for the longest stretch of February warmth they've seen, including Kansas City, which set a seven-day February warmth record on Wednesday, according to weather.com. On Monday, Chicago had a high temperature of 70 degrees, which was only the fifth time that has happened in any February in the "Windy City." (The fourth time also came this February.) The warm weather in the Midwest was enabled by a marked lack of snow cover and lake ice across the Great Lakes, which allowed air temperatures to soar on mild southwesterly winds for days on end. As of Feb. 22, just 19.1 percent of the lower 48 states were snow-covered, far below average for this time of year. While cold air is staging a comeback across the Midwest, where heavy snow is predicted to fall from Nebraska into Wisconsin, much of the South and East is likely to stay milder than average for at least a few more days. Where's the snow? Image: noaa The warm weather in the U.S. hasn't been a freak phenomenon only occurring for the past few weeks, either. The year-to-date is averaging a record daily highs to record daily lows ratio of more than 4-to-1, and studies have shown that over the past several decades, human-caused global warming has increased the odds of warm temperature records so that these ratios are becoming more and more skewed. And the warmth isn't just limited to the U.S., either, with the planet recording its 3rd-warmest January on record, after its warmest year so far in 2016. This continues the long-term warming of about 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit since reliable surface temperatures began in 1880. As the planet warms in response to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the ratio of high temperature records compared to low temperature records has become more skewed. If the climate weren't warming, that long-term ratio should average out to about 1-to-1. However, that isn't the world we're living in. A 2009 study found that the record highs to lows ratio was 2-to-1 for the lower 48 states during the 2000s, and this disparity has only grown since then, though not evenly across every part of the country. Projections show the imbalance increasing in coming decades as global warming continues, possibly to as high as 15-to-1 if emissions of planet-warming pollutants such as carbon dioxide continue apace. "One thing I remind myself when comparing contemporary events to trends or patterns is that the contemporary events themselves make up the trends and patterns," said Deke Arndt, who leads the climate monitoring branch at NCEI. "This is a real-time view into what we will call "recent trends" in a few years." "This week has been an up close look at the DNA of what we are seeing in the big picture: relative to historical norms, extreme heat continues to outpace extreme cold across almost every place, season and time of day in the USA." While individual months will still vary from this trend, it's clear that over the long-term, the ratio of record highs to record lows is now strongly favoring record highs as well as record warm overnight temperatures. This is consistent with computer model projections of a warming world. In other words, if you like 70-degree February days in Washington, D.C., you're in luck. The odds are (increasingly) ever in your favor. BONUS: 2016 was Earth's warmest year on record, continuing a three-year streak
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| Google Cracked SHA-1 Encryption: What Does It Mean? Posted: 23 Feb 2017 02:21 PM PST  Google has cracked the code for the the SHA-1 algorithm, which is a crucial aspect of the internet's security. This likely means SHA-1's encryption usefulness has come to an end.
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| 2017 Jeep Compass Posted: 23 Feb 2017 09:01 PM PST  Better than before, and that's no backhanded compliment.
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| White House may boost recreational marijuana enforcement: spokesman Posted: 23 Feb 2017 04:10 PM PST ![White House may boost recreational marijuana enforcement: spokesman]( "White House may boost recreational marijuana enforcement: spokesman") The administration of President Donald Trump may ramp up enforcement of federal laws against recreational marijuana use, a White House spokesman said on Thursday, setting up potential conflicts in states where the drug is legal. More than two dozen U.S. states have legalized marijuana for either medical or recreational purposes, and the administration of former President Barack Obama mostly looked the other way.
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| After protest, China says will address army veterans' issues Posted: 23 Feb 2017 02:25 AM PST ![After protest, China says will address army veterans' issues]( "After protest, China says will address army veterans' issues") BEIJING (AP) — China's defense ministry said Thursday it expects economic growth and a strengthened social security system to solve problems faced by former soldiers, following reports of new street protests by disgruntled veterans who say they've been denied their promised retirement benefits.
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| Woman who drove with man body on windshield gets 25 to life Posted: 23 Feb 2017 06:09 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California substance-abuse counselor who hit a man with her car and drove two miles with his body embedded in her windshield was sentenced Thursday to 25 years to life in prison.
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| Couple with Down Syndrome to Celebrate 22nd Anniversary: 'I've Never Seen Love Like It' Posted: 23 Feb 2017 03:59 PM PST  Defying criticism, a couple with Down syndrome has been married for nearly 22 years.
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| Amazon’s $20 Netgear router deal is back Posted: 23 Feb 2017 08:54 AM PST 
If you need to blanket a massive house with lightning-fast Wi-Fi, this is not the solution for you. Head on over to our big in-depth mesh networking system comparison and you'll find what you're looking for. But if you need a solid router that offers fast data speeds and more than enough coverage for an apartment or a small to medium-sized home, you'll be excited to learn that Amazon is once again offering the NETGEAR N300 Wi-Fi Router with High Power 5dBi External Antennas for just $19.99. This terrific and affordable router has a 4-star rating from nearly 7,700 customer reviews, so you know it'll get the job done. And for a penny under $20, you really can't go wrong. Here are a few key takeaways from the product page: - N300 Wi-Fi speed for faster downloads & Internet gaming
- 5dBi antennas for improved Wi-Fi coverage. NOTE: This product comes with an ethernet cable.
- Manage your home network with NETGEAR genie
- Use Push-N-Connect to add devices to your WiFi network with a push of a button
- GUEST NETWORK ACCESS for separate & secure WiFi access for guests
- SECURE WIFI CONNECTIONS for highest level wireless security with WPA/WPA2
- 4 MB flash and 32 MB RAM, Five (5) (1 WAN, 4 LAN) Fast Ethernet ports
- This version of the product will have 'WNR2020-200PAS' stickered on box
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| France's Le Pen snubs police interview in 'fake jobs' probe Posted: 23 Feb 2017 04:48 PM PST  French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused Friday to attend questioning by investigating magistrates over claims she broke the rules on the use of European Parliament funds. Le Pen, who is one of the frontrunners in the race, told AFP she refused to be questioned by anti-corruption investigators during the presidential campaign. Le Pen's personal assistant Catherine Griset was charged on Wednesday with breach of trust in the probe into allegations that her National Front (FN) party defrauded the European Parliament of about 340,000 euros ($360,000).
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| Illinois state worker union members approve strike if needed Posted: 23 Feb 2017 10:39 AM PST ![Illinois state worker union members approve strike if needed]( "Illinois state worker union members approve strike if needed") Illinois could face a shutdown of its state government after its biggest labor union representing state workers said on Thursday its members overwhelmingly voted in favor of a strike. Just over 80 percent of members voted in favor of allowing the union's bargaining committee to call a strike if "no other path forward can be found" in reaching a new contract with the state, said Roberta Lynch, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31. The union's 38,000 members, who include prison guards, healthcare providers for veterans and the disabled, child welfare investigators, state highway workers and others, have been without a contract since July 2015.
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| Scientists discover 7 earth-size planets with possible life orbiting star Posted: 23 Feb 2017 06:46 AM PST  NASA announced the discovery of the most Earth-size planets found in the habitable zone of a single star. The dwarf star, TRAPPIST-1, was discovered in 2008.
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