Immigration law faces tough fight in Senate.
5.7 earthquake hits northern California.
A bridge collapsed on I-5 in Washington sending cars into a river.
Jetliner makes emergency landing at Heathrow after engine fire.
IRS places Lois Lerner on administrative leave.
The Tigers climb back and beat the Twins 7-6.
I don’t remember where I read it, but in response to Oklahoma Senators Tom Coburn and James Inhofe, who voted against disaster relief for the Northeast after Hurricane Sandy, a blogger noted that it will be interesting to see how they vote for relief for Oklahoma and how the folks back home react if they vote against any bill that provides assistance for the storms there.
Mr. Coburn is already on the record as being opposed to more aid without taking it from somewhere else (and not liking the pushback he’s getting for that), and Mr. Inhofe claims that aid for Sandy was “totally different” than what happened in Oklahoma.
I seriously doubt that either senator would face any kind of backlash from their constituents. (In the case of Mr. Coburn, it doesn’t matter; he’s retiring.) After all, these are the men the people of Oklahoma voted for, and other than the fact that Mr. Coburn has an easy-going personality and can yuck it up with the Village pundits (whereas Mr. Inhofe has a long history of being a cranky and ornery bastard), they’re both hard-core right-wingers, which is apparently what the people of the Sooner state want to represent them.
It is a testimony to the magnanimity and humanity of the American people that we will still send the people of Moore all the help and assistance they need without question or qualification in spite of the fact that they elect idiots. That is what good people do, and we will not hold the victims hostage.
Senate panel passed the immigration reform bill… while throwing same-sex couples under the bus to do it.
President Obama promises aid to Moore, Oklahoma victims.
Death toll in tornado lowered to 24.
North Korea sends an envoy to China.
IRS supervisor will plead the Fifth.
Miami loses out on two Super Bowls.
The Tigers beat the Indians 5-1.
[Moved to the top and updated links.]
The town of Moore, Oklahoma, has been destroyed by a tornado.
A monster tornado ripped through southern Oklahoma City and the suburb of Moore on Monday afternoon, leaving homes and schools in ruins and fires burning out of control.
There was no immediate word on casualties, but aerial footage showed major destruction: homes in rubble, cars flipped over and crushed, residents milling around in shock or combing through debris.
“A large part of the community has been affected,” Jayme Shelton, a spokesman for Moore, told MSNBC.
A forecaster for NBC station KFOR said the tornado was kicking up a debris cloud about 2 miles wide as it tracked east into residential neighborhoods in the Moore area.
Forecasters said the twister could be an EF5, the most devastating category of storm with sustained wind speeds topping 200 mph and “incredible” damage. The National Weather Service will confirm the storm’s intensity.
Oklahoma City police told NBC News southern portions of the city as well as the Moore suburb sustained “major damage… a lot of damage.”
Two elementary schools were heavily damaged, possibly completely destroyed, KFOR reported. Those schools are Briarwood Elementary in Oklahoma City and Plaza Towers Elementary in Moore.
This is the second time the town has been destroyed. In May 1999, a tornado followed the same path.
Update: MSNBC is reporting at least 51 killed.
Russia sends advanced missiles to Syria.
Seven people still missing after tornado in Texas.
Danny Werfel named acting chief of IRS.
Crime dropped in Florida by 6.5% in 2012.
Oh, crap — Venezuela running out of toilet paper.
David Beckham retires from the game.
The Tigers got hosed by the Rangers 10-4.
Volcano eruption in the Philippines kills five.
Sexual assaults in the military topped 26,000 in 2012.
Immigration bill faces hundreds of amendments.
Background check bill may get another shot.
Mark Sanford goes back to Congress.
The Dow closed over 15,000 for the first time ever.
R.I.P. Ray Harryhausen, Hollywood master of stop-motion photography.
The Tigers got rained out in Washington.
Avalanche kills five snowboarders in Colorado.
U.S. promises to double aid to Syrian rebels.
Rescuers struggle to reach earthquake victims in China.
Wildfire in California forces 200 homes evacuated.
Spring flooding bringing rivers to their crest in the Midwest.
The Tigers got walloped and shut out by the Angels 10-0.
The meteor that exploded over Siberia yesterday was caught on camera by a lot of people.
There are more here.
The Senate confirmed John Kerry to be Secretary of State.
President Obama pushes immigration reform in Las Vegas.
Things are still chaotic in Egypt.
Australia cleans up after floods.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stepping down.
Miami New Times says clinic supplied A-Rod and others with drugs.
Mazel tov to Jim Nabors and his husband on their marriage.
A large earthquake has struck off the coast of Alaska.
December job numbers held steady at 155,000; unemployment at 7.8%.
Congress approves aid for Sandy relief.
Church of England ends ban on gay bishops.
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) pleads guilty to DUI.
Three people were killed when their plane crashed into a house in central Florida.
Lance Armstrong may admit to doping.
Another senior al-Qaeda leader has been killed in Pakistan.
President Obama wants $60 billion for Sandy recovery.
Still stuck — Cliff talks “going nowhere” according to John Boehner.
The Supreme Court will hear two marriage equality cases: DOMA and Prop 8.
Prank call to London hospital about Kate Middleton ends horribly.
Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist becomes a Democrat. Gee, I wonder what he’s going to do now…
Japan gets hit by a small tsunami after a strong earthquake.
Egypt — Morsi calls for “dialogue” after clashes over his decrees.
Down to two — Negotiations over the fiscal whatchamacallit are now between Boehner and Obama.
Jobs numbers for November are due out this morning.
Apple plans to build computers in the U.S.
Syria — U.S. says they’re loading chemical weapons.
Egypt — Dozens hurt as protests continue.
The death toll in the typhoon in the Philippines passed 200.
President Obama says the GOP will cave on tax hikes for the rich.
Illegal immigration drops after decades-long rise.
Dude! Washington state celebrates the legalization of pot.
Fugitive software guru John McAfee arrested in Guatemala.
Egypt — President Morsi calls for a referendum on the new constitution.
Air base attacked in Afghanistan.
North Korea is planning to try to launch another missile.
Tunnel collapse outside Tokyo traps motorists.
Cuba wants to trade prisoners.
A wildfire in Rocky Mountain National Park causes evacuations.
A tour bus took a wrong turn at MIA and hit an overpass; two dead.
Egypt — President Morsi compromises with top judges on his decrees.
$71 billion — That’s the estimated price tag for Hurricane Sandy.
What killed Yasir Arafat?
Filibuster reform vs. fiscal cliff — one may kill the other.
New Jersey Gov. Christie files to run for re-election.
Susan Rice will meet with GOP leaders.
Sunken wreckage of WWII plane found off Miami Beach.
Tension and confusion linger in Gaza after the cease-fire.
A gas explosion blew up a strip club in Massachusetts.
Lots of people were out there for Black Friday yesterday.
Gas rationing will end in New York today.
R.I.P. Larry Hagman, 81, actor, star of Dallas, and son of Mary Martin.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie caught flack from his fellow Republicans for being nice to President Obama after Hurricane Sandy wrecked his state.
The tensions followed Mr. Christie to the annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association in Las Vegas last week. At a gathering where he had expected to be celebrated, Mr. Christie was repeatedly reminded of how deeply he had offended fellow Republicans.
“I will not apologize for doing my job,” he emphatically told one of them in a hotel hallway at the ornate Wynn Resort.
His willingness to work closely with the president has cast a shadow over Mr. Christie’s prospects as a national candidate, prompting a number of Republicans to wonder aloud whether he is a reliable party leader.
He’d be the front runner now if he’d let his state drown while flipping off the president.
Gaza: Trying for a truce but still killing.
President Obama in Burma: a balance between praise and pressure.
New York City continues gas rationing through Thanksgiving.
St. Lucie County missed the recount deadline; Allen West loses.
UN Security Council debates the spread of piracy. (Hint: they’re against it.)
San Francisco is considering a ban on public nudity.
Israel and Hamas step up attacks in Gaza.
BP will pay a $4 billion fine, plus plead guilty to manslaughter.
President Obama went back to look at the progress in storm recovery in New York.
States get more time to decide on healthcare exchanges.
Hearings on Benghazi turn hot and political.
Train hits veterans’ parade in Texas; 4 killed.
United Airlines flights were delayed by a computer glitch.
China unveils its new leadership.
Israel bombards Gaza; kills Hamas leader.
Budget and Benghazi: President Obama held his first news conference since his re-election.
Slow recovery from Sandy in New Jersey.
Harsh Buzz: 5-Hour Energy drink linked to a number of deaths.
Surplus? The city of Miami discovers they have money in the bank.
