Новости за 20.12.2017

The Republicans' tax bill clears Congress, but its critics vow: The fight is not over.  It will be a major 2018 issue in two Washington congressional districts. Environmentalists will continue to fight oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Sorry, Pitches, but it's a good thing "Pitch Perfect 3 " is billed as the farewell tour for this musical franchise. It hasn't jumped the shark, exactly, but it does send its singing Bellas jumping off an exploding yacht. Because that's what a cappella competitions are about! The cast may be delightful and the musical sequences shine, but after three go-rounds, the premise is played out. Many of the funny lines feel forced and the whole film seems like it's trying too hard. The success of the first... Читать дальше...

Planning to visit the Amazon? You might want to look at the controversy over wildlife selfies before choosing tours. World Animal Protection, an advocacy group, issued a report saying animals like sloths suffer when they're kept in captivity for tourists to hold and photograph. Instagram is educating users about the issue by responding to hashtag searches like #slothselfie with this warning : "You are searching for a hashtag that may be associated with posts that encourage harmful behavior to animals or the environment.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stock indexes are mostly lower in afternoon trading on Wall Street after bouncing around for much of the day. Health care companies fell the most. Small-company stocks, which stand to benefit most from lower corporate tax rates, rose after Congress passed the Republican-sponsored tax bill. FedEx jumped after raising its annual profit forecast and saying the tax legislation would send its profits higher. KEEPING SCORE: The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down a fraction of a point... Читать дальше...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After a welcome lull in powerful winds that drove Southern California's massive wildfire, crews and homeowners were bracing Wednesday for the return of potentially dangerous gusts that could revive the flames. Some residents are watching from afar at hotels and evacuation centers, while others are waiting in their homes and hoping for the best. Katy and Bob Zappala have stayed in their home in Santa Barbara, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles, despite a mandatory... Читать дальше...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX unveiled its new Falcon Heavy rocket on Wednesday, a month before its first launch. Photos posted by SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk show the new rocket inside its Florida hangar. Missing is the cargo for the January test flight. Musk has said the Falcon Heavy will launch his own cherry-red Tesla Roadster into space. First, SpaceX will test-fire the rocket's 27 engines at the pad; the company is aiming to do that by the end of the month. The launch is planned for a few weeks after the test. Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress dealt a pair of blows to the Obama health care law Wednesday, including a retreat by two senators who were fighting for a provision this year that would help contain premium costs. GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Tennessee's Lamar Alexander ran into opposition from both parties on their measure to restore federal payments to insurers which helps curb premium costs. They said they'd pursue the effort early next year. There is no guarantee it would be approved. For Collins... Читать дальше...

BOSTON (AP) — Law enforcement officials in Massachusetts say they have recovered dozens of stolen Amazon packages and hope to get them to their rightful recipients in time for Christmas. Attorney General Maura Healey's office said Wednesday the packages were discovered in the Boston home of 33-year-old Dharol Joyner during a separate investigation into a spate of break-ins at restaurants in Taunton and Quincy. Joyner pleaded not guilty to several charges related to a break-in at a Wendy's restaurant and was ordered held on $7,500 bail. Читать дальше...

By Kendall Jones, Washington Beer Blog   It’s a flimsy connection to Washington beer, but it is a connection nonetheless. Back in 2011 I told the For the latest news and information about beer in and around Washington, visit Washington Beer Blog.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has prematurely declared "Obamacare" dead and displayed a misunderstanding of where the money comes from to make the health law work. A look at his remarks Wednesday about the tax plan he will soon sign into law and its effect on President Barack Obama's health insurance overhaul: TRUMP: "Obamacare has been repealed in this bill." THE FACTS: It hasn't. The tax plan ends fines for people who don't carry health insurance. That's a major change but far from the dismantling of the law.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two senators threatened Wednesday to oppose and, if necessary, block passage of House legislation to reauthorize a soon-to-expire foreign intelligence collection program. The warning comes as Congress is trying to find the best way for ensuring that the program doesn't lapse by year's end. Senate Republican leaders are considering adding a short-term extension to a government spending bill, which would allow Congress to take up revisions to the law early next year instead of hustling... Читать дальше...

The Two Bells Tavern, anchoring Belltown institution, to close on December 31.

The Two Bells Tavern, anchoring Belltown institution, to close on December 31.

The Science Guy caught a whiff of reefer madness, for science.

The Science Guy has caught a whiff of reefer madness, for science.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County health department is investigating reports of illnesses by customers who ate at a Chipotle. Chipotle says it has not directly received any complaints from customers and was not aware of any reports made to local health officials. The burrito chain said it only knew of complaints on "user-generated reporting sites," but did increase preventative measures at the undisclosed location. Chipotle has struggled to regain the confidence of customers after an E. coli outbreak in 2015. Читать дальше...

NEW YORK (AP) — Now that federal telecom regulators have repealed net neutrality, it may be time to brace for the arrival of internet "fast lanes" and "slow lanes." The net neutrality rules just voted down by the Federal Communications Commission prohibited such "paid prioritization," as it's technically known. That's when an internet provider such as Verizon or Comcast decides to charge services like YouTube or Amazon for faster access to users. Firms that decline to pay up could wind up in bumper-to-bumper slow lanes. Читать дальше...

DUPONT, Wash. (AP) — Federal investigators in the deadly Amtrak wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. Three people were killed Monday when the train barreled into a 30 mph zone at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy interstate highway south of Seattle. A locomotive from the train was removed Wednesday morning from the scene. The wreck closed... Читать дальше...

Sorry, Pitches, but it's a good thing "Pitch Perfect 3 " is billed as the farewell tour for this musical franchise. It hasn't jumped the shark, exactly, but it does send its singing Bellas jumping off an exploding yacht. Because that's what a cappella competitions are about! The cast may be delightful and the musical sequences shine, but after three go-rounds, the premise is played out. Many of the funny lines feel forced and the whole film seems like it's trying too hard. The success of the first... Читать дальше...

Well, one Tacoma man has a way to stop thieves in their tracks – and provide a few chuckles from his security cameras as well.

CHESHIRE, Conn. (AP) — The fast-growing online platform was built with help from Facebook engineers and designed to help students learn at their own speed. But it's been dropped because parents in this Connecticut suburb revolted, saying there was no need to change what's worked in a town with a prized reputation for good schools. The Summit Learning program, developed by a California charter school network, has signed up over 300 schools to use its blend of technology with go-at-your-own-pace personalized learning.

Seattle officially added a "versatile" arm to its bullpen, signing right-handed pitcher Juan Nicasio to a two-year deal.

No one wants to be caught off-guard when it comes to their finances. So The Associated Press asked several experts to share their opinion on what will happen with some key issues in 2018 that will directly impact your personal financial well-being. Here's a look at their forecasts: ___ Q. What should I expect from gas prices? A. Gas prices are still quite low, historically speaking, and were fairly steady in 2017. But 2018 may be a bit more rocky, according to Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service. Читать дальше...

DUPONT, Wash. (AP) — The Latest on the deadly Amtrak train derailment in Washington state (all times local): 10:00 a.m. Crews are working to finish clearing the wreckage from a deadly Amtrak derailment that closed a portion of a busy freeway in Washington state. On Wednesday morning a locomotive from the train was being removed from the scene of Monday's accident that spilled train cars onto Interstate 5, killing three and injuring dozens. The wreck closed the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 south of Tacoma... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON (AP) — A libertarian-leaning Republican senator threatened on Wednesday to oppose and, if necessary, block passage of House legislation to reauthorize a soon-to-expire foreign intelligence collection program. The warning from Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky comes as Congress is trying to find the best way for ensuring that the program doesn't lapse by year's end. Senate Republican leaders are considering adding a short-term extension to a government spending bill, which would allow Congress... Читать дальше...