Ryan Deal Limits Senate GOP's Power to Block Tax Increases  —  Senate Republicans scrubbing the Ryan-Murray budget deal have come across a little-noticed provision that will limit the GOP's ability to block tax increases in future years.  —  The bill includes language from the Senate Democrats' budget …

The story behind “that selfie”  —  So here's the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world's social networks and news websites.  The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa's farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

Prosecutor: No Domestic Charges Against Zimmerman  —  MIAMI (AP) — Prosecutors say they will not file domestic violence charges against George Zimmerman after his girlfriend said in a sworn statement she did not want to pursue the case.  —  State Attorney Phil Archer in Seminole County …

Republicans force Senate all-nighter over filibuster fallout  —  (CNN) — Frustrated Republicans are retaliating for a Democratic power play to weaken their hand in opposing presidential nominations by forcing an all-night session.  —  Votes on judicial and other appointments were set …

GOP dislikes sitting congressman, eyes DWI pol with secret family  —  Republicans are so nervous about Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm's re-election chances that they've quietly reached out to former GOP Congressman Vito Fossella — who quit five years ago after confessing to having a secret second family …

Oregon signs up just 44 people for Obamacare despite spending $300 million  —  BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL OBAMACARE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OREGON HEALTHCARE.GOV TECHNOLOGY HEALTH CARE EXCHANGES  —  Oregon, once touted as a model for President Obama's health care law, signed up just 44 people …

Obama Needs to Fire Some People  —  When the Barack Obama administration realized that its HealthCare.gov website was fundamentally broken rather than merely glitchy, aides called former management consultant Jeff Zients to fix it.  —  When the White House realized restive congressional Democrats posed …

Republicans Running in Reverse  —  Let's hear it for women in high places.  —  This week in Detroit, Mary Barra took over General Motors.  In Washington, Senator Patty Murray made headlines when she worked out a deal with Representative Paul Ryan to keep the government funded for the next two years.

Minn. Nat.  Guard Member Charged with Stealing IDs for Militia  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A member of the Minnesota National Guard and self-described commander of a militia group was charged Wednesday with stealing names, Social Security numbers and security clearance levels of roughly 400 members …

Obama's tardy epiphany about government's flaws  —  The education of Barack Obama is a protracted process as he repeatedly alights upon the obvious with a sense of original discovery.  In a recent MSNBC interview, he restocked his pantry of excuses for his disappointing results, announcing that …

Space station's coolant system crippled, but crew stays safe  —  The International Space Station experienced a problem with its cooling system, NASA said.  —  A problem with one of the International Space Station's cooling systems may require a repair spacewalk, NASA told NBC News on Wednesday.

Is The Universe A Hologram?  Physicists Say It's Possible  —  A team of physicists has provided some of the clearest evidence yet that our Universe could be just one big projection.  —  In 1997, theoretical physicist Juan Maldacena proposed that an audacious model of the Universe …

Happy Holidays: Startup CEO Complains SF Is Full of Human Trash  —  Behold a perfect Silicon Valley denizen, an archetype: he's been written up in TechCrunch for his hackathon-organizing company.  He's been fluffed in Business Insider.  And now, inevitably, he's publicly savaged the homeless …