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Portland, OR – Cascade Policy Institute has submitted a letter to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requesting that the agency enforce contracts with TriMet for three light rail projects: the Yellow Line, the Green Line, and the Orange Line. Each project received substantial federal funding, which came with contractual obligations to provide minimum levels of service. TriMet has not met those obligations. For both the Yellow and Green Lines, TriMet is supposed to be providing 8 trains per hour during peak periods. Current service on those lines is 4 trains per hour. For the Orange Line, TriMet is supposed to...

President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on Friday, the most significant move yet by the U.S. government to head off the coronavirus outbreak. Trump’s declaration came as many public and private institutions have taken action — including canceling major events, temporarily banning large gatherings, closing schools and telling people to work from home — in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled, soared, and then closed with a gain of 1,900 points after the emergency declaration. Wall Street had reeled Thursday afternoon after coronavirus fears drove the markets to their worst...

Countries around the world on Saturday continued to close borders, impose strict entry and quarantine requirements and restrict large gatherings in efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. Apple Inc said it will close all its retail stores worldwide, outside Greater China, until March 27. Apple reopened all 42 of its branded stores in China on Friday as the spread of the virus on mainland China slowed dramatically. Countries have shuttered museums, tourist attractions and sporting events to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission, with more than 138,000 people worldwide infected and more than 5,000 dead. Colombia said...

"What I said is what Barack Obama said, in terms of Cuba, that Cuba made progress on education." -Bernie Sanders to Joe Biden at South Carolina's Democratic debate, Feb. 25, 2020. "He (Obama) did not in any way suggest that there was anything positive about the Cuban government!…” -Joe Biden angrily responded to Sanders. How’s that again, Joe? Because: "Cuba has an extraordinary resource -- a system of education which values every boy and every girl.” -Barack Obama, Havana, March 22, 2016.More idiotically (or alarmingly) during the same speech Obama also hailed Cuba’s famous “doctor diplomacy” (i.e. Human Trafficking using slave...

By: Hassan Mahmoudi The Coronavirus spread and its mismanagement by the Iranian regime are victimizing more people every day. According to reports posted by the Iranian opposition, more than 4000 in 166 cities have lost their lives to the virus so far, second only to China. The situation of the prisons and prisoners in Iran is deplorably catastrophic, and Tehran officials continue to close their eyes and ignore the tragedy about to happen. Coronavirus Spread in Iran Prisons Prisons in Iran are overcrowded, at maximum capacity. These prisons are void of many amenities including basic sanitation, salt water, warm water,...

VIDEO Norman Lear was so enthusiastic about Andrew Gillum that he came to Florida to support him just before the 2018 election. He even gushed that possibly becoming governor was just the start for Gillum and that he could go "all the way!"

So let’s see if I have this right: washing your hands vigorously with soap and water kills the coronavirus because soap shatters the lipid membranes of the virus? In other words, the virus is fat. Can it be fat-shamed then? Is the CDC not recommending this because fat-shaming is not PC? I’m skeptical: I wash my whole body vigorously with soap and water in the shower every day, but it seems to be completely ineffective in breaking down and reducing my personal lipids. Meanwhile, I can’t believe it hasn’t occurred to any leftist conspiracy theorists that this whole virus thing...

Operation “Hide the Geezer” really isn’t working out well. Not well at all. – Quid Pro Joe Biden, the obviously impaired presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party, attempted to hold a virtual town hall on Friday, using some of that new-fangled high technology that he obviously believes is a lot of malarkey. Very predictably, things did not go well. Watch the clip below – I assure you there is nothing wrong with your speakers or headphones: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 @theconservador Joe Biden had a virtual Town Hall this evening. There was nothing virtual about the outcome. It was a literal disaster....

Pro-tip: self reliance does not mean stocking up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer.Whoo-hoo, what a week! Hard to believe that the Mardi Gras wrapped up just 17 days ago. If we knew then what we know now the very public celebrations would have been cancelled… and all those colorful masks would have been re-purposed for Wuhan Flu™ protection.Instead we’ve been forced to face the fire-breathing Chinese dragon virus without the protection of the N95 respirator masks…The racist Chinese Dragon spewing Wuhan Flu™ viruses all over the placemost of which are made in China.This of course has led to great...

Internet providers AT&T, Comcast and Verizon are among a slew of companies that have committed to keeping Americans connected even if they can’t pay their bills during the coronavirus outbreak. Dozens of Internet and telephone service providers have signed the FCC’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge. The companies have agreed to “not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic,” for a 60-day period, according to the FCC. They have also promised to waive any late fees incurred because of the coronavirus crisis...

Editor's note: This column was authored by Satya Marar.  After sweeping victories this week and on Super Tuesday, it’s becoming inevitable that Joe Biden will score the Democrat presidential nomination. And he’ll owe it in no small part to African American voters who’ve helped spearhead his campaign’s resurgence. He knows it, too. “There’s only one reason I’ve come back,” he told the congregation at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi on Sunday. “The African American community all around the country.” But setbacks like his racially insensitive gaffes mean that this support can’t be taken for granted — especially if he’s to eventually...

Donald Trump declared a state of emergency on Friday at a White House press conference detailing the ongoing efforts to combat the Coronavirus. After speaking and sharing the stage with doctors and leaders in the economy, CBS News journalist Weijia Jiang wondered if the President was being “selfish” for not immediately taking a COVID-19 test.

It’s long been known that Stefan Halper served as a confidential human source (CHS) for the FBI. Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) abuse, while not identifying Halper by name, added many details concerning his extensive role in spying on the Trump campaign: Halper secretly recorded several conversations with Trump campaign advisors Carter Page and George Papadopoulos and, more troublingly, the FBI tasked Halper to tape an extensive conversation with Sam Clovis—a co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign. Publicly available information on government contracts also reveal that Halper received hundreds of thousands of dollars for...

With the issue of excessive college tuition on the front burner for decades, many colleges and universities have compounded the problem by arbitrarily shutting their doors in the past week or so, purportedly as a countermeasure to the coronavirus "pandemic." This is occurring without any evidence of coronavirus on campus. Seems like students and/or their parents or other benefactors who have already paid their tuition and/or room/board for the current semester/trimester/quarter are being unilaterally ripped off here, with no compensation in sight. The question I'm posing here is: Should there be a strident demand for pro-rated refunds from the colleges,...

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Legendary rocker Alice Cooper has postponed the spring 2020 North American leg of his "Ol' Black Eyes Is Back" tour, which was slated to run from March 31 through April 22. The trek is being rescheduled for this fall and the itinerary will be announced as soon as possible. A Cooper representative said in a statement: "Due to the current concerns regarding COVID-19, the health and safety of our fans, local venue staffs, as well as the health and safety of our band and crew, is of utmost priority. Information regarding previously purchased tickets and VIP packages will be available...

As the novel coronavirus continues to claim lives in the United States, experts are investigating what factors increase some people’s risk of dying from the virus. So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have not released a summary of basic demographic information about the people who have died, but according to information collected by ABC News' Medical Unit, the majority of deaths have been among people in the 70s, 80s and 90s.... In the U.S., of the cases for which there is data, only one person who died was in their 40s, while two people died in their...

The government in North Korea claims there are no cases of COVID-19 in North Korea, according to a state news agency. The KCNA agency said in an editorial said officials had increased the amount of public knowledge about the disease but added that this didn't mean people should feel relieved "for having no COVID-19 case in the DPRK," North Korea has further intensified quarantine and medical observation of foreigners entering the country according to the agency, and has freed over 70 foreigners without suspected symptoms from quarantine. The top American general in South Korea said Friday, however, he is fairly...

“In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them” (Proverbs 14:3).

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located. This thread is non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the...