[U.S.] Was the Kansas City fire caused by an explosion?

Was the Kansas City fire caused by an explosion?
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0219/Was-the-Kansas-City-fire-caused-by-an-explosion
A gas explosion that sparked a massive, block-engulfing blaze in an upscale Kansas City shopping district injured 14 people, a city official said Tuesday evening, adding that an accident by a utility contractor may have caused the blast.

OC shootings: College student attacked randomly, police say
http://abcnews.go.com/US/california-gunman-kills-carjacking-spree-police/story?id=18537306
Over the course of 75 terrifying minutes, a 20-year-old college student allegedly killed a woman at his Ladera Ranch home before embarking on a string of shootings that stretched through the heart of Orange County and targeted random people during their ...

Joe Biden's tip for self-defense: Get a shotgun
http://www.smh.com.au/world/bidens-home-defence-advice-buy-a-shotgun-20130220-2eqq0.html
WASHINGTON | Tue Feb 19, 2013 8:34pm EST. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's advice for self-defense: Buy a shotgun, not an assault rifle.

Rhetoric Turns Harsh as Budget Cuts Loom
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324449104578314113835559092.html
President Barack Obama lays out the consequences to the national economy and recovery efforts if congress doesn't come to an agreement on the looming sequester, set to kick in on Friday.

Married couple in LAPD describes fear of ex-cop during manhunt
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323764804578314602491285168.html
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When Los Angeles Police Sergeant Emada Tingirides first got a call from her husband telling her something was wrong, what struck her most was the fear she heard over the phone.

Does Ashley Judd scare Mitch McConnell? (+video)
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2013/0219/Does-Ashley-Judd-scare-Mitch-McConnell-video
Is Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell just a bit worried about the prospect of running for reelection to 2014 against actress/activist Ashley Judd?

Hospital granted dad's request: no black nurses, lawsuit says
http://nation.time.com/2013/02/19/suit-hospital-granted-request-for-no-black-nurses/
By JoNel Aleccia, Staff Writer, NBC News. An African-American nurse is suing a Michigan hospital after she says staff there agreed to a swastika-tattooed father's request that no black nurses care for his new baby.

Detroit nears financial collapse, runs out of options, review panel finds (with video)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/gov-rick-snyder-fields-financial-emergency-detroit-article-1.1268299
An emergency review team's report on Detroit describes a city on the verge of collapse -- too inflexible to restructure itself, unable to explain why its budget forecasts are routinely wrong and no longer capable of papering over its crisis by taking out loans.

Police: NYC TV anchor threatened to kill wife while being arrested in attack at ...
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/tv-anchor-accused-choking-wife-history-domestic-violence-article-1.1267675?localLinksEnabled=false
A New York City TV anchorman issued a death threat against his wife as he was being arrested on charges of attacking her at their Connecticut home, according to a court document released Tuesday.

All Share Services
http://www.salon.com/2013/02/18/when_the_white_house_press_corps_care_about_transparency/
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Attention smugglers of empty soda cans: Stay out of Michigan, or you could face jail time. Lawmakers are taking aim at people who use out-of-state cans and bottles to cash in on Michigan's recycling refund, which pays 10 cents per ...

This Charleston Harbor Battle Is Over Cruise Ships
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/us/battle-in-genteel-charleston-over-cruise-ships.html
This Charleston Harbor Battle Is Over Cruise Ships. Stephen Morton for The New York Times. The Carnival Fantasy cruise ship passes the Charleston Battery.

Jury selection begins in Ohio 'Craigslist killer' case
http://timesleader.com/stories/2nd-Ohio-man-facing-trial-in-Craigslist-killings,265554
Jury selection began Tuesday in preparation for the capital murder trial of the so-called Craigslist killer, who allegedly lured his suspects to rural Ohio in 2011 with fake farm-job offers.

Patricia Cornwell wins $51m deal over financial losses
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21511617
US crime writer Patricia Cornwell has won a $51m (£33m) lawsuit against her former financial managers, after a jury agreed their negligence cost her millions in losses.

The Mystery of the Tea Party's Karl Rove-as-Nazi Photo
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/19/tea-party-group-apologizes-to-rove-for-nazi-photo/comment-page-1/
The drama is over now, but it started like this. On Tuesday afternoon, Tea Party Patriots -- one of the first serious movement organizations, now in its fourth year -- sent a fundraising pitch to conservative email lists.

Republican Senator Cruz defends style a Democrat likened to McCarthyism
http://kgmi.com/Republican-Senator-Cruz-defends-style-a-Democrat-l/11461903?newsId=194359
By Corrie MacLaggan. LEANDER, Texas | Tue Feb 19, 2013 10:38pm EST. LEANDER, Texas (Reuters) - First-term Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas on Tuesday staunchly defended his aggressive, in-your-face style that already is raising eyebrows in ...

Not everything is political news
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/tiger-praises-obama-golf-game-article-1.1268192
Over the weekend, as I was perusing the news blotters searching for a story to opinionate on, I found myself consistently stumbling on an utterly annoying story: Barack Obama's golf game with Tiger Woods.