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FISA 101: 10 key dates in the evolution of NSA surveillance

When news of the PRISM data collection and surveillance program broke in early June 2013, it shook up the cyber security debate, and called into question just how much information the US government is authorized to collect. But government data collection isn’t something that just sprang up out of nowhere – it just sprang into national attention after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden leaked government documents about the secret government agency. Here’s a brief list of post-9/11 legislation and surveillance programs to add a historical perspective to the current government surveillance debate.

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FISA 101: 10 key dates in the evolution of NSA surveillance

When news of the PRISM data collection and surveillance program broke in early June 2013, it shook up the cyber security debate, and called into question just how much information the US government is authorized to collect. But government data collection isn’t something that just sprang up out of nowhere – it just sprang into national attention after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden leaked government documents about the secret government agency. Here’s a brief list of post-9/11 legislation and surveillance programs to add a historical perspective to the current government surveillance debate.
Tax-free weekend: what to buy, where to buy it

Tax-free weekend is coming to at least 15 states in August, just in time for back-to-school shopping. Save money on items like laptops, clothing, and school supplies by holding off on purchases until a tax-free weekend in your state.
Gay marriage battlegrounds: 12 states to watch

In the states, the battle over gay marriage is far from over. As many as 10 could move to legalize same-sex marriage over the next three years. One may be moving toward a stronger defense of traditional marriage. Here's the state-by-state rundown.
Bee kill-off in parking lot. Pesticide blamed.

Bee kill-off at an Oregon shopping center was caused by a pesticide for aphids. The kill-off involved some 25,000 bumble bees.
Modern Parenthood Father's Day: Children always need you, no matter their age

Time passes quickly when you're a parent, but Father's Day allows a chance to look back at the younger days of children and appreciate where kids are now.
Oregon wildfires controlled, but Colorado wildfires only 45 percent contained

Oregon wildfires have been stemmed by better weather and more fire crews, but the Colorado wildfires are still raging. The Colorado wildfires already have destroyed nearly 500 homes.
Briefing NSA surveillance 101: What US intelligence agencies are doing, what they know

US intelligence agencies are gathering massive amounts of US telephone calling data and social media data on both foreigners and citizens. Here are seven questions and answers about what is known so far.
Top 10 states for clean tech

Clean Edge, a clean-tech research and advisory firm based in San Francisco and Portland, has ranked states for their leadership in clean tech. Here are its Top 10 picks:
Frozen berry mix recalled due to hepatitis A link

A frozen berry mix sold in Costco and Harris Teeter stores has been linked to 34 cases of hepatits A in five states.
Pavlof Volcano ash cloud shows Alaska's threat to air travel (+video)

Ash billowing from Pavlof Volcano is not high enough to affect international air travel, but Pavlof is just one of a string of active Alaska volcanoes that sits beneath the flight corridor between the US and Asia.
Why wind farms kill eagles with federal impunity

Oil companies are prosecuted when a bird drowns in a waste pit. But the Obama administration has never fined or prosecuted a wind-energy company for similar protected bird deaths. An estimated 573,000 birds are killed by US wind farms each year.
Energy Voices Struggling at home, US coal finds markets overseas

Coal companies in the US have been unable to compete with natural gas at home, Alic writes, but overseas this coal market is getting hotter by the minute.
Energy Voices Verizon to invest $100 million in clean energy

Verizon Communications will spend $100 million to green up its facilities with solar panels and fuel cells, Alic writes, putting it in the big leagues with clean energy followers like Google and Yahoo.
DB Cooper parachute packer found murdered (+video)

DB Cooper parachute packer: Earl Cossey packed the parachute for the famous fugitive DB Cooper. Cossey was found dead Friday, and police suspect he was murdered.
Alcoholism disability claim: Can cop win this $6 million lawsuit?

Alcoholism disability claim: An Oregon policeman says he was fired due to alcoholism, which he's claims is illegal under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Online sales tax bill hits a potential firewall

A bill aimed at collecting sales tax for online goods has cleared the Senate. However, the House will prove to be a problem as many see the bill as a tax increase – something many Republicans pledged they would not do.
Rhode Island's marriage equality strategy a 'recipe' for other states?

Rhode Island is days away from becoming the 10th US state to allow same-sex marriage. The combination of coalition building and old-fashioned politics that got it passed is 'a recipe that could definitely be replicated in other states,' says Speaker of the House Gordon Fox, but opponents credit shifting national attitudes.
Tax VOX Will Max Baucus retirement help tax reform? Don't count on it.

Some believe the retirement of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus will increase the likelihood of tax reform, but Gleckman argues his retirement may not result in a tax code rewrite.
How did Denver’s 4/20 marijuana day turn violent?

Three people were injured by gunshots fired at the 4/20 marijuana celebration in Denver Saturday. While there is growing acceptance of marijuana use, the issue remains politically controversial with federal law at odds with the decriminalization trend among some jurisdictions.
Decoder Wire Gun control: Three ways supporters are carrying on the fight

While gun control proponents may have conceded defeat in the Senate, they insist the war isn’t over. President Obama himself said he saw the defeat as just Round 1.
Decoder Wire After Senate defeats, prospects for gun control shift to states

The failure of the Senate to pass even gun control measures that had overwhelming public support signals that the clout of the gun lobby is powerful enough to block reform on Capitol Hill.
Opinion Long live the purity of seeds for broccoli

The majority of the world's seed for broccoli, cauliflower, and similar veggies is produced in Oregon's Willamette Valley. But the seeds can be easily contaminated by pollen from canola, which the state recently allowed in the valley. The legislature must ban the canola.
Will we ever understand 2012 drought? Study blames 'random weather' (+video)

The drought of 2012 was more about unusual weather patterns than global warming, says a study. But its authors acknowledge the record-smashing event likely will be a puzzle for years to come.
After son falls out window, parents become safety advocates

Thomas Cunningham was 3-years-old when he fell from a second-floor window and cracked his skull on the concrete below. The window screen had come out of the sill. Now the parents are spreading awareness during National Window Safety Week.
'Tsunami fish' story: Flooded boat. A 4,500 mile trip.

Five live Japanese beakfish wash up in Washington State after a cross-Pacific ride from Japan in a tsunami-wrecked boat. The Japanese beakfish survived in a flooded bait box.