The Short List: Nightmare in San Bernardino; Yellen hints at a rate hike; Rio's dirty waters
The USA just had another mass killing. Is this the new normal?
Since 2006, there have been more than 200 mass killings in the United States. They happen approximately every two weeks. After each incident, there's outrage. Prayers. Arguments over what makes a lunatic. Debate over rhetoric. The ritual reciting of political talking points. And then the cycle begins again. We saw it again Wednesday after yet another mass shooting. This time, in San Bernardino, Calif. Afterward, President Obama said: "We have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world." What we know about San Bernardino so far: Location. Gunmen burst into a conference room at a social services center, began shooting and then fled quickly. A county group was renting the room. Victims. More than a dozen people are dead. More than a dozen others have been injured. Motive. We don't know yet. We do know the suspects were prepared, and they were equipped to get away. Suspects. There were reports of as many as three shooters. They had rifles and were wearing ski masks and military-style vests. Police reported Wednesday evening that at least one suspect was "down" but declined to give more information.
Paste BN's Jefferson Graham got audio reactions from the shooting scene today.
Tests show Rio's Olympic waterways are still filthy — and dangerous
Yuck. We knew the Olympic waters in Rio — host city of the 2016 Summer Games — were dirty and posed a threat to the athletes' health, but it's even worse than we thought. Results from additional tests show Rio's waterways have high viral and, in some cases, bacterial counts not only along shorelines where raw sewage runs into water bodies, but also far offshore where athletes will compete in sailing, rowing and canoeing. Since the Associated Press first reported on the dirty waters, Olympic officials and the World Health Organization have changed their minds repeatedly about what to do, making a long list of promises and retractions.
Interest rates may go up for the first time in 10 years
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen signaled Wednesday that the Fed is all but certain to raise interest rates this month. Happy holidays. The Fed's benchmark rate has been near zero since the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Yellen says the economy is doing well, and she thinks the labor market is going to keep doing better. Fed policymakers, however, are divided over the timing of the hike. Some argue the Fed should hold off because a premature move could derail the recovery and expose the economy to unexpected shocks. Yellen basically said, "I hear you," but if we wait too long, it could eventually require abrupt rate hikes that raise the risk of recession. Financial markets are now giving 75% odds of a rate increase.
These are the songs you can't get out of your head
At least when you were posting on Instagram. New year-end data from Instagram identifies the 10 buzzworthy songs on the photo-sharing app in 2015, ranking Billboard's top charting songs by their mentions in captions or comments. Highlights: Hello. Obviously. Multiple Taylor Swift tunes. And Justin Bieber capturing the No. 1 spot for his (controversial) comeback single, What Do You Mean.
Christmas lights could be killing your Wi-Fi
If you've noticed some weakness in the strength of your Wi-Fi signal, a U.K. agency suggests it might be linked to your holiday lights. The reason? The lights can cause electrical interference that interrupts Wi-Fi signal strength. But before you rush to unplug your tree or outdoor lights, keep in mind electrical interference can come from multiple sources including lamps, microwaves, a cordless phone (if, you know, you have one of those hanging around.) Not to mention there are other bigger issues affecting Wi-Fi signal, including where your router lives in your home.
If you only read one thing tonight: Russia's deputy defense minister made the explosive claim Wednesday that the Turkish president and his family are directly involved in buying oil from the Islamic State. Here's the full story.
Stories you're clicking on:
Sandra Bullock adopts second child
France shuts down three mosques in state of emergency crackdown
Senate poised to repeal major portions of Obamacare
Cabela's weighs deal amid slumping sales
Mom, son found dead after inheriting $480K gold bar
Extra bites:
Are there stingrays in the North Pole? Brrrr. Swipe through more images from around the world in the Day in Pictures gallery.
Have you seen it? Prince Harry shared some his own moving pictures and videos from his summer in Africa, where he's been working to end the poaching of rhinos.
Ever since Marty McFly zipped around on one in Back to the Future Part II, people have looked forward to the day they could own a hoverboard. Thinking about one for a holiday gift? Know this.
This woman's heartwarming Facebook post about the story behind this cake from Meijer has gone viral, and has been shared almost 90,000 times on Facebook.
Want The Short List newsletter in your inbox every night? Sign up here.
This is a compilation of stories from across Paste BN.
Contributing: Martin Rogers, Doug Stanglin, Paul Davidson, Brett Molina, Maeve McDermott, Paste BN; the Associated Press