The El Dorado fire in California that has burned more than 7,000 acres (2,800 hectares) was caused by a firework set off at a “gender-reveal party”, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has found.

The human species has done some incredibly smart things. We've revealed gravitational waves. We've discovered 118 chemical elements. We have taken beautiful photos of Jupiter. But humans can also be stupid.

The Guardian recently published an amazingly deceitful hit piece on skeptics of the establishment Syria narrative who point to the piles of evidence that the so-called White Helmets are nothing other than a western-backed propaganda firm for the destabilization efforts in Syria. By Caitlin Johnstone.

The overture follows an intense and secretive lobbying push involving Michael Flynn, Tom Barrack, Rick Gates and even Iran-Contra figure Robert McFarlane. By Isaac Arnsdorf.

To those worried that the Trump Era represents a unique low point in human rationality, take comfort: we’ve always been like this. By Brianna Rennix and Nathan J. Robinson.

Donald Trump’s secretary of energy, Rick Perry, once campaigned to abolish the $30 billion agency that he now runs, which oversees everything from our nuclear arsenal to the electrical grid. The department’s budget is now on the chopping block. But does anyone in the White House really understand what the Department of Energy actually does? And what a horrible risk it would be to ignore its extraordinary, life-or-death responsibilities? By Michael Lewis.

A New Zealand tourist has been killed by the blast from a jetliner taking off at a seaside airport in the Dutch Caribbean territory of Sint Maarten, officials say.

CNN has obtained forty-two minutes of audio against evolution by Dr. Mark Green, the Republican state senator in Tennessee who is President Donald Trump’s second nominee to serve as Secretary of the Army. By Bob Brigham.

We underestimate the stupid, and we do so at our own peril. By Corinne Purtill.

How many are representing you? By Sarah Emerson.

Racist snowflakes are triggered by this new gold coin they’ll never see in real life. By Robyn Pennacchia.

Matt Taibbi reviews new book, 'Thank You for Being Late,' in which Thomas Friedman makes a short story long.

‘New York Times’ Thomas Friedman graphed history in his new book, ‘Thank You For Being Late’ – outdo him and win a free T-shirt! By Matt Taibbi.

A new doctrinal rule requires Roman Catholics to store cremains at cemeteries. By Erin Blakemore.

The World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland just wrapped up its annual gathering. It isn’t hard to make fun of this yearly coming together of the global economic and cultural elites who rule the world, or at least think they do.

Residents say Walmart closings have left their small communities "broken."

Track Palin was arrested hours before his mother formally endorsed Donald Trump for president.

Not rational

Jennifer Scharf, who has been offering the weekly yoga class at the University of Ottawa campus for seven years, said she was notified in September that the program was being ended.

A first-grader is serving a three day suspension for pretending to shoot another student with an "imaginary" bow and arrow.