Tornado Toll, Apple Tax, Hang ‘Em High

National: Twenty school children are among the 91 people dead after a mile-wide tornado tore through Moore, Okla. and parts of Oklahoma City. Two schools were destroyed as well as blocks of homes and businesses. Rescue and recovery teams are hampered by wreckage and debris in the streets. The tornado touched down close to 3 PM Central time Monday and churned along the ground for 20 miles.  

Forbidden Fruit: Apple Computer has avoided billions of dollars in taxes through a worldwide web of subsidiaries, according to a Congressional report. Apple passed money through stateless international entities that had no employees and were not liable for taxes, the report says. Between 2009 and 2012 Apple was able to keep $74 billion out of the reach of the IRS. Apple did pay $6 billion in US taxes last year. Congress will call Apple CEO Tim Cook to the carpet.

L.A.: A nasty campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles ends today as voters decide between City Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greul. The two are virtually indistinguishable in the non-partisan election. Garcetti would be the city’s first Jewish mayor, Greul the first woman.

World: Saudi Arabia executed five Yemenis found guilty of robbery and murder. Their bodies were left hanging in public in the town of Jizan near the border with Yemen. Traditionally Saudi Arabia has executed by beheading, but has resorted to alternate methods because of a shortage of skilled swordsmen.

  • Guatemala’s highest court has thrown out the genocide conviction against former dictator Efrain Rios Montt. In a strange decision, the court didn’t throw out the whole trial, but re-set it to a point a couple of days before it ended. Montt is accused of commanding the murder and rape of thousands of civilians during the country’s 36-year civil war. The 86-year -old Montt had been sentenced to 80 years in prison.
  • North Korea launched short-range missiles for the third day in a row. North Korea says the launches are just part of military drills.

The Obit Page: Ray Manzarek, keyboardist for the 60s band The Doors, died of cancer in Germany Monday at age 74. The Doors’ front man Jim Morrison died of a drug overdose in 1971, but Manzarek worked to keep the fire lit for the band that ultimately sold 100 million albums. Television impresario Ed Sullivan famously asked the band not to sing their lyric, “Girl we couldn’t get much higher” on his show. After promising to change it they went out and sang it anyway.

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It's Been Said

"Christians, get out and vote, just this time. You won't have to do it anymore. Four more years, you know what, it will be fixed, it will be fine, you won't have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians. I love you Christians. I'm a Christian. I love you, get out, you gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don't have to vote again, we'll have it fixed so good you're not going to have to vote."

  • Donald Trump courting the vote of the Christian right

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