“The sky is burnin’” – Burnin’ Sky by Bad Company, 1977 Humans have looked for omens since the days when they wore loin cloths and watched shadows dance on cave walls from a crudely constructed fire. Ancient peoples believed celestial events like an eclipse, a full moon or even a violent storm augur signs of a looming disaster. But let’s face it. Contemporary humans really aren’t that much...

President Donald Trump on Sunday placed the blame squarely on Democrats for the government shutdown, which is expected to trigger sweeping layoffs across the federal workforce. Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One that the looming layoffs are “up to them,” referring to Democrats who voted against a bill to fund the government and avert the shutdown. The federal government shut down at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday,...