Morning Digest: The Stories You Should Know About Today

A senior executive at Uber suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media — and specifically to spread details of the personal life of a female journalist who has criticized the company. The executive, Emil Michael, made the comments in a conversation he later said he believed was off the record. In a statement through Uber Monday evening, he said he regretted them and that they didn’t reflect his or the company’s views. Full story

A "horrifying scoop" in Buzzfeed details the lengths that at least one Uber executive, Emil Michael, was willing to go to discredit anyone– particularly a woman– who may try to question how Uber operates. Ruining her life? Manufacturing lies? Going after her family? Apparently it’s all part of what Uber has described as its “political campaign” to build a $30 billion (and counting) tech company. A campaign that David Plouffe was hired to “run,” that’s looking more like a pathetic version of play acting House of Cards than a real campaign run by a real political professional. Because step one of an illegal smear campaign against a woman is: Don’t brag about it to a journalist at a party. Full story

Travis Kalanick, CEO of the hotly covered tech juggernaut Uber — whose relations with the media have been rocky — was in New York City Friday meeting with reporters, the latest episode in an apparent charm offensive. ... The event, the substance of which was off-the-record by agreement, appears to be part of a new approach by the confrontational company, which recently brought on former Obama aide David Plouffe to help shape its image. Full story

At San Francisco International Airport this evening, a large group of Bay Area taxi drivers has decided to make picking passengers up nearly impossible in an effort to protest the airport’s recent decision to allow ride-sharing companies to operate on its premises. But according to reports on Twitter, the protest has not only limited the use of alternative ride-hailing apps at SFO, but it has caused gridlock for anyone trying to get in or out of the airport’s terminals. Full story

The number of San Jose police officers will fall to the lowest in three decades if current trends continue unabated, and even that projection hinges on an optimistic view of the agency's ability to retain officers and recruit new blood, according to a new report. A department report produced for Tuesday's City Council meeting estimates that with current attrition and hiring, the number of sworn staff will drop from the current 1,010 down to 988 by July, which would mark the first time since 1985 that the force steadily fielded fewer than 1,000 officers. That same model projects a sworn staff of 949 by July 2017. Full story

The government has the power to hold drone operators accountable when they operate the remote-control aircraft recklessly, a federal safety board ruled Tuesday in a setback to small drone operators chafing under Federal Aviation Administration restrictions. The FAA had fined Raphael Pirker, an aerial photographer, $10,000 for operating his Ritewing Zephyr in a reckless manner on the University of Virginia campus in 2011. An administrative law judge with the National Transportation Safety Board, which hears appeals of Federal Aviation Administration enforcement actions, sided with Pirker earlier this year, saying the FAA hasn't issued any regulations specifically for drones and therefore can't determine their use. Full story

A series of Pacific storms systems are forecast to impact the region through late week, bringing periods of unsettled weather. The first chance of rain will start this evening and continue into Wednesday. Full story

A rather extraordinary sequence of atmospheric events has unfolded over the Pacific Ocean and across adjacent North America over the past week or so. The current pattern is strongly reminiscent of the extremely high amplitude wave pattern that dominated most of winter 2013-2014 and the latter half of 2012-2013. While the implications are a little different for California ... the “Warm West/Cool East” pattern ... results in unusually dry and warm conditions in California (while bringing impressive cold and snow to areas from the Rocky Mountains eastward). Full story

On Nov. 5, the Oakland City Council unanimously approved changes to the city's agricultural regulations that will facilitate the growing, selling and sharing of food on residential land, removing a costly and extensive permitting process. This is a huge step forward in acknowledging the challenges many Oakland residents face in finding affordable and healthy foods. But it's not enough. Full story

Sixth-ranked Stanford burst into the national conversation Monday night by toppling top-ranked Connecticut with a dramatic overtime victory almost no one saw coming. The Cardinal (2-0) showed poise and perseverance in its 88-86 win that ended the Huskies' 47-game win streak in front of 5,367 bedazzled fans. "People got their money's worth," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. Full story

While most of the country slept, Saint Mary's continued its late-night dominance on the basketball court. The Gaels beat New Mexico State 83-71 in a middle-of-the-night Tuesday matchup that was part of ESPN's annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon. The win in front of a packed student section and 2,225 fans kept Saint Mary's (2-0) undefeated in six late games at McKeon Pavilion since the event began in 2008. Full story