Vladimir Putin promises he does not want a war with his restive neighbor, Ukraine, outside of a "last resort." He only wants to answer Crimea's cries for help—by flooding the the Russian-favoring peninsula with thousands of Russian troops and making it a part of Russia once more. The region and its occupier have been getting increasingly cozy ahead of a referendum on reunion that President Obama has accused of defying international law.

Egypt's military leader is plotting a run for the strife-torn country's presidency. He's probably going to win, after building up an intense cult of personality (his face is used to sell crap like chocolates and underwear) in the months of political chaos that followed Hosni Mubarak's ouster and a political coup against the Muslim Brotherhood.

China's gone to war with its own vice districts, and ground zero for that sin fight is Dongguan, a city as populous as New York City. Five-star hotels and the owners of luxury apartment buildings are going broke without boffo income from prostitution and massage parlors.

Everyone thought Kim Jong Un had the top deputy who replaced his executed uncle executed after he vanished for a spell. But he's back again. And probably no worse for the wear.

Two nurses in Michigan will watch their lawyer give closing arguments in federal court today—hoping a judge will strike down a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage approved in 2004, same as Oregon's.

Paul Ryan (R-Objectivism) told conservative hacks a maudlin story about a poor boy in Wisconsin who refused a state lunch for one served in a brown paper bag. It was meant to scold the left about the symbolism of self-determinism. But in reality, it was a goddamned lie.

The US economy added more jobs than expected, 175,000, in February. But actual labor participation rates have not changed and remain at a low point not seen in 40 years.

The fellow ID'd as Bitcoin's inventor, in a long profile by Newsweek now says he's totally not the guy who invented Bitcoin and only wanted a free lunch from a reporter. Newsweek still says he totally is.

The last abortion clinic in southern Texas, one of the poorest swaths of that giant state, is closing.

The Massachusetts legislature took the hint when, the other day, the state's high court said upskirt photography is technically legal under currently worded statutes. Yesterday, lawmakers got to work on changing the statutes.

Portland's park rangers can all join the same union, since they all do the same job—all but ending a months-long legal battle with the city over bargaining rights.

And in case you missed it, Dirk VanderHart posted well-thunk and fully contextualized writeup this morning on a new report from the City Club of Portland. Don't vote for a proposed new public water and sewer district, it says.

THANKS, DAN! (hat tip to Chris O'Connor...)