Good morning! Today is the 244th anniversary of the Boston Massacre. Winston Churchill also delivered his “Iron Curtain” speech on this date in 1946.
In newer news, here are our Morning Reads….
Ukraine –> Top diplomats from Russia and the West are gathering in Paris to try to resolve the crisis as international observers head to Crimea and the EU puts together an aid package for Ukraine. Lori Hinnat with the latest for AP, via TPM. ALSO: Hillary Clinton proves Godwin’s Law by comparing the current situation to Hitler’s aggression in the 1930s. ALSO TOO: The New Republic’s Julia Ioffe writes that Putin rambled semi-coherently during an hour-long press conference yesterday. AND: Ioffe’s colleague, Isaac Chotiner, looks at some conservatives who have developed a bizarre crush on the Russian leader.
Must-read –> A summary doesn’t do justice to this McClatchy report about CIA staffers facing potential criminal charges for monitoring computers used by congressional staffers preparing a report about CIA torture. Jonathan Landay, Ali Watkins and Marisa Taylor tell quite a tale.
Oops –> Rob Garver reports for the Fiscal Times that some of the researchers cited in Paul Ryan’s poverty report are crying foul, claiming that he mischaracterized their findings. ALSO: Paul Krugman on “the real poverty trap.”
Sludgeocracy –> North Carolina cited five more Duke Energy power plants in that massive coal ash spill. AP, via The Guardian.
Strange bedfellows –> Rand Paul and Attorney General Eric Holder are joining forces to push sentencing reform for nonviolent drug offenders. Steve Hsieh reports for The Nation.
Deep in the heart… –> For the most part, very conservative Texas candidates beat back very, very conservative challengers in the Lone Star state’s primaries yesterday, reports Manny Fernandez for The New York Times. ALSO: George P. Bush — whom Salon’s Alex Pareene called “the GOP’s secret idiot” — won the nomination for Texas Land Commissioner.
Underfunded effort –> At AlterNet, Steve Rosenfeld reports that a referendum that would hike California’s minimum wage to $12 per hour is hugely popular but may not get on the ballot because organizers are running out of cash.
Profiting from the criminalization of poverty –> At The Guardian, Lauren Gambino looks at the booming for-profit probation scam industry.
In New Zealand, sex workers are human beings deserving of rights –> So concluded a tribunal in a landmark ruling, reports Michelle Chen for In These Times.
OK, now it’s getting serious –> Chipotle warned that it may stop offering guacamole if climate change worsens. Emily Atkins reports for ThinkProgress.
Better late than never –> The New York Times corrected a 161-year-old spelling error brought to light by Twitter and the popularity of “12 Years a Slave.” Katie Long with the details at Slate.
Life ain’t easy for a boy named Sue –> An Arkansas GOP candidate for Congress has legally changed his name from Conald “Connie” Reynolds to “Colonel Conrad Reynolds” because the latter sounds more manly, according to TPM’s Dylan Scott.
And finally, don’t miss The Daily Show’s report on seafood — the “Mercedes of food” — and why it is an inappropriate food source for America’s food stamp recipients.
