Red Alert: Nuclear Meltdown at Quake-Damaged Japanese Plant  —  A March 12 explosion at the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Japan, appears to have caused a reactor meltdown.  —  The key piece of technology in a nuclear reactor is the control rods.

Murkowski opposes Planned Parenthood, Title X cuts  —  Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has come out in opposition to the House's attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, making her the first Republican senator to specifically support the beleaguered organization.

A European's Warning to America  —  The perils of following us toward greater regulation, higher taxes and centralized power.  —  On a U.S. talk-radio show recently, I was asked what I thought about the notion that Barack Obama had been born in Kenya.  “Pah!”  I replied.

POLITICIANS CAUGHT ACCIDENTALLY TELLING THE TRUTH.... Incidents surrounding live mics are some of my favorites — unexpected candor can be revealing.  —  Take this gem out of Iowa, for example.  (thanks to Blue Girl for the tip) … The conversation was between some of the top leaders of the Iowa State House.

Does climate change mean more tsunamis?  —  Update: The intent of this piece isn't to attribute today's tragedy to climate change.  Apologies to those whom I misled with the headline.  It was meant literally, as in: Tsunamis are inundations of shorelines and therefore have impacts …

BREAKING: Alaska Militia Members Arrested for Plot to Kidnap or Kill Police  —  Francis “Schaeffer” Cox Photo from Anchorage Press  —  Five members and associates of a Fairbanks, Alaska, right-wing militia group were arrested yesterday for allegedly plotting to kidnap or kill Alaska State Troopers and a Fairbanks judge.

Obama promises to continue fight for women's equality  —  Two days after Senate Democrats demanded that President Obama take a more public stance in the budget fight, Obama devoted his weekly address to honoring Women's History Month.  —  While Democrats want the president to plunge …

Crowley deleted tweet comparing Middle East ‘tsunami’ to Japan crisis  —  State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley is already the subject of one controversy today due to remarks he made about the treatment of alleged WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning.  But Crowley is also in trouble due …

Gen. Wesley Clark says Libya doesn't meet the test for U.S. military action  —  In March of 1974, when I was a young Army captain, I was sitting in a conference on civil-military relations at Brown University.  Rep. Les Aspin (D-Wis.) was onstage expounding on the lessons from Vietnam about military interventions.

Putin Throws Curveball to Biden With Suggestion on Visas  —  MOSCOW — When Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. sat down for his meeting with Vladimir V. Putin this week, the Russian prime minister opened with a curveball.  —  After noting joint projects on the table …

Chris Matthews Sees Japan Earthquake an ‘Opportunity’ for Obama to Remind People He Was Born in Hawaii  —  Hundreds if not thousands of people are dead due to a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan.  But at least it gave Barack Obama an avenue to remind everyone he was born in Hawaii.

NFL players decertify their union  —  After two weeks of mediation with the league, the players decertify their union and become a trade association, which means the league probably won't be able to stage a lockout.  —  New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees arrives for negotiations …

Same-Sex Marriage Bill Falls Short in Maryland  —  ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Lawmakers in Maryland on Friday failed to gather enough votes to pass a bill that would have allowed same-sex couples to marry, withdrawing it from consideration after hours of emotional debate and effectively killing the bill's chances for passage this year.

Rep. Giffords Talking in Full Sentences  —  Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is talking in full sentences, doctors say, and has been told about the Tucson, Ariz., shooting that killed six people and injured 12 others.