Putin's Ukraine Gambit  —  Henry Kissinger once pointed out that since Peter the Great, Russia had been expanding at the rate of one Belgium per year.  All undone, of course, by the collapse of the Soviet Union, which Russian president Vladimir Putin called “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the [20th] century.”

An Unhappy 5th Birthday For The Tea Party … Five years after the Republican Party birthed the tea party movement, mother and child have never been more at odds.  —  The tension between “establishment” Republicans and tea party activists was on full display today at a 5th Anniversary event in Washington.

O'Reilly To Valerie Jarrett: Get ‘Gangsta Rappers’ To ‘Knock It Off’ (VIDEO)  —  Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Thursday advised Obama confidante Valerie Jarrett to get “gangsta rappers” like Jay Z and Kanye West to say their behavior is wrong if the White House really wants to improve minority communities.

Dem senators push IRS to cap political activity  —  A group of Democratic senators urged the Obama administration on Thursday to cap the amount of political activity that tax-exempt 501(c)(4) groups can engage in at 5 to 15 percent.  —  The 15 senators, in public comments on a proposed regulation change …

GOP blocks veterans bill  —  Senate Republicans stopped Democrats from advancing a bill that would have expanded healthcare and education programs for veterans.  —  In a 56-41 vote Thursday, the motion to waive a budget point of order against the bill failed, as Democrats fell short …

COURT: SCHOOL CAN BAN US FLAG SHIRTS FOR SAFETY  —  You are here  —  Home » General news » Court: School can ban US flag shirts for safety  —  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Officials at a Northern California high school acted appropriately when they ordered students wearing American flag T-shirts …

Now on your restaurant bill: Obamacare fee  —  Several restaurants in a Florida chain are asking customers to help foot the bill for Obamacare.  —  Diners at eight Gator's Dockside casual eateries are finding a 1% Affordable Care Act surcharge on their tabs, which comes to 15 cents on a typical $15 lunch tab.

Federal Budget Deficit Falls to Smallest Level Since 2008  —  The Treasury Department reported Thursday that the federal government's deficit was $680 billion in the last fiscal year, $409 billion less than in 2012, largely because of increased revenue.  —  WASHINGTON — Closing the books …

Obama unveils 'My Brother's Keeper,' opens up about his dad, drugs and race  —  (CNN) - The President has a message for young minority men who grew up like he did.  —  “No excuses.  Government, and private sector, and philanthropy, and all the faith communities, we all have a responsibility to help provide you the tools you need.

Outrage Over Sexist Remarks Turns Into a Political Fund-Raising Tool  —  In the past few months, Republicans have called Wendy Davis, a Democratic candidate for Texas governor, “Abortion Barbie,” likened Alison Lundergan Grimes, a Senate candidate from Kentucky, to an “empty dress,” …

Where Time Comes From  —  The time that ends up on your smartphone—and that synchronizes GPS, military operations, financial transactions, and internet communications—originates in a set of atomic clocks on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory.  Dr. Demetrios Matsakis, Chief Scientist for USNO's Time Services, gives a tour.

America plays its role in a changing world right  —  As America navigates a changing world, the people who seem to be having the greatest difficulty with the adjustment are the country's pundits.  Over the past few weeks, a new conventional wisdom has congealed on the op-ed pages …

Fundraiser with Chris Christie, Mitt Romney, Charlie Baker hits snag, changes venues  —  Thursday night's Republican Governors Association fundraiser featuring New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the party's 2012 presidential nominee …

The GOP Already Has a 2016 Front-Runner... for Vice President  —  As defense and foreign policy return to the fore and with a Hillary candidacy looming, the first term New Hampshire senator is looking more and more like the GOP's best veep choice to sure up the ticket in 2016.

Business and the Minimum Wage  —  Much of the discussion about the Democratic proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2016 has rightly focused on the workers who will clearly benefit from the move.  But what about businesses?  How would higher wages affect them?

Walt Disney World Postpones Local Support for Boy Scouts of America  —  Scouts for Equality, the national campaign to end discrimination within the Boy Scouts of America, praised Walt Disney World's decision to end its local support of the Boy Scouts of America's Central Florida Council.