Net neutrality

Washington state moved to protect net neutrality as DC aims to get rid of it. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, signed a law that safeguards net neutrality protections. It bars internet service providers in Washington from blocking content, applications or services on the basis of content or whether they got paid to favor certain traffic. The federal Obama-era rules on net neutrality were repealed by the FCC and will officially end on April 23, though more than 20 states have filed suit to stop that.

Still on Syria Matters

Russia's offering Syrian rebels and their families safe passage out of Eastern Ghouta, even as the Syrian government continues to pummel the area with shelling. Russia -- the Syrian government's most powerful ally -- has accused the rebels of preventing civilians from leaving the besieged Damascus suburb. A 46-truck aid convoy entered Eastern Ghouta yesterday for the first time with much needed food and medicine. Almost 600 people have been killed since Syria last month launched an air and ground offensive on the rebel-held area.

Teacher strikes

West Virginia's teacher strike hits its ninth day today, after lawmakers failed to agree on a proposed pay raise for educators. Teachers say they won't go back to work until they get a 5% raise. GOP Gov. Jim Justice gave his blessing to that, and the state House OK'd it, but the state Senate only passed a 4% raise, thus the impasse. A legislative conference committee will meet today to try to iron out the differences between the House and Senate bills.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma, teachers are also thinking about going on strike, after state lawmakers shot down a bill that would have given them a $5,000 raise. Oklahoma ranks 49th in teacher salaries, and educators say a pay increase is needed to keep teachers from fleeing to other higher-paying states.
 

North and South Korea

South Korea wants to continue talks with North Korea while at the same time bolstering its military defenses. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said this while a high-level delegation from the South was in Pyongyang talking with the North, including a historic four-hour meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim told the delegation that he wants to "write a new history of national reunification." Despite the good vibes, many observers don't think any of this will lead to a breakthrough but instead is just two sides trying to play the best hands they've been dealt amid talk of military action by Washington.

Sam Nunberg

Insane. Jaw-dropping. Mystifying. Just a few of the adjectives people used to try to describe what former Trump campaign aide Sam Nunberg did yesterday. Nunberg is refusing to comply with a grand jury subpoena in the Russia investigation. "Screw that," he told CNN's Gloria Borger. So, while he doesn't want to talk with investigators, he had no problems talking with journalists.

If a TV was on Monday afternoon, Nunberg was on it, appearing on news shows daring special counsel Robert Mueller to arrest him. He also said he believes Mueller has "something" on Trump. White House staffers, who try their best to tune out the Russia probe, were reportedly transfixed by Nunberg's performance. Press secretary Sarah Sanders said he was misguided. CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin reminded everyone that a subpoena is a not a birthday party invitation and can't be ignored.

So, why is Nunberg doing this? CNN's Chris Cillizza theorizes that he likes the attention but doesn't understand the damage he's doing to himself. And if you want to watch Erin Burnett's bonkers interview with Nunberg -- in which she tells him straight-up she smells alcohol on his breath

ESPN's new prez!

Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, is the new president of ESPN, effective immediately. He was Burbank-based in his last job, but he'll be in Bristol in the coming days. Recode's Peter Kafka had the jump on the news... After he called for comment, Disney confirmed the hire in a Mondayafternoon statement...

The Full Nunberg

Sam Nunberg likes to talk with reporters. Talk and talk and talk. "Sam is a character. He's always been a character inside Trumpworld," Katy Tur said on MSNBCMonday night. Tur said the same thing Ryan Lizza said on CNN: Nunberg is helpful to reporters, but "he is not someone you would trust without confirming, let's just say."

Nunberg was interviewed by Robert Mueller's office late last month. Then he went on Ari Melber's MSNBC show and said he was "happy to cooperate with them."

That interview was on February 28. At some point afterward, Mueller's office sent Nunberg a subpoena. Nunberg or someone close to him leaked the subpoena over the weekend. Axios and NBC published stories about it. Tur said she spoke with Nunberg about the subpoena on Sunday night, "and he said he was going to comply with it. He never gave any indication that he would not comply with it. I was talking to him at about 10:30, 11 o'clock last night."

Then something happened. "Starting Monday morning," Nunberg told friends that he was going to refuse to cooperate, The Daily Beast reported. Some of those friends "worried Nunberg had been drinking."

The interview circuit

Nunberg spoke with the WashPost's Josh Dawsey, the NYT's Maggie Haberman and others. His first TV interview was with Tur around 2:45pm. He called in to Tur's show... then taped an interview with CNN's Gloria Borger... then Jake Tapper... then NY1's Josh Robin... and I'm sorry if I missed other interviews. He went on camera with Melber at 6pm and Erin Burnett at 7pm. By the end of the Burnett interview, camera crews were camped outside CNN's NYC bureau. At the moment, more interviews are possible on Tuesday morning... I called Nunberg to find out, but his voice mailbox is full...

Where things stand now

In the 7pm hour, he suggested to Burnett that he'd be willing to cooperate. In the 8pm hour, off-camera, Nunberg told Tur and the AP's Jill Colvin and The Atlantic's McKay Coppins that he'll probably eventually cooperate with Mueller. "He just doesn't want to make it easy," Tur tweeted...

Have you EVER seen anything like this? A witness handing his subpoena to a news anchor on live TV? "Sam Nunberg seemed to be imploding before everyone's eyes," Hadas Gold writes in this CNNMoney story. She points out that Nunberg even asked anchors for legal advice...  --> Per Jill Colvin's Monday night story, "Nunberg appeared pleased by his performance, telling the AP that he was 'doing something I've never seen...'" "Nunberg TV is guaranteed to do two things" NYT's Maggie Haberman tweeted: "Nunberg TV is guaranteed to do two things -- aggravate Mueller and infuriate Trump." The meltdown Now an ethical debate is raging in journalism circles. If your source seems drunk or drugged or just plain out of his mind, what is your responsibility? Several of the interviewers expressed concern about Nunberg's personal welfare on Monday... asking if he wanted to reconsider his position... asking if he'd consulted his lawyer... asking about his family... and, in Burnett's case, even asking if he was under the influence. She said at the end of the interview that she smelled alcohol on his breath. But he denied drinking and said "anti-depressants" were the only meds he was on. What do you think? Where's the line in a breaking news situation like this? Here are a few of the reactions I've spotted on social media: Rick Wilson: "Nunberg is building an insanity defense." Jody Avirgan: "I think the networks should stop putting Sam Nunberg on television." Tom Nichols: "He's being subpoenaed by a grand jury looking into the president, shows up at their doorstep, and wants to talk. What are they supposed to say? No?" Kai Ryssdal: "Cable news is debasing itself today." Paul Farhi: "Unless they had clear indications that the dude was impaired somehow, a live interview is kosher. It's not like he didn’t agree to be interviewed. He did. So bring on the questions." Meanwhile, over on Fox... Fox's newscasts covered the Nunberg news, but the pro-Trump talk shows in prime time focused on the Oscars instead. Mark Steyn, filling in for Tucker Carlson at 8pm, led with Oscars outrage (of course) and celebrated the award show's ratings decline. Later in the hour, he downplayed Nunberg's claims by saying "nobody's heard of this Mr. Nunberg." (False.) At 9, Sean Hannity began and ended his show with "HOLLYWOOD HYPOCRISY." Lots of Clinton talk, etc. And Laura Ingraham's lead at 10? "America's resistance media has lost all touch with reality..."  --> Flashback to Sunday's "Reliable Sources:" The "more Mueller discovers, the more Trump's TV boosters have to deny/deny/deny. The worse things look for Trump's inner circle, the worse the deflections get..". THE BOTTOM LINE: Nunberg is stalling CNN's Chris Cuomo tweeted just now: "Saying you won’t comply with a subpoena is foolish but easy. Actually facing the music is hard. This Nunberg will comply..." Bob Mueller is "gearing up" I wonder if President Trump was watching "The Story" at 7pm? If so, he heard Martha MacCallum ask Andrew Napolitano what these developments meant for the Mueller probe. The judge's answer: "It is not going to be over soon. Bob Mueller is not only NOT winding down, he's gearing up. And I think more indictments should be expected." Trump is holding a joint presser on Tuesday President Trump will hold a joint news conference with the Swedish prime minister at 3:30pm ET Tuesday... Late night comics are laughing Colbert to Nunberg on Monday's "Late Show:" "You know Mueller CAN arrest you, right?" This is "like saying EAT ME to Hannibal Lecter. Doesn't work out well."

Twenty-Five Million Years and Counting

Meet Peter, a giant anteater at the Santa Ana Zoo. Reaching up to 7 feet in length, these guys are the largest of the four anteater species. Without teeth, anteaters use their long tongues to catch and consume their prey. Sadly, overhunting and habitat loss have left the species vulnerable.

Inside Sweden’s Gigantic Solar Egg

Moving homes can be a tough adjustment, but moving an entire town? In Kiruna, Sweden, an entire community is being forced to move due to ground complications caused by a nearby ore mine. During this chaotic time, residents are being brought together by the Solar Egg, a cozy sauna created to serve as a think tank. 

At 74, She Is the Oldest Practitioner of an Indian Martial Art

At the age of 74, Meena Raghavan is the oldest known practitioner of Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art from southern India. Since she was 7 years old, Raghavan has trained with the best of them. While most girls weren't allowed to practice past the age of 14, Raghavan continued on and has become an expert.