So I’m officially the author of a book with my name on it. Don’t feel much different so far.

Here are some midday news/views treats:

* Cease-fire announced in Ukraine. We’ll see if it sticks.

* Deus ex machina: Greg Sargent notes Texas judge could give Republicans temporary way out of their DHS funding trap by putting hold on Obama’s executive actions on immigration.

* At the Prospect, Paul Waldman not real impressed with the War Authorization “farce.”

* Scott Walker hardly the only GOP governor hammering public higher education: it’s under major attack in North Carolina.

* Peter Beinart argues that Jeb Bush’s “epic fundraising ability” is the only thing that separates him from George Pataki.

And in non-political news:

* Harrowing tale of consequences of dumb, offensive joke on Twitter that provoked global shaming.

As we break for lunch, here, by request, is Ellen McIlwaine covering Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.”

YouTube video

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Ed Kilgore is a political columnist for New York and managing editor at the Democratic Strategist website. He was a contributing writer at the Washington Monthly from January 2012 until November 2015, and was the principal contributor to the Political Animal blog.