Syria: President Obama yesterday asked Congress to delay voting on authorization to attack while the administration evaluates a Russian proposal for Syrian chemical weapons to be turned over to international control. Urging caution in a live speech to the nation last night, Obama said, “It’s too early to tell whether this offer will succeed.”

  Syria’s foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said his country will give up the chemical weapons it denied having until yesterday. He also said his government will join the international chemical weapons ban treaty.

Despite backing off immediate action, in his speech last night Obama said the world could not tolerate the use of chemical weapons and needs to be ready to use force. “When, with modest effort and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to death, and thereby make our own children safer over the long run, I believe we should act.”

The 1%: The rich are even richer according to an analysis of 2012 tax returns. The top 1% of earners brought home 19.3% of all household income, a mark not set since 1927. According to the study from UC Berkeley, between 2011 and 2012 incomes among the 1% grew by 31.4% while income for everyone else rose just .4%. Part of the haul for the wealthy was capital gains taken in advance of higher tax rates.

Gun Beat: Two Colorado state senators who supported stiff gun laws were recalled in a special election yesterday and replaced with Republicans. Sen. John Morse said, “If it cost me my political career, that’s a small price to pay.”

Call Me: Apple yesterday introduced a new cheaper iPhone, the 5C, which stands for “color”, not “cheap”. It comes in 5 bright colors and will sell for $100 with a carrier contract. Apple is looking for market share in developing countries and fighting off the popular Android devices at home, which have 79% of the market. On the high end, the new iPhone 5S has an aluminum body with a speedier processor and fingerprint identity sensor.

Seasick: Oracle Team USA postponed the second race yesterday after losing its 4^th America’s Cup race in San Francisco. Oracle is now 1-6 against New Zealand, including a two-race penalty.

NuYawk: The city’s tabloid politician Anthony Weiner finished last out of 5 Democrats in yesterday’s New York mayoral primary. It’s not certain whether public advocate Bill de Blasio won the 40% necessary to avoid a runoff. Wiener’s fellow scandal-pol Elliott Spitzer, who resigned as governor in a prostitution investigation, lost the race for NY comptroller. Wiener and Spitzer were so much fun to write about.

-30-