NEWS YOU CAN USE: The Hordes of Microbes Inside Your Body Are Your Friends. Which is a good thing, because they’ve got you outnumbered.

GANGSTER GOVERNMENT: President’s pick for French ambassador folded over ties to poker ring: sources. “The Manhattan billionaire President Obama wanted to appoint ambassador to France turned down the prestigious position over ties to an alleged Russian mob-run poker ring that was laundered through a Carlyle hotel art gallery, sources told The Post. Marc Lasry, who runs the $12 billion investment firm Avenue Capital in Midtown, withdrew on Tuesday because of his close friendship with Illya Trincher, 27, who was busted last week with 30 others, including Trincher’s pro-poker-playing father, Vadim, and brother Eugene.”

AT AMAZON, Warehouse Deals in Video Games.

EACH NEW DESIGN SEEMS UGLIER THAN THE LAST: Benjamin Franklin gets a face lift: New $100 bill coming this fall.

ECONOMY: Prom dress prices giving families taffeta shock. “Overall spending on U.S. prom events is forecast to rise to an average of $1,139 per family in 2013, up 5 percent over last year – and higher than the 1.5 percent rate of inflation in the United States – according to Visa Inc’s third annual survey of prom spending.”

INSTAVISION, WITH MICHAEL BARONE: Why Obama and the Democrats Could Not Beat the NRA. Also, looking ahead to the 2014 elections, and the breakdown of assimilation as a cause of immigration-skepticism. (Bumped).

TRAIN WRECK: Obamacare Has Democrats Nervous about Their Political Future.

TO THE MOON: Bigelow Aerospace and NASA look at private exploration.

NEWS YOU CAN USE: How To Tell If Masturbation Is Ruining Your Life.

THE SOLUTION TO EVERY DISASTER IS TO GIVE BUREAUCRATS WHAT THEY ALREADY WANT: Saying Privacy Is ‘Off the Table,’ NYC Police Commissioner Demands More Surveillance Cameras.

NASA ACCUSED OF MARTIAN GRAFFITI: I think it’s an endorsement of Anthony Weiner’s candidacy.

EZRA KLEIN: The Democrats Have Lost On Sequestration.

WHERE PEOPLE STAND when they ride elevators. It’s a pattern, supposedly.

ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: Is Chocolate Good For You? Or Bad?

BLOGGINGHEADS TV: Kevin Glass and David Freddoso on why the MSM needs more conservatives.

SO IF YOU SMELL ANYTHING ACRID OR IRRITATING — WELL, NO, THAT’S PROBABLY JUST THE USUAL SUBWAY-SMELL. The NYPD Is Planning a Simulated Chemical Attack For New York Subways.

LIKING THE NEW Volkswagen GTI. Plus, a short history of the Subaru WRX. You can spend a lot of money and wind up with something slower. And less fun.

READER BOOK PLUG: His Brother’s Wife. “My mom walked away from a Master’s Degree and a professional career in the late 60’s to raise 5 kids. Now that all 5 are well out of the house she is starting to find some success as an author. Her latest book is out at Amazon now. Any chance she can get a famed ‘Insta-plug’ for it? It would make her year.” Done!

IT’S THE SEXY SWEET NOTHINGS FROM SIRI THAT I FIND DISTURBING: What Your iPhone is Trying to Tell You.

“SMART DIPLOMACY:” State Dept Changes View On Syria In 24 Hrs, Can’t Explain Why.

7 HEALTH PROBLEMS eased by exercise.

OUT: EARMARKS. In: Darkmarks.

VIRGINIA POSTREL: Dove’s Fake New ‘Real Beauty’ Ads. “When you set out to portray beauty, rather than, say, kindness or intelligence, you wind up showing people who are better looking than average. And when you’re from the affluent creative class, your idea of beauty is even narrower.”

BUDGET BLACKMAIL FAIL: The Hill: House passes bill to end air traffic furloughs in victory for the GOP.

PAUL ROSENZWEIG: War And The World Wide Web.