Swing states poll: Health care law hurts Obama in 2012  —  WASHINGTON - The health care overhaul that President Obama intended to be the signature achievement of his first term instead has become a significant problem in his bid for a second one, uniting Republicans in opposition and eroding his standing among independents.

Michigan Forecast Update: Romney's Lead Looks More Tenuous  —  Since we ran the Michigan numbers early Monday morning, three new polls are out that make the state look more like a true toss-up and less like one that favors Mr. Romney.  —  Two of the surveys, from Mitchell Research …

1 student killed, several hurt in shooting at Chardon High School; suspect in custody  —  One student died after the shooting this morning at Chardon High School, police said.  —  Police are not releasing names.  But Junior Nate Mueller, who said his ear was grazed by a bullet, identified the shooter as T. J. Lane.

TransCanada Corp. to begin construction of Keystone pipeline  —  TransCanada Corp. said Monday it plans to begin building a major portion of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline despite the Obama administration's decision to reject a key permit for the project.

Why Are People So Averse To Jury Duty? … - Why Has the Syrian Uprising Been Such a Dud on Facebook and Twitter?  - Finally, New Laws That Give Nannies and Maids Real Legal Rights - The Best Acceptance Speech From Last Night's Oscars - Cash Is Inconvenient, Dirty, and Covered With Germs.

2012 or Never  —  Republicans are worried this election could be their last chance to stop history.  This is fear talking.  But not paranoia.  —  Of the various expressions of right-wing hysteria that have flowered over the past three years—goldbuggery, birtherism, death panels at home …

Bob Kerrey changes his mind, will run for Senate, source says  —  Former senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) has changed his mind and plans to run for the open Senate seat in Nebraska, according to a senior Democratic aide.  —  The aide said Kerrey has called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to inform him of his plans.

Idaho To Consider Ultrasound Bill  —  Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder and Right to Life of Idaho are sponsoring a bill to require women to have an ultrasound before receiving an abortion that has been introduced in the Idaho legislature.  The measure does not specifically mention …

Sex-tape stunner in Nadia Lockyer case  —  There's a shocking twist in the saga of Alameda County Supervisor Nadia Lockyer and the incident at a Newark hotel that landed her in the hospital and a male acquaintance under police scrutiny.  —  We're told that a sex tape of Nadia Lockyer …

Santorum Makes Case for Religion in Public Sphere  —  TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — With two days left before the high-stakes Republican primaries in Arizona and Michigan, Rick Santorum delivered a full-throated defense of religion in public life on Sunday, appealing to the social conservatives who have revived his presidential campaign.

What are you going to give up this Lent?  —  The Lenten rules about fasting from food and abstaining from meat have been considerably reduced in the last forty years, but reminders of them remain in the fast days on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and in the abstinence from meat on all the Fridays of Lent.

Diane Sawyer, Anderson Cooper and Brian Williams are America's Favorite News Personalities  —  Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and Nancy Grace are least favorite  —  Decades ago there were just a few names that dominated the news world.  Everyone knew who Walter Conkrite, David Brinkley and Chet Huntley were.

Free speech issue bypassed  —  Government employees who get into trouble for disobeying a superior's plea to file a report that the employee thinks is false and believes will contribute to covering up misconduct will get no legal guidance on their plight from the Supreme Court …

Media Matters boss paid former partner $850G ‘blackmail’ settlement  —  Media Matters chief David Brock paid a former domestic partner $850,000 after being threatened with damaging information involving the organization's donors and the IRS - a deal that Brock later characterized as a blackmail payment …

J.D. Power: Bank switching movement is real  —  A J.D. Power survey finds that more customers are leaving large banks for smaller institutions like this credit union in downtown L.A. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)  —  Nearly 10% of bank customers switched to another financial institution last year …