Hagel's Hearing: Profoundly Depressing  —  Chuck Hagel at his confirmation hearing Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.  —  Watching the Senate Armed Services Committee interact Thursday with former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel—President Obama's candidate to be secretary of defense …

Scott Brown will not run for US Senate  —  Scott Brown, who surprised the political world with his upset victory in the 2010 special election, announced Friday afternoon that he will not enter the special election to replace John F. Kerry.  —  “I was not at all certain that a third Senate campaign …

Keeping our users secure  —  As you may have read, there's been a recent uptick in large-scale security attacks aimed at U.S. technology and media companies.  Within the last two weeks, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have chronicled breaches of their systems …

Pro-Life Groups Blast Revisions to Obama Abortion-HHS Mandate  —  Leading pro-life groups don't have much good to say about the proposed changes the HHS department announced today to the Obamacare mandate that forces religious groups and religiously-run companies to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs.

Ed Koch, three-term mayor who became a symbol of NYC, dead at 88  —  NEW YORK - Former Mayor Ed Koch, the combative, acid-tongued politician who rescued the city from near-financial ruin during a three-term City Hall run in which he embodied New York chutzpah for the rest of the world, died Friday.

Hillary Clinton: ‘I am more optimistic today’  —  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said goodbye to the nation's diplomatic corps and aid workers on her last day on the job, and said she was more upbeat about the fate of the world than she had been at the start of her tenure.

Former First Dog Barney Bush Passes Away  —  The Bush family statement, via Reuters:

On Iran, Hagel Muddles the Message  —  Dealing with Iran is complicated, but President Obama's policy on the question of whether a nuclear-armed Iran could be successfully “contained” - the way the Soviet Union was during the cold war - is simple.  —  His answer is no.

APNEWSBREAK: MARINES ISSUE SURVEY ON WOMEN'S ROLE  —  You are here  —  Home » James F. Amos » APNewsBreak: Marines issue survey on women's role  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Marine Corps survey found about 17 percent of male Marine respondents who planned to stay in the service …

Disgraceful: Chris Matthews Smears John McCain as an ‘Angry’ Vietnam Vet Having a ‘Flashback’  —  Liberal anchor Chris Matthews on Friday stooped to the lowest level, smearing John McCain as an “angry” Vietnam veteran who is having a “flashback.”  Resorting to the cheapest of stereotypes …

Exclusive: Eric Schmidt Unloads on China in New Book … Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt is brutally clear: China is the most dangerous superpower on Earth.  —  Corporate Intelligence reviewed preliminary galleys of Schmidt's new book, “The New Digital Age,” (Random House) which debuts in April.

The Democrats' Unconstitutional Gun Grab  —  It's not just Washington: all across the country, the Democratic Party is trying to rob firearm owners of their constitutional rights.  Here in Minnesota, the Democrats took control of both houses of the legislature in November …

Iran's space monkey triumph exposed as a fake … Iran enjoyed rare triumph on Monday — the successful launch of a monkey into space.  —  The regime proclaimed it as proof that Iranian scientists could match their Western counterparts, evidence that international sanctions were ineffectual, and a stepping stone to a manned flight.

The Easy Problem  —  Over here in the department of punditry, we deal with a lot of hard issues, ones on which the evidence is mixed and the options are all bad.  But the immigration issue is a blessed relief.  On immigration, the evidence is overwhelming; the best way forward is clear.

My Valuable, Cheap College Degree  —  MUCH is being written about the preposterously high cost of college.  The median inflation-adjusted household income fell by 7 percent between 2006 and 2011, while the average real tuition at public four-year colleges increased over that period by over 18 percent.

Keystone pipeline decision to languish until mid-June-US source  —  * No time frame for national interest determination  —  The Obama administration's decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline will not be made until at least June, a U.S. official said, which would delay the project for months …

A Suspect Should Never Waive His Rights And Tell The Cops, “I Was Trying To Make The Horse Have A Baby.”  —  When it comes to post-arrest statements, the admissions made by a Texas man arrested for having sex with a horse are a good reminder why suspects should take advantage of their right to remain silent.

2nd Oval Office Readied in White House Rehab Project  —  This summer there will be two Oval Offices in the White House complex, and it won't be a case of double vision.  —  In preparation for a major, two-year renovation of the West Wing, the government is undertaking extensive work to complete …

Google settles French newspaper links dispute  —  Eric Schmidt had said meeting the French media's original demand would threaten Google's existence  —  Google has agreed to create a 60m euro ($82m; £52m) fund to help French media organisations improve their internet operations.

Mark Levin Explodes: 'The Muslim Brotherhood Has Infiltrated Our Gov't — It's Called Barack Obama'  —  On his radio show last night, Mark Levin went off on President Obama's decision to send F-16 planes and tanks to assist President Mohamed Morsi's Egyptian government, calling the president a Muslim Brotherhood “sympathizer.”