Containing Hagel  —  You don't have to be that good to fend off a committee of showboating senatorial blowhards.  Hillary Clinton demonstrated that a week or so back when she unleashed what's apparently the last word in withering putdowns: What difference does it make?  —  Quite a bit of difference it seems.

W.H. Releases Photo of Obama Shooting a Gun  —  This morning, the White House released a photo of President Obama shooting a gun:  —  “President Barack Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012.  (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza),” the caption reads.

Video of protester stripped and beaten fires Egypt fury  —  CAIRO (Reuters) - After eight days of protests that killed nearly 60 people, a video of one demonstrator stripped naked, dragged across the ground and beaten with truncheons by helmeted riot police has fired Egyptians to a new level of outrage.

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 …

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 …

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.

Antonio Villaraigosa rules out Ray LaHood's job  —  Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa late Friday shot down speculation in California and Washington about his candidacy for an Obama Cabinet position — at least until the summer.  —  Villaraigosa for months has been the subject of buzz …

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.

Obama's Jobless Recovery Continues Unabated  —  Economy: So the economy created 157,000 new payroll jobs in January.  Wow.  At this rate, we might actually get back down to Bush-era unemployment rates sometime, oh, within the next 100 years.  —  The January jobs report is supposed to be good news.

College President Personally Smacked with $50,000 Bill for Violating Constitution  —  There is great news for students from a Georgia jury today, as former Valdosta State University President Ronald Zaccari has been found liable for $50,000 in damages for unjustly kicking one of his students …

Church Says Wounded Warrior Project Refused Their Money  —  A Christian church and school in Florida are devastated after they said Wounded Warrior Project refused to accept their fund raising effort because it was “religious in nature.”  —  JOIN TODD'S FAN PAGE FOR MORE CULTURE WAR STORIES.

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.

Biden: Iran must be serious for US talks  —  Vice President Joe Biden underlined the United States' willingness to talk directly with Iran, but only so long as that government is willing to work toward a specific goal.  —  Biden said the Obama administration would not sit down with Iran …

Senate Democrats, please listen carefully to the New York Times  —  The editors of the New York Times often come across as school girls at a Justin Bieber concert when it comes to the Democrats.  Thursday, they upped their school girl skirt just a bit more for the Democrats.

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.