Sarah Palin tries to stay relevant  —  CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post incorrectly reported that Sarah Palin planned to contribute to the Al Jazeera America news network.  —  The Sarah Palin Story is a cautionary tale about what can happen when politics and celebrity meet.

What President Obama should (and shouldn't) say in the State of the Union  —  If President Obama wants immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for undocumented workers, he may not want to mention it at all in tonight's State of the Union speech, a new Washington Post poll suggests.

Hearsay Economics  —  Jonathan Chait is boggled by Joe Scarborough's latest rant.  (Dear Jon: I am not “prickly”: I'm aggressive and annoying.  But that's by design, and I only do it when the situation calls for it.)  What's really striking is Scarborough's certainty that we're experiencing …

The Shooter Needs Health Insurance: A Response to Stars and Stripes  —  After yesterday's release of “The Shooter”, Esquire's 15,000 word piece by Phil Bronstein on the Navy SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden and his difficult transition back to civilian life, much attention is being correctly focused …

Obama Lacks ‘The Guts’ to Make Tough Choices: Boehner  —  A feisty House Speaker John Boehner said this morning that he doesn't believe President Obama “has the guts” to make the tough choices to address the government's mounting deficit problem.  —  “He doesn't have the courage …

Ex-Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh insists he's not trying to stop paying child support  —  After insisting he wasn't a “deadbeat dad” throughout his failed campaign for re-election, ex-U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh is still dogged by questions about child support.  —  Walsh, a flame-throwing Tea Party Republican …

Christopher Dorner in gun battle with authorities, source says  —  Christopher Dorner was engaged in a shootout with federal authorities in the Big Bear area Tuesday, a law enforcement source told The Times.  —  The shooting occurred after Dorner burglarized a home, tied up a couple and stole their car, the source said.

Reid: I Won't Honor Holds On Hagel Nomination  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) told reporters Tuesday that he will not honor any holds placed on the nomination of Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense.  —  He said he intends to hold a vote this week if Hagel is cleared by the Armed Serices Committee.

Anonymous Issues Communique Announcing Plans to Disrupt 2013 State of the Union Address Over #CISPA  —  Publicity & Creative Direction for Grassroots Activists  —  [WASHINGTON, DC] At approximately 10:22am EST an email address assigned to a Sparrow Project volunteer received a communique …

Fort Hood Hero Says President Obama ‘Betrayed’ Her, Other Victims  —  Three years after the White House arranged a hero's welcome at the State of the Union address for the Fort Hood police sergeant and her partner who stopped the deadly shooting there, Kimberly Munley says President Obama broke …

Lehigh University student sues over grade, seeks $1.3 million  —  Megan Thode isn't the first Lehigh University student who was unhappy with the grade she received in a course.  But she may be the first to sue to get it changed.  —  The C+ that Thode was given scuttled her dream of becoming …

Millions Improperly Claimed U.S. Phone Subsidies  —  The U.S. government spent about $2.2 billion last year to provide phones to low-income Americans, but a Wall Street Journal review of the program shows that a large number of those who received the phones haven't proved they are eligible to receive them.

Menendez flew on donor's plane in unreported 2008 trip to Dominican Republic, sources say  —  Sen. Robert Menendez took at least one more trip to the Dominican Republic on the plane of a doctor and campaign donor than he has publicly admitted, according to sources who spent time with the New Jersey Democrat on the unreported visit.

The GOP's Big Asian-American Problem  —  Still overlooked in the immigration discussion are Asian Americans, who are the fastest growing demographic group in the country—and one of the most diverse.  The bulk of Asian American immigrants (83 percent) come from China, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan.

Passengers on Crippled Carnival Cruise Ship Describe Worsening Conditions  —  A small boat belonging to the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous patrols near the cruise ship Carnival Triumph in the Gulf of Mexico, Feb. 11, 2013.  —  Passengers on the fire-damaged Carnival cruise ship stranded …