Obama, the puppet master  —  President Barack Obama is a master at limiting, shaping and manipulating media coverage of himself and his White House.  —  Not for the reason that conservatives suspect: namely, that a liberal press willingly and eagerly allows itself to get manipulated.

Colorado Democrat: Women Don't Need Guns If They 'Feel Like They're Going To Be Raped'  —  Chill, women, says Colorado Democrat Rep. Joe Salazar.  While arguing for the disarmament of college students, Salazar says that even if women feel like they're going to be raped, they may not, so who needs a firearm for protection?

Obama ignores DOJ researchers who conclude assault weapons ban won't cut gun violence … Justice Department researchers have concluded that an assault weapons ban is “unlikely to have an effect on gun violence,” but President Obama has not accepted their report as his administration's official position.

Chinese Army Unit Is Seen as Tied to Hacking Against U.S.  —  On the outskirts of Shanghai, in a run-down neighborhood dominated by a 12-story white office tower, sits a People's Liberation Army base for China's growing corps of cyberwarriors.  —  The building off Datong Road …

Filibuster Hagel  —  If Republicans refuse, they won't be standing on principle but capitulating to the president.  —  Chuck Hagel says he can't remember if he called the U.S. State Department “an adjunct of the Israeli foreign minister's office” in the Q&A following a March 2007 speech …

Tea Party challenger to McConnell emerging  —  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) could see a primary challenge from local businessman Matt Bevin, who sources say is reaching out to Tea Party groups in the state to gauge support for a 2014 Senate run.

Newtown shooter motivated by Norway massacre, sources say  —  Law enforcement sources say Adam Lanza was motivated by violent video games and a strong desire to kill more people than another infamous mass murderer.  —  Sources say Lanza saw himself as being in direct competition with Anders Breivik …

Royal Bodies  —  Last summer at the festival in Hay-on-Wye, I was asked to name a famous person and choose a book to give them.  I hate the leaden repetitiveness of these little quizzes: who would be the guests at your ideal dinner party, what book has changed your life, which fictional character do you most resemble?

Mexican Supreme Court: American Cases Demand Marriage Equality  —  In a sweeping ruling striking down a ban on same-sex couples' marriages in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico's Supreme Court says U.S. Supreme Court cases support marriage equality.  —  A gay couple takes part in a mock wedding in Monterrey, Mexico, on February 16, 2013.

Simpson and Bowles to Offer Up Deficit Fix  —  WASHINGTON—Deficit hawks Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles on Tuesday will propose a detailed plan for rewriting the tax code and implementing deep new spending cuts, hoping to offer a path to compromise for Democrats and Republicans, according to an outline of the plan.

What's News, and What Isn't  —  The liberal media manifest their bias not primarily by writing things that aren't true-although that sometimes happens-but rather, by selecting what they do and do not report as news.  Major scandals and events of great importance are simply ignored …

Nebraska Sen. Mike Johanns to retire  —  Heineman gave few hints about his thinking in a Monday press conference, in which he thanked Johanns for his service.  The governor said he was considering getting into the race but had not made a final decision and that he had yet to speak to his wife …

Ala. House of Representatives expected to take up abortion clinic bill Tuesday  —  The House is expected to take up an abortion clinic bill Tuesday.  This file photo shows a 2010 abortion protest in front of Montgomery's Saint Bede the Venerable Catholic Church.  / Lloyd Gallman/Advertiser file

Ronald Dworkin: A Tribute from the Other Side of the Political Spectrum  —  This past week brought the sad news of the death of my NYU colleague, the philosopher and legal scholar Ronald Dworkin, who passed away in London after a struggle with leukemia.  —  Dworkin must rate …

Jersey City assemblyman ‘likes’ two racy, violent Facebook pages  —  Assemblyman Charles Mainor, seen here in June 2011, is in hot water after a constituent complained about two websites Mainor (Photo by The Jersey Journal)  —  Jersey City Assemblyman Charles Mainor is in hot water again …

Why Barron's Went With That Preposterous Cover About Obama Turning America Into Greece  —  In case you missed it, quiet financial newspaper Barron's took a huge swipe at Obama in its latest cover, promising that if he got his way, the US would be on the road to Greece.