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.

Marco Rubio: The Electable Conservative?  —  Some commentators have expressed surprise upon learning about the very conservative voting record of Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who delivered the Republican response to the State of the Union address last week.

Who's afraid of the sequester's ax?  Not us, say Republican lawmakers  —  House GOP lawmakers say they do not fear political blowback if Congress fails to prevent $85 billion in automatic spending cuts from triggering in two weeks.  —  The cuts known as the sequester are almost certain …

A BIPARTISAN PATH FORWARD TO SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE  —  Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson are co-chairs of the Moment of Truth project and formerly co-chaired the President's bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.  —  The United States faces two big risks …

Tea party group pictures Rove in Nazi uniform  —  A top tea party group is taking its clash with Karl Rove to a new level, sending out a fundraising email Tuesday featuring a photoshopped image of the GOP operative in an SS uniform.  —  “Wipe the Smirk Off Karl Rove's Face,” …

Report: Hagel Said Israel Headed Toward Apartheid, Netanyahu a ‘Radical’  —  Secretary of defense nominee Chuck Hagel said Israel is on its way to becoming an apartheid state during an April 9, 2010, appearance at Rutgers University, according to a contemporaneous account by an attendee.

Like a Swarm of Lethal Bugs: The Most Terrifying Drone Video Yet  —  An Air Force simulation says researchers are at work on killer robots so tiny that a group of them could blend into a cityscape.  —  Science writer John Horgan's feature on the many ways drones will be used in coming years …

Prof Strips, Shows 9/11 Footage, Impales Stuffed Animal (VIDEO)  —  A science professor at Columbia University on Monday began a quantum mechanics lecture by stripping into his boxers and eating a banana while rap music played in the background.  —  Then it got weird.

Quote of the Day  —  “I'm not much different from Andrew Cuomo.  I probably agree with him on 98% of the issues.”  — Chris Christie (R), quoted by the Glen Falls Chronicle, in a conversation with a union organizer.

Exclusive: Apple, Macs hit by hackers who targeted Facebook  —  (Reuters) - Apple Inc was recently attacked by hackers who infected the Macintosh computers of some employees, the company said on Tuesday in an unprecedented disclosure that described the widest known cyber attacks against Apple-made computers to date.

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 …

Bill asks teachers to question climate change in class  —  HB2306 calls climate change ‘scientific controversy’  —  With the Kansas State Board of Education preparing to vote on new science standards this year, the House Education Committee has introduced a bill asking schools to include evidence …

Illinoisans back gay marriage 50-29: Crain's/Ipsos poll  —  Most Illinois residents want the Legislature to legalize same-sex marriage in the state, according to the latest results of the Crain's/Ipsos Illinois Poll.  —  The survey of 600 adults found that 50 percent support the gay-marriage bill …

Four Dead After OC Shootings, Carjackings  —  Four people are dead after a series of shootings and carjackings near freeways in Orange County that began after the shooting death of a woman at a home in Ladera Ranch.  —  Map: Shooting Investigation Locations

Pistorius Denies Murdering Girlfriend  —  PRETORIA, South Africa — Facing a charge of premeditated murder in the death of his girlfriend, Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star and one of the world's best-known athletes, denied on Tuesday that he intended to take her life when he opened fire …

USA TODAY To Collaborate With Pew Research Center On Public Opinion Polling  —  USA TODAY is proud to announce a new collaboration with the Pew Research Center to survey public opinion on the biggest issues facing the nation.  —  The new USA TODAY/Pew Research Center Poll will debut this week …

What Data Can't Do  —  Not long ago, I was at a dinner with the chief executive of a large bank.  He had just had to decide whether to pull out of Italy, given the weak economy and the prospect of a future euro crisis.  —  The C.E.O. had his economists project out a series of downside scenarios …