National: The political poison pill known as the “Sequester” that forces  $1.2 trillion in automatic federal budget cuts is just nine days away with the White House and Congressional Republicans making no apparent progress in reaching a budget and deficit deal. The sequester is a drastic budget cut designed to force Congress to take action, but so far Democrats and Republicans are on a political collision course. President Obama warns that the cuts would cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and possibly tip the economy back into recession. Some Republicans are saying, “Go ahead, make my day.”

• Apple Computer admits that it too has been targeted in a hacking attack traced back to China. Facebook, Twitter and several news organizations have also been tapped. Cyber attacks, many originating in China, appear to be on the rise. President Obama mentioned cyber security as a priority in his State of the Union message last week. The American computer security company Mandiant attributes many attacks on US companies to a secret Chinese army operation in Shanghai known as “Unit 61398”.
• A gunman on a carjacking and shooting spree in Tustin, CA killed three people and wounded one before turning a gun on himself.  The shooter is identified as 20-year-old Ali Sayed, a part time college student who started by shooting a young woman in his own home.

World: Police testified today in the bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius that they found needles and testosterone in the runner’s home. His lawyer says it’s herbal supplements. Police testified that Pistorius has previously been accused of violence against a woman and once accidentally discharged a gun in a restaurant. But they said they had no information inconsistent with the defendant’s version of events the night he shot his girlfriend. Pistorius gave a statement saying he thought there was an intruder in the bathroom and he fired through the door, killing 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius is charged with premeditated murder.  

Shotgun News: Vice President Joe Biden is taking heat for saying in an interview that a double-barrel shotgun is preferred for home defense and that you don’t need an assault rifle. Suggested in what he said is that the VP and his wife actually have a shotgun, but the interviewer failed to pin that down.

Charmed: About 8.2 million Americans watched the season-ender for the British television series “Downton Abbey”. Some of them spoiled it for people who are still waiting to watch it on Tivo. The show on PBS drew more viewers than many of the most popular shows on network television.

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