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For all their notoriety as wasteful "pork barrel" projects, earmarks did have one obvious benefit: They helped congressional leaders pass spending bills. A multibillion-dollar appropriations package was much easier to sell to members if they could brag about something for their home states. In recent years, with earmarks banned, spending bills have largely been replaced with "continuing resolutions," which simply keep spending levels for existing programs going for a few more weeks or months.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is testifying Wednesday on Capitol Hill. She can expect some heated questions about the rugged rollout of the Affordable Care Act. President Obama, meanwhile, heads to Boston to talk about health care in the afternoon.

Just 130,000 jobs were added to private payrolls this month, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report. In addition, the September gain was revised down.

A photo posted on a local Chinese government website purports to portray officials visiting a 100-year-old woman. But the men appear to be about 20 feet tall — and one of the officials has no legs.

Some argue that red-state tendencies toward lower taxes and less regulated, more free-market systems make them ideal places to work and raise a family. But others counter that blue states are wealthier, offer more educational opportunities and are committed to a social safety net.

As the 29 lawmakers on the bipartisan budget conference committee begin discussions, they'll be led by two negotiators who seem to get along well despite many differences.

Adventurer Robert Young Pelton is trying to raise money to track down Kony, the notorious warlord from Uganda. Pelton thinks he can succeed even though several militaries, including U.S. Special Forces, haven't been able to locate him.

Human rights groups and Pakistani officials have condemned the number of civilian casualties in such attacks, but the country's defense ministry says just 3 percent are civilians.

No one knows for sure right now how many of the estimated 14 million people who buy their own coverage are getting cancellation notices, but the numbers appear to be big. Some insurers report discontinuing 20 percent of their individual business, while other insurers have notified up to 80 percent of policyholders that they will have to change plans.

This December marks the one year anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Since then, more than a dozen other school shootings have occurred - including one just last week. Host Michel Martin checks in with educators from around the country to ask if their jobs have become more dangerous, and hear their top school safety concerns.