All in all, not a bad description of the office’s lofty–and controversial–ambitions. Quietly created after the September 11 attacks, the office’s Total Information Awareness project aims to enable federal investigators to engage in a kind of super “data mining”–inventing software to trawl through commercial and government computer databases in search of suspicious patterns that might indicate terror plans. The 9-11 hijackers, for instance, enrolled in flight schools, rented apartments, used credit cards and bought airline tickets together....

Participants at this year’s combine will not only be chasing Johnson’s 4.24, but they’ll have a $1 million worth of motivation, too. MORE: 2016 NFL mock draft | 15 best combine performances of all time Via USA Today, adidas is offering $1 million to the NFL hopeful who runs a faster time. The catch: He has to wear certain adidas-made cleats during the official run. More than 300 prospects will participate in this year’s combine later this month in Indianapolis....

Less likely to make headlines is a trend Big Labor’s cheerleaders wish to ignore: the significant increase in efforts by workers seeking to remove long-entrenched unions from their workplaces. Employees across the country have submitted a wave of petitions to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), asking the federal agency to schedule votes to remove unpopular unions, a process known as “decertification.” In fact, according to the NLRB’s own data on petitions for elections to either install or remove a union, a unionized private-sector worker is more than twice as likely to be involved in a decertification effort as a similar nonunion worker is to be involved in efforts to unionize his or her employer....

Here’s an off-Broadway sampler. The Irish Arts Center is giving the American premiere of Kenneth Branagh’s Public Enemy. As an actor, the Belfast-born Branagh is something new, a hybrid of Olivier and Jimmy Cagney. So it figures that he’d write a play about a young Belfast Irishman’s fixation on Cagney. Tommy Black (Paul Ronan) escapes from the brutal realities of Northern Ireland by adopting the Cagney persona. He struts like the Cagney of ““Public Enemy,’’ greets friends with ““Whaddaya hear, whaddaya say?...

Big names bring in big bucks because they attract attention, unlike most of the writers who generate the 5,000 new children’s titles each year. Star authors get prime spots on talk shows and, even more important, on a bookstore chain’s shelves. “John Lithgow is going to get interviewed, whereas Joe Schmo writing the exact same book would not have access to the same media opportunities,” says Paula Quint, president of the Children’s Book Council....

The top-ranked Bulldogs raced out to a record 65-7 lead over TCU in the fourth quarter Monday night, and could have scored into the 70s had coach Kirby Smart not called the dogs off, so to speak. With that, the Bulldogs have earned a historic perch in college football history. The Bulldogs already had set two College Football Playoff records: points scored in a half (38) and biggest lead (58)....

Things might be upside-down in LA, and no one knows that better than the father-son combo of Bill and Luke Walton—Bill Walton played for the Clippers and was their broadcast analyst for years, while Luke Walton spent eight-plus seasons playing for the Lakers, helping them to two championships. MORE: Nash, Blake to start | Gasol in trade rumors | Chris Paul return? | Look at David Stern’s career Luke Walton is currently on the staff of the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the D-League, and has chatted with Bryant as he comes back from his leg injury....

“When the USA gives Ukraine artillery, then other countries support us and also provide it,” Zelensky said during a teleconference with Clinton and a panel of “The Clinton Global Initiative” (CGI). Zelensky continued: “When the USA recognizes [Russia] as a sponsor of terrorism, the democracies of Europe will also support this initiative. Therefore, when you ask me what the USA can do to help, to be leaders.” The Ukrainian president was gracious for any munitions received so far, but said the United States’ influence upon other Democratic countries was necessary to help stockpile Ukraine as war against Russian aggression wades its way into not just the seventh month, but begins a curve into the winter season....

For Bill Ford, there is no escape. His family firm is in crisis, having lost $6.4 billion in the past two years. The Firestone debacle tarnished Ford’s crown jewel, the Explorer, and sent sales skidding. And then the economy’s post-9-11 swoon set off a price war that ravaged Ford’s profits. Now the burden is on the young scion to fix Ford and drive the dynasty into its second century. This week he’ll play host to 100,000 people at a bash at headquarters, with a Beyonce concert and parades of vintage Fords (both cars and family members)....

Attorneys Ronnie Richter and Eric Bland said in a statement Tuesday an agreement was completed. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. College of Charleston spokesman Mike Robertson declined to discuss details of the agreement. Wojcik was fired Aug. 5 after allegations of verbal abuse. The school hired Clemson assistant Earl Grant last week. Wojcik’s attorneys said the school’s investigation found no instance of physical abuse by the coach. Wojcik, 50, had three years remaining on his contract and was due $1....

Gary Pinkel vs. Gus Malzahn Gary Pinkel quietly has 173 career wins, just five fewer than Kansas State's Bill Snyder. Pinkel, however, is 0-4 in conference championship games. Gus Malzahn, meanwhile, last was at the SEC Championship Game as an offensive coordinator with Auburn in 2010. He's trying to become the first coach to win the SEC in his first year since Steve Spurrier in 1990. Key matchup: Auburn tackles vs....

“Friday night was my final night as a gymnast,” Cerio said. “After 18 years I am hanging up my grips and leaving the chalk behind. I couldn’t be prouder of the person that gymnastics has made me to become. It’s taught me hard work, humility, integrity, and dedication, just to name a few. It’s given me challenges and road blocks that I would have never imagined that has tested who I am as a person....

LSU announced the hiring Sunday. MORE: SN early Top 20 for 2016 | Biggest Week 1 matchups “Dameyune is a quarterback by nature so he’s going to be a tremendous asset to us in all phases of the passing game,” LSU coach Les Miles said in a statement. “He coached a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback at Florida State and developed some outstanding receivers at Auburn. “He comes to us with great coaching credentials as well as being a proven recruiter....

Cooper, a five-star recruit in the class of 2020 and its No. 24 overall player, missed the Tigers’ first 12 games — and 78 practices — as the NCAA investigated his eligibility. He was declared eligible on Jan. 9, the same day Auburn played rival Alabama. Cooper suited up for the first time this season and, despite playing in a losing effort, immediately showed why he was a consensus top-25 player among recruiting boards....

Then she grabs her husband’s arm, already well tattooed, and asks the young man to again sign his name, a signature that will soon get some permanent ink. MORE: Dillon puts 3 on pole | Dillon energizing RCR | Budweiser Duel lineups | Danica not happy A day earlier, that autograph might not have been worthy of a tattoo, maybe just a hero card typically given away outside a NASCAR hauler....

The attack occurred off of a popular tourist beach near Broome in Western Australia, resulting in the death of a local resident in his 50s, Australia’s ABC News reported Sunday. Police told the broadcaster that the man was body-boarding off the coast at Cable Beach around 8:45 a.m. A couple reportedly observed the attack from the shore and then were able to bring the injured man to the beach....