Shakespeare's skill 'more in grammar than in words'

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Paul Gallagher
corporatecomms@strath.ac.uk
44-014-154-82370
University of Strathclyde

William Shakespeare's mastery of the English language is displayed more in the grammar he used than in his words, according to a researcher at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

Dr Jonathan Hope, a Reader in English in the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, has found that, while Shakespeare may appear to have used and coined more words than his contemporaries, this could be attributed to the fact that more of his writing survives and his rate of word coinage is actually similar to other writers.

By contrast, he believes that, while Shakespeare's grammar and word ordering have largely fallen into disuse, they are what set him apart and have helped to ensure his continued prominence.

In a chapter in a new book on the English language, Dr Hope assesses linguistic, grammatical and syntactical features in passages from Shakespeare. He finds that, while these may make some of the writing more difficult for modern audiences to understand, they are among the playwright's most distinctive features.

Dr Hope said: "Although Shakespeare has had an enormous influence on literature, it's difficult to think of anyone else who has ever written like him.

"He was writing at a time when the English language's vocabulary was expanding rapidly but, while he had a rich vocabulary himself, it was on a par with other writers from the same time. Originality in language was not necessarily seen as a good thing in Shakespeare's time and he did not always use elaborate words with Latin roots- when he did, he often tended to follow them with an explanation in more straightforward English.

"However, his grammatical skill shows even more dexterity with language. He wrote during a transitional period for English grammar when there was a range of grammatical options open to writers- much of the grammar he chose now seems old-fashioned but it lends poetry to commonplace words and, significantly, while his spelling is often updated, his grammar is not."

In the article, Dr Hope compares Shakespeare's rate of word use in relation to plays written with the goalscoring rate of three Newcastle United FC strikers- Malcolm Macdonald, Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer. He shows that, while Macdonald played significantly fewer games and scored fewer goals (121 in 228 games) than either Milburn (200 goals in 397 games) or Shearer (206 goals in 395 games), the scoring rates of the three players- 0.531, 0.504 and 0.522 goals per game respectively- are broadly the same. Similarly, Shakespeare used more words than his contemporaries but wrote more plays, leading to a word rate close to theirs.

###

Dr Hope's article, Shakespeare and the English Language, appears in an Open University collection, "English in the World: History, Diversity, Change," edited by Philip Seargeant and Joan Swann (Routledge in association with The Open University).

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Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Paul Gallagher
corporatecomms@strath.ac.uk
44-014-154-82370
University of Strathclyde

William Shakespeare's mastery of the English language is displayed more in the grammar he used than in his words, according to a researcher at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

Dr Jonathan Hope, a Reader in English in the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, has found that, while Shakespeare may appear to have used and coined more words than his contemporaries, this could be attributed to the fact that more of his writing survives and his rate of word coinage is actually similar to other writers.

By contrast, he believes that, while Shakespeare's grammar and word ordering have largely fallen into disuse, they are what set him apart and have helped to ensure his continued prominence.

In a chapter in a new book on the English language, Dr Hope assesses linguistic, grammatical and syntactical features in passages from Shakespeare. He finds that, while these may make some of the writing more difficult for modern audiences to understand, they are among the playwright's most distinctive features.

Dr Hope said: "Although Shakespeare has had an enormous influence on literature, it's difficult to think of anyone else who has ever written like him.

"He was writing at a time when the English language's vocabulary was expanding rapidly but, while he had a rich vocabulary himself, it was on a par with other writers from the same time. Originality in language was not necessarily seen as a good thing in Shakespeare's time and he did not always use elaborate words with Latin roots- when he did, he often tended to follow them with an explanation in more straightforward English.

"However, his grammatical skill shows even more dexterity with language. He wrote during a transitional period for English grammar when there was a range of grammatical options open to writers- much of the grammar he chose now seems old-fashioned but it lends poetry to commonplace words and, significantly, while his spelling is often updated, his grammar is not."

In the article, Dr Hope compares Shakespeare's rate of word use in relation to plays written with the goalscoring rate of three Newcastle United FC strikers- Malcolm Macdonald, Jackie Milburn and Alan Shearer. He shows that, while Macdonald played significantly fewer games and scored fewer goals (121 in 228 games) than either Milburn (200 goals in 397 games) or Shearer (206 goals in 395 games), the scoring rates of the three players- 0.531, 0.504 and 0.522 goals per game respectively- are broadly the same. Similarly, Shakespeare used more words than his contemporaries but wrote more plays, leading to a word rate close to theirs.

###

Dr Hope's article, Shakespeare and the English Language, appears in an Open University collection, "English in the World: History, Diversity, Change," edited by Philip Seargeant and Joan Swann (Routledge in association with The Open University).

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/uos-ss013012.php

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Islam critic backs out of West Point cadet event (AP)

WEST POINT, N.Y. ? A retired U.S. lieutenant general who made comments denigrating Islam withdrew Monday from speaking at a West Point prayer breakfast after a veterans' advocacy group asked the Army chief of staff to rescind the invitation.

VoteVets.org told Gen. Raymond Odierno in a letter that allowing retired Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin to speak at the U.S. Military Academy next week would be contrary to Army values and disrespectful to Muslim cadets.

Late Monday afternoon, West Point issued a brief statement saying Boykin had decided to withdraw speaking at the Feb. 8 event and that another speaker would be lined up in his place.

Boykin, a former senior military intelligence officer, had been criticized for speeches he made at evangelical Christian churches beginning in January 2002. He said that America's enemy was Satan, that God had put President George W. Bush in the White House and that one Muslim Somali warlord was an idol-worshipper.

Boykin later issued a written statement apologizing and said he didn't mean to insult Islam. But VoteVets.org said Monday that Boykin has continued to make denigrating comments about Islam since his 2007 retirement.

"These remarks are incompatible with the Army values, and a person who is incompatible with Army values should not address the cadets of the United States Military Academy," VoteVets chairman Jon Soltz said in a letter written with the group's vice chairman.

Army public affairs didn't immediately comment. West Point's Lt. Col. Sherri Reed said cadets are "purposefully exposed to different perspectives and cultures" during their four years at the academy.

In a statement issued earlier Monday, Reed noted that Christian, Jewish and Muslim cadets would be participating in the prayer breakfast, and she had expressed confidence that Boykin's speech would "be in keeping with the broad range of ideas normally considered by our cadets."

Boykin has continued to attract controversy since his retirement. The Council on American-Islamic Relations and People for the American Way had asked officials in Ocean City, Md., to rescind an invitation to speak at a prayer breakfast last week. Boykin attended and spoke about his faith.

CAIR also asked West Point officials to retract Boykin's invitation

"It gives Islamophobes a platform at the nation's most prestigious military academy. And I doubt that they would invite a KKK speaker and claim that they want to expose the students to a variety of opinions," said CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad.

Boykin didn't return a call seeking comment or respond to an email sent to his account at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia where he is a visiting professor.

A Pentagon investigation concluded that Boykin violated regulations by failing to make clear he was not speaking in an official capacity when he made nearly two dozen church speeches beginning in January 2002. It also found that Boykin, who made most speeches wearing his uniform, didn't get prior clearance for the remarks.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/religion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_re_us/us_west_point_speaker_islam

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Senator's stroke shows they can hit the young, too

FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 photo, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. leaves a Republican caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington. When a stroke hits at 52, like what happened to Sen. Kirk, the reaction is an astonished, "But he's so young." The reality is that strokes can happen at any age, even to children - and they're on the rise among the young and middle-aged. The vast majority of strokes do occur in older adults. But up to a quarter of them strike people younger than 65, says Dr. Ralph Sacco, a University of Miami neurologist and past president of the American Heart Association. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011 photo, Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill. leaves a Republican caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington. When a stroke hits at 52, like what happened to Sen. Kirk, the reaction is an astonished, "But he's so young." The reality is that strokes can happen at any age, even to children - and they're on the rise among the young and middle-aged. The vast majority of strokes do occur in older adults. But up to a quarter of them strike people younger than 65, says Dr. Ralph Sacco, a University of Miami neurologist and past president of the American Heart Association. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? When a stroke hits at 52, like what happened to Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, the reaction is an astonished, "But he's so young."

The reality is that strokes don't just happen to grandma. They can happen at any age, even to children ? and they're on the rise among the young and middle-aged.

That makes it crucial to know the warning signs no matter how old you are.

"Nobody's invincible," warns Dr. Ralph Sacco, a University of Miami neurologist and past president of the American Heart Association.

Every year, about 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke. While some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain, most are like a clogged pipe. Called ischemic strokes, a clot blocks blood flow, starving brain cells to death unless that circulation is restored fast.

Make no mistake, the vast majority of strokes do occur in older adults. But up to a quarter of them strike people younger than 65, Sacco says.

In the so-called stroke belt in the Southeast, that figure can be markedly worse. At Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina, a stunning 45 percent of stroke patients are young or middle-aged, says stroke center director Dr. Cheryl Bushnell.

More ominous, recent government research found that nationwide, hospitalization rates for ischemic strokes have jumped by about a third among people ages 15 to 44 over the past decade.

Sometimes younger-age strokes are flukes with no warning signs, impossible to predict ? like Kirk's appears to be. The Republican senator is a Navy Reserve commander and avid swimmer, but dizziness sent him to the hospital. It turns out he had a tear in the carotid artery in his neck which blocked blood flow to his brain, triggering a stroke. Trauma usually causes such tears, although doctors haven't been able to say what caused Kirk's. His doctor at a Chicago hospital said Monday that Kirk was continuing to improve from the stroke, which affected his left side.

Heart birth defects, such as a little hole in the heart known as a PFO, and blood-clotting disorders also tend to cause strokes more often in younger people than in seniors.

But just like strokes at older ages, a lot of younger strokes are preventable. The increase seems to be part of a troubling trend: As Americans get fatter, high blood pressure, diabetes and other artery-corroding consequences set in at an earlier age ? meaning resulting strokes can hit earlier, too.

Indeed, research reported in Annals of Neurology last fall found nearly 1 in 3 of the 15- to 34-year-olds hospitalized for a stroke, and over half of those ages 35 to 44, already had high blood pressure.

More women are having strokes during or right after pregnancy, too, the government reported last summer. That's because more of them start out with unhealthy conditions like high blood pressure even before the hormonal changes kick in.

Whatever the cause or the age, anyone with stroke symptoms needs emergency care: Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side; sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech; trouble seeing or walking; a sudden super-severe headache.

Younger adults are less likely than seniors to know those symptoms, and tend to try to shrug them off, Bushnell says. She points to a recent 50-something patient who twice ignored temporary episodes of weakness on one side. Called TIAs, for transient ischemic attacks, such episodes are a big red flag that a full-fledged stroke may be imminent. A third TIA finally brought him to the emergency room. By then, aggressive treatment wasn't enough to avoid a stroke that left him with impaired speech.

"As people get older, they have more and more direct contact with people who had strokes," and learn what to watch for, Bushnell says. But at younger ages, "there's just a gap in awareness."

Who is at increased risk for a younger-than-usual stroke? African-Americans and Hispanics, more than whites. Someone whose parent had a stroke before age 65 is at extra risk.

But mostly, the same things that are bad for your heart are bad for your brain, making it crucial to control blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, to stop smoking and to keep active. At www.powertoendstroke.org the American Heart Association offers a seven-step online test called "My Life Check" that can help assess your risks.

Younger people do tend to survive strokes more than older people, and to recover better.

But Arnold Springs, 48, of Winston-Salem, N.C., knows it was his friends' fast 911 call that made the difference for him earlier this month.

"All of a sudden, my right arm went numb. The next thing I knew I was on the floor," Springs recalls.

The ambulance got him to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in time for a clot-busting drug to stop his stroke. Springs left the hospital three days later with some loss of vision and trouble walking, problems that his sister says are expected to improve ? plus orders to lower his blood pressure to stave off future strokes.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press in Washington.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-30-HealthBeat-Strokes/id-658d5e4c731840d698ebe8b3e71f9607

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Kane assault at Royal Rumble sends Zack Ryder to local medical facility

ST. LOUIS ? After Kane brutalized John Cena in their match at the 25th anniversary of the Royal Rumble event (FULL STORY), The Big Red Monster set his sights on an already-injured and wheelchair-bound Zack Ryder, hitting him with a devastating tombstone piledriver.

Following the assault, Ryder was rushed to a nearby St. Louis trauma center.

?The most worrisome aspect of that move [the tombstone piledriver] is a compression force to the cervical spine that does have the potential to fracture several vertebrae and render serious injury,? according to WWE physician Dr. Chris Amann.

?We?ve taken him to the hospital as a precautionary measure, at which point in time we?ll get cervical spine X-rays and most likely a CAT scan to make sure that?s there?s been no significant damage,? said Amann.

The attack comes less than a week after Kane chokeslammed Ryder through an arena stage and sent him to the hospital with a herniated disc (FULL STORY).

Stay with WWE.com for more on Ryder?s condition.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/2012/kane-injures-ryder-at-rumble

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Landlords Insurance coverage Fees

by mike on January 30, 2012

Nys Department about Banks and loans and additionally Insurance policy as well as the Insurance policy Authorities about Nj-new jersey propose that landlords in this particular situation should certainly confer with its insurance provider, who are able to assess the expense of repairing using the dimension and additionally destination on the town. Hesitate landlord insurance well before dialing your current insurance corporation by using tiny cases for the purpose of stated by Matha Cantrell Ritter trivial residence ruin. Organizations reviews about landlords oriented towards much higher premiums just after inserting merely not one but two cases. Thus if at all any impairment you can cope with, pay attention to it again yourself.

In addition to, in this spider vein, consider a more significant tax deductible. If you just aren?t able to document a tiny state, it is actually zero work with shelling out reasonably limited for being protected with an number one might not file for, inch Rogue talked about. Every bill one have for a insurance corporation, normally an individual win back 59 dollars, inch Rogue talked about. The remaining would flow to that ?nsurance coverage company?s income and additionally expenses. For those times you are able to self-insure for the purpose of small cuts, you need to. Pertaining to 20 years backwards, Rogue reared that deductibles buy to let insurance upon each an individual?s auto and additionally residence coverages, and additionally banked the funds he or she stored upon premiums in a specialized credit account. Over time, he or she applied who credit account to cover with regards to $2, 000 to $3, 000 throughout cuts, mainly auto-related. He or she however comes with $4, 000 ? capital how the insurance corporation |could have tried.

Nowadays, the majority of insurance carriers encourage any tax deductible about at least $500. If you?re able to afford to pay for to raise your current tax deductible to $1, 000, it?s possible you?ll keep around 25 percent, inch while using Insurance policy Data Initiate, an industry set. Be certain that your property auto insurance policy incorporates ample obligation ?nsurance coverage, should someone is actually wounded on your own place. Look at acquiring your property and additionally vehicle insurance coverages belonging to the exact same insurance provider. A lot of organizations can take 5 to 15 per cent away landlord building insurance your current high grade for those who pay for some coverages from their website. You will get promotions for those who add smoke cigars alarms, deadbolt wild hair or even robbery alerts. Prevent your credit ranking wash. Insurance plans are generally ever more looking at credit file to put its rates.

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Source: http://www.londonsportscouncil.org/general/landlords-insurance-coverage-fees/

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Finance Ministry may approve loan restructuring for brokers ...

Sunday, January 29th, 2012 |

Indications have emerged that the Ministry of Finance may soon approve a request by the Nigerian Stock Exchange to restructure bad loans of operators in the capital market. A reliable source in the ministry told our correspondent on Friday that the Finance Minister, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had received the request from the NSE, and was??[Read More...]

Originally posted here:
Finance Ministry may approve loan restructuring for brokers

Source: http://www.ghanamma.com/2012/01/finance-ministry-may-approve-loan-restructuring-for-brokers/

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Driving America: Exhibit explores car culture

Courtesy The Henry Ford

The automobile gave rise to new roadside industries in America, such as the motor inn.

By Dan Carney, msnbc.com contributor

Industrial cities such as?Detroit may not be typical vacation destinations, but that doesn?t mean there aren?t worthwhile places to visit.?Think of Cleveland?s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

So, quick: What do you know about Detroit??They make cars, right??That?s why the city?s nickname is Motown and the basketball team is called the Pistons. It turns out that you don?t have to go on a tour of a car factory or watch a car-themed sports team for entertainment when in Detroit.?You can always go to a museum.? About cars.

Actually The Henry Ford?museum is about Americana, but considering the museum?s namesake founder and its location in Dearborn, Mich., the Detroit suburb where Ford?s world headquarters is located, it is no surprise that the museum?s signature exhibit is of cars.

A freshly revamped 80,000-square-foot exhibit, ?Driving America? opened to the public Sunday. While the museum?s previous automotive exhibits were presented from the perspective of the people in Detroit who designed and built cars, (they show other things too, including an upcoming visit by the touring ?Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit,? which arrives March 31), this exhibit is designed from the perspective of the general population, explained Bob Casey, automotive curator.

That means looking at the car?s impact on society, with the rise of previously non-existent traffic laws, taxes on gasoline, roadside industries to support drivers and a rise in consumer interest in safety.

The Henry Ford

The "Driving America" exhibit features a 1949 Airstream Trailwind travel trailer and a 1959 Volkswagen Westfalia camper.

Courtesy The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford integrated 18 touchscreen kiosks into the "Driving America" exhibit

Of course there is plenty of Detroit iron to see, along with cars from other places. The car on display that probably summarizes the change in public attitudes toward personal mechanized transportation is the locomotive-like Roper, of 1865.

When Sylvester Roper built a series of steam-powered, self-propelled carriages and motorcycles in the middle of the 19th century, the cars were regarded as curiosities, which people would pay to see drive around at the fair but had no interest in owning.

But near the turn of the century, opinion had changed, so when the Duryea car appeared in 1896, there was a public frenzy of interest in buying cars that launched the industry.? ?By 1896 there was a huge change in the public?s attitude,? Casey said.

This change drove the car?s influence on society through the 20th century, as illustrated by the roadside diner and Texaco gas station exhibits.? Some of these influences have waxed and waned, as shown by a ?talk like a trucker? demonstration.? No, it's not a lesson in cursing cars that cut you off in traffic, but a primer on citizens band, or CB radio, slang of the 1970s.

But the cars themselves are the real reason people go to a car museum.? Casey said that visitors most often ask the whereabouts of the ?65 Mustang.? His personal favorite is the 1906 Locomobile that won the famous Vanderbilt Cup race on Long Island in 1908, because he recalls reading about that car in a book when he was in junior high school, he said.

I was irresistibly attracted to the 1935 Miller Indy Car, for its amazing technology from eight decades ago.? But the best part is that with 130 vehicles and 60 display cases, ?Driving America? is likely to have your favorite, too.

If that isn?t enough, the museum has an Imax theater and is co-located with Greenfield Village, Ford?s re-creation of an American town in the 19th century.? And if you are really hoping to get a little grease under your fingernails, there is the option of going on a tour of Ford?s Rouge factory, which once made the Model T and now makes Ford F-150 pickups.

If you go
Admission: adults, $17; seniors, $15; children 5-12, $12.50; children 4 and under, free.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a week, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.

More on Itineraries

?

Source: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/27/10252895-driving-america-museum-exhibit-explores-cars-impact

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Who Looked Sexiest at the Directors Guild of America Awards? (omg!)

If Saturday's 64th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards are any indication, Hollywood's biggest stars will be pulling out all the stops at Sunday's Screen Actors Awards.

VIDEO: Best and worst awards season dresses ever

Jennifer Aniston, 42, showed up to Saturday's event wearing her go-to look: a strapless black mini-dress by Dolce & Gabbana. The Wanderlust star accessorized her look with Fred Leighton diamond fringe pendant earrings and a 13-carat rose-cut diamond and platinum ring.

PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston's biggest PDA moments

The Descendants star Shailene Woodley, 20, opted for a very different look in a red lace Valentino dress, Jimmy Choo shoes and Herve Leger undergarments.

PHOTOS: 2012 winter movie preview

Amber Heard, 25, continued her impeccable red carpet run in a navy jersey dress by Roland Mouret. Helen Mirren, 66, looked classic in a pale gold, cleavage-baring dress by Badgley Mischka.

Tell Us: Which star looked sexiest at the Directors Guild of America Awards?

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_looked_sexiest_directors_guild_america_awards165001162/44346114/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/looked-sexiest-directors-guild-america-awards-165001162.html

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Browns hire Brad Childress as OC

By TOM WITHERS

updated 12:35 a.m. ET Jan. 28, 2012

CLEVELAND - Pat Shurmur brought in a close friend to help him fix Cleveland's broken offense.

Shurmur hired former Minnesota coach Brad Childress as his first offensive coordinator on Friday, reuniting two coaches who spent seven seasons together on Andy Reid's staff with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Browns confirmed Childress' hiring with a release that did not include any quotes.

Childress, who spent nearly five seasons with the Vikings before he was fired in 2010, will try to improve the Browns' dismal offense, which scored just 218 points last season, finished 29th in total yardage, 28th in rushing and 24th in passing. He'll also have input in the team's vital decision at starting quarterback. ? a choice that could impact the club for years.

The 55-year-old Childress was a logical choice to join the Browns, who went 4-12 in their first season under Shurmur. In addition to being tight with Shurmur, Childress is familiar with the West Coast offense the Browns installed last year and he's represented by agent Bob Lamonte, who also has Shurmur and Browns president Mike Holmgren as clients.

Shurmur juggled both head coach and coordinator duties during a troublesome first season in Cleveland. It's believed Shurmur will initially call Cleveland's plays next season but he intends to turn things over to Childress, who recently interviewed for Tampa Bay's head coaching job. Childress has only one season (2006) of experience calling plays.

Childress is the third former NFL head coach on Shurmur's staff, joining defensive coordinator Dick Jauron and senior defensive assistant Ray Rhodes.

Childress was Philadelphia's offensive coordinator from 2003-05 when Shurmur coached the Eagles quarterbacks. While he was with the Eagles, Childress went to three straight NFC title games and the Super Bowl in 2004.

Shurmur was asked about Childress during his season-ending news conference on Jan. 3.

"I know Brad very well," Shurmur said. "He and I worked together for a long time. He's a terrific coach."

Childress went 39-35 in four-plus seasons with the Vikings, twice leading them to the playoffs and going 1-2. Minnesota won division titles in 2008 and 2009, when the Vikings made it to the NFC title game with quarterback Brett Favre, whom Childress had famously picked up at the airport. But after a 3-7 start in 2010, Childress was fired by owner Zygi Wilf one day after the Vikings were blown out at home by rival Green Bay.

The Browns considered hiring an offensive coordinator before last season but didn't find a suitable candidate. Holmgren suggested Shurmur maintain play-calling duties to control the offense and build a stronger bond with second-year quarterback Colt McCoy. Shurmur, though, seemed overwhelmed at times as the Browns had some communication breakdowns and time-management issues.

The addition of Childress should free up Shurmur during the week as he prepares for games.

"I think what it will do is allow me to just step back and look down on some things in some areas that I may be able to contribute more," Shurmur said after the season. "That's a key piece."

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46167490/ns/sports-nfl/

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Rashad Evans earns title shot with UFC on Fox 2 decision

CHICAGO -- In a bout to decide the next light heavyweight title contender, Rashad Evans controlled Phil Davis on his way to a unanimous decision at the United Center on Saturday night. The judges saw it 50-45 on all three cards for Evans.

Davis landed a spinning leg kick, then ducked low into a takedown. Evans pushed him into the fence and fended off the takedown attempt. Every time Davis came in to try to get the takedown, Evans made him pay with a punch or two. Evans got a takedown at the 1:30 point of the first round, then moved to side control. From there, he put Davis into a crucifix hold and landed a bevy of short punches.

In the second round, Evans was aggressive, landing several punches early in the round. They clinched, but things slowed down considerably. They had a few striking exchanges, with Evans coming out on top. In the last 30 seconds, Evans took Davis down and again landed punches from side control.

Davis shot in for a takedown to start the third round. Davis drove him against the fence until he finally got the takedown. Evans reversed position and landed several lefts to Davis' face. They returned to their feet, and Davis got another takedown, and Evans returned to his feet while Davis held on for dear life.

Early in the fourth round, Davis landed a punishing rib kick, but Evans did not slow down. He continued to move forward, stalking Davis around the cage. When Davis shot in for a takedown, Evans fended him off before getting a takedown of his own.

Evans started the fifth round with a huge strike, and then held off Davis' attack. Evans caught a kick, then as he held the single leg, punched Davis until he went down. He stretched Davis into side control, and continued to land punches even as Davis worked to his feet. Evans controlled the rest of the round the way he controlled the whole fight.

With this win, Evans should punch his ticket for a fight with Jon Jones. The UFC announced Saturday that Jones' next bout will be in April in Atlanta. As long as Evans is healthy, the bout should be his.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Victoria Azarenka routs Maria Sharapova for Aussie Open title | Photos
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? Hope Solo helps U.S. women's soccer team earn spot in 2012 London Olympics | Photos

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/rashad-evans-earns-title-shot-ufc-fox-2-031605165.html

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Feds drop fraud case against Adelphia founder, son (AP)

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. ? A six-year legal battle involving the jailed father-son duo who headed now-defunct Adelphia Communications Corp. has ended after prosecutors withdrew tax fraud charges related to their earlier conviction in a $1.9 billion fraud case.

Prosecutors said they withdrew the tax-related charges Wednesday against the Pennsylvania cable company's founder John Rigas and his son Timothy because they weren't likely to end in substantial additional jail time or restitution.

Proceeding with the case wouldn't be "a prudent expenditure" of prosecutorial resources, authorities said.

Authorities alleged in 2005 the Rigases had committed tax fraud when they failed to pay income tax on the proceeds of the fraud they were convicted of in New York a year earlier. The former executives fought the case on the grounds it amounted to double jeopardy.

Both men are already in jail stemming from the collapse of the company in 2002 after prosecutors said John Rigas, 87, and Timothy Rigas, 55, failed to report nearly $2 billion in liabilities. John Rigas has seven years left on his 12-year sentence while Timothy Rigas isn't expected to be released until 2022.

Meanwhile, prosecutors said the family spent lavishly on itself, ordering 100 pairs of slippers for Timothy Rigas and spending more than $3 million to produce a film by John Rigas' daughter.

Defense attorney Larry McMichael welcomed the end of the long court battle.

"This case never should have been brought," he told The Patriot-News of Harrisburg.

___

Information from: The Patriot-News, http://www.pennlive.com/patriotnews

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/us_adelphia_fraud

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How to Fix Those Pesky Wobbly Chairs

Glue alone won't work. It's natural to think that it would do the job?like most homeowners, you squirted some glue into a loose joint and hoped for the best. But unfortunately, applying a thick glob of adhesive is actually counterproductive. Wood adhesives work best when you apply a thin film of the sticky stuff to both sides of a joint, then use pressure to force the parts together. Furthermore, you almost always have to rebuild the joint, reinforce it, or disassemble it and remove adhesives from previous repairs to get it to fit properly.

Let's take a closer look at this. For a chair to be moved around easily, it has to be lightly built. Yet the loads a chair accommodates are severe. A chair may weigh 10 pounds, but it has to support a person 10 times or more its own weight. And that person is a highly dynamic load. He or she may sit, stand, twist, or shift on the chair, putting its joints and parts through strenuous cycles. Compare that with cabinets, chests, and dressers. This furniture is overbuilt relative to the weight it holds. A chest or dresser can easily weigh 50 to 100 pounds yet hold less than 30 pounds of clothing. Aside from sliding drawers, most of the time the load is stationary. You can see why chair joints fail, sometimes catastrophically.

One relatively easy solution for chairs that have only one loose joint is to bore a pocket hole in a discreet location, spread a thin film of professional-quality wood glue on the loose parts, and then drive a pocket screw to lock the joint together. I've done this to a couple of chairs in my house, and I've been pleased with how well the repair has stood up.

This technique won't work if there's adhesive from a previous repair on the joint; it creates an undesirable surface on which to spread new glue. And this works only for chairs with parts that are thick enough or wide enough to withstand the amount of wood that is removed when a pocket hole is bored. Finally, don't use this method on an antique; you could diminish its value.

With a chair that has a number of severely loose joints, label all the parts with masking tape, then disassemble them using a clamp with a reversible jaw, known as a spreader. After you have the parts separated, carefully scrape away the dried adhesive, then repair, rebuild, and reinforce the joints. Finally, reassemble the chair using professional-quality wood glue. If you're not an experienced woodworker, take a course at a community college or craft center before undertaking this project.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/interior/how-to-fix-those-pesky-wobbly-chairs?src=rss

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Nelson Leads All Challengers in Florida (Taegan Goddard's Political Wire)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Object Lesson in Non-Transparency At Energy.gov

I read the article, and he's basically got problems with the search feature, the size of PDFs (or the quality of their previews?), and what happens to agency documents when an agency closes (they go to an agency that handles 'legacy' documents)

This is a very accusatory article and summary for the problems he's got. Non-transparency? Obfuscation? Or a work-in-progress? If new work is hidden away, or old work isn't made available in a straightforward and reasonable fashion, then complain... but this guy just comes off as complaining.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/KwqtUbktuVQ/object-lesson-in-non-transparency-at-energygov

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Jimmy Kimmel & Melissa McCarthy Help Ellen DeGeneres Celebrate Her Birthday

With Jimmy Kimmel serving as co-host to help celebrate Ellen DeGeneres’ 54th birthday (the episode airs today), I can only imagine what will take place during the extravaganza. No doubt some hilarity ensues. The two welcomed “Bridesmaids” and “Mike and Molly” star Melissa McCarthy to the show, who talked about attending her first Golden Globes last week. We’ve got a clip for you to all enjoy as well, which can be seen below. As you can see by the above pic, Jimmy lets it be known that he’d like to appear in the “Bridesmaids” sequel if there is one. The color suits him, don’t you think? Heh heh. Melissa attended her first Golden Globes Awards with her hubby Ben Falcone last week and she dished with Ellen about being in awe while in the presence of Brangelina. Ellen: So you and Ben are talking to Brad and Angelina. Melissa: So I?m already in some weird altered state talking to Brad and Angelina. They?re so nice and chatty and really bubbly. Finally, I got a little weird and I was like you have to stop for a minute because it?s a lot visually to take in. Ellen: You said that to [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/UTE90B5A1cM/

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Spike Lee's 'Red Hook Summer' Screened At Sundance Offers A Nuanced Overview Of African American Christianity

By Dick Staub
Religion News Service

PARK CITY, Utah (RNS) I have a confession to make.

The only real reason I saw Spike Lee's new film at the Sundance Film Festival here is because it is set in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, where my oldest daughter started her career in an elementary school with Teach for America.

Even though I think and write about religion for a living, I didn't attend "Red Hook Summer" because the program guide describes it as the story of a "firebrand preacher bent on getting (his grandson) to accept Jesus Christ as his personal savior."

After all, why would anyone expect a nuanced, respectful exploration of the black church in America from Spike Lee? Let's face it, the words "Spike Lee" and "theologian" don't roll off the tongue very easily, if at all.

So imagine my surprise when "Red Hook Summer" delivered a humorous, honest look at the vibrancy, complexity, sincerity and messiness of African-American Christianity.

The story begins with Flik, a teenager who attends a private school in Atlanta and enjoys the finer things of life. His life is turned upside down when his mother sends him off to Brooklyn for the summer to stay with his preacher grandfather, Enoch.

Flik is certainly unprepared for life in the projects, but is even less prepared for working every day at his grandfather's Little Piece of Heaven church. The only upside is meeting Chazz, a sassy teen who has learned to negotiate life on the streets of Red Hook with her life in the church.

She's a believer but not stuffy about it, and helps Flik get through the Sunday worship service, which is punctuated by Enoch's theatrical rants, the spirited "Amens!" of the congregation and the melodramatic sounds of the Hammond organ.

The heart of this film is grandpa Enoch. As the story begins we get hints that Enoch is a man with a past, and it reaches its dramatic climax when we realize that though Enoch is done with his past, his past is not done with him.

Clarke Peters (Det. Lester Freamon from "The Wire") in the role of Enoch delivers a textured, multi-layered performance that does for the role of a black pastor what Robert Duvall did for revivalists in "The Apostle." These characters are believable, complicated and likable.

At the Q&A following the film, it was obvious that I wasn't the only one surprised that Lee delivered a thoughtful, respectful and savvy film about religion. The first audience question was about Lee's personal religious background. He never attended church as a boy in Brooklyn, he explained, although some summers he was sent to stay with relatives in Atlanta who made sure he did.

Suffice it to say that church and religion have not played a central role in Lee's life.

So what is the source of the film's religious content? To answer that question, Lee introduced his co-author on the script, James McBride, and the richness of the film immediately made complete sense.

I interviewed McBride in Chicago in the 1990's about his best-selling book "The Color of Water." It was an autobiographical account of his Jewish mother who converted to Christianity and, with her husband, founded the church where "Red Hook Summer" was filmed.

McBride talked about his belief in God and Jesus, and said his faith was renewed and strengthened during the writing and making of the film. He also talked about spirited debates with Lee about certain scenes where McBride's desire to respect religion collided with Lee's determination to keep it gritty and real. It was a productive tension, and it worked.

I still find it fascinating that Lee would make a film about religion, and that he teamed up with McBride to do it. Sundance is all about telling stories, and "Red Hook Summer" tells a center-stage story about the importance of religion.

(Dick Staub is author of "About You: Fully Human and Fully Alive" and the host of The Kindlings Muse (www.thekindlings.com). His blog can be read at www.dickstaub.com)

Related on HuffPost:

Below, a list of religion themed films screened at Sundance Film Festival 2012

'Corpo Celeste' (Heavenly Body)

1? of ?11

After growing up in Switzerland, 13-year-old Marta returns to a city in southern Italy with her mother and older sister. Independent and inquisitive, she joins a catechism class at a local church. However, the games and religious pop songs she encounters there do not nearly satisfy her interest in faith. Struggling to find her place, Marta pushes the boundaries of the class, the priest, and the church. Contemplating religion is an enduring tradition in Italian cinema, but Rohrwacher brings a fresh inflection and a provocative artistic vision. Her v?rit? aesthetic emphasizes character and subtle behavior. Uninterested in shallow critique, "Corpo Celeste" posits a girl who is resolutely searching for deeper truths. Marta instinctively rebels against the apathy and hypocrisy of the adults around her, including a priest who is more interested in his career than he is in faith. Ultimately, her spirituality is as much of the Earth as it is of the heavens. Caption credited to www.sundance.org

After growing up in Switzerland, 13-year-old Marta returns to a city in southern Italy with her mother and older sister. Independent and inquisitive, she joins a catechism class at a local church. However, the games and religious pop songs she encounters there do not nearly satisfy her interest in faith. Struggling to find her place, Marta pushes the boundaries of the class, the priest, and the church.

Contemplating religion is an enduring tradition in Italian cinema, but Rohrwacher brings a fresh inflection and a provocative artistic vision. Her v?rit? aesthetic emphasizes character and subtle behavior. Uninterested in shallow critique, "Corpo Celeste" posits a girl who is resolutely searching for deeper truths. Marta instinctively rebels against the apathy and hypocrisy of the adults around her, including a priest who is more interested in his career than he is in faith. Ultimately, her spirituality is as much of the Earth as it is of the heavens.

Caption credited to www.sundance.org

MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT?> ??|?? <?PREV

'Corpo Celeste' (Heavenly Body)

After growing up in Switzerland, 13-year-old Marta returns to a city in southern Italy with her mother and older sister. Independent and inquisitive, she joins a catechism class at a local church. However, the games and religious pop songs she encounters there do not nearly satisfy her interest in faith. Struggling to find her place, Marta pushes the boundaries of the class, the priest, and the church. Contemplating religion is an enduring tradition in Italian cinema, but Rohrwacher brings a fresh inflection and a provocative artistic vision. Her v?rit? aesthetic emphasizes character and subtle behavior. Uninterested in shallow critique, "Corpo Celeste" posits a girl who is resolutely searching for deeper truths. Marta instinctively rebels against the apathy and hypocrisy of the adults around her, including a priest who is more interested in his career than he is in faith. Ultimately, her spirituality is as much of the Earth as it is of the heavens. Caption credited to www.sundance.org

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/spike-lees-red-hook-summe-sundance_n_1232187.html

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Spinoff for "The Office" in the works at NBC (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Quirky workplace TV comedy "The Office" may be headed for greener pastures.

A source close to the NBC show said on Thursday that the network was working on a possible spinoff involving actor Rainn Wilson's character Dwight Schrute going back to his family's farm.

No deals have been signed yet and NBC declined to comment.

But industry website Deadline Hollywood said the proposed show would see Dwight, who was dismayed at being passed over for the job of Dunder Mifflin office manager last year, living at his family's beet farm and bed and breakfast. The show could include multiple generations of his family struggling to survive and stay together.

Deadline said that if all goes well, the new show could be launched in early 2013.

"The Office", based on the British mockumentary of the same name created by comic Ricky Gervais, has been a critical and ratings success for NBC for eight years, winning Emmys, acting and writing awards.

But ratings have slipped by about one million regular viewers since the departure last year of lead actor Steve Carell, who portrayed manager Michael Scott.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/tv_nm/us_theoffice

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Just a Guy Documenting His Year, One Backflip at a Time [Video]

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H&M profits down on discounting, higher costs (AP)

STOCKHOLM ? Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB on Thursday posted a 2.4 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profits, slightly weaker than market expectations, due to higher materials costs and heavy discounting to attract customers during an economic downturn.

Still, the company said it continued to gain market share during the period and remains optimistic about the future.

It plans to open 275 new stores in the coming year ? in Bulgaria, Latvia, Malaysia, Thailand and Mexico, the group's first foray into Latin America. It will also launch online sales on the world's largest online market, the United States.

H&M, which is headquartered in Stockholm, said net profit dropped to 5.36 billion kronor ($790 million) in the September-November period from 5.49 billion in the same quarter a year earlier, despite a rise in sales to 36.19 billion kronor from 34.79 billion kronor.

The company blamed currency fluctuations, higher purchasing prices ? mainly due to more expensive cotton ? and discounts it had to make to fend off competition during what it called "one of the toughest years for a long time for the fashion retail industry."

It said it also focused on higher quality and more sustainable materials.

H&M, whose main competitor is Spain's Inditex, the owner of Zara, specializes in offering the latest fashion trends at low prices. It has collaborated with international designers and fashion icons, such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Madonna and David Beckham.

The closely-watched gross margin, an indicator of profitability, fell to 61.9 percent in the fourth quarter from 63.2 percent a year earlier.

However, the December sales figures, released in conjunction with the report, pleased market watchers. They showed a 13 percent increase, including sales tax, compared with the same month a year earlier, while the company said the development for January looked "strong."

Analysts had feared that the warmer-than-usual weather would have negative effects on the sale of its autumn- and winter collections during the Christmas season.

For the full year 2011, the group posted a net profit of 15.82 billion kronor, down from 18.68 billion kronor the previous year.

In mid-morning trade, shares in the company had fallen 0.6 percent to 220.90 kronor ($32.65) on the Stockholm stock exchange.

Simon Kjellstrom, an analyst at Pareto Ohman in Stockholm said that although the squeezed margins disappointed slightly, the positive news about strong sales in both December and January largely offset that gloom. "The first quarter has started off well," he said, "and it balances it out."

CEO Karl-Johan Persson said that despite the economic uncertainty experienced in many of the company's markets in 2011, "the fact that we have gained market share, proves that our customers appreciate our collections."

Looking ahead, he said the macro-economic challenges are likely to continue also in 2012, "but we have a strong belief in our offering and are convinced that H&M will continue to maintain its strong position as the year goes on."

H&M, founded in 1947, has 94,000 staff and around 2,500 stores in 43 countries. It also owns other brands like higher-priced COS and urban fashion labels such as Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/earnings/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_sweden_earns_h_m

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Nigeria police chief tarnished over 2001 violence (AP)

ABUJA, Nigeria ? Nigeria's president has selected a new officer to lead the nation's police force as a radical Islamist sect increasingly targets it for attacks. However, that man already has a past tarnished by allegations he allowed religious and ethnic violence that killed 1,000 people to spiral out of control.

Mohammed D. Abubakar served as police commissioner in Plateau state in 2001, leading up to rioting that saw Muslim and Christian groups attack each other in the restive central Nigerian city of Jos. While some victims burned to the death in the street, civil society groups said Abubakar refused to send officers into the street to stop the violence.

A presidential spokesman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Abubakar replaced Inspector Gen. Hafiz Ringim, who has been widely criticized over his response to attacks by the sect known as Boko Haram.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_re_af/af_nigeria_violence

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Youths overrun bombed north Nigeria police station (AP)

KANO, Nigeria ? Jubilant youths overran a blood-splattered police station on Wednesday after it was attacked by a radical Islamist sect, revealing a streak of popular discontent with a government that many say has failed them in Africa's most populous nation.

Suspected members of Boko Haram surrounded the police station Tuesday night in Kano, ordered civilians to get off the street, began chanting "God is great" and threw homemade bombs into the station while spraying it with assault rifles, witnesses said. The attack followed coordinated assaults on Friday that killed at least 185 people in Kano, Nigeria's second-largest city.

Associated Press journalists on Wednesday saw that youths had overrun the bombed-out station in the Sheka neighborhood of this sprawling city in northern Nigeria.

Doors to jail cells stood open. Blood coated the floor of the local commander's private bathroom. Investigative files that had apparently been rifled through were spilled on the floors. Cheering youths outside waved an officer's uniform and jumped up and down on top of a burned-out police truck, with one wearing a police ballistic helmet, smiling.

Others in the crowd said in the local Hausa language they would kill any police officer who returned. Some ominously asked journalists visiting the site if they were Christians.

"We are not satisfied with what is happening now," said 26-year-old Abubakar Muawuya. Our leaders "have to call this Boko Haram and sit down with them."

Kano state police spokesman Magaji Musa Majiya did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday morning. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though it followed the pattern of others carried out by Boko Haram, including the use of improvised explosives.

The sect, whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" in Hausa, has claimed responsibility for Friday coordinated attacks in Kano.

Boko Haram wants to implement strict Shariah law and avenge the deaths of Muslims in communal violence across Nigeria, a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people split largely into a Christian south and Muslim north.

On Wednesday, Niger's foreign minister said the sect received training and weapons from al-Qaida's North African wing.

Mohamed Bazoum said in Mauritania's capital that members of Boko Haram have had training and received explosives from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

"There is no doubt the two organizations are connected and that they have the same objective of destabilizing our region," he said.

Ministers from the West African region met Wednesday in Mauritania, and vowed to intensify their efforts against the groups.

While Boko Haram has begun targeting Christians in the north, most of those killed Friday appeared to be Muslim, officials said.

Nigeria's weak and corruption-riddled central government has been unable to stop Boko Haram's increasingly bloody attacks.

Nigeria is an oil-rich nation but most Nigerians don't see the benefits and earn less than $2 a day. They have to contend with a rotting infrastructure like bad roads and a lack of electrical power, and seeming government indifference to the problems. The level of anger is high as democracy in a nation with a history of military rule has failed to markedly improve people's lives.

When President Goodluck Jonathan on Jan. 1 ended a fuel subsidy that kept prices at the pump low, unions launched a nationwide strike and streets of cities filled with protesters, forcing the president to partially reinstate the subsidy.

___

Associated Press writer Ahmed Mohamed in Nouakchott, Mauritania, contributed to this report.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_af/af_nigeria_violence

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Bachmann predicts that presidential elections will end abortion (Daily Caller)

On the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann predicted that the presidential elections will ?end abortion? in America. It was her first public appearance since dropping out of the race for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

?Here on our watch we will stand, we will stand for life, we will never forget, we will never give up, and next year we will gather in a day of celebration when we have finally ended abortion in this all important election,? The UK Daily Mail reported the one-time presidential candidate said before a pro-life audience in St Paul, Minnesota.

The rally was sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. According to the group, more than 4,000 people attended the event.

Pro-choice advocates have been warning against gains made by conservatives against legal abortion, especially this year.

?For nearly four decades, [National Organization for Women] NOW and women?s rights activists around the country have been fighting to ensure that women have access to the full range of reproductive health care services, including abortion, birth control and prenatal care,? NOW President Terry O?Neill said in a recent statement.

?[T]he struggle continues, and far-right extremists are now ramping up their attacks, passing a record number of state anti-abortion laws just last year, and pressing for complete defunding of family planning clinics,? she added.

O?Neill and others in the pro-choice movement have expressed their fervent intent to protect legal abortion.

The Daily Mail further reported that Republican Reps. Erik Paulson, Chip Cravaack and John Kline made speeches as well.

Bachmann dropped out of the presidential race in Iowa in early January.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20120123/pl_dailycaller/bachmannpredictsthatpresidentialelectionswillendabortion

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Council finds states weakening teacher tenure (AP)

WASHINGTON ? America's public school teachers are seeing their generations-old tenure protections weakened as states seek flexibility to fire teachers who aren't performing. A few states have essentially nullified tenure protections altogether, according to an analysis being released Wednesday by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

The changes are occurring as states replace virtually automatic "satisfactory" teacher evaluations with those linked to teacher performance and base teacher layoffs on performance instead of seniority. Politically powerful teachers' unions are fighting back, arguing the changes lower morale, deny teachers due process, and unfairly target older teachers.

The debate is so intense that in Idaho, for example, state superintendent Tom Luna's truck was spray painted and its tires slashed. An opponent appeared at his mother's house and he was interrupted during a live TV interview by an agitated man. Why? The Idaho legislature last year ended "continuing contracts" ? essentially equivalent to tenure ? for new teachers and said performance, not seniority, would determine layoffs. Other changes include up to $8,000 in annual bonuses given to teachers for good performance, and parent input on evaluations. Opponents gathered enough signatures to put a referendum that would overturn the changes on the November ballot.

Luna says good teachers shouldn't be worried.

"We had a system where it was almost impossible to financially reward great teachers and very difficult to deal with ineffective teachers. If you want an education system that truly puts students first, you have to have both," Luna said.

On Tuesday night, President Barack Obama weighed in on the issue during his State of the Union address. He said schools should be given the resources to keep and reward good teachers along with the flexibility to teach with creativity and to "replace teachers who just aren't helping kids learn."

Tenure protections were created in the early 20th century to protect teachers from arbitrary or discriminatory firings based on factors such as gender, nationality or political beliefs by spelling out rules under which they could be dismissed after a probationary period.

Critics say teachers too often get tenure by just showing up for work ? typically for three years, but sometimes less, and that once they earned it, bad teachers are almost impossible or too expensive to fire. The latest statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics, dating to the 2007-2008 school year, show about 2 percent of teachers dismissed for poor performance, although the numbers vary widely by school district.

The analysis by the National Council on Teacher Quality, a research and policy group that seeks to improve the quality of teaching, documents the shift in laws. In 2009, no state required student performance to be central to whether a teacher is awarded tenure; today, eight states do. The analysis also says four states now want evidence that students are learning before awarding tenure.

Other changes:

? In Florida, tenure protections were essentially made null and void with policy changes such as eliminating tenure-like benefits altogether for new teachers, but also spelling out requirements under which all teachers with multiple poor evaluations face dismissal.

? Rhode Island policies say teachers with two years of ineffective evaluations will be dismissed.

? Colorado and Nevada passed laws saying tenure can be taken away after multiple "ineffective" ratings.

? Eleven states now require districts to consider teacher performance when deciding who to let go.

? About half of all states have policies that require classroom effectiveness be considered in teacher evaluations.

? Florida, Indiana and Michigan adopted policies that require performance to be factored in teacher salaries.

A growing body of research demonstrates the dramatic difference effective teachers can play in student lives, from reducing teenage pregnancies to increasing a student's lifetime earnings. Meanwhile, while controversial, teacher evaluations have evolved in a way that proponents say allows better accounting of students' growth and of factors out of a teacher's control, like attendance.

The Obama administration has helped nudge the changes with its Race to the Top competition, which allowed states to compete for billions of education dollars, and offering states waivers around unpopular proficiency requirements in the No Child Left Behind education law. To participate in either, states have to promise changes such as tying teacher evaluations to performance.

"There's a real shift to saying all kids, especially our most disadvantaged kids, have access to really high quality and effective teachers. And, that's it's not OK for kids to have ... an ineffective teacher year after year," said Sandi Jacobs, vice president of the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Jacobs said tenure should be meaningful, but that in 39 states it's automatic.

"That's the problem with tenure, everybody gets it," she said. "If you're held to a high bar where you've really demonstrated that you are effective in the classroom, then there's nothing wrong with that as long as the due process rights that you do get are reasonable."

But many teachers feel under siege. They argue the evaluation systems are too dependent on standardized tests. While teachers' unions have gotten more on board with strengthening teacher evaluations, they often question the systems' fairness and want them designed with local teachers' input.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said unions understand the tenure process needs change, but that too often, school administrators have used it as an excuse to mismanage. "They want teachers to basically do exactly what they say, give them no resources and then blame them if they don't in a time of tremendous fiscal instability and fiscal pressures," Weingarten said.

In Boise, Idaho, Lane Brown, 56, a biology and horticulture teacher who moved from a private school a few years ago to a public alternative high school to seek new challenges after three decades of teaching, said her school's climate has dramatically changed.

"There's nobody in this building that doesn't understand it could be one of us, not just the newest teacher or the teacher with the fewest number of students. It could be anybody, ... which is scary. Every teacher here is saying, `I don't know if I'm going to have a job next year,'" Brown said.

In Florida, teachers fear expressing what they feel is best for students, said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association.

"Teachers see positions not being filled, class sizes increasing, more demands, more testing, and you add all that together with their economic uncertainty about continued employment and it certainly doesn't allow you to go out and plan for long term investments like a home," Ford said.

Kathy Hebda, the deputy chancellor for education quality in Florida, said the contract-related changes were not done in "isolation," but as part of broader changes that improve accountability and provide teachers feedback.

Michelle Rhee, the former schools chancellor in Washington, D.C., acknowledged widespread mistrust among teachers about evaluations, but she said once teachers are brought into discussions, many are won over.

"If we know who the effective teachers are, if we know what kind of an impact effective teachers can have on individual kids and on our society overall, then why wouldn't we take the obvious step of utilizing the information on who are the most effective teachers to make our staffing decisions?" said Rhee, whose education advocacy group StudentsFirst is pushing for changes to layoff policies based on seniority.

Coming up, Missouri legislators appear poised to take up the contentious topic of teacher tenure. In Connecticut, the Connecticut Education Association launched a TV advertising campaign after Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislative leaders said education reform ? and possibly tenure ? will be the major focus of this legislative session. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie, both Republicans, are eyeing tenure law changes.

"Tenure laws will be under assault for many years to come," said Marjorie Murphy, a professor of history at Swarthmore College who wrote a book about the teacher labor movement. Murphy said ending tenure protections will "take over any sense of fair play between employer and employee. All of that will be gone."

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National Council on Teacher Quality: http://www.nctq.org/

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Chris Blank in Jefferson City, Mo., and Jessie Bonner in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_go_ot/us_teacher_tenure

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