Key to school improvement: Reading, writing, arithmetic ... and character?

Public release date: 29-Dec-2011
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Contact: Brian Flay
brian.flay@oregonstate.edu
Oregon State University

CORVALLIS, Ore. A study of 20 elementary schools in Hawaii has found that a focused program to build social, emotional and character skills resulted in significantly improved overall quality of education, as evaluated by teachers, parents and students.

The concept includes organized activities to build character that go beyond more traditional rules or policies to control or punish problem behaviors. But it still takes only about an hour a week away from traditional education, and previous research has documented much lower numbers of suspensions, lower absenteeism, and better reading and math scores on standardized tests.

The latest study, being published by researchers from Oregon State University in the Journal of School Health, found for the first time that teachers believed this approach improved "overall school quality" by 21 percent, with parents and students agreeing in slightly smaller numbers. It was based on findings from racially and ethnically diverse schools, half using the program and half that did not.

"Improved social and character skills leave more time for teachers to teach, and students to learn and be more motivated," said Brian Flay, an OSU professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences. "What we're finding now is that we can really address some of the concerns in our schools by focusing more on character in the classroom.

"These are not new concepts, they're the kind of things that have always been discussed in families, church and social groups," Flay said. "A third-grade lesson, for instance, might be helping kids to understand how other people feel, to learn about empathy. That may seem simple, but in terms of educational performance it's important."

School quality, as defined in this research, includes a safe environment, involvement and satisfaction among individuals, student support, continuous improvement, standards-based learning and other features.

Past policies to curtail substance abuse, violent behavior and other problems have shown only limited results, researchers said in the study, in part because they don't address underlying issues such as student's sense of self and social attachment. The new trend being explored is what they call social-emotional and character development.

The program used in this research includes K-12 classroom curricula, a school-wide climate development component, teacher and staff training, parent and community involvement, continued positive reinforcement and other techniques.

Lessons include topics related to self-concept, physical and intellectual actions, managing oneself responsibly, getting along with others, being honest, and self-improvement.

The results have been impressive. Previously published results showed 72 percent fewer suspensions, 15 percent less absenteeism, and much better reading and math skills based on state tests. National tests showed a 9 percent improvement in these academic subjects.

"The current research supports the hypothesis that these programs can generate whole-school change and improve school safety and quality," the researchers wrote in their report. "The present study shows improvements in school quality were made by relatively underperforming schools."

The findings suggest that schools, districts, states and the federal government should consider policies and funding directed toward social and character programs of this type, the researchers said.

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Public release date: 29-Dec-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Brian Flay
brian.flay@oregonstate.edu
Oregon State University

CORVALLIS, Ore. A study of 20 elementary schools in Hawaii has found that a focused program to build social, emotional and character skills resulted in significantly improved overall quality of education, as evaluated by teachers, parents and students.

The concept includes organized activities to build character that go beyond more traditional rules or policies to control or punish problem behaviors. But it still takes only about an hour a week away from traditional education, and previous research has documented much lower numbers of suspensions, lower absenteeism, and better reading and math scores on standardized tests.

The latest study, being published by researchers from Oregon State University in the Journal of School Health, found for the first time that teachers believed this approach improved "overall school quality" by 21 percent, with parents and students agreeing in slightly smaller numbers. It was based on findings from racially and ethnically diverse schools, half using the program and half that did not.

"Improved social and character skills leave more time for teachers to teach, and students to learn and be more motivated," said Brian Flay, an OSU professor in the School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences. "What we're finding now is that we can really address some of the concerns in our schools by focusing more on character in the classroom.

"These are not new concepts, they're the kind of things that have always been discussed in families, church and social groups," Flay said. "A third-grade lesson, for instance, might be helping kids to understand how other people feel, to learn about empathy. That may seem simple, but in terms of educational performance it's important."

School quality, as defined in this research, includes a safe environment, involvement and satisfaction among individuals, student support, continuous improvement, standards-based learning and other features.

Past policies to curtail substance abuse, violent behavior and other problems have shown only limited results, researchers said in the study, in part because they don't address underlying issues such as student's sense of self and social attachment. The new trend being explored is what they call social-emotional and character development.

The program used in this research includes K-12 classroom curricula, a school-wide climate development component, teacher and staff training, parent and community involvement, continued positive reinforcement and other techniques.

Lessons include topics related to self-concept, physical and intellectual actions, managing oneself responsibly, getting along with others, being honest, and self-improvement.

The results have been impressive. Previously published results showed 72 percent fewer suspensions, 15 percent less absenteeism, and much better reading and math skills based on state tests. National tests showed a 9 percent improvement in these academic subjects.

"The current research supports the hypothesis that these programs can generate whole-school change and improve school safety and quality," the researchers wrote in their report. "The present study shows improvements in school quality were made by relatively underperforming schools."

The findings suggest that schools, districts, states and the federal government should consider policies and funding directed toward social and character programs of this type, the researchers said.

###

---

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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/2011-12/osu-kts122911.php

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AP-GfK Poll: In 2012, it can only get better

Graphic shows opinion poll of the year

Graphic shows opinion poll of the year

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Americans are hopeful for what 2012 will bring for their families and the country, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, though most say 2011 was a year they would rather forget.

Nearly seven in 10 say the year gone by was a bad one, more than double those who consider it a success, according to the poll. But 62 percent are optimistic about what 2012 will bring for the nation, and more, 78 percent, are hopeful about the year their family will have in 2012.

Jeff Wolfe, 33, of Farmington, W.Va., said 2011 treated him well because he was able to find steady work as a lineman. But for the rest of the nation, things were "pretty rough," with so many Americans looking for jobs, he noted.

"For the first time since 2009, I worked all year," he said. Wolfe said he lost work in 2008 and again in 2010. But in 2011, the father of two school-age children said he was able to catch up on bills, buy his wife a new car and renovate his home.

Overall, the poll found 68 percent of Americans described 2011 as a bad year, compared with 29 percent who felt it was a good one.

A partisan divide, much like the one that ruled Washington this year, seems the only split in public opinion on 2011. Democrats were most likely to view 2011 positively (40 percent called it good), while independents and Republicans were less effusive. Beyond that, the poll found general agreement that 2011 is best left in the past.

Mary Burke, 57, of Ridgeland, S.C., felt economic pain in 2011. She saw prices rise for all of her expenses, from her light bill to groceries. "Paying $5 for a jar of mayonnaise is outrageous," she said.

Food and gas prices surged in 2011, but the most recent Consumer Price Index shows inflation leveling off. November statistics from the government showed a year-over-year inflation rate of 3.4 percent, the smallest such rise since April.

The AP-GfK poll found consumers are sensing the change. Just 18 percent of adults expect consumer prices to rise at a faster pace in the coming year, the lowest share to say so since the poll first asked the question in March. Most (51 percent) expect prices to rise at the same rate or more slowly.

And as the nation's economic fortunes overall appear to be tilting slightly positive, the public's expectations for the economy in the coming year are at their highest point since spring. According to the poll, 37 percent expect economic improvement in the next 12 months, compared with 24 percent who think the economy will slide downhill. That's the first time since May that significantly more people said things will get better than get worse.

On a personal level, 36 percent think their household's financial situation will improve over the next 12 months, while 11 percent think it will worsen. Americans' financial ebbs and flows affect their personal outlook for 2012. Those whose households have faced a job loss in the past six months or who describe their current financial situation as poor are less optimistic about what 2012 holds for them and their families than others, though that does not carry over to their forecast for the nation in 2012.

Optimism about the nation's path varies with views of the economy's direction. Those who say things have looked better in the past month are generally optimistic (79 percent), while just half of those who say things are getting worse feel positive about what 2012 holds for the country. And about 6 in 10 of those who distrust the two major political parties to handle the economy or job creation are pessimistic about how 2012 will turn out for the nation.

Burke said she is angered by politicians in Washington who she believes fail to look out for the interests of the American people.

"They don't care about me and you," she said. "They only care how they are going to line their pockets." As for the economy and nation improving in 2012, she said, "I pray and hope."

The partisan divide in impressions of 2011 persists in the outlook for 2012, with Democrats more optimistic than either Republicans or independents. But expectations for next year's presidential contest appear not to be a factor. Most partisans on both sides foresee victory for their side in the November 2012 presidential election: Three-quarters of Democrats say they think President Barack Obama will win re-election; three-quarters of Republicans say he will not.

The Associated Press-GfK Poll was conducted Dec. 8-12 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

___

Associated Press writer Stacy A. Anderson contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-29-AP%20Poll-Optimistic%20New%20Year/id-10431f398aa0430b949983852caf6e05

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Steve Jobs Honored with Special Trustees Grammy Award

The Recording Academy today announced the winners of its annual Special Merit Grammy Awards, with Steve Jobs being named a recipient of a Trustees Award for 2012. The Trustees Award category is designed to recognize those who have made significant contributions to music in areas other than performance.

As former CEO and co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs helped create products and technology that transformed the way we consume music, TV, movies, and books. A creative visionary, Jobs' innovations such as the iPod and its counterpart, the online iTunes store, revolutionized the industry and how music was distributed and purchased. In 2002 Apple Computer Inc. was a recipient of a Technical GRAMMY Award for contributions of outstanding technical significance to the recording field. The company continues to lead the way with new technology and in-demand products such as the iPhone and iPad.

A ceremony honoring the winners of Trustees Awards, Lifetime Achievement Awards, and Technical Grammy Awards will be held on Saturday, February 11th, with special recognition also being made during the main Grammy Awards ceremony the following day.

Jobs is one of several recipients, including Brazilian composer and arranger Antonio Carlos Jobim, spoken word soul performer Gil Scott-Heron, and audio engineer Roger Nichols, who will be honored posthumously.

Source: http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/21/steve-jobs-honored-with-special-trustees-grammy-award/

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Rally 'Round the Homophobe (Prospect)

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Government nears end of hearing against accused WikiLeaks source Manning

The US government is close to wrapping up its case against Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, accused of providing classified documents to WikiLeaks.

The government neared completion of its case against the Army intelligence analyst blamed for the biggest leak of U.S. secrets in American history as the prosecution and defense wrangled over which parts of the proceedings should be public and private.

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The preliminary hearing against alleged WikiLeaks source Pfc. Bradley?Manning restarted Tuesday at an Army installation outside Washington, with the prosecution expected to call its final six witnesses. The defense will then likely call three witnesses, followed by closing arguments.

Then, a military officer will weigh whether to recommend that the young private be court-martialed, at which point he could face life in prison.

Manning is accused of illegally leaking a trove of classified data to the secrets-spilling website WikiLeaks, a breach that rattled U.S. foreign relations and, according to the government, imperiled valuable military and diplomatic sources.

Lawyers for the 24-year-old native of Crescent, Okla., are employing a three-pronged defense: The troubled young private should never have had access to classified material, workplace security was inexplicably lax and the leaked information caused little damage to national security anyhow.

It's unclear whether any of the arguments will hold sway. But Manning, in camouflaged Army fatigues and dark-rimmed glasses, has appeared to take in the proceedings calmly.

During recesses, Manning has leaned back and sat casually in his chair, chatting with his defense team and gesturing with his hands. He has occasionally smiled. When attorneys re-enter the courtroom, he sits up attentively.

Spectators and reporters were removed from the hearing Tuesday morning at the defense's request, as the sides discussed with presiding officer Lt. Col. Paul Almanza whether testimony from a woman Manning allegedly assaulted in Baghdad should be open to the public. The private session follows closed-doors portions of the proceedings Monday that were demanded by the prosecution and decried by Manning's supporters as the case delved into classified but widely publicized information.

Until Monday, the defense largely focused on painting Manning as an emotionally troubled gay man serving during the Army's "don't ask, don't tell" era, and arguing that the classified material proved harmless in the open. Manning's lawyers have yet to acknowledge or deny his responsibility for the leaking of hundreds of thousands of U.S. war and diplomatic cables and a classified military video of an American helicopter attack in Iraq that killed 11 men.

In a back-and-forth on the digital case against Manning, the prosecution said evidence showed that Manning communicated directly with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. It also released a text file purportedly written by Manning that was meant to accompany some 500,000 battlefield reports found on a data card he owned.

"This is possibly one of the more significant documents of our time, removing the fog of war and revealing the true nature of 21st century asymmetric warfare. Have a good day," Manning wrote, according to digital-crimes investigator David Shaver.

Investigators also pointed to a May 2010 exchange between Manning and a mathematician named Eric Schmiedl.

"Are you familiar with WikiLeaks?" Manning allegedly asked.

"Yes, I am," Schmiedl wrote.

"I was the source of the July 12, 2007, video from the Apache Weapons Team which killed the two journalists and injured two kids," Manning wrote, according to the prosecution.

The closing arguments could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday. Almanza will then recommend to the commander of the Military District of Washington whether Manning should be court-martialed. It could still take several weeks for a decision on whether he will be tried on 22 charges, including aiding the enemy. If convicted, he could face life in prison.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/n28lnt2IMxo/Government-nears-end-of-hearing-against-accused-WikiLeaks-source-Manning

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Photos: Beard & Moustache Contest Wins Big For Silver Lake Library - Echo Park, CA Patch

echopark.patch.com:

The Silver Lake Library was the site of perhaps the largest public display of facial hair ever in our fair city--and certainly in our neighborhood.

70 Entries From as Far Away as Victorville

According to Young Adult librarian Johathan Pitre, organizer and MC, an estimated 250 crowded the library for the first annual Beard and Moustache contest judging Tuesday night.

Read the whole story: echopark.patch.com

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/22/photos-beard-moustache-co_n_1165387.html

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Vacation politics: Mitt Romney scolds Obama for Hawaii plans (Los Angeles Times)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/170757343?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Man pleads to firearm charge in militia case (AP)

DETROIT ? One of nine people charged in an investigation of a southern Michigan militia has pleaded guilty to a firearm charge in the case.

The U.S. attorney's office says 29-year-old Joshua Clough (KLUHF) pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The Lenawee County man is accused of conspiring to rebel against the government among other charges.

He's the first person to plead guilty in the case. The eight others charged are scheduled to go to trial Feb. 7.

A message seeking comment was left Monday for his lawyer.

The government claims members of Hutaree (hoo-TAR'-ee) were scheming to kill a police officer, then attack law enforcement.

As part of the plea, Clough acknowledged that he was a member of the militia and participated in military-style training.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111205/ap_on_re_us/us_fbi_raids_militia

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Cano wants to see Ortiz wear pinstripes - MLB - Baseball - Rumors

06:30 AM ET?12.03 | Robinson Cano said he would welcome David Ortiz switching sides in the storied baseball rivalry between New York and Boston. "It would be a good idea, having another lefty on the team," Cano told the Daily News while in attendance at Ortiz's fourth annual charity golf tournament. "We all know he's a great hitter. Last year, a lot of people were saying, 'He's done.'" He proved a lot of people wrong. I like people, when they're down, they prove people wrong. He came back, di...

Read the full article

Source: http://dailyme.com/story/2011120300002030

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Kazakhstan: 5 militants, 2 troops die in clash (AP)

ALMATY, Kazakhstan ? Prosecutors in oil-rich Kazakhstan say five militants and two government troops have been killed in a clash outside the commercial capital, Almaty.

The Prosecutor General said in a statement Sunday that the fighting occurred after security services mounted an operation in Boraldai village to capture suspects in the murder of two policemen in Almaty last month.

Authorities in the ex-Soviet Central Asian nation didn't specify the affiliation of the suspects targeted late Saturday.

Kazakhstan has this year has seem an anomalous spike in attacks tied to radical organizations.

In November, a radical Islamist killed seven people, including five law enforcement officers, in a rampage in the southern city of Taraz.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111204/ap_on_re_as/as_kazakhstan_militants

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Australian court extends ban on Galaxy tab sales

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, people walk by a Samsung store in Sydney. Samsung Electronics Co. is closer to selling its new Galaxy tablet computer in Australia after a court on Wednesday, Nov. 30, overturned a ruling that favored Apple's allegations Samsung had copied its iPad and iPhone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, people walk by a Samsung store in Sydney. Samsung Electronics Co. is closer to selling its new Galaxy tablet computer in Australia after a court on Wednesday, Nov. 30, overturned a ruling that favored Apple's allegations Samsung had copied its iPad and iPhone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

SYDNEY (AP) ? Apple Inc. won a small victory on Friday in its global patent battle with rival Samsung, after Australia's highest court temporarily extended a ban on sales of Samsung's Galaxy tablet computers in the country.

Samsung Electronics Co. is desperate to begin selling the Galaxy in Australia in time for Christmas sales, but the High Court's decision means the device can't go on the market until at least Dec. 9.

Apple took Samsung to court in Australia after accusing the Suwon, South Korea-based company of copying its iPad and iPhone. In October, a Federal Court judge ordered Samsung to halt sales of the device ahead of a trial. Samsung appealed, and on Wednesday, a full bench of the Federal Court threw out the earlier ruling and said Galaxy sales could resume on Friday.

But Apple immediately appealed that decision to the High Court, which on Friday said the temporary injunction against sales would be extended for another week while it considers Apple's latest arguments.

"Samsung believes Apple has no basis for its application for leave to appeal and will vigorously oppose this to the High Court," Samsung said in a statement.

The legal back-and-forth is all part of a larger, international battle over the technology giants' competing tablets. Cupertino, California-based Apple struck first when it sued Samsung in the United States in April, alleging the product design, user interface and packaging of the Galaxy "slavishly copy" the iPhone and iPad. Samsung hit back with lawsuits accusing Apple of patent infringement of its wireless telecommunications technology.

The companies have now filed lawsuits in 10 countries. Courts in several nations, including Germany and the Netherlands, have issued rulings that favor Apple.

Apple spokeswoman Fiona Martin declined to comment on Friday's ruling, instead issuing a general statement blasting Samsung.

"It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," Apple said in the statement. "This kind of blatant copying is wrong and, as we've said many times before, we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-12-01-AS-Australia-Samsung-Apple/id-7886ea7db7d14c85abbfeda571cf4c5e

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Fear Your Smartphone

We need such a law because our phones seem to know a lot more about us than we know about them. It?s even difficult to tell which phones come with Carrier IQ and which don?t. Apple, Google, HTC, Research in Motion, Samsung, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile have all issued statements that essentially pass the buck. HTC, for instance, says that mobile carriers ?required? the company to install Carrier IQ on its phones. RIM, meanwhile, says it does ?not pre-install the Carrier IQ app on BlackBerry smartphones or authorize its carrier partners to install the Carrier IQ app before sales or distribution.? But do carriers need authorization to install the app?can they do so on their own? Apparently so, because as Eckhart pointed out, Carrier IQ does make a version of its software for BlackBerry phones. Then there?s Apple, which says, ?We stopped supporting Carrier IQ with iOS 5 in most of our products and will remove it completely in a future software update.? Wait, what?s with the ?most? there?which Apple devices have it and which don?t? And what if you?ve got an iPhone that?s too old to run iOS 5, the company?s latest mobile operating system?does that mean your phone?s got the spy software? Apple hasn?t said.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=2560b79f163f321649b4d11822f7efd1

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Adele may be rolling deep with Grammy nominations (AP)

She likely won't get "21," but Adele is poised to take the biggest share of nods when the Grammy nominations are announced Wednesday night.

The British singer-songwriter has had a great year, thanks to her sophomore album, "21." The mournful album about a failed relationship is the year's best-selling disc with over 4.5 million copies sold. It has resulted in two smash singles, "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You."

The Recording Academy will likely add to Adele's achievements. She is a strong contender to get bids for album of the year and for song and/or record of the year for the searing groove "Rolling in the Deep."

But she's not the only favorite for top nominations. Taylor Swift's multiplatinum "Speak Now" is a possible contender for album of the year, as is Tony Bennett's "Duets II," which marked the 85-year-old's first album to debut at No. 1, making him the oldest artist to achieve that feat.

Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," which had the year's biggest debut with 1.1 million albums sold in its first week, could become her third straight disc to be nominated for album of the year. She was cited for "The Fame Monster" this year and for her debut, "The Fame," in 2010.

Then there's Kanye West. His "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" was one of the most highly regarded albums of 2010, and is eligible for a nomination for album of the year. So is his collaboration with Jay-Z for "Watch the Throne," another contender in the category.

A handful of the nominations are scheduled to be revealed during the fourth annual Grammy nominations concert special, to air live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on CBS at 10 p.m. EST. Lady Gaga is slated to open and close the show.

Other performers include Katy Perry, who could get a record of the year nomination for her hit "Firework"; Rihanna, who could snag a few nominations, including album of the year for "Loud"; and The Band Perry, the country sibling trio likely to be up for best new artist. (Another strong contender for that category, Nicki Minaj, is scheduled to be a presenter on the special.)

The Band Perry, at rehearsals Tuesday night, were hopeful about getting a nomination.

"Our fingers are crossed. We kinda don't like to think too much about that kind of stuff on nights before nominations. We don't want to be a bad luck charm. I'll tell you what, it would be the cherry on top of a really wonderful year," said Kimberly Perry. "We actually just today got the news that we've been certified platinum. We've been high-fiving and celebrating all day. If we were honored to be nominated for best new artist, we would definitely be celebrating two days in a row."

This year's nominations will mark the newly trimmed Grammys. Earlier this year, amid some protests, the academy cut the number of categories from 109 to 78. Some of the more niche categories, like best Zydeco or Cajun music album, were eliminated. In addition, men and women will now compete together in vocal categories for pop, R&B and country, instead of having separate categories for each sex.

Even with the reductions, there is an avalanche of categories, as noted by Neil Portnow, the Academy's CEO and president.

"We've got 78 categories now. It would certainly be impossible to do all of them on any of our shows," he said Tuesday.

The 54th annual Grammy Awards will be presented Feb. 12 in Los Angeles, and will be telecast live on CBS.

___

Online:

http://www.grammys.com

___

Entertainment Writer Derrik Lang contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

___

Nekesa Mumbi Moody is the AP's music editor. Follow her at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi. Derrik Lang is an AP Entertainment Writer. Follow him at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111130/ap_en_tv/us_grammy_nominations

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Olympus ex-CEO Woodford resigns from board (AP)

TOKYO ? Michael Woodford, who was fired as chief executive of Japanese camera and medical equipment company Olympus after blowing the whistle on dubious spending, said Thursday that he is resigning from the board.

Woodford said the decision was difficult because he still cares about Olympus Corp. and hopes it will come clean. Woodford was still a member of the board because dismissal from it can only be done by shareholders.

Although it initially denied wrongdoing, Tokyo-based Olympus has acknowledged a $687 million payment for financial advice and expensive acquisitions to cover up investment losses dating to the 1990s.

"It has been a difficult decision for me to resign from a company that I have devoted my entire life to," said Woodford, 51, a Briton who worked at Olympus for about three decades and became a rare foreigner to head a major Japanese company.

But he said he lost hope that the Olympus board would move toward reform after seeing a Nov. 28 message from Olympus' new president, Shuichi Takayama. He said he now thinks that the Olympus board will not change.

He also said stakeholders should decide who should lead Olympus and called for a shareholders meeting. He will be working with stakeholders to propose a new board, he said.

Woodford, fired Oct. 14, has called for the entire board to resign and to bring in outside members to the board for more transparency.

Olympus' bookkeeping is now under investigation in Japan, the U.S. and Great Britain. The fiasco has evolved into one of Japan's biggest corporate scandals.

Woodford was in Japan last week to speak with Japanese prosecutors and police and also spoke with the Olympus board during the visit. He says he is also speaking with U.S. and British authorities.

Speculation is rife that the amount that Olympus has falsified in its financial reports could be massive. Japanese magazine Facta was first to report on the dubious money.

Olympus must submit a proper financial report by Dec. 14, or it risks being delisted by the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

"I am strongly of the view that it's completely inappropriate for the current management team who are tainted by its past mistakes to make choices about the identity of new board members," Woodford said.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at http://twitter.com/yurikageyama

(This version CORRECTS Corrects that Woodford was CEO not president; Adds Olympus comment, background, details.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_olympus

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The Ides of March 2011

The Ides of March (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RAR
HD (High Definition)

IMDB Rating: The Ides of March (2011) - IMDb
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 101 min
Language: English
Director: George Clooney
Writers: George Clooney (screenplay), Grant Heslov (screenplay), Beau Willimon (screenplay), Beau Willimon (play "Farragut North").
Stars: Paul Giamatti, George Clooney and Philip Seymour Hoffman

Plot:
An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail. Based on the play by Beau Willimon.

Official Trailer - 'The Ides of March" HD - YouTube

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