'No budget, no pay' advances despite reservations

WASHINGTON (AP) ? In an earlier era, a move like the one engineered by House GOP leaders to pass a "no budget, no pay" measure probably would have been stopped in its tracks.

But with Congress' approval ratings in the gutter, House lawmakers pushed aside questions about fairness and constitutionality and tacked the idea onto an unpopular, must-pass bill to increase the government's borrowing cap.

The measure temporarily would withhold pay from any member of the House or Senate whose chamber doesn't pass a budget this year. The Senate is expected to approve it in the coming week, but only after leaders make clear they think "no budget, no pay" is rife with flaws.

The proposal is before the Senate because the House breezed past objections that the idea is unconstitutional because it could "vary" the pay of lawmakers in violation of the 27th amendment to the Constitution. The House ignored concerns that the measure is unfair to members who are in the minority and are powerless to determine whether a budget passes.

Nearly unmentioned was the prospect that withholding lawmakers' pay favors wealthy members over those of more modest means and could, in theory, attract more affluent candidates better able to withstand having some of their $174,000 salary withheld.

"The last thing we want to do is to say to people running for Congress, 'If you're not a millionaire, don't run because there's no guarantee you'll be paid,'" said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.

For these reasons and more, the idea went nowhere in the last congressional session. But it was embraced about a week ago by House GOP leaders such as Speaker John Boehner of Ohio as they struggled to avoid a potential market-crippling default on government obligations.

The proposal is a slap at the Democratic-controlled Senate, which hasn't passed a budget since 2009. Republicans advanced the measure as a one-year experiment rather than a permanent law.

The logic behind "no budget, no pay" goes like this: Passing a budget is the core responsibility of Congress, so why should lawmakers get paid if they don't do their main job?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-budget-no-pay-advances-despite-reservations-093428441--politics.html

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Loss of Rondo for year hurts Celts playoff chances

Boston Celtics guard Courtney Lee, left, and forward Kevin Garnett (5) celebrate on the sideline after a score against the Miami Heat as forward Jeff Green (8) and guard Jason Terry (4) walk up during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at TD Garden in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. The Celtics won 100-98. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Boston Celtics guard Courtney Lee, left, and forward Kevin Garnett (5) celebrate on the sideline after a score against the Miami Heat as forward Jeff Green (8) and guard Jason Terry (4) walk up during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game at TD Garden in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. The Celtics won 100-98. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) looks for an opening past Boston Celtics guard Jason Terry (4) during overtime of an NBA basketball game at TD Garden in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. The Celtics won 100-98 in double overtime. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (8), left, looks for an opening around Miami Heat forward Shane Battier (31), right, in the first half of an NBA basketball game at the TD Garden in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Miami Heat guard Ray Allen acknowledges people in the crowd during warmups before their NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. The Celtics won 100-98. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, left, and forward LeBron James (6), right, look on from the bench in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. The Celtics won 100-98. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON (AP) ? The Celtics' grip on the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference already was slipping.

Now they'll have to hang on without Rajon Rondo.

Boston's star point guard will miss the rest of the season and undergo surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The Celtics won without him on Sunday, beating the Miami Heat 100-98 in double overtime.

But what will the Celtics (21-23) do without him for the remaining 38 games with just a 2?-game lead over the ninth-place Philadelphia 76ers?

"We'll see," coach Doc Rivers said. "Obviously, that's a blow. It's a huge blow for us."

Rondo had triple-doubles in his last two games, giving him five for the season. He brought the ball up, got it to the right people and even improved his weak shooting so much that his 48.4 field goal percentage was third best among NBA guards.

He was averaging career highs of 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds along with 11.1 assists this season. And he was chosen as the starting point guard for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game in Houston on Feb. 17.

Now he's done.

The club said he was hurt late in Friday night's 123-111 loss, also in double overtime, in Atlanta.

"We still like our chances in the Eastern Conference," said Paul Pierce, who had his own triple-double Sunday with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. "Responsibilities definitely go up when you have Rondo out of the game. (I'm) more of a facilitator. (I) have to (do) a little bit of everything for this ball club."

Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 24 points and 11 rebounds and they responded well without Rondo. Their other guards ? Avery Bradley, Courtney Lee, Jason Terry and Leandro Barbosa ? each played at least 25 minutes and combined for 35 points.

"New guys are going to get an opportunity now," Pierce said.

The Celtic's prospects were bleak even before Rivers learned about 25 minutes before the game that Rondo wouldn't play. They had lost six straight games, their longest slide in six seasons. The Heat had won their last four and had the best record in the East.

At first, Rondo thought he had a hamstring injury, Rivers said. Then he was ruled out of the game with what the team said was a hyperextended right knee. An MRI was done and Rivers learned about the ACL tear during the game.

"He's known to play through injuries," Pierce said. "If Rondo can suit up, he's going to suit up. So he didn't suit up today and we knew it wasn't good."

Rivers told his players of the severity of Rondo's injury after the game.

"Everyone was really happy for the win," Pierce said. "It brought a dark cloud in this room when you heard the news."

Even LeBron James, who led all scorers with 34 points, expressed sympathy.

"As much as I've been a rival with Boston over the years, I never want to see anyone go down," James said. "It's terrible."

James had a chance to put the Heat ahead after Pierce's 22-footer gave Boston a 99-98 lead with 31 seconds left in the second overtime. But James missed a 12-foot jumper with 6.8 seconds to go. Pierce got the rebound and was fouled.

He sank the first shot. Then, as a fan shouted "This one's for Rondo," he missed the second.

Miami had one last chance, but Shane Battier missed a long jumper at the buzzer.

"They defended that very well," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "There are about three different options to it, four different options to it. They defended each one of them."

The Heat also could have won in the first overtime, but Dwyane Wade, who had 17 points, missed a jumper as the buzzer sounded.

Boston could have avoided the first overtime when Pierce inbounded from behind his backboard to Terry with 2 seconds left. But Terry's shot from the top of the key was short. The Heat had tied it on a 3-pointer by James with 7 seconds remaining in regulation after Ray Allen missed a 3-pointer with 15 seconds to go.

This game was Allen's first in Boston since he left the Celtics after five seasons and signed as a free agent with Miami. He scored 21 points.

The crowd gave him a standing ovation when highlights of his career were shown on the video board above center court during a timeout with 5:33 left in the first quarter. At the Miami bench, he raised his left hand in recognition.

"When I saw it, just all those emotions came streaming back from all the great things we did here," Allen said. "I'll always be a Celtic in my mind."

Allen entered the game about a minute after the tribute and was booed when he touched the ball. The boos came down again when he took two free throws ? missing the first, making the second ? three minutes into the second quarter.

Now the Celtics have neither member of their starting backcourt from the past five seasons, Allen and Rondo.

Rondo's injury "puts this team and the rest of the guys in a position to be ready to step up," Pierce said. Sunday's win "was a perfect example. We showed we are capable."

NOTES: It was Miami's first game in Boston since it won Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals behind James' 45 points. ... James and Chris Bosh each had 16 rebounds for the Heat. ... The last time the Celtics played consecutive double-overtime games was on March 11 and 13, 1951.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-28-BKN-Heat-Celtics-Folo/id-5677ced27f69458d8595e30f0c0f426d

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Teachers flip for 'flipped learning' class model

Mariah Arostigue, left, and Noah Reyes, 11th graders, chat as they work on their homework in a pre-calculus class at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. A growing number of teachers are implementing what is known as "flipped learning," in which students learn lessons as homework, mostly through online videos produced by teachers, and use classroom time to practice what they learned. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Mariah Arostigue, left, and Noah Reyes, 11th graders, chat as they work on their homework in a pre-calculus class at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. A growing number of teachers are implementing what is known as "flipped learning," in which students learn lessons as homework, mostly through online videos produced by teachers, and use classroom time to practice what they learned. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Students solve problems in Crystal Kirch's pre-calculus class at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. A growing number of teachers are implementing what is known as "flipped learning," in which students learn lessons as homework, mostly through online videos produced by teachers, and use classroom time to practice what they learned. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Teacher Crystal Kirch, center, talks to her students in her pre-calculus class at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. A growing number of teachers are implementing what is known as "flipped learning," in which students learn lessons as homework, mostly through online videos produced by teachers, and use classroom time to practice what they learned. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Marisa Wilkerson, 11th grader, and her classmate use their hands to make the shape of a conic section in Crystal Kirch's pre-calculus class at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. A growing number of teachers are implementing what is known as "flipped learning," in which students learn lessons as homework, mostly through online videos produced by teachers, and use classroom time to practice what they learned. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Teacher Crystal Kirch greets her student in her pre-calculus class at Segerstrom High School in Santa Ana, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. A growing number of teachers are implementing what is known as "flipped learning," in which students learn lessons as homework, mostly through online videos produced by teachers, and use classroom time to practice what they learned. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) ? When Timmy Nguyen comes to his pre-calculus class, he's already learned the day's lesson ? he watched it on a short online video prepared by his teacher for homework.

So without a lecture to listen to, he and his classmates at Segerstrom Fundamental High School spend class time doing practice problems in small groups, taking quizzes, explaining the concept to other students, reciting equation formulas in a loud chorus, and making their own videos while teacher Crystal Kirch buzzes from desk to desk to help pupils who are having trouble.

It's a technology-driven teaching method known as "flipped learning" because it flips the time-honored model of classroom lecture and exercises for homework ? the lecture becomes homework and class time is for practice.

"It was hard to get used to," said Nguyen, an 11th-grader. "I was like 'why do I have to watch these videos, this is so dumb.' But then I stopped complaining and I learned the material quicker. My grade went from a D to an A."

Flipped learning apparently is catching on in schools across the nation as a younger, more tech-savvy generation of teachers is moving into classrooms. Although the number of "flipped" teachers is hard to ascertain, the online community Flipped Learning Network now has 10,000 members, up from 2,500 a year ago, and training workshops are being held all over the country, said executive director Kari Afstrom.

Under the model, teachers make eight- to 10-minute videos of their lessons using laptops, often simply filming the whiteboard as the teacher makes notations and recording their voice as they explain the concept. The videos are uploaded onto a teacher or school website, or even YouTube, where they can be accessed by students on computers or smartphones as homework.

For pupils lacking easy access to the Internet, teachers copy videos onto DVDs or flash drives. Kids with no home device watch the video on school computers.

Class time is then devoted to practical applications of the lesson ? often more creative exercises designed to engage students and deepen their understanding. On a recent afternoon, Kirch's students stood in pairs with one student forming a cone shape with her hands and the other angling an arm so the "cone" was cut into different sections.

"It's a huge transformation," said Kirch, who has been taking this approach for two years. "It's a student-focused classroom where the responsibility for learning has flipped from me to the students."

The concept emerged five years ago when a pair of Colorado high school teachers started videotaping their chemistry classes for absent students.

"We found it was really valuable and pushed us to ask what the students needed us for," said one of the teachers, Aaron Sams, now a consultant who is developing on online education program in Pittsburgh. "They didn't need us for content dissemination, they needed us to dig deeper."

He and colleague Jonathan Bergmann began condensing classroom lectures to short videos and assigning them as homework.

"The first year, I was able to double the number of labs my students were doing," Sams said. "That's every science teacher's dream."

In the Detroit suburb of Clinton Township, Clintondale High School Principal Greg Green converted the whole school to flipped learning in the fall of 2011 after years of frustration with high failure rates and discipline problems. Three-quarters of the school's enrollment of 600 is low-income, minority students.

Flipping yielded dramatic results after just a year, including a 33 percent drop in the freshman failure rate and a 66 percent drop in the number of disciplinary incidents from the year before, Green said. Graduation, attendance and test scores all went up. Parent complaints dropped from 200 to seven.

Green attributed the improvements to an approach that engages students more in their classes.

"Kids want to take an active part in the learning process," he said. "Now teachers are actually working with kids."

Although the method has been more popular in high schools, it's now catching on in elementary schools, said Afstrom of the Flipped Learning Network.

Fifth-grade teacher Lisa Highfill in the Pleasanton Unified School District said for a lesson about adding decimals, she made a five-minute, how-to video kids watched at home and in class, then she distributed play money and menus and had kids "ordering" food and tallying the bill and change.

A colleague who teaches kindergarten reads a storybook on video. The video contains a pop-up box that requires kids to write something that shows they understood the story.

The concept has its downside. Teachers note that making the videos and coming up with project activities to fill class time is a lot of extra work up front, while some detractors believe it smacks of teachers abandoning their primary responsibility of instructing.

"They're expecting kids to do the learning outside the classroom. There's not a lot of evidence this works," said Leonie Haimson, executive director of Class Size Matters, a New York City-based parent advocacy group. "What works is reasonably sized classes with a lot of debate, interaction and discussion."

Others question whether flipped learning would work as well with low achieving students, who may not be as motivated to watch lessons on their own, but said it was overall a positive model.

"It's forcing the notion of guided practice," said Cynthia Desrochers, director of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at California State University-Northridge. "Students can get the easy stuff on their own, but the hard stuff should be under the watchful eye of a teacher."

At Michigan's Clintondale High School, some teachers show the video at the beginning of class to ensure all kids watch it and that home access is not an issue.

In Kirch's pre-calculus class, students said they liked the concept.

"You're not falling asleep in class, "said senior Monica Resendiz said. "You're constantly working."

Explaining to adults that homework was watching videos was a little harder, though.

"My grandma thought I was using it as an excuse to mess around on the Internet," Nguyen said.

___

Contact the reporter at http://twitter.com/ChristinaHoag .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-27-Flipped%20Learning/id-ac882ac5e8584789a162f7e6bebec285

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AP Source: Titans interested in hiring Williams

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Gregg Williams may be a step closer to returning to the NFL after being suspended indefinitely for his role in the Saints' bounty program.

Titans coach Mike Munchak has talked with Williams and is interested in adding him to his Tennessee staff, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke Sunday to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Titans do not discuss personnel moves until they are finalized.

Before the Titans could hire Williams, he must be reinstated by the league. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him indefinitely for his role in the New Orleans Saints bounty program, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday the league has not yet addressed Williams' potential reinstatement.

Munchak did not immediately answer a message left by the AP on Sunday. The Titans coach has not talked with the media about his team since the day after the season ended.

How quickly the league considers reinstating Williams may take at least a week with the San Francisco 49ers arriving in New Orleans on Sunday to kick off festivities leading up to the Feb. 3 Super Bowl.

Williams is the only coach or player who has yet to return to the NFL in the wake of the bounty scandal.

Goodell just lifted the suspension for New Orleans coach Sean Payton on Tuesday, nearly two weeks earlier than expected. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight games and assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six. Four current or former Saints players were also suspended after an investigation found the club had a performance pool offering cash rewards for key plays, including big hits. The player suspensions eventually were overturned.

Williams was the Saints defensive coordinator from 2009-11 and was hired by St. Louis in January 2012 by former Titans coach Jeff Fisher before being suspended indefinitely in March 20112. Williams' son, Blake, also was on Fisher's staff as the Rams' linebacker coach ? but his contract was not renewed earlier this month.

Munchak has known Williams since 1990. Munchak was playing for the then-Houston Oilers when Williams became an assistant coach with the team. They also coached together with the Oilers; Munchak oversaw the offensive line starting in 1994 and Williams rose from defensive assistant to coaching special teams, then linebackers and finally defensive coordinator.

Williams left the Titans to become head coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2001 before becoming defensive coordinator with the Washington Redskins from 2004-07. He also was defensive coordinator in Jacksonville in 2008 before being hired by the Saints in 2009.

Williams also has a relationship with Munchak's current defensive coordinator, Jerry Gray. When Williams left for Buffalo, Gray went with him and served as Williams' defensive coordinator with the Bills.

Even though Gray currently has the job, the Titans' defense needs help and Munchak will be coaching for his job in 2013 after going 6-10 in his second season as head coach. One reason for the losing record was Tennessee's inability to stop anyone; the Titans set a franchise record allowing 471 points in 2012. The only change Munchak has made to his defensive staff was letting linebackers coach Frank Bush go and moving Chet Paralavecchio into the job from assisting with special teams.

In Williams' last season with the Titans, Tennessee ranked first in the NFL in fewest yards allowed, first in passing yards allowed and third in rushing defense. The Titans also set a franchise-record for fewest points allowed with 191 with an aggressive defense.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-titans-interested-hiring-williams-164240212--nfl.html

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The Home She Made: Family Holiday Preparation

The car is all clean and packed and we are about to head away for a family holiday. Hubby doesn't have to return to work til mid February so we thought we'd take the chance to get off the farm and head to the beach. It certainly is a blessing having a swimming pool and an airconditioned home, as if not, I would have been itching to get to the coast?weeks ago.?

Whilst it is really nice to go with the flow and not have too many concrete plans for holidays, I like to be prepared and make a very rough outline for meals and a list of activities for our time away. I like to arrive at our self contained holiday accomodation knowing we have some supplies with us without having to rush off to the store and I find it much more budget friendly. Obviously we will be eating out or having takeaway a few times but not everyday or for every meal. Prior to leaving, I've stocked up on the follow items to take with us:

• breakfast items - cereal; juice; coffee; tea; sugar?
• fruit; salad?
• kids share packs and juice boxes
• crackers; biscuits; chips
• BBQ meat and condiments
• Picnic supplies - plates; cups; napkins etc?

I've also been baking and have made mini quiche; muffins and chocolate snowballs to take with us. We take a small esky with us for the frozen BBQ meat; quiches; muffins; salad and fruit.?

The little boys and I have also made a list of potential activities for us to do together whilst we away. Some of the ideas we came up with were:?

• fish + chips at the beach?
• indoor playground/play center?
• picnic
• play at the park?
• milkshake dates
• out for dinner
• shop for school supplies?
• beach scavenger hunt?

I have packed a small collection puzzles; games; colouring-in and DVD's for the boys too. I've tried to choose ones they've not played with for a while or are favourites that I know will hold their attention. We have also packed their scooters. I'm sure as they get older we will be taking their bikes but for now scooters are something they enjoy and bonus, they pack down small in the car.?

Very much looking forward to some family time away together and hope to have lots of lovely happy snaps to share with you soon.?

Source: http://www.thehomeshemade.com/2013/01/family-holiday-preparation.html

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Video: Does Obama have political capital to pass gun control?

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50597587/

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Dr. Phil to interview alleged girlfriend hoaxer

FILE - In this July 24, 2007 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw is shown in Los Angeles. McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, confirmed on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, by a spokesperson for the "Dr. Phil Show." (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this July 24, 2007 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw is shown in Los Angeles. McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, confirmed on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, by a spokesperson for the "Dr. Phil Show." (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this July 24, 2007 file photo, Dr. Phil McGraw is shown in Los Angeles. McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o, confirmed on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, by a spokesperson for the "Dr. Phil Show." (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Dr. Phil McGraw has booked the first on-camera interview with the man who allegedly concocted the girlfriend hoax that ensnared Notre Dame football star Manti Te'o.

A "Dr. Phil Show" spokesperson confirmed on Friday the interview with Ronaiah Tuiasosopo (roh-NY-ah too-ee-AH'-so-SO'-poh), the man accused of creating an online persona of a nonexistent woman who Te'o said he fell for without ever meeting face-to-face.

The ruse was uncovered last week by Deadspin.com, which reported that Tuiasosopo created the woman, named Lennay Kekua, who then supposedly died last September.

No further details of the "Dr. Phil" interview, including its airdate, were announced.

This interview follows the first on-camera interview with Te'o conducted this week by Katie Couric.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-25-US-TV-Dr-Phil-Girlfriend-Hoax/id-153d0f5748534dd889620fde61730b8c

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