WR Deion Branch looking for wins, not attention

New England Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch, left, talks to Tom Brady as they arrive at the Indianapolis International Airport for NFL footbal's Super Bowl XLVI Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

New England Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch, left, talks to Tom Brady as they arrive at the Indianapolis International Airport for NFL footbal's Super Bowl XLVI Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

New England Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch smiles as the team arrives at the Indianapolis International Airport for NFL footbal's Super Bowl XLVI Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

New England Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch answers questions during a news conference on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Patriots are scheduled to face the New York Giants in NFL football Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? He plays offense. He's won at least two Super Bowls, and he was the MVP the last time the Patriots won the NFL championship.

Know who it is?

"I'd have to say Tom," New England safety Patrick Chung said Monday. Nope, not Tom Brady.

The same question seemed to stump running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis for a few seconds, too. Then he said it's really not important who got the honor in a game where the biggest reward is the Vince Lombardi Trophy that goes to the NFL champion.

"To me, MVPs don't matter," he said. "The only thing that really matters is us going out there and performing well."

And it doesn't matter to Deion Branch, either. He was the Super Bowl MVP when the Patriots beat the Eagles 24-21 seven years ago for their third championship in four years. He's been overlooked a bit this season, with Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez grabbing most of Brady's passes and the headlines.

"That's cool," said Branch, who has that MVP trophy stored safely in a glass case at his home. "I just do my job. I can't worry about who's controlling it and who's saying A, B, C, D. I just do my job I'm not here to be the one that (says), 'Hey I need all the attention.' That's not me."

His contribution doesn't escape the discriminating eye of coach Bill Belichick as he prepares his team for the Super Bowl against the New York Giants on Sunday.

"I couldn't imagine anybody on the team not thinking that Deion Branch has a tremendous importance to our football team," Belichick said. "I don't care if they play offense, defense or wash the towels."

Brady was MVP of the Patriots first two Super Bowl wins in 2002 and 2004. Then he threw for two touchdowns among his 23 completions in their next championship game.

But it was Branch, who caught nearly half of them, who was MVP after tying a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions.

Then, after one more season, he was gone, traded during a contract dispute after the opening game of the 2006 season to Seattle for a draft choice. Brady was devastated to lose his friend and the receiver who could adjust his planned route with just a pre-snap glance from his quarterback.

Then he felt much better when Branch made the cross-country trip back for a reunion.

The Patriots obtained Branch in a trade on Oct. 12, 2010 for a fourth-round draft choice to replace Randy Moss, who was traded to Minnesota. Branch had 48 catches in 11 games with New England last season and another 51 in 15 games this season.

But Welker led the NFL with 122 receptions, Gronkowski set a league single-season record for tight ends with 17 touchdown catches and Hernandez, a tight end versatile enough to make big plays at wide receiver and running back, had 79 receptions.

Welker has caught at least 111 passes in four of his five years with the Patriots. Gronkowski and Hernandez, fun-loving second-year pros, are revolutionizing the tight end position historically known for players who block well and occasionally break away for long gains.

Branch, simply, just produces in the shadows of those stars.

"It's easy to overlook a guy like him in their offense because they're so tight-end focused and those are the guys who are scoring touchdowns," Giants linebacker Matthias Kiwanuka said, "but he obviously creates matchup problems. If you want to assign your best corner to a Wes Welker or somebody else, or you want to put your safety down on a tight end, then (Branch) is going to create an issue for you, but we have the personnel to get it done."

Branch is a solid blocker for his size and a precise route runner who can adjust on the fly. And he can make the big play. In a 45-10 divisional playoff win over Denver, he caught a 61-yard touchdown pass.

"I don't know how many guys make that play for us," Belichick said.

It's the kind of play the Giants will try to prevent.

"People who actually play against him, they understand how good Deion is," New York safety Antrel Rolle said. "Deion is a veteran of this league. He understands all the tricks to this game and, most of all, he's great for their system. He fits their system extremely well. So I think Deion definitely gets his due, maybe not in the media or in the press, but within this team as an organization I feel he definitely gets his due."

Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said a player's contribution in each game depends on what offensive or defensive packages a team uses. It could emphasize the tight ends or Welker or even the running game.

And, on Sunday, maybe even Branch.

"You never know," Wilfork said. "He might have another MVP game."

Associated Press

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Romney lead over Gingrich up in Florida: Reuters/Ipsos poll (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney's lead over rival Newt Gingrich edged up to 12 percentage points in Florida, according to Reuters/Ipsos online poll results on Sunday, as Romney's front-runner status stabilized and Gingrich continued to slip.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and private equity executive, was supported by 42 percent of likely Florida voters surveyed in the online three-day tracking poll, just down from 43 percent in the same poll on Saturday. Romney was at 41 percent on Friday.

But with just two days before the state's primary on Tuesday, Gingrich's support was at 30 percent, down from 32 percent in Saturday's results and 33 percent on Friday.

The gap between the two was 11 percent when poll respondents were asked about a hypothetical head-to-head race between the rivals in the race for the Republican presidential nomination to oppose President Barack Obama in the general election in November.

If the race were between Romney and Gingrich only, Romney would be at 55 percent to Gingrich's 44 percent, according to the Sunday's results. On Saturday the gap between the two was eight percentage points and on Friday it was just two, when respondents were asked the same question.

"Newt Gingrich's position in the primary race is really starting to lose support," said Chris Jackson, research director for Ipsos Public Affairs.

The poll results, similar to those of several other surveys, illustrated Romney's remarkable turnaround since South Carolina's primary on January 21, which Gingrich won in a surprise upset.

"Gingrich got a big boost out of South Carolina, but he's losing that," said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak.

"It's clear that Romney's run a much more focused and effective campaign in Florida than Newt," he said. "Newt's playing defense every single day in every way and doesn't seem to be able to make Romney play defense."

Romney had two strong debate performances this week and has jumped to a solid lead over Gingrich, whom he had trailed in earlier opinion polls in Florida. He has taken steady aim at Gingrich on the debate stage and in attack ads as a politician who left government under an ethics cloud and has remained a Washington insider ever since.

GINGRICH FACES TOUGH FEBRUARY

Romney has a solid advantage in money and organization over Gingrich in Florida, and the month ahead does not look much better for the former speaker as the state-by-state race for the Republican nomination continues.

Four states with February contests - Nevada, Maine, Colorado and Minnesota - use caucus systems, which can require greater organization to rally voter turnout. That could help Romney take advantage of his superior financial and staff resources.

On February 28, Michigan and Arizona hold primaries. Romney was raised in Michigan, where his father was a governor and car executive.

"February does not look like a good month for Newt," Mackowiak said.

But his failure to gain more support among likely voters in Florida's primary, which is limited only to registered Republicans, shows that Romney is still not electrifying the party faithful. "He's not the guy that everyone loves and rallies behind," Jackson said. "He's not getting that huge rally of support."

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum trailed well behind with 16 percent support, the same as Saturday's level. Santorum seemed to be gaining momentum as an "alternate" to Romney. Thirty-eight percent of likely voters said he would be their second choice if their first choice left the race, up from 33 percent on Saturday and 30 percent on Friday.

But it is probably too close to the January 31 vote to make a difference, Jackson said.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who is not campaigning in Florida, was at 6 percent.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online surveys, but this poll of 726 likely voters in the Florida primary has a credibility interval of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points for registered voters.

Sunday's Reuters/Ipsos survey is the third of four daily tracking polls being released ahead of Tuesday's Florida primary.

(Reporting By Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/ts_nm/us_usa_campaign_poll

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Watch The Ferris Bueller Inspired Super Bowl Ad For Honda (Full Video)

Ferris Bueller is back baby! Well kind of back, Honda has released a commercial inspired by the film and featuring Matthew Broderick, who as I am sure you all know starred in the 80?s hit movie. You can see the ad in its entirety below. The Honda ad that has Broderick channeling the character that made him a household name is hysterical. The full length version of the commercial was released today and it has been blowing up on the Internet ever since. Last week there was a little tease about the Ferris Bueller commercial but today fans got to see it all. Although Matthew plays himself in the ad he certainly plays off the infamous character. In fact there are a number of key scenes from the film that are recreated or rather moments from the film with their own spin on it if you will. The thing that is in this version as opposed to the movie version is of course the Honda CR-V and yes you see it everywhere in the commercial. But don?t let that take away from this nostalgic walk down memory lane. I for one was a huge fan of this movie when I [...]

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More than 100 hurt in Peru quake (AP)

LIMA, Peru ? Peruvian authorities say 112 people have been treated for injuries after a magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck the country's central coast. They say none of the injuries are life-threatening.

Regional civil defense director Cesar Chonate says a boy was hospitalized with a fractured hip but most injuries were minor and included heart palpitations as people fled homes in panic.

Chonate says 16 homes suffered some damage in the quake, which struck at 11 minutes after midnight (0511 GMT), nine miles (15 kilometers) southeast of Ica.

The city was badly damaged by a magnitude-8 earthquake in August 2007 and also suffered damage in a quake last October.

The U.S. Geological Survey says Monday's quake was at a depth of 24 miles (39 kilometers).

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_peru_earthquake

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British police arrest 4 in tabloid bribery probe (AP)

LONDON ? British police say they have arrested four people, including a police officer, on suspicion of corruption as part of an investigation into police bribery by a tabloid newspaper.

London's Metropolitan Police said two men aged 48 and one aged 56 were arrested early Saturday at homes in and around London.

The fourth, a 29-year-old police officer, was arrested at the London station where he works.

The investigation is running parallel to a police inquiry into phone hacking by Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World.

Police said the arrests were made as a result of information provided by Murdoch's News Corp.

A dozen people have now been arrested in the bribery probe, though none has yet been charged.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/britain/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_phone_hacking

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Panetta: Pakistan doctor gave US key bin Laden intel

WASHINGTON?? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is acknowledging publicly for the first time that a Pakistani doctor provided key information to the U.S. in advance of the successful Navy SEAL assault on Osama bin Laden's compound last May.

Panetta told CBS's "60 Minutes," in a profile to be broadcast on Sunday, that Shakil Afridi helped provide intelligence for the raid on bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Afridi ran a vaccination program for the CIA to collect DNA and verify bin Laden's presence in the compound.

He has since been charged by Pakistan with treason .

Panetta said he is "very concerned" for the doctor.

'What the hell's going on'?
Panetta also told "60 Minutes" that he remains convinced that someone in the Pakistani government must have had an idea that a person of interest was in the compound.

Report: CIA ran vaccine ruse to get bin Laden's DNA

"I personally have always felt that somebody must have had some sense of what ... what was happening at this compound. Don't forget, this compound had 18 foot walls ... It was the largest compound in the area. So you would have thought that somebody would have asked the question, 'What the hell's going on there?'" Panetta told the show.

Slideshow: After the raid: Inside bin Laden's compound (on this page)

He added that he has no proof that Pakistan knew it was bin Laden.

The Pakistani government had hoped to resolve the Afridi matter quietly, once media attention died down, perhaps releasing him to U.S. custody, according to two Pakistani officials.

Interactive: A timeline of Osama bin Laden's life (on this page)

They requested anonymity because the investigation into charges the doctor behaved treasonously was ongoing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46173360/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

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Pampling, Chalmers in top 10 at US golf

AAP

Rod Pampling and Greg Chalmers feasted on some Australia Day vibes to sit inside the top 10 after the first round at the US PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines.

With the Australian flag prominent on their golf bags and in a climate reminiscent of an Aussie summer's day, the pair produced impressive mistake-free rounds.

Pampling fired an eight-under-par 64 to be tied fourth, one better than reigning Australian Open and PGA Champion Chalmers who signed for a seven-under 65, enough to be tied eighth.

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Americans Spencer Levin and Kyle Stanley lead the field after producing blistering 10-under rounds of 62, one clear of Bill Haas (63) who is third at nine-under-par.

The top 12 players, and 23 of the top 26, played on the easier north course in the opening round, with Marc Turnesa (66, tied 13th) claiming round honours on the more difficult south course.

The field plays on both courses over the opening two days before reverting to the 2008 US Open south course for the weekend.

Pampling rammed home eight birdies in his round to ensure it was the first time in nine attempts he had broken 70 in his opening round at the event.

"It's great to start so well, especially on Australia Day," Pampling said.

"The last few years have been a struggle mentally but to play like this, I'm extremely happy.

"I'm looking forward to heading to the south and hopefully keeping the run going."

Despite not having a full card last season, Pampling battled back onto the tour thanks to good performances in his limited sponsor-exemption starts.

He credits the return to form to renewed mental focus - something he should be well versed in given his wife is a psychologist.

"I had to get back to my focus techniques and breathing control," he said.

"You can start thinking about different things and now, when that happens, I just imagine a stop sign and start again.

"It's basically distracting your mind. My wife has always said to me most men think they can do more than one thing at a time, but we can't."

Chalmers went low courtesy of five birdies and a 50-foot bomb for eagle on the par-five 18th.

Robert Allenby and Gavin Coles were the next best-placed Australians in a tie for 26th after posting four-under 68s on the north course, while Nick O'Hern (69) was the pick of the Aussies on the south.

New Zealander Danny Lee found himself tied for 17th after a five-under-par 67 on the north course.

Source: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/pampling-chalmers-in-top-10-at-us-golf-20120127-1qklo.html

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Doctor convicted in Jackson death seeks release (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? The doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death asked a judge Friday to release him from jail pending his appeal.

Dr. Conrad Murray, who is serving a four-year jail sentence, said in a declaration that he should be released either on his own recognizance or on bail with electronic monitoring.

He said he is not a danger to society, will not flee the area, and wants to work to help support his seven children.

His lawyer, J. Michael Flanagan, said in the motion that Murray knows he cannot work as a doctor but would find other employment. He suggested the sentence and Murray's mode of confinement is extremely severe for a man with no prior criminal record.

He said Murray is being held in solitary confinement and is chained to a table when he meets with his lawyers. He also said Murray is extremely sorrowful about Jackson's death.

Jackson died in June 2009 from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, administered by Murray. Flanagan conceded that Murray made some medical misjudgments but said he never intended harm to Jackson.

Murray's appeal has not yet been filed, but the motion offered a preview of some issues that will be raised, including the claim that Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor should have allowed testimony about Jackson's financial condition.

Flanagan said the exclusion of that evidence "seriously compromised the defendant's ability to demonstrate the desperate situation which was guiding the decisions and choices of both Mr. Jackson and Dr. Murray."

Murray appeared to be blaming Jackson for decisions that led to his death.

"Mr. Jackson was an uncooperative patient who made decisions and demands based upon his particular needs," said Flanagan. "One of which was his extremely precarious financial situation complicated by drug addiction. "

Flanagan also cited the judge's refusal to sequester the jury and the presence of cameras in the courtroom as appellate issues.

With Murray's appeal expected to take more than a year to move through the courts, the attorney said it would be unfair to keep him jailed in the interim.

Under sentencing guidelines, Murray is expected to serve no more than half of his sentence. The attorney said if he served his complete sentence he would not receive the benefits of a favorable appeal decision if his case was overturned.

A hearing on the motion was set for Feb. 24.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_en_mu/us_michael_jackson_doctor

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Why Jerry Brown is standing firm on shaky California high-speed rail plan

Another report critical of California's $100-billion high-speed rail project ? the second this month ? has not shaken Gov. Jerry Brown's faith in the plan. He has his eyes on his legacy, some say.

A new report by the state auditor concludes that?California?s proposed $98.5 billion bullet train is ?increasingly risky? and has inadequate oversight, adding to a growing pile of formal assessments that raise major concerns about the project.

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Three weeks ago, an independent panel required by law to review the plans said the bullet train poses ?an immense financial risk.? And in November, California's?independent Legislative Analyst?s Office said parts of the plan don?t comply with the 2008 ballot measure that authorized state funding for the project.?

Undeterred, Gov. Jerry Brown is pressing ahead, claiming that the train will create jobs, accommodate future population growth, and aid the environment.

In his state-of-the-state address Jan. 15, he said boldly:??During the 1930s, the Central Valley Water Project was called a 'fantastic dream' that 'will not work.' The Master Plan for the Interstate Highway System in 1939 was derided as 'New Deal jitterbug economics.' In 1966, then-Mayor Johnson of?Berkeley?called [the Bay Area Rapid Transit system] a 'billion dollar potential fiasco.' Similarly, the Panama Canal was for years thought to be impractical and [British Prime Minister] Benjamin Disraeli himself said of the?Suez Canal: 'totally impossible to be carried out.' "

"The critics were wrong then and they?re wrong now,? he concluded.

Political analysts say Governor Brown has his eye on history, trying to be mentioned favorably alongside his father, Pat Brown, who was governor from 1959 to 1967 and whose achievements virtually define modern?California.

?Governor Brown is seeking to define his legacy, and public mass transportation is one of the things in which he deeply believes,? says Michael Shires, a public policy specialist at?Pepperdine?University. ?The creation of a high-speed rail link would allow him to leave an imprint on the state that is in the same universe as his father's legacy of water projects, universities, and highways.? ?

The state auditor's report, however, spoke harshly of the plan. It notes that only $12.5 billion of the $100 billion-plus project is secured, with no indication of how the rest is to be obtained. It also claimed that the California High-Speed Rail Authority doesn't have mechanisms in place for monitoring its contractors.

Supporters of the project say the 220-m.p.h. trains will transform transportation in the state and create jobs. The move is also shrewd politically for Brown, helping him with unions, who helped elect him and whose support he needs for a tax-hike initiative this fall, analysts say. Plus, touting rail has very little downside for now.

?Particularly during a difficult recession, reminding voters of long term makes him look like a visionary,? says Dan Schnur,?director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the?University?of?Southern California.

It was the Obama administration, he and others note, that last year pushed the idea of a national, high-speed rail network.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/4VaIGZmgqZ8/Why-Jerry-Brown-is-standing-firm-on-shaky-California-high-speed-rail-plan

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President Obama Unveils Natural Gas Plan (ContributorNetwork)

President Barack Obama plans to initiate a tax break to bolster the natural gas industry, according to the Financial Times.

In an effort to fulfill the American made energy promises made during the union address earlier this week, Obama is supporting a tax reduction for trucks powered by natural gas. Obama's proposal also includes an initiative to once again sell offshore drilling leases along the Gulf of Mexico, says the Financial Times' report.

A new competitive grant program to support communities offering ideas for increased usage of natural gas is also a part of President Obama's new plan to increase energy independence.

Here are some facts and figures about President Obama's new plan and the debate over natural gas drilling.

* The Obama administration also plans to purchase 38 million acres for the production of 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 1 billion barrels of oil, according to Department of Interior figures quotes by Business Week.

* The 50 percent tax credit proposed by the president is designed to help defray the cost of purchasing a natural-gas powered truck, according to Business Week.

* President Obama's proposed grant program for clean-energy usage also includes financial support for municipalities who switch from diesel to natural gas or other alternative forms of energy, according to the Financial Times. Obama is calling for more filling stations offering natural gas fueling options.

* President Obama will release full details of his clean-energy initiatives in Las Vegas later today. The speech will be held at a UPS center which utilized liquefied natural gas for all fleet trucks, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Obama will also be christening America's first multistate natural-gas powered corridor while in the city.

* The hydraulic fracturing or fracking process used during shale drilling for natural gas reserves is up 14 percent since 2009, according to Department of Energy statistics quotes in a Bloomberg report.

* Representatives from the Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation filed a complaint with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding a water probe in Pennsylvania. According to representative statements published by Bloomberg, the EPA's action undercut the president's views and commitment to natural gas development in the United States.

* During the State of the Union address President Obama stressed the need for the responsible development of gas and oil, the creation of clean-energy jobs and better energy efficiency in the United States, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

* President Obama stated during the union address that natural gas development proves we do not have to choose between the economy and the environment, according to Bloomberg. The president also states that natural gas usage means cleaner and cheaper factor operations and will create jobs.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120127/pl_ac/10888617_president_obama_unveils_natural_gas_plan

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BlackBerry Curve 9360 review

The BlackBerry Curve 8300 emerged as one of the best smartphone ideas of 2007. It pre-dated the first Android handset by a full year, and unlike the original iPhone, it was priced within reach of the average consumer. It introduced the masses to the possibilities of a connected and capable handset, and was the primary catalyst for the BlackBerry's meteoric rise to household name. With each subsequent iteration, however, the Curve remained a handset geared toward first-time smartphone buyers, and that axiom feels particularly true today.

RIM's BlackBerry Curve 9360 outed -- is this Apollo?

RIM launches new BlackBerry Curve (video)

Blackberry Curve 9360 hands-on

We're now presented with the Curve 9360 ($29), a device that's ostensibly hobbled in order to differentiate itself from RIM's higher-end offerings, most notably the Torch 9810 ($49), Torch 9860 ($99) and Bold 9900 ($199). Specifically, we refer to its lack of a touchscreen. The omission will certainly be a deal-breaker for some, but whether it causes the market to reject it as a whole remains unknown. For our part, we're most interested in the impact on the handset's usability and its relevance in an increasingly competitive environment. In other words, has RIM included enough improvements to keep its Curve franchise afloat, or will this iteration sink like a stone? Join us after the break, as we delve into the Curve 9360 and explore these finer details.

Gallery: BlackBerry Curve 9360 review

Continue reading BlackBerry Curve 9360 review

BlackBerry Curve 9360 review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tropical depression hits Mozambique (AP)

MAPUTO, Mozambique ? Mozambique's meteorological service says the second tropical depression to hit the southern part of the country in two weeks has destroyed thousands of homes.

Sergio Buque says that heavy rains, accompanied by strong winds have affected more than 250,000 families since the storms began last week. He says the newest tropical depression moved from the central province of Sofala, where it hit Wednesday night, to the southern Inhambane province.

State radio reported Thursday that two more people were killed by heavy rains in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, bringing the total death toll of the storms across Mozambique to 26.

The rains have also inflicted heavy losses in the Montepuez district, where more than 22,200 acres (9,000 hectares) of crops, including the country's staple food maize, are under water.

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

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Steve Jobs: Second greatest innovator of all time?

Lemelson-MIT Program

Steve Jobs ranked behind Thomas Edison in a question to young Americans about who is the greatest innovator of all time.

By John Roach

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs ranks behind only Thomas Edison as the world's greatest innovator of all time in a survey released today on young Americans' attitudes about invention and innovation.

Jobs' innovations include the iPhone and iPad, the popular gadgets that are helping to revolutionize how we communicate with each other and sent Apple's stock to a record high Wednesday.?

His second-place finish in the survey of Americans aged 16 to 25 surprised Leigh Estabrooks, the invention education officer with the Lemelson-MIT Program, which conducted the survey.

"Here we have this innovation role model who has changed the way we live and yet young people still go back to Thomas Edison," she told me. "While he did great and wonderful things, most of his work was in the 1880s."

The result highlights the fact that invention and innovation are primarily taught in history class, not the math and science courses that are the foundation for careers in invention and innovation.

"Thomas Edison comes up because all students take history," she said. That's where we learned, for example, about his life-changing electric power distribution system and his money-making stock ticker.

Next-generation innovators
The Lemelson-MIT Program aims to foster an innovative spirit?in America's youth. The annual Invention Index helps the program gauge the level of interest among young people in becoming innovators.

This year's results show that young Americans are aware of the role invention and innovation play in their lives and its importance as an economic driver, but 60 percent feel inhibited in pursing inventive careers themselves.

Many ? 34 percent ? said they simply don?t know enough about these fields. "That's daunting for a teenager to think about going into a field that they don?t know much about," Estabrooks noted.

Other students consider these fields too challenging to pursue and/or feel they were unprepared for such a career track in school.

According to Estabrooks, increasing awareness of career options in these fields is a key step. That means more mentors coming into classrooms to talk, especially to elementary and middle school students.

"The sooner we can share with kids the things they can do with science, technology, engineering and math, the better off we'll be," she said.?

"It is awfully hard to catch up with the math once you're in high school and almost impossible once you're in college."

"And it is hard," she added. "Therefore mentors can help by encouraging students to stick with it."

Hands-on experiences
More than just listening to an engineer or computer programmer talk, hands-on experiences inside and outside the classroom are paramount?to fostering a new generation of innovators.

The survey shows American youth hunger for these opportunities, such as invention projects at school and creative field trips. Simply "a place to develop an invention" would be a good start for 52 percent of the respondents.

The opportunity to invent is working its way into classrooms across the country thanks to initiatives such as a framework for next-generation science standards released in July 2011 by the National Academy of Sciences.

The framework outlines a way for science teachers to incorporate engineering into their lessons, Kristina Peterson, head of the middle school science department at the Lakeside School in Seattle, Wash., explained to me.

(Disclosures: I'm a Lakeside alumnus as is Microsoft co-founder and chairman Bill Gates, another great innovator who, it turns out, wasn't included in the survey. Msnbc.com is a joint venture between Microsoft and Comcast/NBC Universal.)

The school is in its second year of a revamped science curriculum that includes an engineering thread in all the science courses, grades 5-8, partially based on materials from the Boston Museum of Science.

"A key thing is engaging students in what's called engineering design process," Peterson said. "It has them not only inventing things, but also the big picture of the process of inventing."

Students learn to brainstorm ideas, research them, and communicate their goals, for example. They also learn to evaluate what they create so they can improve it with a redesign.

Other schools around the country are involved with programs such as Lemelson-MIT's own InvenTeams as well as First Robotics and First Lego League that provide the hands-on experience outside of the class.

And outside of the classroom learning has its advantages, according to Estabrooks.

For one, there's a finite amount time within the school day to learn. Students can tinker more outside of class time. As well, grades don't apply after school.

"One thing about inventors is that we encourage them to fail quickly and fail often," she said. "And in our academics, we certainly don't encourage our youth to fail."

Steve Jobs, who died last October, was certainly prone to fail. Products from the Apple III computer (1981) to Apple TV (2007) are considered among his misses.?

He was even fired from Apple in 1985, a humbling experience that led to his most fruitful innovations, he said during a commencement speech at Stanford in 2005:

"The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."?

More on innovation education:

---

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

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Archbishop Mitty High School students say the iPad brings diverse subject materials ? but no more excuse for missed homework.

Source: http://futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10235960-steve-jobs-second-greatest-innovator-of-all-time

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Apple's Q1 hardware sales: 37 million iPhones, 15.43 million iPads, 5.2 million Macs, 15.4 million iPods

We touched on the numbers in our report on Apple's Q1 earnings, but the company's throwing out a lot of "record" figures and we thought we'd take a moment to focus on just how its hardware sales stack up. The standout figure is, of course, the 37.04 million iPhones sold during the quarter, which is up 128 percent from the same quarter a year ago (and up from 17 million in the previous quarter, a jump of 117 percent). That also puts it back ahead of Samsung, which sold a total of 35 million total smartphones in its most recent quarter.

iPad sales also set a new record 15.43 units sold during the quarter, which is a 111 percent jump from the 7.3 million sold a year ago, and a 39 percent increase from the 11.1 million moved in Q4 2011. Once again, however, iPods were the one category that continues to decline in the face of the growth of smartphones. Apple sold a total of 15.4 million iPods -- over half of which were iPod touches -- which represents a 21 percent decline from the 19.4 million sold a year ago. The holiday shopping season did boost sales considerably from the 6.6 million sold in the previous quarter though.

Mac sales were also on the upswing, totaling 5.2 million units -- a 26 percent increase year-over-year. Breaking things down further, that translates to 1.48 million desktops (including iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Pro), and 3.7 million laptops (including the basic MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro). As for the company's "hobby," the Apple TV, it rang up 1.4 million in sales for the quarter, and 2.8 million for the 2011 fiscal year.

Developing...

Apple's Q1 hardware sales: 37 million iPhones, 15.43 million iPads, 5.2 million Macs, 15.4 million iPods originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can Europe's Oil Embargo Force Iran to Back Down on its Nuclear Program? (Time.com)

The European Union has raised the takes in the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. E.U. foreign ministers on Monday adopted the most far-reaching package of sanctions yet on the Islamic Republic, including an embargo on the oil exports that are Iran's economic lifeline, and measures against the country's central bank that will restrict its ability to engage in international trade. European governments have now adopted an immediate ban on all new oil contracts with Iran, and a gradual phase-out of existing contracts between now and July 1. The measures also ban trade in all petrochemical products, gold, precious metals, diamonds, banknotes and coins.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the oil embargo was part of "an unprecedented set of sanctions," and he urged Iran to "come to its senses" and resume negotiations on its nuclear program. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the concern underlying the new measures was "not a question of security in the region, it is a question of security in the world." And E.U. foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the sanctions aimed to "make sure that Iran takes seriously our request to come to the table". Although Iranian officials have signaled a readiness to hold new talks, Ashton says Tehran has yet formally responded to the?letter she sent in October calling for a new meeting between Iran and the group known as the P5+1, comprising the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

Adopting the new measures carries a significant cost for Europe. The top European customers for Iranian oil are also those currently facing the most serious financial crises: Greece buys about one third of its oil imports from Iran, while Italy and Spain each rely on Tehran for a little over 10% of their own supply. Although Saudi Arabia and other suppliers are expected to fill any shortfall in available output, the International Energy Agency has warned that replacing Iranian oil will not be an easy task for Europe.

(MORE: Amid New Sanctions, Obama Confronts the Challenges of Diplomacy With Iran)

But the key question is the effect sanctions will have on Iran. Oil accounts for around 90% of all Iranian exports to the E.U., and European countries together make up Tehran's second largest market after China. More broadly, oil makes up over three-quarters of Iran's total economic output, and the country sells roughly 2.5 million barrels a day, with Europe accounting for about one quarter of it last year. Indeed, Iran is already suffering from the existing European and American sanctions: the Iranian rial has fallen about 40% against the dollar since December, inflation is at 40%, and youth unemployment is at around 50%.?

One way Iran may try to offset the impact of the European embargo is by selling more oil to China, India and other Asian countries, inducing them by offering major discounts -- a possibility made easier for Iran while the price remains above $100 per barrel. For that reason, Western powers hope to persuade Asian countries to reduce their own purchases from Iran.?

Yet all this effort may still fail to dissuade Iran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions. Sanctions are often a blunt political instrument: Even if they succeed in imposing significant costs on the regime and exacerbating public frustration over economic hardships, they could further entrench Tehran's regime and its intransigence. Says Paul Stevens, a Senior Research Fellow at the London-based Chatham House think tank,? "Given the crucial role of oil in Iran's deepest political DNA, the E.U. embargo would put the population solidly behind the current regime. It would greatly strengthen the Ahmadinejad regime at a time when it is under considerable pressure, especially with parliamentary elections looming in March."

(PHOTOS: Iranian Protesters Storm British Embassy)

The new sanctions come just as a US naval flotilla accompanied by British and French warships is patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, inevitably ratcheting up tensions. Two Iranian lawmakers on Monday responded to the E.U. decision by threatening to close the Strait, through which some 40% of the world's oil shipments pass en route to market. Despite the new sanctions, however, some analysts maintain Tehran is more likely to heed the threat of military action. European Council on Foreign Relations policy fellow Richard Gowan warns, "It's hard to believe that these sanctions will cause Iran to discard its nuclear ambitions. Iran will remain much more focused on decision-making in Israel and the U.S. over the possibility of a military strike this year."

E.U. officials accept that sanctions are no silver bullet. But coupled with robust diplomacy and a credible military presence in the region, they believe economic pressures can create diplomatic leverage. The problem for the West is what happens if Iran fails to buckle as sanctions reach their peak.?

J?rg Himmelreich, a senior fellow with the German Marshall Fund in Berlin says the measures can only buy time. "At best, sanctions might force a change of regime, but not the nuclear program, which reflects a widely-shared sense national pride and self-consciousness," he says. "It may be pessimistic, but I see the next step as accepting Iran as a nuclear power." If that is the way the Iran conundrum is heading, Europe's sanctions may simply be the last throw of the dice.

PHOTOS: Smuggling Between Iran and Iraq

View this article on Time.com

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20120123/wl_time/08599210515300

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China leader-in-waiting Xi to visit White House next month (Reuters)

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama will host China's likely next leader, Vice President Xi Jinping, at the White House on February 14, in a visit set to boost Xi's credentials as the man who will steer Beijing's close but quarrelsome ties with Washington.

Obama and Xi will discuss "a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues," the White House said in a statement on Monday announcing the visit, when Xi will be hosted by Vice President Joe Biden.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has yet to confirm the date of the visit; it had no immediate comment on Tuesday, and did not answer faxed questions. This week is the Lunar New Year public holiday in China.

The two sides will have plenty of strains to talk about, especially over trade, human rights, North Korea and Iran. Above all, the Obama administration will keen for clues about Xi's worldview and how he intends to handle these thorny issues.

"The man Biden's hosting, barring something no one forsees at this point, will become the head of China, head of the Communist Party, head of the government and head of the military," said China expert Kenneth Lieberthal of the Brookings Institution in Washington.

"This is really a chance for the Obama administration to look forward to the succession and post-succession period in China and begin to establish critical personal relationships and a personal comfort level back and forth."

For Xi, the visit will be a valuable trophy that helps advertise his readiness for the top job.

His growing prominence indicates that he is virtually certain to replace Hu Jintao as Communist Party chief in late 2012 and then replace him as state president in early 2013.

The two powers have delicate issues to work through, ranging from currency policy to differences over how to halt the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, to China's recent crackdown on critics and activists that has drawn U.S. criticism.

Beijing has voiced misgivings about Obama's plans to beef up the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and remains unhappy about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China calls an illegitimate breakaway province.

China, Iran's biggest oil customer, also bristles at U.S. efforts to tighten sanctions on that country in order to halt Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Beijing recently rebuffed a U.S. official's call to cut back oil purchases from Iran.

While the United States is in an election year that has seen Republican candidates fire harsh rhetoric at China, Beijing will this year begin the power transfer that will see Xi and other officials take over as President Hu and his generation retire.

Obama, facing a tough re-election in November, is expected to renew his call for China to allow its yuan currency to appreciate during his State of the Union address on Tuesday, as he highlights U.S. exports among his proposals to boost jobs.

In an interview in Time magazine last week, Obama said U.S.-China friction arose because China "sees itself as a developing or even poor country that should be able to pursue mercantilist policies that are for their benefit and where the rules applying to them shouldn't be the same rules that apply to the United States or Europe or other major powers."

XI SETS UPBEAT TONE

Xi, 58, is the son of the late, reformist vice premier Xi Zhongxun, making him a "princeling": one of the privileged offspring of China's leaders who rose to power under Mao Zedong. He rose through the party ranks in coastal provinces.

Xi's family background and coming of age in the turmoil of Mao's Cultural Revolution (1966-76) have prompted some observers to suggest he could take a harder line against Washington, which would also reflect growing nationalist sentiment in China.

But in a speech last week, Xi stressed Beijing's desire for steady relations and tried to set an upbeat tone for his visit.

"In dealing with major and sensitive issues that concern each side's core interests, we must certainly abide by a spirit of mutual respect and handle them prudently, and by no means can we let relations again suffer major interference and ructions," he told a meeting in Beijing.

Regardless of the international situation, he said, "our commitment to developing the Sino-U.S. cooperative partnership should never waver in the face of passing developments."

Xi will probably be looking to set a "pragmatic but frank" tone for ties with Washington, said Zhang Musheng, a former Chinese central government official who has met Xi and other rising officials and written widely about their challenges.

"I don't feel that they're hardline in their views," Zhang told Reuters of China's emerging leaders, including Xi.

"It will still be the same basic approach of seeking steady, predictable relations (with the U.S.)," added Zhang.

"But as China develops economically, it's attracting more criticism and suspicion, and there's a sense that we need to get used to putting our own views without creating alarm or conflict. That's not hardline; it's practical and realistic."

In August, Xi hosted Biden on a visit that gave Washington policymakers a chance to size up China's president-in-waiting.

Xi is also set to travel to Iowa and California, states keen to boost already fast-growing trade and to court investment. Dates have not formally been announced for those stops.

Xi's first known visit to the United States was to Iowa in 1985 as a junior official in the northern province of Hebei, which has a sister state/province relationship with Iowa.

Iowa governor Terry Branstad said his state would "make the most of our time with Vice President Xi."

(Additional reporting by Sabrina Mao in Beijing; Editing by Jonthan Thatcher)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/pl_nm/us_usa_china_xi

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Oprah Winfrey charms "chaotic" India at book event (Reuters)

JAIPUR, India (Reuters) ? Amid raucous cheers from thousands of admirers, television superstar Oprah Winfrey praised the contrast of calm and chaos in India at the region's largest literature festival fast becoming a global cultural gala.

Considered one of the world's most influential women, Winfrey lived up to her billing as the headline draw at an event boasting literary giants such as Tom Stoppard, Michael Ondaatje and Richard Dawkins, charming the crowds on Sunday morning.

"I came here with an open mind, and it has been expanded... It's the greatest life experience I have ever had," Winfrey said at the annual Jaipur Literature Festival in India's north-western state of Rajasthan.

"You feel like you're in the centre of something bigger and greater than yourself."

Hundreds of eager visitors jostled against barricades at the back of the main stage area as Winfrey began speaking. Security guards struggled to shut the main entrance gates as angry admirers tried to push their way inside.

"It's like being in a video game. I don't know which way to look," Winfrey told crowds on her arrival in Mumbai. "It's a bit chaotic, but there's an underlying calm, a flow, that you all seem to understand. India is a paradox."

The 57-year-old has caused a media storm in India, with news channels and front pages filled with stories of her touring the city of Mumbai with the Bachchans, Bollywood's first family. On Sunday she drew huge cheers as she appeared on stage in a traditional Indian churidar kameez smock.

"I will take with me a sense of calmness, and a genuine respect... people don't talk religion here, they live it," Winfrey said.

Her appearance on Sunday was seen as a welcome distraction from the Salman Rushdie furor that has overshadowed the five-day festival, after the author cancelled his planned visit due to reported assassination threats against him.

The talk-show host and interviewer's "Book Club" turned little-known authors into global stars, with 59 of the club's 70 selected books making the USA TODAY Top 10 best-sellers list.

Winfrey told the festival that in 2008, after witnessing the completion of her mission to get then-Senator Barack Obama to the White House, she stuck a picture of a woman riding a camel on her pinboard, that said "Come to India."

"It was important for me to go to slums but not show the worst of the worst, but show that people can live in poverty and still have hope and meaning in their lives," said Winfrey, who also called for Indians to work to eradicate discrimination against widows in society.

(Editing by Ron Popeski)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120122/stage_nm/us_india_festival_oprah

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Brooks chokes up testifying about hospital gift (AP)

CLAREMORE, Okla. ? Country singer Garth Brooks told jurors Friday that he believed he had a "done deal" to honor his late mother with a women's health center in his Oklahoma hometown, and said he still doesn't understand how he received nothing for a $500,000 gift.

Brooks is suing Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in Yukon, accusing it and its president of reneging on a pledge to build the center and name it after his mother, Colleen, who died of cancer in 1999. The center was never built, and Brooks wants his money back, plus punitive damages.

In tearful testimony, Brooks said he thought he had a solid agreement with the hospital's president, James Moore. Brooks said Moore initially suggested putting his mother's name on an intensive care unit, and when Brooks said that wouldn't fit her image, Moore suggested a women's center.

"I jumped all over it," Brooks told jurors. "It's my mom. My mom was pregnant as a teenager. She had a rough start. She wanted to help every kid out there."

Brooks said he gave $500,000 to the hospital anonymously, which he said was his custom when giving to charities. The singer said he, his family and the hospital wanted to keep things quiet until a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the center.

He was eventually shown architectural drawings of a proposed center bearing his mother's name. "That's why I thought it was a win-win for everybody," Brooks said.

But nothing happened. The center was never build and his mother's name wasn't attached to anything.

"How this thing went wrong, I don't know," Brooks testified.

"I'm the last of six kids. I was her favorite," Brooks added. "She was my buddy. I was her biggest fan. She was a pistol. All of the parties were at her house. She was just a doll. If anybody met her, (they) would have gotten to love her."

Moore testified earlier this week that a women's center was not among the hospital's plans, though Brooks testified Friday that Moore never told him that while they were negotiating a gift.

The singer donated the money in 2005. Three years later, he exchanged emails with Moore after the hospital president wrote saying the money would be used to help fund new construction, Brooks said.

"As nicely as I can, I'm trying to give him an opportunity to say why he's spending the money and there's no women's center going up," Brooks testified.

Brooks said he sent his accountant to investigate, but that nothing came from the ongoing correspondence.

By March 2009, he'd asked the hospital to either refund his money or give it to another charity. In September 2009, Brooks sued.

"I thought this was going to be mom's chance to bring a women's center to my hometown," Brooks testified.

Brooks' accountant, Cheryl Harris, testified earlier Friday that she wasn't aware of any conditions on Brooks' donation, which was listed as a tax deduction. Asked by Integris lawyer Terry Thomas how she believed the money would be used, she said, "He didn't receive anything physical."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_en_mu/us_people_garth_brooks

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Police question witnesses in Hollywood severed head (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Authorities have identified the man whose severed head, hands and feet were found in the hills below the famed Hollywood sign overlooking Los Angeles, but declined to release his name on Friday as homicide detectives questioned witnesses in the bizarre case.

Two women walking dogs stumbled upon the decapitated head in Griffith Park earlier this week, and a search later turned up the hands and feet, which Los Angeles police said came from the same person.

Investigators have so far been unable to say how the man, whose age had been estimated at between 40 and 60, died or came to be dismembered, but a Los Angeles police spokesman said his identity had been established.

"We have identified the victim but we have not released that," Lieutenant Andrew Neiman said. He said homicide detectives were questioning witnesses and potential suspects but that no arrests had been made.

Neiman declined to comment on reports in the local media that a search warrant had been served at an apartment building in Hollywood in connection with the case.

"Most homicide investigations involve the service of search warrants and various locations, and certainly that is something that will probably be part of this investigation," he said.

Police said detectives had canvassed the area near the 4,200-acre Griffith Park in the heart of Los Angeles looking for clues or potential witnesses before the section of the park where the body parts were found reopened to the public on Friday.

Commander Andrew Smith said he believed that a bodyguard for actor Brad Pitt was among those witnesses interviewed but said the man was not considered a suspect.

The sensational case began on Tuesday when a mother and daughter walking dogs came across the head in a plastic bag and reported it to park rangers. The hands were found the following day in the same general area, one by a cadaver-sniffing dog and the other by a crime scene investigator.

Later on Wednesday, a coroner investigator discovered the feet, together, in the same area.

Neiman said investigators theorize that the head, hands and feet were hidden together in the park and later scattered by animals.

"The hands and feet were found in the same general area and the head was in a different location," he said. "We believe an animal may have pulled that body part and the first hand away."

Police have found no link between the Hollywood Hills case and a torso found in Arizona missing a head, hands and feet, and said there was no evidence the man was a victim of organized crime or a serial killer.

The iconic Hollywood sign on Mount Lee above Los Angeles was built in the 1920s to promote a housing development and originally read "Hollywoodland." The last few letters deteriorated in the 1940s and the part that remained was restored in 1978.

Griffith Park, which sits in the hills above metropolitan Los Angeles, is the largest municipal park with an urban wilderness area in the United States, according to a city website.

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120121/us_nm/us_crime_head_hollywood

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Where you vote may influence how you vote, Baylor University researchers find

Public release date: 19-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Terry Goodrich
terry_goodrich@baylor.edu
254-710-3321
Baylor University

Passersby who stopped to answer surveys taken next to churches in the Netherlands and England reported themselves as more politically conservative and more negative toward non-Christians than did people questioned within sight of government buildings a finding that may be significant when it comes to voting, according to a Baylor University study.

The study, published online in the International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, adds to a growing body of evidence that religious "priming" can influence both religious and nonreligious people, Baylor researchers said. Priming occurs when a stimulus such as a verbal or a visual cue for example, the buildings that were in participants' line of vision during questioning influences a response.

The findings are significant in that churches and other buildings affiliated with a religious group are among the most common polling places, said psychologist Jordan LaBouff, Ph.D., lead author for the Baylor study.

"The important finding here is that people near a religious building reported slightly but significantly more conservative social and political attitudes than similar people near a government building," said co-author Wade Rowatt, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor. "In a close election, the place where people vote a school, a church, a government building could affect the outcome . For example, a higher percentage of people voting in a church instead of a school might vote for a conservative candidate or proposition."

He noted that a Stanford University study of an Arizona school funding referendum in 2000 showed that voters polled in schools were more likely to support a state tax increase than were those polled in churches or community centers. That study was published in 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

The Baylor study "raises questions about how our spaces can influence our attitudes," said LaBouff, a psychology lecturer at the University of Maine who collaborated on the research while a doctoral candidate at Baylor. "We should look carefully at places where important decisions are made."

He noted that while those conducting the survey made certain that the church or government building was within sight of the participant, they did not question people who were entering or leaving the buildings.

"We didn't want people who were there for the express purpose of going into a church, because that might mean they were inherently more religious," LaBouff said.

Another finding was that regardless of the setting, negativity toward Christians was not statistically significant among the culturally diverse group of passersby.

"Interestingly, these more negative attitudes toward non-Christian groups were held by a very diverse and largely non-Christian sample," LaBouff said. "The only people who weren't viewed negatively were Christians. They were a non-factor."

Passersby were asked to rate "outgroups" those who were different from themselves in terms of culture and/or religion. Groups listed included rich, poor, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, gay men, lesbian women, Africans, Asians, Europeans and Arabs. Participants were asked to rate their feelings of "coolness" or "warmness" toward certain groups on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the warmest.

Survey participants were diverse and multicultural 99 individuals from more than 30 countries. They were questioned by Baylor students during a study-abroad tour, and Baylor psychologists in the College of Arts & Sciences analyzed the data collected by the students in an advanced research methods class.

In Maastricht in the Netherlands, passersby were surveyed outside the Basilica of Saint Servatius and Maastricht Town Hall; in London, they were surveyed outside Westminster Abbey and Parliament. All the structures are located along major pedestrian paths.

###

Other study co-authors were Megan K. Johnson, a doctoral candidate at Baylor; and Callie Finkle, now a graduate student in global health at George Washington University.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Public release date: 19-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Terry Goodrich
terry_goodrich@baylor.edu
254-710-3321
Baylor University

Passersby who stopped to answer surveys taken next to churches in the Netherlands and England reported themselves as more politically conservative and more negative toward non-Christians than did people questioned within sight of government buildings a finding that may be significant when it comes to voting, according to a Baylor University study.

The study, published online in the International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, adds to a growing body of evidence that religious "priming" can influence both religious and nonreligious people, Baylor researchers said. Priming occurs when a stimulus such as a verbal or a visual cue for example, the buildings that were in participants' line of vision during questioning influences a response.

The findings are significant in that churches and other buildings affiliated with a religious group are among the most common polling places, said psychologist Jordan LaBouff, Ph.D., lead author for the Baylor study.

"The important finding here is that people near a religious building reported slightly but significantly more conservative social and political attitudes than similar people near a government building," said co-author Wade Rowatt, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor. "In a close election, the place where people vote a school, a church, a government building could affect the outcome . For example, a higher percentage of people voting in a church instead of a school might vote for a conservative candidate or proposition."

He noted that a Stanford University study of an Arizona school funding referendum in 2000 showed that voters polled in schools were more likely to support a state tax increase than were those polled in churches or community centers. That study was published in 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

The Baylor study "raises questions about how our spaces can influence our attitudes," said LaBouff, a psychology lecturer at the University of Maine who collaborated on the research while a doctoral candidate at Baylor. "We should look carefully at places where important decisions are made."

He noted that while those conducting the survey made certain that the church or government building was within sight of the participant, they did not question people who were entering or leaving the buildings.

"We didn't want people who were there for the express purpose of going into a church, because that might mean they were inherently more religious," LaBouff said.

Another finding was that regardless of the setting, negativity toward Christians was not statistically significant among the culturally diverse group of passersby.

"Interestingly, these more negative attitudes toward non-Christian groups were held by a very diverse and largely non-Christian sample," LaBouff said. "The only people who weren't viewed negatively were Christians. They were a non-factor."

Passersby were asked to rate "outgroups" those who were different from themselves in terms of culture and/or religion. Groups listed included rich, poor, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, gay men, lesbian women, Africans, Asians, Europeans and Arabs. Participants were asked to rate their feelings of "coolness" or "warmness" toward certain groups on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the warmest.

Survey participants were diverse and multicultural 99 individuals from more than 30 countries. They were questioned by Baylor students during a study-abroad tour, and Baylor psychologists in the College of Arts & Sciences analyzed the data collected by the students in an advanced research methods class.

In Maastricht in the Netherlands, passersby were surveyed outside the Basilica of Saint Servatius and Maastricht Town Hall; in London, they were surveyed outside Westminster Abbey and Parliament. All the structures are located along major pedestrian paths.

###

Other study co-authors were Megan K. Johnson, a doctoral candidate at Baylor; and Callie Finkle, now a graduate student in global health at George Washington University.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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/bu-wyv011312.php

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