* Democratic number-cruncher Nate Silver ranks first-term Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr's seat eighth most likely to change parties in 2010.

* Greensboro News-Record columnist Doug Clark says that he's not sympathetic to a bill for four-year terms for legislators, given their gerrymandered districts.

* N&O columnist Ruth Sheehan makes schools Superintendent June Atkinson cry, learns she didn't know about power grab until it was a fait accompli.

* U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler dings Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill for not getting bipartisan agreement on stimulus package; praises President Obama for listening.