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NEW YORK (CNN) -- A federal judge on Monday ruled against a Web site operator who was seeking to publish an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels, blocking publication of "The Harry Potter Lexicon" after concluding that it would cause author J.K. Rowling "irreparable injury."
Steven Vander Ark speaks to the media outside the U.S. District Court on April 15, 2008 in New York City.
U.S. District Judge Robert P. Patterson awarded Rowling and her publisher $6,750 in statutory damages and permanently blocked publication of the reference guide.
Harry Potter fan Steven Vander Ark sought to publish the book, a reference guide to the Harry Potter series, through a small Michigan-based publishing house called RDR Books. Vander Ark operates a Web site called "Harry Potter Lexicon."
Rowling sued RDR Books in 2007 to stop publication of material from Vander Ark's Web site.
Vander Ark and RDR Books claimed the book should not be blocked from publication because it was protected by the "fair use" doctrine, which allows for commentary and critique of literary works.
Patterson, in his ruling, said the defendants failed to demonstrate fair use.
Rowling issued a statement after Monday's ruling, saying, "I took no pleasure at all in bringing legal action and am delighted that this issue has been resolved favorably."
Vander Ark did not immediately return calls from CNN on Monday. "We are obviously disappointed with the result, and RDR is considering all of its options, including an appeal," attorney David S. Hammer said.
Rowling, who said she has long planned to publish her own encyclopedia, and Warner Brothers Entertainment, producer of the Potter films, filed suit to stop RDR from publishing the book. Warner Brothers is owned by Time Warner, CNN's parent company.
|
[
"What has Rowling long planned to publish?",
"WHat does the website operator want to publish?",
"What does the author say she plans to do",
"What does Rowling say she has long planned?",
"How much was awarded in damages",
"What does the web site operator want to publish?",
"Who won a monetary award?",
"Who is the author of the Harry Potter books",
"How much did the judge awars J.K.Rowling?"
] |
[
"her own encyclopedia,",
"an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels,",
"publish her own encyclopedia,",
"to publish her own encyclopedia,",
"$6,750",
"an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels,",
"Rowling and her publisher",
"J.K. Rowling",
"$6,750"
] |
question: What has Rowling long planned to publish?, answer: her own encyclopedia, | question: WHat does the website operator want to publish?, answer: an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels, | question: What does the author say she plans to do, answer: publish her own encyclopedia, | question: What does Rowling say she has long planned?, answer: to publish her own encyclopedia, | question: How much was awarded in damages, answer: $6,750 | question: What does the web site operator want to publish?, answer: an encyclopedia about the Harry Potter series of novels, | question: Who won a monetary award?, answer: Rowling and her publisher | question: Who is the author of the Harry Potter books, answer: J.K. Rowling | question: How much did the judge awars J.K.Rowling?, answer: $6,750
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A female marketing executive is suing the chief executive officer of a famous toy manufacturer, accusing him of sexually harassing and assaulting her.
Steiff CEO Martin Frechen denies all the allegations. Both the company, known as the makers of the original Teddy bears, and another executive named in the lawsuit also deny the allegations in the lawsuit.
The plaintiff, Jane Collins, now 32, joined Steiff as a temporary receptionist in 2000. She became Frechen's executive assistant in 2002, when he was named CEO of Steiff North America.
Collins' lawsuit, filed Monday in New York state Supreme Court, contends that the harassment began in fall 2004, shortly before Frechen was to leave for Germany.
After Collins rebuffed Frechen's advances in a hotel room and parking lot, he asked for her assistance in moving his wife's car to a storage unit, where he raped her, Collins alleges in her court filings.
Collins' attorney, Chris Brennan, said his client was afraid that reporting the assault could jeopardize her job. She did not call police.
"I was a single mom at the time, and I simply couldn't afford to lose this job," Collins said in a statement issued by her attorney. The suit alleges that Frechen's unwanted advances continued after the assault, until as recently as February 2009.
"I had put it out of my mind, because I thought there was nothing I could do," she said.
Brennan said, "The company had in place no policies and procedures to inform her otherwise.
"This is a company that makes millions a dollars a year here in North America, and they didn't invest a dollar in training or educating their employees on sexual harassment policy."
Collins is seeking $80 million in damages.
In addition to the allegations against Frechen, the suit alleges that the company, Margarete Steiff GmbH, Steiff North America Inc. and the company's head of U.S. operations, James Pitocco, are culpable for failing to take appropriate measures to stop Frechen's harassment after Collins reported his behavior.
"Steiff North America is committed to providing a safe and comfortable working environment for all of its employees. It does not comment on pending litigation. However, Steiff North America, Margarete Steiff and James Pitocco resolutely deny the allegations in Ms. Collins' complaint and will vigorously defend the claims made by her in court," David Rosenthal, an attorney for the company, said in a statement.
"They are confident that when all of the facts and circumstances relevant to this case are revealed during this litigation, Ms. Collins' claims will fail."
Michael Rosen, attorney for Frechen, issued a similar statement on behalf of his client.
"Mr. Frechen believes the plaintiff's claims are entirely without merit," he said. "He intends to vigorously defend himself against these claims and believes he ultimately will prevail."
Founded by German seamstress Margarete Steiff, the Steiff toy company produced its first plush animal, a felt elephant pincushion, in 1880.
In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt was president when Steiff launched the plush bear that would become the company's signature. Quickly dubbed "Teddy's bear," 3,000 Steiff bears -- now collectors items -- were sold worldwide that year.
Collins, a mother of two, continues to work for Steiff as an assistant marketing manager.
|
[
"What did he do to her",
"Who is suing Steiff CEO alleging sexual harassment and assault?",
"Did the company do anything about the harassment after she complained?",
"Who denies all the allegations?"
] |
[
"sexually harassing and assaulting",
"A female marketing executive",
"failing to take appropriate measures to stop Frechen's",
"Steiff CEO Martin Frechen"
] |
question: What did he do to her, answer: sexually harassing and assaulting | question: Who is suing Steiff CEO alleging sexual harassment and assault?, answer: A female marketing executive | question: Did the company do anything about the harassment after she complained?, answer: failing to take appropriate measures to stop Frechen's | question: Who denies all the allegations?, answer: Steiff CEO Martin Frechen
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A few hundred people on Sunday marched in Brooklyn to protest last week's fatal beating of a 31-year-old Ecuadorean man -- an incident authorities say may have been a hate crime.
Jose Sucuzhanay was beaten December 7 after leaving a party at a church.
The demonstrators -- holding signs reading "No more hate crimes" -- walked a half-mile in the neighborhood where police say Jose Sucuzhanay was hit in the head with a bottle and beaten with an aluminum baseball bat on December 7.
Sucuzhanay died of his injuries Friday at Elmhurst Hospital, hours before his mother arrived in New York from Ecuador, his family said.
Police said Sucuzhanay's attackers yelled racial slurs; no arrests have been made in the case. One of his brothers, Diego Sucuzhanay, said Sunday he is convinced the attack was a hate crime.
"Nothing was taken from him," said Diego Sucuzhanay, who didn't join the demonstration, opting instead to help his mother make arrangements to return the body to Ecuador. Watch marchers protest against hate crimes »
Police said Jose Sucuzhanay and his brother Romel had left a party at a church when several men approached them in a car in Brooklyn's Bushwick section, about a block from the brothers' home. The men shouted anti-gay and anti-Latino vulgarities and attacked the brothers, police said.
Romel, 34, escaped with minor scrapes and has talked with detectives. Police have released a sketch of one possible suspect in the case.
Police are offering a $22,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the attack.
In a statement, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the attack "a pointless and gutless crime." He promised authorities would find and prosecute those responsible.
Family spokesman Francisco Moya said Jose Sucuzhanay had lived in the United States for more than a decade and was a legal resident.
Diego Sucuzhanay said Jose set up a successful real estate business in a low-income area, thinking he could make a difference there.
He said his brother wanted to help everyone and hired a diverse team, including four African-Americans and two Latinos. He was raising two children: a 9-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.
"We were proud of him," Diego Sucuzhanay said.
He said the family had wanted Jose's mother to get to his bedside before he died. Doctors told them Jose was brain dead since the attack, and that machines kept him alive until his heart failed Friday.
At a press conference Sunday outside the hospital, Diego Sucuzhanay touched his chest and said: "My heart is broken, but my brother's [memory] will live on. "
Asked in an interview with CNN how his brother would be remembered, he paused several seconds and answered: "For being the victim of a hate crime."
Though he didn't participate in the demonstration, he said he was grateful to those who did, and that everyone needs to practice tolerance.
"We definitely have to speak out," he said.
|
[
"When was Jose Sucuzhanay beaten?",
"Whose beating on December 7 may have been a hate crime?",
"When did Sucuzhanay die?",
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"What did the police say?",
"What did victim's brother say?",
"What were his brother's thoughts on the crime?"
] |
[
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"Jose Sucuzhanay",
"Friday",
"racial slurs;",
"31-year-old Ecuadorean man",
"Jose Sucuzhanay was hit in the head with a bottle and beaten with an aluminum baseball bat on December 7.",
"wanted to help everyone and hired a diverse team,",
"he is convinced the attack was a hate"
] |
question: When was Jose Sucuzhanay beaten?, answer: December 7 | question: Whose beating on December 7 may have been a hate crime?, answer: Jose Sucuzhanay | question: When did Sucuzhanay die?, answer: Friday | question: What did attackers shout, according to authorities?, answer: racial slurs; | question: Who will be remembered as a victim of a hate crime?, answer: 31-year-old Ecuadorean man | question: What did the police say?, answer: Jose Sucuzhanay was hit in the head with a bottle and beaten with an aluminum baseball bat on December 7. | question: What did victim's brother say?, answer: wanted to help everyone and hired a diverse team, | question: What were his brother's thoughts on the crime?, answer: he is convinced the attack was a hate
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A former New York City bouncer was sentenced to life without parole Wednesday for the brutal slaying of a graduate student from Boston, the Brooklyn district attorney's office said.
Darryl Littlejohn, 44, is already serving prison time for the attempted kidnapping of another student in 2005.
Darryl Littlejohn, 44, was convicted of first-degree murder last month in the 2006 death of Imette St. Guillen, 24, who had been studying criminology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Littlejohn, who is already serving 25 years to life for the October 2005 attempted kidnapping of a 19-year-old Queens college student, will serve out the sentences consecutively, said Sarah McNaughton of the Brooklyn district attorney's office.
During the trial, witnesses said they saw Littlejohn and St. Guillen leaving The Falls bar in lower Manhattan together early February 25, 2006.
Littlejohn was working as a bouncer at the bar.
Hours later, St. Guillen's nude body was found in an isolated lot in Brooklyn. Her face was covered with strips of packing tape, and a sock was stuffed into her throat.
She died of asphyxiation, and investigators determined she had been raped.
Littlejohn was charged with murder after investigators linked his DNA to blood found on plastic ties used to bind St. Guillen's hands behind her back.
Littlejohn's attorney, Joyce David, has filed an appeal on behalf of her client and maintains his innocence. She said that although Littlejohn has a long criminal record, he has no history of violence against women.
The horrific incident spread shockwaves through New York City nightlife, which relies heavily on unlicensed bouncers to keep order in the city's bars and nightclubs.
Littlejohn is being held at New York's Rikers Island maximum security facility.
CNN's Chris Kokenes and Kristen Hamill contributed to this report
|
[
"What was Darryl convicted of?",
"What date were they seen leaving a bar?",
"who is leaving Manhattan bar?",
"Who is Darryl convicted of killing?",
"what is name of bouncer?",
"who was convicted?"
] |
[
"of first-degree murder last month in the 2006 death of Imette St. Guillen, 24,",
"February 25, 2006.",
"Littlejohn and St. Guillen",
"Imette St. Guillen,",
"Darryl Littlejohn,",
"Darryl Littlejohn,"
] |
question: What was Darryl convicted of?, answer: of first-degree murder last month in the 2006 death of Imette St. Guillen, 24, | question: What date were they seen leaving a bar?, answer: February 25, 2006. | question: who is leaving Manhattan bar?, answer: Littlejohn and St. Guillen | question: Who is Darryl convicted of killing?, answer: Imette St. Guillen, | question: what is name of bouncer?, answer: Darryl Littlejohn, | question: who was convicted?, answer: Darryl Littlejohn,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A grand jury Tuesday indicted three New York police officers on charges related to the alleged sodomy of a man on a Brooklyn subway platform in October.
Michael Mineo says New York Police officers sodomized him inside a Brooklyn subway station.
The indictments came after two other officers told the grand jury they saw Officer Richard Kern assault 24-year-old Michael Mineo with a police baton in October, authorities said.
"I think that both officers who stepped forward acted in a responsible, if not a heroic, way," Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said Tuesday. "I think both of them deserve a great deal of praise for doing that."
Kern, 25, faces charges including aggravated sexual abuse, a felony that could put him in prison for up to 25 years if convicted.
Officers Andrew Morales and Alex Cruz, both 26, face charges including hindering prosecution. Both are accused of trying to cover up the incident by falsifying records.
All three pleaded not guilty Tuesday at their arraignment before Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge John Walsh.
Authorities say Kern and Morales approached Mineo, a Brooklyn tattoo artist, on October 15 after seeing him walking down a street smoking what they believed to be marijuana.
As the uniformed officers approached Mineo, he fled. The officers chased him into a Brooklyn subway station, where they apprehended him on the platform, authorities said.
Cruz and a transit policeman, Kevin Maloney, joined the other officers and helped to subdue Mineo, who was then handcuffed with his hands behind his back, according to authorities.
Mineo claims Kern used his retractable police baton to sexually assault him on the subway platform. Witnesses said they heard Mineo's cries.
Mineo's lawyers said he showed officers he was bleeding, but they provided no medical attention and didn't call a supervisor as Mineo requested.
Kern gave Mineo a summons for disorderly conduct, and Mineo was released, authorities said. Mineo sought treatment at an area hospital, and hospital staff notified police that they treated a patient who claimed to be a victim of police brutality.
Hynes said that based on forensic information gathered by a medical examiner and the police lab, there was enough evidence to move the case to a grand jury.
The grand jury started hearing testimony October 28. Maloney and another officer testified that they had seen Kern assault Mineo with his baton.
After Tuesday's arraignment, Kern was released on $15,000 bail; the other two officers were released on their own recognizance.
Cruz's defense attorney called the case "paper thin."
Kern's attorney said Mineo's accusations were motivated by money, saying Mineo is planning to file a civil suit.
Mineo's attorneys would not explain why their client ran from police. The attorneys said they plan to file a civil suit, but they did not give information on the damages they plan to seek.
Mineo said he still suffers the effects of the attack.
"I relive this every day," Mineo said Tuesday. "Nobody should have to go through something like this."
|
[
"What was the man accused of?",
"How many other officers are accused of trying to cover it up",
"At which station did the incident take place",
"How many officers were involved?",
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"Were accused of covering the incident up?"
] |
[
"sodomy",
"two",
"Brooklyn subway",
"three",
"a great deal of praise",
"\"I think that both officers who stepped forward acted in a responsible, if not a heroic, way,\" Brooklyn",
"told the grand jury",
"Andrew Morales"
] |
question: What was the man accused of?, answer: sodomy | question: How many other officers are accused of trying to cover it up, answer: two | question: At which station did the incident take place, answer: Brooklyn subway | question: How many officers were involved?, answer: three | question: Does the officers deserve to be praised for what they did?, answer: a great deal of praise | question: What did the district attorney say?, answer: "I think that both officers who stepped forward acted in a responsible, if not a heroic, way," Brooklyn | question: Who did the two officers who witnessed the assault tell, answer: told the grand jury | question: Were accused of covering the incident up?, answer: Andrew Morales
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A lawsuit filed January 30 by baseball great Roberto Alomar's ex-girlfriend alleges he engaged in unprotected sex with her while suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Roberto Alomar's ex-girlfriend says he had unprotected sex with her while infected with HIV.
Ilya Dall is asking for $15 million for "personal injuries" suffered due to Alomar's negligence. She and her two children lived with the former New York Mets slugger for three years.
She alleges that he started exhibiting signs of HIV as early as 2005, but twice refused recommendations for an HIV test by his doctor, saying that earlier tests for the disease had come back negative, according to court papers.
Alomar's lawyer, Charles Bach, was not available for comment, but attorney Luke Pittoni, who also represents Alomar, said, "We believe this is a totally frivolous lawsuit -- these allegations are baseless, he's healthy and he'd like to keep his health status private. We'll do our talking in court."
Anthony Piancentini, who is representing Dall, said he has "no comment" at this time.
Dall says in court papers that Alomar told her "I don't have HIV." She alleges he "lied and purposefully misrepresented his physical condition" and "that he was endangering the health and well being of [Dall] by continuing to have unprotected sexual relations with [her]," according to the lawsuit.
Court papers list several physical ailments that Dall says Alomar exhibited from early 2005 on, including white spots on his mouth and throat, extreme fatigue, back and vision problems, and shingles.
In early 2006, Alomar submitted to an HIV test that, according to court papers, confirmed he was HIV positive in February 2006. Dall says she went for an HIV test shortly afterward and the results were negative.
The couple visited a disease specialist shortly after Alomar's diagnosis, who found a mass in Alomar's chest and advised the couple that he was suffering from full-blown AIDS, according to the lawsuit. Dall alleges that a few days later, Alomar's skin was turning purple and he was foaming at the mouth; a spinal tap on February 21, 2006, confirmed he had full-blown AIDS, court papers said.
Dall claims in the lawsuit that Alomar's negligence caused her severe "emotional distress" over the health of her children. Court papers say that because the couple lived with the children, they may have been exposed to Alomar's saliva or blood in the bathroom, through things like toothbrushes and other items.
Dall claims to suffer from "permanent emotional distress" even after repeatedly testing negative for HIV. The lawsuit claims her fear of contracting the disease is known as "AIDS phobia" and that she suffers from permanent post-traumatic stress disorder.
Alomar requested Tuesday that the suit be moved to Brooklyn, New York, federal court. It was originally filed in Supreme Court in Queens, New York. An initial conference on the case is expected on April 15 in Brooklyn federal court.
Alomar is the son and brother of major leaguers -- father Sandy Alomar was a second baseman with several teams between 1964 and 1978 and brother Sandy Alomar Jr. is a former catcher who played from 1988 to 2007.
Roberto Alomar retired in 2004 with a .300 lifetime batting average, 12 All-Star game selections and 10 Gold Gloves. He was the All Star Game MVP in 1998 and played on two Toronto Blue Jays World Series champion teams.
Alomar, then playing for the Baltimore Orioles, is also known for an incident in 1996 during a game against the Blue Jays when he spat in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck following a heated argument over a third strike. After the incident, Alomar claimed the umpire uttered a slur to him during the argument.
|
[
"What did the woman say that Alomar did?",
"What did the ex-girlfriend say he denied having?",
"What does the ex-girlfriend say?",
"What did the court papers say about the tests in 2006?",
"What did Alomar endanger?",
"What did he lie about?"
] |
[
"he had unprotected sex with her while infected with HIV.",
"unprotected sex with her while suffering from HIV/AIDS.",
"he had unprotected sex with her while infected with HIV.",
"confirmed he had full-blown AIDS,",
"ex-girlfriend",
"sex with her while suffering from HIV/AIDS."
] |
question: What did the woman say that Alomar did?, answer: he had unprotected sex with her while infected with HIV. | question: What did the ex-girlfriend say he denied having?, answer: unprotected sex with her while suffering from HIV/AIDS. | question: What does the ex-girlfriend say?, answer: he had unprotected sex with her while infected with HIV. | question: What did the court papers say about the tests in 2006?, answer: confirmed he had full-blown AIDS, | question: What did Alomar endanger?, answer: ex-girlfriend | question: What did he lie about?, answer: sex with her while suffering from HIV/AIDS.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A letter penned by George Washington praising the new Constitution sold for $3.2 million at an auction, the highest price for a letter by America's first president.
The four-page letter in Washington's slanting penmanship was written to his nephew Bushrod Washington in November 1787, according to Christie's, the company that auctioned it.
It was in the possession of an unidentified British descendant of his family, Christie's said.
Washington led the Philadelphia Convention, at which the Constitution was drafted in 1787. After the Constitution was produced, a nationwide debate ensued on whether to ratify it.
In the letter written from Washington's Virginia estate, Mount Vernon, he endorses the Constitution and highlights the benefits of compromise and of states merging into one nation.
"The central issues must be consolidated -- and local views as far as the general good will admit, must be attended to," he says in the letter, according to Christie's.
The company said the president confided in his nephew.
"Washington professed neutrality in public, but to Bushrod expressed his unequivocal conviction that the new Constitution must be ratified, in spite of opposition from many special-interest groups," Christie's said.
The buyer was not identified.
Christie's had earlier estimated that the letter would fetch $1.5 million to $2.5 million at Friday's auction.
Washington served from 1789 to 1797, then died of a throat infection two years later. He died at his beloved Mount Vernon at age 67, plunging the nation into months of mourning.
Last year, a 1864 letter in which President Abraham Lincoln replies to the abolitionist pleas of youth sold for $3.4 million.
|
[
"How many pages long was the letter?",
"What letter was sold last year?",
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"Who auctioned it off",
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"What did he pen",
"When was the letter written?",
"Who was the letter for?",
"How many pages was the letter?",
"What price did the letter bring?",
"How much did the letter sell for?",
"Which president wrote the letter?",
"How much did Washington's letter sell for?",
"Which president's letter sold for highest price ever?",
"What year was the letter dated?"
] |
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"four-page",
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"George Washington",
"1787,"
] |
question: How many pages long was the letter?, answer: four-page | question: What letter was sold last year?, answer: penned by George Washington praising the new Constitution | question: How much did the letter sell for?, answer: $3.2 million | question: When did Bushrod write the letter?, answer: November 1787, | question: What was the price, answer: $3.2 million | question: Who auctioned it off, answer: Christie's, | question: Who had written the letter?, answer: George Washington | question: What did he pen, answer: A letter | question: When was the letter written?, answer: November 1787, | question: Who was the letter for?, answer: Bushrod Washington | question: How many pages was the letter?, answer: four-page | question: What price did the letter bring?, answer: $3.2 million | question: How much did the letter sell for?, answer: $3.2 million | question: Which president wrote the letter?, answer: George Washington | question: How much did Washington's letter sell for?, answer: $3.2 million | question: Which president's letter sold for highest price ever?, answer: George Washington | question: What year was the letter dated?, answer: 1787,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A long line of hospital staff wraps around the corridor outside a small conference room in New York to catch a glimpse of the precious cargo.
A worker looks at the mummified skull of King Tut in November 2007.
Inside are the three frail bodies in open wooden crates causing all the commotion. Another body -- a prince no less -- is a few rooms down in a computer tomography scanner.
The bodies are part of the Brooklyn Museum's collection of 11 Egyptian mummies, transported to the North Shore University Hospital to be scanned. The goal: Find out who they are, how they might have died and establish a chronology of advances in ancient Egypt's mummification techniques.
The process is not necessarily new. Egyptian mummies have been exposed to radiographic study since 1896 and CT scans, which conducts imaging by sections, for more than two decades.
Perhaps the most famous of them, King Tutankhamun (c. 1355-346 B.C.), was scanned in 2005 right outside the vault that holds his sarcophagus. The scan resulted in more than 17,000 images that were analyzed by an international team of radiologists, pathologists and anatomists, led by the world-renowned Zahi Hawass, the secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.
The scope and ability of CT scan technology are proving invaluable in learning more about the funeral rituals of ancient Egyptians and the mummies themselves. Whereas conventional X-rays cannot clearly distinguish soft tissue from bone and can see only two planes, CT scanning can differentiate among the various types of bone and soft tissue, and reconstruct three-dimensional images that "show fine detail inside coronary arteries down to 0.6 millimeters" said Amgad Makaryus, director of cardiac CT and magnetic resonance imaging at North Shore, providing a better chance at diagnosis and differentiation among diseases.
"CT has proved to be exceptionally well-suited for studying the fragile, wrapped figures of Egyptian mummies, especially those still contained within their decorated plasterlike shells, or cartonnages," according to an article by a team of eight researchers, led by Derek N.H. Notman, published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
CT scanning is fast and non-invasive, Makaryus agrees. A scan of one of the four bodies brought to North Shore quickly revealed that the mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man. The body never had to leave its cartonnage for the procedure.
In the case of King Tut, initial X-rays of his mummy decades ago showed fragments of bone inside his skull, causing speculation that he might have been killed by a blow to the back of the head. The scan immediately revealed that his skull was intact; and the team found no other indication of foul play, according to its report.
"King Tut is the icon of Egyptian history, but he is only one of thousands of mummies we can study. Through CT scans, we can, in a way, bring the dead back to life," Hawass told National Geographic magazine.
In another famous case, a CT scan helped identify the mummy of the Pharaoh Ramses I (1293-1291 B.C.) in 2000. It had been bought from a Canadian museum by the Michael C. Carlos Museum in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Heidi Hoffman, a former radiology resident at Emory now practicing in Chicago, Illinois, and part of the team of scientists who analyzed the pharaoh's body, was able to observe a type of bone erosion, and "coalescence of air cells can be seen in cases of chronic mastoiditis," an inflammatory condition usually due to chronic ear infections. Though easily treatable with antibiotics today, the pharaoh's untreated ear infection could have spread and caused his death.
At North Shore, Jesse Chusid, director of Imaging Informatics at the Department of Radiology, said the 64-slice CT scanner takes 0.6 mm-thick sectional scans and combines and magnifies them to provide extraordinary detail.
Curators of the Brooklyn Museum reached out to North Shore for the first time in 2007, to scan Demetrios, a 2,000-year-old mummy, before he was to join a traveling exhibit called "To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures From
|
[
"What have they found?",
"what was analized",
"What did recent scan reveal?",
"what does the ct testing allow",
"What does CT testing allow?",
"what was revealed",
"What is being analysed by radiologists?"
] |
[
"that his skull was intact; and the team",
"the pharaoh's body,",
"that the mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man.",
"Find out who they are, how they might have died and establish a chronology of advances in ancient Egypt's mummification techniques.",
"differentiate among the various types of bone and soft tissue, and reconstruct three-dimensional images",
"the mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man.",
"17,000 images"
] |
question: What have they found?, answer: that his skull was intact; and the team | question: what was analized, answer: the pharaoh's body, | question: What did recent scan reveal?, answer: that the mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man. | question: what does the ct testing allow, answer: Find out who they are, how they might have died and establish a chronology of advances in ancient Egypt's mummification techniques. | question: What does CT testing allow?, answer: differentiate among the various types of bone and soft tissue, and reconstruct three-dimensional images | question: what was revealed, answer: the mummy named Lady Hor was actually a man. | question: What is being analysed by radiologists?, answer: 17,000 images
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A man brutally beaten in New York City was targeted because he is openly gay, the New York Police Department said Monday.
Two men shouting "anti-gay remarks" viciously beat Jack Price, 49, as he left a 24-hour deli on College Point Boulevard in Queens early Friday morning, police said. No further details where available about the attack.
Price is being treated at New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, where "he is in fair condition and his vital signs are stable," said hospital spokeswoman Camela Morrissey.
Police arrested Daniel Aleman, 26, and charged him with assault and aggravated assault as a hate crime.
"When someone is attacked for being who they are, and for being proud of who they are, there is no other explanation for that attack than hatred and bigotry," said New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the first openly gay speaker of the city council.
"I know the Queens community is outraged that hate has tainted their streets, and I know they will join with us in helping the local authorities find the second suspect."
The police department's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.
No court date has been set for Aleman.
|
[
"What group is investigating?",
"Where is Jack Price being treated?",
"What is Aleman charged with?",
"What is Jack Prices age?",
"What is Daniel Aleman charged with?"
] |
[
"Hate Crimes Task Force",
"New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens,",
"assault and aggravated assault as a hate crime.",
"49,",
"assault and aggravated assault as a hate crime."
] |
question: What group is investigating?, answer: Hate Crimes Task Force | question: Where is Jack Price being treated?, answer: New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens, | question: What is Aleman charged with?, answer: assault and aggravated assault as a hate crime. | question: What is Jack Prices age?, answer: 49, | question: What is Daniel Aleman charged with?, answer: assault and aggravated assault as a hate crime.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A man who allegedly set off a small bomb at a Starbucks coffee shop was arrested after he made the mistake of bragging about his exploit to friends, police said Wednesday.
An NYPD officer stands guard outside a Starbucks where a bomb went off on Memorial Day.
New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told reporters that Kyle Shaw, 17, was arrested Tuesday night at his Manhattan apartment after a police investigation revealed that he bragged to his friends about planting the explosive outside an Upper East Side Starbucks on May 25.
Shaw allegedly told his friends prior to the explosion that "Project Mayhem" was about to begin, Kelly said, and that they should watch the news on Memorial Day.
Shaw was a fan of the movie "Fight Club" and imitated Brad Pitt's character from the film, the police commissioner said -- although he apparently failed to adhere to Pitt's famous line in the film: "The first rule of Fight Club is, you do not talk about Fight Club." The movie, released in 1999, also includes a scene in which a Starbucks is destroyed.
Kelly said there is no evidence at this time to suggest that Shaw was behind other recent small explosions in the city, such as the bombings at the Times Square Army recruiting center and the Mexican consulate.
Shaw made the small explosive out of a plastic bottle, firework powder, a metal cap and electrical tape, Kelly said.
The blast, at 3:30 a.m. on Memorial Day, damaged a nearby bench and shattered the store's windows, the commissioner said.
No one was injured in the explosion, but the bomb was powerful enough to have caused serious injuries if anyone had been nearby, Kelly said.
Shaw has been charged with arson, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal mischief, he added.
|
[
"Is the suspect a fan of violent movies?",
"Was anything damaged in the Memorial Day bombing?",
"what was the suspects aim",
"what is the age of the suspect",
"Who wanted to launch Project Mayhem?",
"Where did the Memorial Day bombing take place?"
] |
[
"Shaw was a fan of the movie \"Fight Club\"",
"a nearby bench and shattered the store's windows,",
"\"Project Mayhem\"",
"17,",
"Kyle Shaw,",
"Starbucks"
] |
question: Is the suspect a fan of violent movies?, answer: Shaw was a fan of the movie "Fight Club" | question: Was anything damaged in the Memorial Day bombing?, answer: a nearby bench and shattered the store's windows, | question: what was the suspects aim, answer: "Project Mayhem" | question: what is the age of the suspect, answer: 17, | question: Who wanted to launch Project Mayhem?, answer: Kyle Shaw, | question: Where did the Memorial Day bombing take place?, answer: Starbucks
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A massive anti-Mafia sweep that stretched from New York to Sicily has not only cut off the head of the Gambino crime family but lopped off "the shoulders and chest" too, prosecutors said Thursday.
John "Jackie the Nose" D'Amico, shown in 1992, is one of 62 people indicted.
Sixty-two members of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno families face 80 charges, ranging from money laundering to illegal gambling and murder.
"These charges strike at the very core of the Gambino family," said Benton Campbell, United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The Gambino family profited from extortion within the New York construction industry and its labor unions, according to the charges. Watch the perp walk »
Several companies allegedly paid a "mob tax" in return for "protection" and "permission to operate," said Gordon Heddell, inspector general of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Other charges involve an alleged illegal gambling ring, said Richard Brown, Queens County district attorney.
Nicholas Corozzo -- a reputed captain in the Gambino family -- was involved in a sports gambling enterprise that relied in part on toll-free telephones, Brown alleged.
Meanwhile, four members of the Gambino family are charged with eight crimes involving murder, according to the indictment.
Those charges include the felony murder of Jose Delgado Rivera, who was shot and killed in an armored truck during a robbery in 1990.
"Today we are able to bring closure to crimes from the past that have never been forgotten," Campbell said. He said the crimes span back over three decades. Watch feds say they've 'cut off the head' of crime family »
Key to the Gambino arrests Thursday was a member of the Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force who infiltrated the Gambino family and recorded hundred of hours of conversations, said John Milgrim, a spokesman for the attorney general.
Forty-five of those charged are already in custody, police said. Arrests were made in New York City; Long Island, New York; and New Jersey.
"It is as unrelenting as weeds that continue to sprout in the cracks of society," New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said of organized crime. "We will not rest until organized crime is a distant memory."
In addition to the arrests in the New York area, police in Italy detained 77 people in connection with organized crime.
Those arrests netted important members of a powerful clan in Sicily linked to Mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo, who was believed to be the successor of the boss of bosses, Bernardo Provenzano. Watch the prosecutor explain why authorities acted now »
Police say that in his attempt to rise to power, Le Piccolo tried to mend fences with New York-based Mafia families after those ties were broken during the bloody Mafia wars of the 1980s. Those families included the Gambinos of New York and the Inzerillos of Italy.
Provenzano was arrested two years ago in Corleone.
"It is evident that the intent of the Mafia in Palermo was to re-establish a dialogue through the Inzerillo family in the U.S," Francesco Messineo of the Italian Police said.
"A dialogue that was never interrupted because the relationship between the American and the Italian Mafia is historic, based on long tradition. But there was certainly an attempt to re-establish that connection."
Investigators believe mob clans wanted to collaborate on illegal commercial ventures such as money laundering and drug trafficking.
Italian officials said the arrests were aimed at preventing these illegal activities, but they warned that other Mafia clans in Sicily oppose the return of the Inzerillo family to the island, and therefore were concerned about a new Mafia war. E-mail to a friend
CNN's Deborah Feyerick and Alessio Vinci contributed to this report.
|
[
"What is the number of people facing charges?",
"Where did police also make 77 arrest in connection with organized crime?",
"What is the Gambino family accused of?",
"What number of arrests did police make?",
"What are the charges?",
"Who is accused of profiting from extortion?",
"What family is accused of profiting from extortion?",
"Who faces charges?",
"Who makes 77 arrests in connection with organized crime?"
] |
[
"62",
"Italy",
"eight crimes involving murder,",
"62 people indicted.",
"money laundering to illegal gambling and murder.",
"Gambino family",
"Gambino",
"Sixty-two members of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno families",
"police in Italy"
] |
question: What is the number of people facing charges?, answer: 62 | question: Where did police also make 77 arrest in connection with organized crime?, answer: Italy | question: What is the Gambino family accused of?, answer: eight crimes involving murder, | question: What number of arrests did police make?, answer: 62 people indicted. | question: What are the charges?, answer: money laundering to illegal gambling and murder. | question: Who is accused of profiting from extortion?, answer: Gambino family | question: What family is accused of profiting from extortion?, answer: Gambino | question: Who faces charges?, answer: Sixty-two members of the Gambino, Genovese and Bonanno families | question: Who makes 77 arrests in connection with organized crime?, answer: police in Italy
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A model who was slammed with derogatory terms by an anonymous blogger has the right to learn the identity of her online heckler, a judge ruled.
Google complied with the court's ruling, submitting the creator's IP address and e-mail address.
In August 2008, a user of Blogger.com, Google's blogging service, created "Skanks in NYC," a site that assailed Liskula Cohen, 37, a Canadian-born onetime cover girl who has appeared in Vogue and other fashion magazines. The blog featured photos of Cohen captioned with terms including "psychotic," "ho," and "skank."
On Monday, New York Supreme Court Judge Joan Madden ruled that Google must hand over to Cohen any identifying information it possesses about the blog's creator.
Steven Wagner, Cohen's attorney, said Google complied with the ruling Tuesday evening, submitting to his legal team the creator's IP address and e-mail address. Only a valid e-mail address is required to register for a blog on Blogger.com.
Wagner said that once his legal team tracks the e-mail address to a name, the next step will be to sue Cohen's detractor for defamation. He said he suspected the creator of the blog is an acquaintance of Cohen.
The blog has not been operational for months.
The unidentified creator of the blog was represented in court by an attorney, Anne Salisbury, who said her client voluntarily took the blog down when Cohen initiated legal action against it.
Salisbury suggested that Cohen is more interested in attracting publicity than restoring her reputation. She contended her client's blog would have languished harmlessly in obscurity had Cohen not filed suit. The site had negligible traffic and only five posts on it, all written on a single day, she said.
In her ruling, the judge quoted a Virginia court that ruled in a similar case that nameless online taunters should be held accountable when their derision crosses a line.
"The protection of the right to communicate anonymously must be balanced against the need to assure that those persons who choose to abuse the opportunities presented by this medium can be made to answer for such transgressions," the judge said, quoting the Virginia decision.
Cohen's attorney said he was "happy that the court recognizes that the Internet is not a place where people can freely defame people."
But the blogger's attorney strongly disputed the judge's reasoning. Salisbury asserted that her client's invective was not unusual for the Internet, and that hyperbolic online name-calling is so rampant -- "in comments sections, on Twitter, on blogs" as to practically be part of the Web's DNA.
She warned that Monday's ruling has "potentially damaging implications for free speech on the Internet."
After the ruling, a Google spokesman expressed sympathy for targets of Internet insult-slinging, but said the company divulges user information only when ordered to do so by a court.
"We sympathize with anyone who may be the victim of cyberbullying. We also take great care to respect privacy concerns and will only provide information about a user in response to a subpoena or other court order," Google's Andrew Pederson said.
|
[
"When did Judge say this"
] |
[
"Monday,"
] |
question: When did Judge say this, answer: Monday,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A nude photograph of pop singer Madonna was sold for $37,500 Thursday afternoon at a Christie's Art House auction.
Christie's auctioned this nude photo of Madonna (partially shown) taken by Lee Friedlander for $37,500.
The photo, originally expected to go for between $10,000 and $15,000, was purchased for more than double its original estimated selling price, a Christie's spokesperson confirmed. The 13-inch by 8 5/8-inch framed photograph was purchased by an anonymous bidder over the phone.
The full frontal photograph was one of several taken by American photographer Lee Friedlander in 1979. Madonna, then a cash-strapped student, received $25 for the entire photo shoot.
Most of the pictures from the shoot were ultimately featured in Playboy magazine in 1985.
|
[
"When was the photograph of Madonna taken?",
"how much amount was paid for pic?",
"who made purchase over the phone?",
"when Nude photograph of Madonnawas taken?",
"When was the auction?",
"Who was photographer?",
"Who purchased it?",
"Who sold the photograph?"
] |
[
"1979.",
"$37,500",
"an anonymous bidder",
"1979.",
"Thursday afternoon",
"Lee Friedlander",
"an anonymous bidder",
"Christie's Art House"
] |
question: When was the photograph of Madonna taken?, answer: 1979. | question: how much amount was paid for pic?, answer: $37,500 | question: who made purchase over the phone?, answer: an anonymous bidder | question: when Nude photograph of Madonnawas taken?, answer: 1979. | question: When was the auction?, answer: Thursday afternoon | question: Who was photographer?, answer: Lee Friedlander | question: Who purchased it?, answer: an anonymous bidder | question: Who sold the photograph?, answer: Christie's Art House
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A rare and original manuscript of one of America's most patriotic songs has been discovered in a flea market bargain.
The manuscript of the song could be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
A shopper browsing through the market in New York bought a framed picture of a flower for $10 and found handwritten manuscript of "America" (My Country 'tis of Thee) tucked behind the picture, the manuscript's owner said Thursday.
The manuscript of the song whose lyrics were written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831 could be worth tens of thousands of dollars, said the owner, art collector Keya Morgan. He said he bought it from the flea market shopper, who has asked not to be identified.
The song was intended to be played in schools to inspire and teach children and was first played in public on July 4, 1831, in the First Baptist Church in Newton, Massachusetts, Morgan said. The song is written to the tune of "God Save the Queen," the national anthem of the United Kingdom. Take a look at the manuscript »
The authenticity of the document was confirmed by Morgan, a handwriting expert who has been authenticating historical documents for nearly a decade, and Diana Yount, an archival specialist at Andover Newton Theological School. Yount reached her conclusion after comparing the handwriting with that in a hymn written by Smith.
Morgan, whose collection includes artifacts from Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, Thomas Jefferson and Ulysses S. Grant, was ecstatic.
"It's the biggest high I could get," said Morgan. "It shaped the nation and reminds us that this nation is just a baby."
|
[
"How much did the picture sell for?",
"how much did it sell for",
"How much the picture fetch at the flea market?",
"How much is the manuscript reortedly worth?",
"When did America first play in public?",
"what was found",
"where was it found",
"What was tucked behind a picture?"
] |
[
"$10",
"$10",
"$10",
"tens of thousands of dollars.",
"July 4, 1831,",
"A rare and original manuscript of one of America's most patriotic songs",
"market in New York",
"handwritten manuscript of \"America\" (My Country 'tis of Thee)"
] |
question: How much did the picture sell for?, answer: $10 | question: how much did it sell for, answer: $10 | question: How much the picture fetch at the flea market?, answer: $10 | question: How much is the manuscript reortedly worth?, answer: tens of thousands of dollars. | question: When did America first play in public?, answer: July 4, 1831, | question: what was found, answer: A rare and original manuscript of one of America's most patriotic songs | question: where was it found, answer: market in New York | question: What was tucked behind a picture?, answer: handwritten manuscript of "America" (My Country 'tis of Thee)
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A rash of bank robberies in New York has the city's police commissioner worried that criminals have turned banks into "virtual cash machines" and some wondering whether tough economic times are fueling the trend.
A surveillance camera captures a bank robbery suspect in New York on December 2.
On Monday alone, robbers targeted five banks in the Big Apple, some striking in broad daylight and near famous landmarks.
Police called the incidents unrelated, but they're just the latest examples of the growing tally of hold-ups.
Bank robberies in New York have risen 54 percent compared with last year, with criminals committing more than 430 in the past 12 months, according to the New York police department.
"As it stands now, they've turned [banks] into virtual cash machines," New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
Bank robberies are also up in many areas across the country, including San Diego, California, and Houston, Texas, federal law enforcement experts told CNN.
It's enough for some to link the trend to the rash of layoffs, the plummeting stock market and the bust in the real estate values, all of which have left many Americans in dire financial straits.
"It makes me think that the recession is making people go to extreme measures," a woman who frequents one of the banks robbed Monday told The New York Times. Watch where the robbers struck »
But Kelly said it's not clear whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike.
"People want to say... it's because of the economy. I think it's too early to make that statement," he said.
CNN security analyst Mike Brooks agreed, adding that although there are typically many bank robberies during the holidays, there are no data to suggest that any recent spike was caused by the economy.
Another expert said it's possible that the difficulty of finding a job right now may be a factor, but he doubted that law-abiding citizens are turning to crime to make ends meet.
"It's hard to attribute the bank robberies to people who were let go from Lehman Brothers or other organizations that are in trouble," said Alfred Blumstein, who has researched criminal justice for 20 years and is a professor of operations research at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College.
"I would anticipate that people who rob banks have been involved with crime before because that's not where one is likely to start," Blumstein said.
A person who might turn to robbing banks is someone in their late teens or early 20s who has already broken the law and has decided to move on to a bigger target, he added.
"Bank robbery is a very high-risk activity, because most banks have various surveillance equipment in place, and it requires a degree of aggressiveness that otherwise law-abiding folks are not likely to take on," Blumstein said.
Some officials say the modern, customer-friendly design of banks -- with easy access to tellers and cash -- is too tempting for robbers.
"We don't like the business plan that makes a bank look like a living room," Kelly said "We [advise] just some common sense provisions, such as so-called bandit barriers, so that tellers have some option to act when somebody puts a note in front of them."
In fact, bank robbers have simply handed tellers a note in a vast majority of hold-ups in New York. Kelly put the figure at 80 percent and added that although the rest of the robbers claimed to have a gun, many didn't actually show it.
Mike Smith, president and CEO of the New York Bankers Association, is meeting with the NYPD to see what more can be done to discourage robbers. He said banks have a significant amount of security, some of which may not be visible to the public.
"Are there enhancements? Obviously. Criminals talk to each other, they know what's going on, but typically they are apprehended," Mike Smith said
|
[
"What is not clear?",
"How much robbers targeted?"
] |
[
"whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike.",
"five banks"
] |
question: What is not clear?, answer: whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike. | question: How much robbers targeted?, answer: five banks
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A rash of bank robberies in New York has the city's police commissioner worried that criminals have turned banks into "virtual cash machines" and some wondering whether tough economic times are fueling the trend.
A surveillance camera captures a bank robbery suspect in New York on December 2.
On Monday alone, robbers targeted five banks in the Big Apple, some striking in broad daylight and near famous landmarks.
Police called the incidents unrelated, but they're just the latest examples of the growing tally of hold-ups.
Bank robberies in New York have risen 54 percent compared with last year, with criminals committing more than 430 in the past 12 months, according to the New York police department.
"As it stands now, they've turned [banks] into virtual cash machines," New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said.
Bank robberies are also up in many areas across the country, including San Diego, California, and Houston, Texas, federal law enforcement experts told CNN.
It's enough for some to link the trend to the rash of layoffs, the plummeting stock market and the bust in the real estate values, all of which have left many Americans in dire financial straits.
"It makes me think that the recession is making people go to extreme measures," a woman who frequents one of the banks robbed Monday told The New York Times. Watch where the robbers struck »
But Kelly said it's not clear whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike.
"People want to say... it's because of the economy. I think it's too early to make that statement," he said.
CNN security analyst Mike Brooks agreed, adding that although there are typically many bank robberies during the holidays, there are no data to suggest that any recent spike was caused by the economy.
Another expert said it's possible that the difficulty of finding a job right now may be a factor, but he doubted that law-abiding citizens are turning to crime to make ends meet.
"It's hard to attribute the bank robberies to people who were let go from Lehman Brothers or other organizations that are in trouble," said Alfred Blumstein, who has researched criminal justice for 20 years and is a professor of operations research at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College.
"I would anticipate that people who rob banks have been involved with crime before because that's not where one is likely to start," Blumstein said.
A person who might turn to robbing banks is someone in their late teens or early 20s who has already broken the law and has decided to move on to a bigger target, he added.
"Bank robbery is a very high-risk activity, because most banks have various surveillance equipment in place, and it requires a degree of aggressiveness that otherwise law-abiding folks are not likely to take on," Blumstein said.
Some officials say the modern, customer-friendly design of banks -- with easy access to tellers and cash -- is too tempting for robbers.
"We don't like the business plan that makes a bank look like a living room," Kelly said "We [advise] just some common sense provisions, such as so-called bandit barriers, so that tellers have some option to act when somebody puts a note in front of them."
In fact, bank robbers have simply handed tellers a note in a vast majority of hold-ups in New York. Kelly put the figure at 80 percent and added that although the rest of the robbers claimed to have a gun, many didn't actually show it.
Mike Smith, president and CEO of the New York Bankers Association, is meeting with the NYPD to see what more can be done to discourage robbers. He said banks have a significant amount of security, some of which may not be visible to the public.
"Are there enhancements? Obviously. Criminals talk to each other, they know what's going on, but typically they are apprehended," Mike Smith said
|
[
"What do experts doubt",
"What number of banks were targeted on Monday alone?",
"how many banks were targeted",
"Bank robberies in NYC have risen how many percent?",
"what is fueling the problem",
"What does the NYPD say is not clear?",
"what has risen 54 percent",
"How many banks were targeted on Monday",
"By what percentage have bank robberies increased from last year"
] |
[
"that law-abiding citizens are turning to crime to make ends meet.",
"five",
"five",
"54",
"tough economic times",
"whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike.",
"Bank robberies in New York",
"five",
"54 percent"
] |
question: What do experts doubt, answer: that law-abiding citizens are turning to crime to make ends meet. | question: What number of banks were targeted on Monday alone?, answer: five | question: how many banks were targeted, answer: five | question: Bank robberies in NYC have risen how many percent?, answer: 54 | question: what is fueling the problem, answer: tough economic times | question: What does the NYPD say is not clear?, answer: whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike. | question: what has risen 54 percent, answer: Bank robberies in New York | question: How many banks were targeted on Monday, answer: five | question: By what percentage have bank robberies increased from last year, answer: 54 percent
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A small, rural town in the hills of New Hampshire was jolted by a home invasion over the weekend that left a mother dead and her young daughter severely injured.
Steven Spader, 17, is accused of using a machete to kill a woman and injure her daughter.
"This type of murder does not happen very often," New Hampshire Senior Assistant Attorney General Will Delker said. "This is something out of the ordinary."
Four teenagers have been charged in connection with the incident early Sunday morning along an isolated dirt road in Mont Vernon, a town of about 2,000.
In a news release Tuesday, the New Hampshire Department of Justice identified the victim as 42-year-old Kimberly Cates. The medical examiner determined that she died from "multiple sharp injuries to the head, torso, left arm, and left leg."
The victim's 10-year-old daughter sustained serious knife injuries that required hours of surgery.
"She's still in the intensive care unit," Delker said. "Her injuries weren't life-threatening, but you shouldn't minimize the severities of the injuries she suffered."
Delker said Kimberly Cates' husband was away on business at the time of the attack.
Cates was a registered nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire.
"She worked part time in our maternal and labor department and also in our emergency department," Sarah Ward, director of marketing and communications for the hospital, said Tuesday. "The staff is pretty upset about it. They were pretty close to her."
"The people up here aren't used to this kind of thing," Don Himsel, senior photo editor for the Nashua Telegraph, said Tuesday. "This never really happens."
Himsel also said violent crime is extremely rare in Mont Vernon. "I think we may have had one assault in town in the last 10 years."
The Mont Vernon Congregational Church opened its doors Wednesday for people who want to grieve, pray and meditate.
"This is a way to come together peacefully; that's what we are trying to do," church official Jane Nilles said Wednesday. "The church understands that there are people hurting on both sides. This is a time to pray and ask for God's presence right now. It is a time to gather and to pray."
On Tuesday, the state Department of Justice announced the arrests of the four teenagers accused of taking part in the crimes.
Steven Spader, 17, and Christopher Gribble, 19, were charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
William Marks, 18, and Quinn Glover, 17, were charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and armed robbery.
"The allegations are that Spader wielded the machete and Gribble used the knife, and each of them struck the victims," Delker said.
Delker, who described the case as being in its earliest stages, said prosecutors will evaluate whether additional charges will be brought or upgraded.
"Under New Hampshire law, anyone 17 and older is charged as an adult," Delker said.
A probable cause hearing for the suspects will be held October 20.
|
[
"Who was killed?",
"Who has been charged in the Sunday incident in Mont Vernon?",
"Who was severely injured?",
"What did the state official say?",
"Where was the woman's husband at the time of the incident?",
"Where was woman's husband?"
] |
[
"Kimberly Cates.",
"Four teenagers",
"young daughter",
"announced the arrests of the four teenagers",
"away on business",
"away on business"
] |
question: Who was killed?, answer: Kimberly Cates. | question: Who has been charged in the Sunday incident in Mont Vernon?, answer: Four teenagers | question: Who was severely injured?, answer: young daughter | question: What did the state official say?, answer: announced the arrests of the four teenagers | question: Where was the woman's husband at the time of the incident?, answer: away on business | question: Where was woman's husband?, answer: away on business
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A store owner in New York who is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a 4-year-old boy from a burning building said he plans to visit the child in the hospital Friday.
Horia Cretan climbed up a fire escape and helped save a boy through the window of a burning building.
Horia Cretan, who owns an electronics store in the Bronx structure where the fire broke out, also hopes to meet Christopher's parents for the first time, he told CNN's "American Morning."
The boy is expected to recover, Cretan said. The child was taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where a nurse said she couldn't provide his condition.
Cretan, who moved to the United States from Romania 15 years ago, said he was inside his store Wednesday when he heard a child's screams. It was about 4 p.m., he said, about the time children play outside after getting out of school, but he said the screams he heard were "totally different."
He reached a fire escape and climbed to the fourth floor, where a firefighter handed the boy to him through a smoke-clouded window, video from the scene shows.
"What I was worried about is, is he still alive? Because his head just dropped, and he wasn't helping himself or helping me," Cretan said. "He just couldn't hold his weight and he was unconscious."
While the firefighter was handing over the boy, other crew members were trying to get into the building's main entrance to make their way to the apartment where the fire was, the store owner said.
Cretan covered himself and the boy with a blanket or curtain to shield themselves from falling debris and glass, which cut the boy on the leg. Watch Cretan describe the rescue »
During the rescue, the boy's brother stood below, yelling, the rescuer said. Christopher was given oxygen on the ground and taken to the hospital.
Cretan said it wasn't the first time he rescued someone. He said he rescued his sister from a fire in Romania that killed their father. The 33-year-old Cretan said he was 12 years old at the time.
"It was a sad story, a tragic moment at the time," he said, referring to the Romanian incident.
"And you know, it had an impact on people around the neighborhood like it does right now. It's amazing. This just skyrocketed."
Cretan said he's received messages across the globe about the Bronx incident.
"This has become famous because somebody happened to be on the corner with the camera pretty much. You don't do things like this for merit. The merit in itself is you save somebody," Cretan said.
"And the whole community's just being great. Adopting me like a son, and I'm a part of a big family and I'm happy to have them in my life."
|
[
"Who was working in the store",
"What does Cretan plan to do?",
"Who did Cretan rescue at 12?",
"Who else did Cretan rescue",
"Where was Cretan when he heard screams?",
"what does Horia cretan says about when he heard a child's screams?",
"what happended to Cretan when he was 12 years old?",
"what does Cretan says about the boy?",
"Who is expected to recover",
"What has he received?",
"What was Horia Cretan doing?",
"What was the age Cretan when he rescued his sister?",
"What says Horia?"
] |
[
"Horia Cretan,",
"visit the child in the hospital Friday.",
"his sister",
"his sister from a fire in Romania",
"inside his store",
"still alive?",
"rescued his sister from a fire in Romania that killed their father.",
"is expected to recover,",
"The boy is",
"messages across the globe about the Bronx incident.",
"climbed up a fire escape and helped save a boy through the window of a burning building.",
"12 years",
"\"What I was worried about is, is he still alive? Because his head just dropped, and he wasn't helping himself or helping me,\""
] |
question: Who was working in the store, answer: Horia Cretan, | question: What does Cretan plan to do?, answer: visit the child in the hospital Friday. | question: Who did Cretan rescue at 12?, answer: his sister | question: Who else did Cretan rescue, answer: his sister from a fire in Romania | question: Where was Cretan when he heard screams?, answer: inside his store | question: what does Horia cretan says about when he heard a child's screams?, answer: still alive? | question: what happended to Cretan when he was 12 years old?, answer: rescued his sister from a fire in Romania that killed their father. | question: what does Cretan says about the boy?, answer: is expected to recover, | question: Who is expected to recover, answer: The boy is | question: What has he received?, answer: messages across the globe about the Bronx incident. | question: What was Horia Cretan doing?, answer: climbed up a fire escape and helped save a boy through the window of a burning building. | question: What was the age Cretan when he rescued his sister?, answer: 12 years | question: What says Horia?, answer: "What I was worried about is, is he still alive? Because his head just dropped, and he wasn't helping himself or helping me,"
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A three-vehicle crash north of New York killed eight people, including four children, state police said on Sunday.
One of the vehicles in the three-vehicle wreck was heading the wrong direction, police said.
A fifth child is being treated for injuries suffered in the crash near Pleasantville, about 30 miles north of New York. Police initially reported no survivors.
The crash happened when a minivan carrying the five children and one adult was heading the wrong way on a northbound lane of the Taconic State Parkway, police said. It crashed head-on into an SUV carrying three adults.
The minivan then careened into a third vehicle before rolling over and bursting into flames, state police said. Watch investigators examine wreckage »
The two adults in the third vehicle were being treated for minor injuries, police said.
|
[
"How many people are being treated for injuries?",
"Where did the crash happen?",
"How many died?",
"How many adults were killed in the crash?"
] |
[
"A fifth child",
"near Pleasantville,",
"eight people,",
"eight people, including four children,"
] |
question: How many people are being treated for injuries?, answer: A fifth child | question: Where did the crash happen?, answer: near Pleasantville, | question: How many died?, answer: eight people, | question: How many adults were killed in the crash?, answer: eight people, including four children,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A young man carrying what turned out to be a hairbrush died Monday night in a hail of bullets fired by New York police.
Khiel Coppin's brother Joel Coppin spoke briefly with reporters saying, "We want justice."
Authorities were responding to a 9-1-1 call his mother made about a "family dispute with a gun," police said.
In the background of the call, played at a news conference Tuesday, 18-year-old Khiel Coppin can be heard saying, "I've got a gun, I've got a gun," New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne told CNN.
The teen put an object under his shirt and told his mother around the time she phoned 9-1-1 that he was going to say he had a gun, said New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
The teen told her, " 'I'm prepared to die,' " Kelly told reporters.
When authorities arrived at the Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment, the teenager had something stuffed under his shirt and several times showed a knife to police. "Shoot me, kill me," he shouted, according to Kelly. "Come get me. I have a gun. Let's do this."
Coppin ignored repeated commands to stop and get on the ground. Witnesses said the teen appeared to be holding an object underneath his shirt and pointed it at the officers. Coppin continued to approach officers, as they ordered him to stop, said Kelly.
Twenty shots were fired; Coppin was struck eight times, Kelly said.
"This was a terrible tragedy for Khiel's family, no doubt about it," said Kelly. But the commissioner stressed that officers reasonably believed they were about to receive fire.
Kelly said the teen's mother reported he had not taken his anti-depressant and anti-psychotic medication.
Police have not recovered a gun and do not believe that Coppin was armed, Kelly said.
A reporter asked Kelly if it's possible the young man was goading police to shoot him, a phenomenon known commonly in law enforcement circles as suicide-by-cop.
"That's certainly a possibility," said Kelly.
"The boy didn't have no gun, he had a brush on him," said Andre Wildman, a neighbor who told CNN that he saw the shooting. Listen to mother's 911 call »
Another neighbor, Wayne Holder, said police should be required to see a weapon before opening fire on a suspect. "At least see a gun before you start to discharge it," Holder said. Police "don't even have to see it, [if] they think you got one, you're going to get shot."
Coppin was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, the medical examiner's office said.
The Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network is expected to hold a news conference on Tuesday about the shooting.
Police said they were investigating whether Coppin had a history of mental illness and whether his mother had tried to have him hospitalized earlier Monday.
The shooting came a year after unarmed groom Sean Bell, 23, was killed hours before his wedding in a shooting involving New York police. In 1999, unarmed African immigrant Amadou Diallo, 22, died when police in the Bronx shot him 19 times.
Bystander Dyshawn Gibson described Monday's shooting to CNN affiliate WABC-TV. "He dropped the brush," Gibson said. "He put his hands up. Police just started firing."
Coppin was seen pacing around the apartment prior to the shooting, according to an initial police statement issued Monday night.
"He began screaming from the window at his mother and the police," the police statement said. "At some point, the male climbed out of the window and began crossing the sidewalk toward the police."
That's when police began firing, a police spokesman said. E-mail to a friend
CNN's Jennifer Rizzo, Janine
|
[
"What did he shout?",
"What did Coppin have under his shirt?",
"What did the police fear?",
"What did the teen shout?",
"What did the unarmed teen shout?",
"What was the teen carrying?",
"Who was carrying a hairbrush?"
] |
[
"\"Shoot me, kill me,\"",
"hairbrush",
"they were about to receive fire.",
"\"I've got a gun, I've got a gun,\"",
"\"I've got a gun, I've got a gun,\"",
"hairbrush",
"A young man"
] |
question: What did he shout?, answer: "Shoot me, kill me," | question: What did Coppin have under his shirt?, answer: hairbrush | question: What did the police fear?, answer: they were about to receive fire. | question: What did the teen shout?, answer: "I've got a gun, I've got a gun," | question: What did the unarmed teen shout?, answer: "I've got a gun, I've got a gun," | question: What was the teen carrying?, answer: hairbrush | question: Who was carrying a hairbrush?, answer: A young man
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage has pretty much got this acting thing down. After all, he started acting at the age of 15 and, well, he's got that Oscar.
Nicolas Cage says that Academy Awards are "not as important as children and making them happy."
So he doesn't really need to deliver another gut-wrenching performance to demonstrate his chops. In fact, he can deviate from a traditional film and venture into animated territory.
He's voiced animated characters in the past, but in Disney's new 3-D tale "G-Force," Cage lends his voice to a mole.
Speckles the star-nosed mole comes to life thanks to the film's impressive digital animation and Cage's voice. At first it's unclear that Cage is the voice behind Speckles, because he changes his sound for the critter, er, character.
CNN talked to Cage about playing a mole, animated films and his taking walks in the forest. The following is an edited version of that interview:
CNN: What do you play in this film?
Nicolas Cage: I'm playing Speckles, the mole, and he's an outsider. He's an iconoclast -- he doesn't fit in. He doesn't get into the fray with the "G-Force," the other guinea pigs. But his IQ is off the charts, and he's a technological wizard.
CNN: So, you're an Academy Award-winning actor, and you decided to play (this role). How did this come about?
Cage: To me, nothing's more sacred than the magical world of children, and with everything that's going on in the world, it gets increasingly more challenging to keep our kids smiling -- people are losing their jobs, families are tense.
So anything I can do to give families something to look forward to and to put a smile back on children's faces -- I'm gonna do.
Disney has a great tradition of enchanting children and giving them something to behold. I mean, you mention Academy Awards -- I mean, that's not as important as children and making them happy.
CNN: Tell me about your voice: Why did you decide to really change it when you read the script?
Cage: Mel Blanc is a hero because of what he could do with his voice for all the Looney Tunes, the Warner Brothers cartoons, to be the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig. To me, he's a great actor.
I mean, one of the great character actors, and I knew that if I was gonna be in this movie, I'd want to do something like that and transform my voice.
CNN: So you're clearly comfortable playing a mole?
Cage: I'm comfortable with the mole, yeah. I mean, yeah, he's different, he's got issues, you know? I don't want a perfect character, I want a character who has, as strange as it sounds, some humanity, some flaws, some needs. But to be fair, I'm not in a lot of this movie. This is Darwin's movie, um Sam Rockwell and Penelope Cruz's movie -- they're the stars. I'm only in it at the beginning and the end.
CNN : You seem to be a big fan of animated films.
Cage: I do enjoy animated movies. I really love anime and movies like "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle." I like movies where you feel like you're going into another world, and no matter how many times you watch it, you're gonna see something new in that world. That level of detail really inspires me.
CNN: Is there less pressure doing an animated film and lending your voice to a character as opposed to a traditional film?
Cage: Well, you don't have the pressure of the camera. And that's -- that's very liberating. And you do
|
[
"Who voices character of Speckles the mole in \"G-Force\"?",
"What is cages characters?",
"What did cage say?",
"Which actor voices the character Speckles in the film G Force?",
"Whom does Nicolas Cage voice in \"G-Force\"?",
"What character does Nicolas Cage voice in the film G Force?",
"What did Cage say?",
"What does Cage do?",
"What kind of movies does Cage like?"
] |
[
"Nicolas Cage",
"Speckles the star-nosed mole",
"that Academy Awards are \"not as important as children and making them happy.\"",
"Nicolas Cage",
"Speckles the star-nosed mole",
"Speckles the star-nosed mole",
"that Academy Awards are \"not as important as children and making them happy.\"",
"acting",
"animated"
] |
question: Who voices character of Speckles the mole in "G-Force"?, answer: Nicolas Cage | question: What is cages characters?, answer: Speckles the star-nosed mole | question: What did cage say?, answer: that Academy Awards are "not as important as children and making them happy." | question: Which actor voices the character Speckles in the film G Force?, answer: Nicolas Cage | question: Whom does Nicolas Cage voice in "G-Force"?, answer: Speckles the star-nosed mole | question: What character does Nicolas Cage voice in the film G Force?, answer: Speckles the star-nosed mole | question: What did Cage say?, answer: that Academy Awards are "not as important as children and making them happy." | question: What does Cage do?, answer: acting | question: What kind of movies does Cage like?, answer: animated
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- After arguing with her husband, Liza Murphy walked out of their home in Emerson, New Jersey, leaving behind her purse, her cigarettes, her cell phone and her three children, her husband told police. There has been no sign of her since August 19, 2007.
Liza Murphy has been missing from her home in Emerson, New Jersey, since August 19, 2007.
Murphy's friends and family reported her missing the next day.
"In my heart, I fear the worst, that my daughter is gone," said her mother, Sophia Stellatos.
Police searched extensively for Murphy, especially around a reservoir not far from her home, but they found nothing. Cadaver dogs caught her scent near the George Washington Bridge, but the trail went cold, police told the family.
Deepening the mystery, her husband, Joe Murphy, tried to take his own life a few days after his wife disappeared by walking into oncoming traffic and throwing himself in front of a fire truck, police say.
He was hospitalized and recovered from his injuries, but police say he hired a lawyer and is no longer cooperating with investigators.
His lawyer said Murphy, an Irish immigrant, has nothing to hide from the authorities. He said his client has no criminal record and no history of violence. Attorney Joseph Rem added that there was no physical violence in the marriage.
According to her family, Liza Murphy, 42, was not the type of person to take off on her own without letting her family know. Watch an update »
"She would never leave her three children behind voluntarily," her mother insisted.
"What doesn't make sense is Liza leaving her house without her purse, cell phone, wallet, keys or cigarettes," she added. "She was a heavy smoker, and if she took off after a fight for a walk to cool off, she definitely wouldn't leave without her cigarettes!"
Liza Murphy and her husband were having marital problems, her family said. Stellatos described Joe Murphy as possessive of his wife, never allowing her to go out with her friends. She said he was even jealous if she spent time with her parents.
Rem pointed out that his client has not been named as a suspect or a person of interest in the case. He said police have not asked to speak to his client recently.
Liza Murphy's children are 15, 13 and 10 years old now. Joe Murphy has full custody of them, and the Stellatoses have not seen their grandchildren since shortly before their daughter disappeared.
Murphy and her children had spent the week before her disappearance visiting with her parents, who live about 125 miles away. They returned the Friday before Murphy's disappearance.
Police say both the Murphy home and their vehicles have been processed for forensics, but they found no evidence of foul play or struggle.
Liza Murphy had been suffering from depression and was on medication for fibromyalgia, a painful condition that affects the muscles and soft tissues. Police say she may have been accosted after she left home, still stewing over the argument.
The police seek the public's help in this case. Anyone with information leading to the whereabouts of Liza Murphy or the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance is asked to call the Emerson Police Department's tip line at 201-262-2800.
|
[
"Where did the dogs detect her scent?",
"What is the disappeared woman's name?",
"What number do you call if you have information?",
"When did the woman disappear?",
"What did the husband try after wards?"
] |
[
"near the George Washington Bridge,",
"Liza Murphy",
"201-262-2800.",
"August 19, 2007.",
"to take his own life"
] |
question: Where did the dogs detect her scent?, answer: near the George Washington Bridge, | question: What is the disappeared woman's name?, answer: Liza Murphy | question: What number do you call if you have information?, answer: 201-262-2800. | question: When did the woman disappear?, answer: August 19, 2007. | question: What did the husband try after wards?, answer: to take his own life
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- All the news that's fit to print -- the motto of The New York Times -- does not necessarily apply to photos.
The newspaper published an editor's note Thursday stating that pictures used in a photo essay in its most recent Sunday Magazine were digitally manipulated without the paper's knowledge.
The Times commissioned Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins to shoot a Sunday magazine color photo essay titled "Ruins of the Second Gilded Age" to capture physical evidence of the real estate bust that took place across the United States.
In the text that preceded the six photos that were published, the magazine stated that while the photographer "creates images with long exposures," he does so without digital manipulation.
"A reader ... discovered upon close examination that one of the pictures was digitally altered, apparently for aesthetic reasons," the Times editors wrote.
"Editors later confronted the photographer and determined that most of the images did not wholly reflect the reality they purported to show. Had the editors known that the photographs had been digitally manipulated, they would not have published the picture essay, which has been removed from the NYTimes.com," the note concluded.
Numerous attempts by CNN to reach Edgar Martins by phone and e-mail were unsuccessful.
The newspaper's decision to withdraw the photos left a publisher of Martins' book "Topologies" released in 2008, intrigued and surprised.
"I think he's a great artist and we're very proud to have published his prior works," said Lesley Martin, publisher of Aperture books.
She said that Martins' prior works frequently verge on abstract landscapes, including forests ravaged by fire and nighttime beaches. "His work has a certain visual effect. A distinct look and feel to it."
However, Martin said she understands the newspaper's decision.
Aperture books, which publishes a variety of photographic styles, including photojournalism, "would not have published this work in a strict journalistic context had we known there would be manipulation used," she said.
|
[
"What did Edgar Martins' photo essay showcase?",
"Photos in Sunday Magazine were changed for what reasons?",
"What was the reason for the edited photos?",
"What did New York Times admit?",
"What does Martins photo essay showcase ?",
"What did the New York Times admit?"
] |
[
"titled \"Ruins of the Second Gilded Age\" to capture physical evidence of the real estate bust that took place across the United States.",
"aesthetic reasons,\"",
"aesthetic reasons,\"",
"were digitally manipulated",
"the real estate bust that took place across the United States.",
"one of the pictures was digitally altered,"
] |
question: What did Edgar Martins' photo essay showcase?, answer: titled "Ruins of the Second Gilded Age" to capture physical evidence of the real estate bust that took place across the United States. | question: Photos in Sunday Magazine were changed for what reasons?, answer: aesthetic reasons," | question: What was the reason for the edited photos?, answer: aesthetic reasons," | question: What did New York Times admit?, answer: were digitally manipulated | question: What does Martins photo essay showcase ?, answer: the real estate bust that took place across the United States. | question: What did the New York Times admit?, answer: one of the pictures was digitally altered,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- An Oscar-winning songwriter was indicted on charges of sexually assaulting women whom he would fly in to New York under the impression they were auditioning for movie roles, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.
Songwriter Joe Brooks is best known for writing "You Light Up My Life" and directing the movie.
Joseph Brooks, 71, faces multiple charges including rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse, forcible touching, assault, grand larceny and criminal mischief. The charges involve 11 women, authorities said.
Brooks won the Oscar for best original song for the 1977 song, "You Light Up My Life." He also directed the movie, which is about a director who has a one-night stand with an actress.
"I'm flabbergasted," said actress Melanie Mayron, who starred in "You Light Up My Life."
Mayron said she did not stay in contact with Brooks over the years but described him as a "lovely man."
In the indictment, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau alleges that Brooks would fly women in from California, Florida and Oregon for private auditions.
He would serve the women one or two glasses of wine, said Lisa Friel, assistant district attorney.
The women described feelings that suggest a date-rape drug was used, she said, but added that toxicology results were unclear.
Shawni Lucier, Brooks' personal assistant, was also charged with criminal facilitation in connection with arranging some of the encounters.
Brooks pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday. Bail was set at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash.
The suspect agreed to the terms and left the courthouse. He is set to return Thursday morning and meet the bail agreement, said Jeffery C. Hoffman, his lawyer.
Hoffman said some of the women who made the accusations were trying out for a role in a screenplay Brooks wrote.
None of the girls was chosen for the part and may feel "upset about that fact," the lawyer said.
Hoffman said he is looking forward to proving his client's innocence.
"All I can say is, my client is anxious to clear his name of these false charges," he added.
|
[
"What office charged Brooks with rape?",
"Who was the songwriter of \"You Light Up My Life\"?",
"Who wrote 'You Light Up My Life'?",
"What did the D.A.'s office charge Brooks with?",
"What son did Joseph Brooks write?",
"Brooks won an Oscar in what year?",
"What actor won 1977 Oscar?",
"What did Brooks win an Oscar for?"
] |
[
"Manhattan District Attorney's",
"Joe Brooks",
"Joe Brooks",
"mischief.",
"\"You Light Up My Life\"",
"1977",
"Joseph Brooks,",
"\"You Light Up My Life.\""
] |
question: What office charged Brooks with rape?, answer: Manhattan District Attorney's | question: Who was the songwriter of "You Light Up My Life"?, answer: Joe Brooks | question: Who wrote 'You Light Up My Life'?, answer: Joe Brooks | question: What did the D.A.'s office charge Brooks with?, answer: mischief. | question: What son did Joseph Brooks write?, answer: "You Light Up My Life" | question: Brooks won an Oscar in what year?, answer: 1977 | question: What actor won 1977 Oscar?, answer: Joseph Brooks, | question: What did Brooks win an Oscar for?, answer: "You Light Up My Life."
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- An actor who played a wannabe mobster in "The Sopranos" was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for a botched burglary that left an off-duty New York police officer dead.
Lillo Brancato Jr. appeared on "The Sopranos" and played alongside Robert De Niro in "A Bronx Tale."
The Bronx County District Attorneys Office had sought the maximum of 15 years for Lillo Brancato Jr., who was convicted last month of attempted burglary stemming from a fatal encounter with police officer Daniel Enchautegui.
Before the sentencing, Enchautegui's sister addressed the court to deliver a victim impact statement.
Enchautegui, 28, was shot in the chest when he interrupted an alleged break-in at a neighbor's home in the Bronx but managed to shoot both suspects multiple times before dying.
Brancato was cleared in Enchautegui's death, but his accomplice, Steven Armento, 51, was convicted in the shooting and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
During the trial, lawyers for Brancato argued that there was not a break-in. Brancato testified that he knew the owner of the home, a Vietnam veteran who had given him permission to enter the house and take painkillers or other pills whenever he wanted.
Brancato testified that he and Armento, 51, were drinking at a strip club when they decided to go hunt for valium. He admitted breaking a window at the home but said it was strictly because he was going through intense heroin withdrawal that night and was trying to wake up his friend to get drugs.
Brancato appeared on six episodes of the hit HBO series "The Sopranos" in 2000. As a teen, he starred alongside actor Robert De Niro in "A Bronx Tale."
|
[
"What was the charge?",
"What was Brancato cleared of?",
"Who played a wannabe mobster?",
"Who sought 15 years?",
"Who was cleared in officer's death?",
"What was the allegation?",
"Who sought 15 years for Lillo Brancato Jr. ?"
] |
[
"attempted burglary",
"Enchautegui's death,",
"Lillo Brancato Jr.",
"The Bronx County District Attorneys Office",
"Brancato",
"attempted burglary",
"Bronx County District Attorneys Office"
] |
question: What was the charge?, answer: attempted burglary | question: What was Brancato cleared of?, answer: Enchautegui's death, | question: Who played a wannabe mobster?, answer: Lillo Brancato Jr. | question: Who sought 15 years?, answer: The Bronx County District Attorneys Office | question: Who was cleared in officer's death?, answer: Brancato | question: What was the allegation?, answer: attempted burglary | question: Who sought 15 years for Lillo Brancato Jr. ?, answer: Bronx County District Attorneys Office
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- An actor who played a wannabe mobster in "The Sopranos" was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for a botched burglary that left an off-duty New York police officer dead.
Lillo Brancato Jr. appeared on "The Sopranos" and played alongside Robert De Niro in "A Bronx Tale."
The Bronx County District Attorneys Office had sought the maximum of 15 years for Lillo Brancato Jr., who was convicted last month of attempted burglary stemming from a fatal encounter with police officer Daniel Enchautegui.
Before the sentencing, Enchautegui's sister addressed the court to deliver a victim impact statement.
Enchautegui, 28, was shot in the chest when he interrupted an alleged break-in at a neighbor's home in the Bronx but managed to shoot both suspects multiple times before dying.
Brancato was cleared in Enchautegui's death, but his accomplice, Steven Armento, 51, was convicted in the shooting and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
During the trial, lawyers for Brancato argued that there was not a break-in. Brancato testified that he knew the owner of the home, a Vietnam veteran who had given him permission to enter the house and take painkillers or other pills whenever he wanted.
Brancato testified that he and Armento, 51, were drinking at a strip club when they decided to go hunt for valium. He admitted breaking a window at the home but said it was strictly because he was going through intense heroin withdrawal that night and was trying to wake up his friend to get drugs.
Brancato appeared on six episodes of the hit HBO series "The Sopranos" in 2000. As a teen, he starred alongside actor Robert De Niro in "A Bronx Tale."
|
[
"Who had the sentence?",
"What role did Brancato play on \"The Sopranos\"?",
"Who did Brancato play?",
"Who did he play?",
"How many years did prosecutors want to charge Lillo Brancato Jr. with for attempted burglary?",
"How many years?",
"What is Brancato's occupation?",
"Who was cleared in the officer's death?",
"How many years are sought for Brancato?"
] |
[
"Lillo Brancato Jr.",
"wannabe mobster in",
"wannabe mobster",
"wannabe mobster in \"The Sopranos\"",
"15",
"10",
"actor",
"Brancato",
"15"
] |
question: Who had the sentence?, answer: Lillo Brancato Jr. | question: What role did Brancato play on "The Sopranos"?, answer: wannabe mobster in | question: Who did Brancato play?, answer: wannabe mobster | question: Who did he play?, answer: wannabe mobster in "The Sopranos" | question: How many years did prosecutors want to charge Lillo Brancato Jr. with for attempted burglary?, answer: 15 | question: How many years?, answer: 10 | question: What is Brancato's occupation?, answer: actor | question: Who was cleared in the officer's death?, answer: Brancato | question: How many years are sought for Brancato?, answer: 15
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- An expert on Lincoln photography thinks a photograph found in Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's family-owned album showing President Abraham Lincoln in front of the White House could be one of the last photos taken of the 16th president before he was assassinated in 1865.
A photo found in Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's family album is verified to contain an image of Abraham Lincoln.
Grant's great-great grandson Ulysses S. Grant VI had seen the previously unpublished image in the general's personal photo album, but didn't think much of it until he scrutinized it earlier this year.
"I started to think that it might be the White House," said Grant, a construction business owner from Springfield, Missouri. "Then I started to look at the height difference between the people in the photo."
Thinking that the towering individual commanding the attention of the other people in the image could be Lincoln -- who stood 6-foot-4 and is the nation's tallest president -- Grant called Keya Morgan, a renowned collector and scholar of Lincoln and Gen. Grant photographs, to see whether his suspicions could be verified.
Morgan, who owns the world's largest collection of Lincoln artifacts and original photographs, persuaded Grant to take the small photo out of the album to see whether any clues could be found on the back -- particularly the name of the photographer.
"If you don't know who the photographer is, it's like not knowing who your father and mother are," Morgan said.
Sure enough, the seal of photographer Henry F. Warren appeared on the back, along with an inscription: "Lincoln in front of the White House," dated 1865. Grant recognized the handwriting as that of his great-grandfather and Gen. Grant's youngest son, Jesse Grant. Those indicators, along with a revenue stamp used from 1864-66 to raise money during the Civil War, helped convince Morgan that the photograph could be the well-documented missing photo from Lincoln's last "sitting." Watch how photograph was verified »
According to Morgan -- who cites Lincoln's secretaries John Hay and John Nicolay -- Warren took the last three photographs of Lincoln on March 6, 1865, just two days after his second inauguration.
Morgan says Warren was desperate to take pictures of Lincoln, so he staged the first act of paparazzi photography. According to Morgan, Warren first took photos of the president's son Tad on his pony. The following day, Warren gave the pictures to Tad and told him to summon his father. Morgan says that Warren was already set up to take the photo outside the White House, and that Lincoln gave him access afterward to take two more portraits on the White House balcony.
Will Stapp, founding curator of the National Portrait Gallery's photography department and a professional photograph appraiser, agrees with Morgan's assessment of the long-lost image.
"The figure itself, the physique -- in looking at it under a magnifying glass, I can see the shape of his beard; I can see the hairline," Stapp told CNN. "It's similar to the impression you get from other photos taken of [Lincoln] from the same distance, like at the Gettysburg Address and his inauguration."
Stapp and Morgan also say it appears that Lincoln is wearing the same clothes in the outdoor photo as he wore for the portraits taken the same day.
As one of only 130 photographs of Lincoln, it is an extraordinary find not only because of its proximity to Lincoln's death, but because it shows him in a natural stance.
"You could put yourself in the shoes of the people around [Lincoln] and see what it was like to live at the White House," said Morgan, who says he receives 10 to 20 requests a day asking him to verify potential Lincoln photographs.
Morgan, who purchased the photo from Grant, says he has received thousands of e-mails from Lincoln aficionados commenting on the find. His Web site, lincolnimages.com, received more than 5 million hits on Tuesday and crashed because of the traffic overload.
|
[
"Whose seal was on the back of the photograph?",
"What was on the back of the photo?",
"Who was the photographer whose seal was on the back of the photographs?",
"When did Warren take the last three photos?",
"On what date were the last three photos of Lincoln taken?",
"Who verified the family photo?",
"Whose family portrait was taken for verification?",
"What did Grant's great-great grandson take to a scholar for verification?",
"Who took the last three photos of Lincoln?"
] |
[
"of photographer Henry F. Warren",
"the seal of photographer Henry F. Warren",
"Henry F. Warren",
"March 6, 1865,",
"March 6, 1865,",
"Morgan, a renowned collector and scholar of Lincoln and Gen. Grant photographs,",
"Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's",
"image of Abraham Lincoln.",
"Ulysses S. Grant's"
] |
question: Whose seal was on the back of the photograph?, answer: of photographer Henry F. Warren | question: What was on the back of the photo?, answer: the seal of photographer Henry F. Warren | question: Who was the photographer whose seal was on the back of the photographs?, answer: Henry F. Warren | question: When did Warren take the last three photos?, answer: March 6, 1865, | question: On what date were the last three photos of Lincoln taken?, answer: March 6, 1865, | question: Who verified the family photo?, answer: Morgan, a renowned collector and scholar of Lincoln and Gen. Grant photographs, | question: Whose family portrait was taken for verification?, answer: Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's | question: What did Grant's great-great grandson take to a scholar for verification?, answer: image of Abraham Lincoln. | question: Who took the last three photos of Lincoln?, answer: Ulysses S. Grant's
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- An investigation commissioned by the city of New York found private gun vendors selling weapons to buyers who admitted not being able to pass background checks, breaking federal law, a report released Wednesday says.
It is illegal for unlicensed sellers to sell a gun if there is reason to think the buyer would fail a background check.
The sales were made at seven gun shows in Ohio, Tennessee and Nevada, the report says. Hired investigators with hidden cameras were able to purchase guns from private sellers after announcing to the vendors they could not pass a background check, it says.
Nineteen of the 30 private sellers the undercover investigators dealt with failed the integrity test, according to the report.
The law does not require private unlicensed sellers at gun shows to do background checks on their customers. However, it is a federal felony for unlicensed sellers to sell a gun if they have a reason to believe the buyer would fail a background check.
There were no arrests and no lawsuit were filed.
"Closing the gun show loophole has nothing to do with the Second Amendment," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a news conference Wednesday. "It is basic law enforcement, plain and simple."
He said he does not want to shut down gun shows but to change the law.
He cited a 2000 study from the then-Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms saying 30 percent of guns involved in federal illegal gun trafficking investigations are connected in some way to gun shows. The figure is disputed by gun proponents.
"We believe anyone who breaks the law should be arrested, prosecuted and punished," the National Rifle Association said in a statement supplied to CNN. "Instead of working with law enforcement to bring those who may have broken the law to justice, Mayor Bloomberg chose to use this information for a press conference. Bloomberg's priorities are clearly media first, justice later."
But Bloomberg has support from some in Washington, including Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey.
"This investigation reveals how easy it is for criminals and even terrorists to purchase firearms at gun shows and is further proof that we must close the gun show loophole," Lautenberg said in a written statement.
|
[
"how many private sellers are?",
"19 of 30 private sells failed what test?",
"What \"has nothing to do with the Second Amendment\"?",
"What did the NYC mayor say was \"basic law enforcement\"?"
] |
[
"30",
"the integrity",
"\"Closing the gun show loophole",
"\"Closing the gun show loophole"
] |
question: how many private sellers are?, answer: 30 | question: 19 of 30 private sells failed what test?, answer: the integrity | question: What "has nothing to do with the Second Amendment"?, answer: "Closing the gun show loophole | question: What did the NYC mayor say was "basic law enforcement"?, answer: "Closing the gun show loophole
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Annie Lennox has incredible eyes.
Annie Lennox's new album, a best-of, will be her last with Sony.
They're a translucent blue-green, both kind and inviting in one glance, then piercing and all-knowing in another. At 54, Lennox's orbs are as captivating today as they were when they stared at us from under that fiery orange crew cut in the music video for the Eurythmics hit "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)."
That was 1983. Yes, Lennox's Eurythmics days seem like a lifetime ago for the Scotland-born singer-songwriter, especially when you consider the successful solo career she's enjoyed since her partnership with Dave Stewart.
It's that body of work -- songs like 'Why" and "No More 'I Love You's' " that are showcased on her newest album, "The Annie Lennox Collection." It's Lennox's fifth solo outing, and her final album with her record label of 30 years, Sony Music Entertainment.
"It's like a demarcation line in a way because there is that body of work to look back on in retrospect," says Lennox. "And the future is ahead of me and that's very interesting because I'm really not sure exactly what that's going to mean logistically ... how that's going to pan out. But I'm very excited about it because of Internet technology." Watch Lennox talk about catharsis »
Lennox, who's won Grammys, BRIT Awards and an Academy Award (for co-writing "Into the West" from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"), says she's become somewhat of a voracious blogger, using her MySpace page and official Web site not only as a repository for her musical work, but also to lend a voice to her humanitarian efforts. In 2007, Lennox formed the SING Campaign, a nonprofit initiative to help fight the HIV pandemic in Africa.
The initiative has its own anthem, called "SING," which features vocals from Madonna and Celine Dion among others, and is included on Lennox's new album. She also recorded two new tracks to celebrate the release, one a cover of Irish band Ash's hit song "Shining Light."
"It's one of those incredible anthemic songs that just stay with you," she says. "It's like when you heard Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah.' It's almost like a revelation when you hear it."
Lennox spoke to CNN about tapping into her inner divas to make those theatrical music videos, the pitfalls of fame and why she celebrates her naiveté.
CNN: Who is your "shining light"?
Annie Lennox: Ordinary people who don't necessarily have the spotlight shone on them, who do extraordinary things. Those people always inspire me. A lot of people that are working in nongovernmental organizations inspire me very much, because I think those people are really risking life and limb to make a difference to people's lives in really impossible circumstances. And they really give me the sense that if they can do that, I can do something, too.
CNN: How do you feel about where you are in life right now?
Lennox: Of course now I'm in that middle-age place, age-wise, and youth is no longer really something that I'm a part of anymore. And that started happening for me when I was about 40, to be honest with you. I had my kids and my focus went elsewhere. And I think I've changed so much through having children ... inside myself. It's been a kind of evolution and a maturity.
And that has informed the SING Campaign a lot, because my focus is really on women. ... I understand what it is for a woman to want to protect their children and give them the best they can. And so I identify with that. ... I can let go of some of the things I was maybe focused on when I
|
[
"what was her last album?",
"What company released Annie ' s last CD",
"what was the name of the band",
"Annie Lennox was previously in what band",
"Which social issues is Annie Lennox involved in"
] |
[
"\"The Annie Lennox Collection.\"",
"Sony.",
"Eurythmics",
"Eurythmics",
"SING Campaign, a nonprofit initiative to help fight the HIV pandemic in Africa."
] |
question: what was her last album?, answer: "The Annie Lennox Collection." | question: What company released Annie ' s last CD, answer: Sony. | question: what was the name of the band, answer: Eurythmics | question: Annie Lennox was previously in what band, answer: Eurythmics | question: Which social issues is Annie Lennox involved in, answer: SING Campaign, a nonprofit initiative to help fight the HIV pandemic in Africa.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Ariel Binns is cute, smart, outgoing and looks remarkably like first daughter Sasha Obama.
Young model Ariel Binns, right, resembles Sasha Obama.
The similarity has not gone unnoticed by the fashion industry. Harper's Bazaar magazine cast the 6-year-old Brooklyn, New York, first-grader with model Tyra Banks in a photo spread showing an African-American family in the White House.
Binns, a child model, was peering out from under a big wooden desk in an image reminiscent of John F. Kennedy's time in office.
When it comes to fashion there's nothing like a powerful brand to boost sales, especially if that brand is a dynamic first family.
"Marketers are finally waking up to it -- you know -- black is beautiful," says global branding expert David Rogers who predicts African-American models will play a more prominent role in fashion photography as a direct result of the Obamas. "It's just going to become part of the fabric of the fashion imagery of pop culture, which is a great thing," says Rogers. Watch young first daughter look-alike model »
At Wilhelmina Kids, a modeling agency in New York for kids and teens, agents say there is increased demand for first daughter look-alikes.
"It's a trend because, what little girl doesn't want to emulate the first kids?" said Marlene Wallach, president of Wilhelmina, which represents Binns.
Unlike the Bush twins or Chelsea Clinton, global branding experts say the appeal of the Obama girls is unique -- and infinitely marketable. After the first kids appeared in their J.Crew outfits on Inauguration Day, the company's Web site got so many hits, it crashed.
"The most visible, most exciting family in America is this beautiful black family and so people are ready and looking for those kinds of images," says branding expert David Rogers, adding that a lot of Americans want to identify and, "find some sort of connection with this family."
There is a downside. The Obamas were not happy when toy manufacturer Ty Inc. came out with African-American dolls named Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia even though the company said the dolls did not look like the Obama girls. First lady Michelle Obama's office said it was "inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes."
New York clinical psychologist Judy Kuriansky says many famous families face similar problems.
"I can certainly understand Michelle Obama being protective of her children. Many celebrities in Hollywood feel that way too. They don't want their children exposed to the public, because once the child is exposed to the public image, not only are they owned, but they could be used in many different ways and it takes away from the child growing up as a normal, average child."
Still, some say the celebrity of Sasha and Malia has a positive effect by presenting a positive and prominent image of young African-American girls.
Asked whether she believes the Obama girls will open up possibilities for her own child, Ariel Binns' mom Dawn Crooks says, "I think it will. I hope it does."
As for the overall effect, branding expert Rogers says he believes using look-alikes will take diversity to a whole new level.
|
[
"What website crashed?",
"What is the tagline that marketers are using?",
"What company's site crashed after Obama daughters wore its clothes?",
"What are marketers finally waking up to?",
"Who does a young model look like that is getting her jobs?",
"Who does the model look like?"
] |
[
"J.Crew",
"black is beautiful,\"",
"J.Crew",
"black is beautiful,\"",
"Obama.",
"Sasha Obama."
] |
question: What website crashed?, answer: J.Crew | question: What is the tagline that marketers are using?, answer: black is beautiful," | question: What company's site crashed after Obama daughters wore its clothes?, answer: J.Crew | question: What are marketers finally waking up to?, answer: black is beautiful," | question: Who does a young model look like that is getting her jobs?, answer: Obama. | question: Who does the model look like?, answer: Sasha Obama.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Ariel Binns is cute, smart, outgoing and looks remarkably like first daughter Sasha Obama.
Young model Ariel Binns, right, resembles Sasha Obama.
The similarity has not gone unnoticed by the fashion industry. Harper's Bazaar magazine cast the 6-year-old Brooklyn, New York, first-grader with model Tyra Banks in a photo spread showing an African-American family in the White House.
Binns, a child model, was peering out from under a big wooden desk in an image reminiscent of John F. Kennedy's time in office.
When it comes to fashion there's nothing like a powerful brand to boost sales, especially if that brand is a dynamic first family.
"Marketers are finally waking up to it -- you know -- black is beautiful," says global branding expert David Rogers who predicts African-American models will play a more prominent role in fashion photography as a direct result of the Obamas. "It's just going to become part of the fabric of the fashion imagery of pop culture, which is a great thing," says Rogers. Watch young first daughter look-alike model »
At Wilhelmina Kids, a modeling agency in New York for kids and teens, agents say there is increased demand for first daughter look-alikes.
"It's a trend because, what little girl doesn't want to emulate the first kids?" said Marlene Wallach, president of Wilhelmina, which represents Binns.
Unlike the Bush twins or Chelsea Clinton, global branding experts say the appeal of the Obama girls is unique -- and infinitely marketable. After the first kids appeared in their J.Crew outfits on Inauguration Day, the company's Web site got so many hits, it crashed.
"The most visible, most exciting family in America is this beautiful black family and so people are ready and looking for those kinds of images," says branding expert David Rogers, adding that a lot of Americans want to identify and, "find some sort of connection with this family."
There is a downside. The Obamas were not happy when toy manufacturer Ty Inc. came out with African-American dolls named Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia even though the company said the dolls did not look like the Obama girls. First lady Michelle Obama's office said it was "inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes."
New York clinical psychologist Judy Kuriansky says many famous families face similar problems.
"I can certainly understand Michelle Obama being protective of her children. Many celebrities in Hollywood feel that way too. They don't want their children exposed to the public, because once the child is exposed to the public image, not only are they owned, but they could be used in many different ways and it takes away from the child growing up as a normal, average child."
Still, some say the celebrity of Sasha and Malia has a positive effect by presenting a positive and prominent image of young African-American girls.
Asked whether she believes the Obama girls will open up possibilities for her own child, Ariel Binns' mom Dawn Crooks says, "I think it will. I hope it does."
As for the overall effect, branding expert Rogers says he believes using look-alikes will take diversity to a whole new level.
|
[
"What are they waking up to?",
"What brand did the girls wear?",
"Which website crashed?",
"Like whose daughter does she look?",
"Who does one young model look like?",
"What are marketers waking up to?",
"What is beautiful?"
] |
[
"black is beautiful,\"",
"J.Crew",
"J.Crew",
"Obama.",
"Sasha",
"black is beautiful,\"",
"black family"
] |
question: What are they waking up to?, answer: black is beautiful," | question: What brand did the girls wear?, answer: J.Crew | question: Which website crashed?, answer: J.Crew | question: Like whose daughter does she look?, answer: Obama. | question: Who does one young model look like?, answer: Sasha | question: What are marketers waking up to?, answer: black is beautiful," | question: What is beautiful?, answer: black family
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- As Britain's Prince Harry neared the end of his second and final day in New York City on Saturday, he described his experiences as "fantastic."
Prince Harry smiles whilte touring the Harlem Children's Zone on Saturday during a 36-hour visit to New York.
The 24-year-old visited the Harlem Children's Zone, a nonprofit organization that offers free programs and classes in a low-income area, then went to Governors Island in New York Harbor to play in the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic.
Profits from the match will benefit Sentebale, a charity for orphans in Lesotho, Africa, a cause Harry's mother, Princess Diana, had promoted. The prince was accompanied by Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who also lost his mother when he was young.
The men toured the Children's Zone with founder Geoffrey Canada, and spent time in a classroom where some students were studying for a math test. A 10-year-old girl sitting at a desk covered with drawing paper and colored markers gave Harry a picture.
"Is this for me?" Harry asked as he accepted it. Pointing to the desk and pens, he then asked, "You find yourself very lucky to have all this?" When she nodded, he replied "Good."
A young boy gave Harry a bowl containing a dish he had prepared, and the prince ate it while the child sounded off the ingredients. Throughout the classroom visit, the prince smiled and chatted easily with students. Watch Soledad O'Brien's report on the Children's Zone »
Cheering people lined the street as Harry entered the building. As he left, reporters shouted questions.
Asked how he liked his first official visit overseas and meeting the children, the prince responded, "It's been fantastic -- really, really worthwhile."
"It's my first visit to New York. I'm hopeful I'll come back to visit again."
He also was asked whether he thought his appearances would change any image the public might have of him, apparently referring to some of his wild exploits ways when he was younger.
Those incidents included a one-day stint in drug rehab in 2002 and accusations of racism in January.
"I don't know what the image is of me. There is always the image that's been given to me, but people have their own opinions, it's the media that likes to stamp on the image which isn't really me."
On Friday, the youngest son of Princess Diana offered his condolences to September 11 victims at the former site of the World Trade Center. The prince met New York Gov. David Paterson and briefly spoke with family members of 9/11 victims. The prince then laid a wreath at the site and bowed his head in a moment of silence. Watch Prince Harry's visit to Ground Zero »
He left a handwritten note tacked to the wreath, citing an "the courage shown by the people" of New York on September 11, 2001.
Harry later paid tribute to his fellow citizens at Lower Manhattan's British Garden at Hanover Square, where he honored the 67 British victims of the September 11 attacks, officials said.
The third in line for the British crown, Harry is active in the British Army. He received a promotion to lieutenant in April 2008 and is currently training for an Army Air Corps pilot position, according to the prince's Web site.
|
[
"Where does Prince Harry visit?",
"What does the Prince take part in?",
"who visit Prince Harry?",
"Prince Harry takes part in what Manhattan sport?",
"What did Prince Harry say about his first trip to New York?"
] |
[
"New York City",
"touring the Harlem Children's Zone",
"Seeiso of Lesotho,",
"Polo",
"\"fantastic.\""
] |
question: Where does Prince Harry visit?, answer: New York City | question: What does the Prince take part in?, answer: touring the Harlem Children's Zone | question: who visit Prince Harry?, answer: Seeiso of Lesotho, | question: Prince Harry takes part in what Manhattan sport?, answer: Polo | question: What did Prince Harry say about his first trip to New York?, answer: "fantastic."
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- As with many jokes, it started with a small jab at the expense of New Jersey.
Talk show host Conan O'Brien is locked in a playful feud with the mayor of Newark, New Jersey.
The gags continued Monday night when "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien ventured into "the biggest scandal in the country that's now involving a late-night host." O'Brien was, of course, referring to his continuing comical conflict with the city of Newark, New Jersey, and its mayor, Cory Booker.
It all began on September 23, when O'Brien, in his nightly comical spiel, joked that Booker's plan to improve citizens' health care in New Jersey's largest city "would consist of a bus ticket out of Newark."
The Internet-savvy mayor, who has more than 800,000 followers on Twitter, fired back on YouTube, stating that O'Brien is no longer welcome at Newark International Airport. "I'm officially putting you on the Newark, NJ, no fly list -- try JFK, buddy," Booker quipped. That video has since amassed more than 119,000 hits on YouTube.
The verbal melee didn't stop there. Watch the jousting escalate »
O'Brien retaliated by sarcastically stating that Newark is "one of America's greatest cities," and proceeded to pair its "thriving arts scene" with an image of a graffiti-ridden wall and its "exciting regional cuisine" with a Dunkin Donuts sign. He then banned Booker from an airport in Burbank, California, near Los Angeles.
On October 1, Booker, claiming solidarity with all New Jersey's mayors, retorted by posting another YouTube video outlawing O'Brien from the entire state. "Now listen, you may like Boardwalk and Park Place, but the only way you're going to get to them is on a Monopoly board," the mayor said.
O'Brien, forced to pull out the big guns, Friday banished the mayor from California entirely.
In his latest barb on Monday, O'Brien revealed that the mayor of a neighboring New Jersey city, Elizabeth, had sent him a letter welcoming him "with open arms to Elizabeth." Mayor Chris Bollwage claims that Newark airport's Terminal A actually lies within his municipality and he intends to rename it the Conan O'Brien Terminal if and when the talk show host ever decides to visit.
O'Brien then launched a "campaign to surround and crush" Newark and the "drunk on power" Mayor Booker by making courteous tongue-in-cheek overtures to other adjacent towns, forming a "geographic toilet seat around the city of Newark."
The charismatic Booker, widely popular in a state often plagued by corrupt politicians, was elected in 2006. He has promoted a sense of urban renewal in Newark, New Jersey's largest city, which has suffered high crime and poverty rates over the past few decades.
Booker's office had no statement available early this week regarding the newest swipe at his city.
The humorous altercation illustrates a recent shift in the media landscape. "The Tonight Show," catering to a traditional broadcast audience, now competes with the Web's constantly streaming flow of viral videos, which are popular amongst O'Brien's target audience.
What will become of the sparring remains to be seen. While O'Brien did invite Booker to be a guest on "The Tonight Show" and the mayor extended O'Brien an invitation to Newark, such visits could pose a problem, seeing as how each is banned from the other's state.
"I think we have to meet in neutral territory" O'Brien said on Friday's show. "I think we're going to meet in Lebanon, Kansas." That community is often billed as the geographical center of the 48 contiguous states.
On Friday, the dispute was widened by Joe Territo, content director for NJ.com, a Web site affiliated with 13 major New Jersey newspapers. Territo declared through an article on the site that O'Brien is barred from using NJ.com because of his anti-Jersey sentiments.
"Perhaps O'Brien has never been to NJ.com, and perhaps he has never been interested
|
[
"When did the feud begin?",
"Who has been trading barbs with the mayor of Newark, New Jersey?",
"Where was Conan O'brien banned from?",
"Who \"banned\" the \"Tonight Show\" host from Newark airport?",
"Who has been trading barbs?",
"When did the \"feud\" begin?",
"Who has been trading barbs with the mayor of Newark?"
] |
[
"September 23,",
"Conan O'Brien",
"Newark International Airport.",
"Cory Booker.",
"Conan O'Brien",
"September 23,",
"Conan O'Brien"
] |
question: When did the feud begin?, answer: September 23, | question: Who has been trading barbs with the mayor of Newark, New Jersey?, answer: Conan O'Brien | question: Where was Conan O'brien banned from?, answer: Newark International Airport. | question: Who "banned" the "Tonight Show" host from Newark airport?, answer: Cory Booker. | question: Who has been trading barbs?, answer: Conan O'Brien | question: When did the "feud" begin?, answer: September 23, | question: Who has been trading barbs with the mayor of Newark?, answer: Conan O'Brien
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Asa Hill was 7 years old when he died. Although the boy was pulled out of a burning car alive in a horrific accident on the Niagara Thruway on Thursday, his injuries proved critical, and he passed away the following night.
Amilcar Hill and Rahwa Ghirmatzion hug at their son's funeral, which ended with their wedding.
The Buffalo, New York, community, shaken, turned out in large numbers at his funeral Monday to support his parents, Amilcar Hill and Rahwa Ghirmatzion, and were pleasantly surprised when the couple ended the service with a wedding ceremony, a fulfillment of their son's wish.
The Rev. Joel Miller of The Unitarian Universalist Church of Elmwood, where the service was held, was unsure at first when the idea of a wedding was proposed by the couple and their family.
"I asked twice, 'We're doing a wedding?' This was new for me. I never did a funeral service and a wedding ceremony at the same time, and normally wouldn't, but they have known each other since they were teens," Miller said. "And they had been providing for Asa, and they made a home together for all of Asa's life. ... It was clear they were following through on something they had been talking about for some time." Watch the funeral and wedding ceremony »
Hill and Ghirmatzion have been best friends since they were 15 and have been together for almost half of their lives. After Asa was born, marriage had always been something that they considered but, according to Hill, both felt that a wedding was "superficial and not necessary."
Asa, however, was insistent that they make their union official.
"Asa really wanted us to do it, and every time he would ask us we would say, 'Yes, we'll get married,' " said Hill.
But the couple never did get around to figuring out the logistics for a ceremony.
While holding his lifeless son in his arms at the hospital, Hill was moved to finally officially propose to his lifelong partner.
"Rahwa was overwhelmed at that moment and just looked at me. When the family sat down to plan the funeral service, she said 'Let's get married.' And everyone broke down at the table," he said.
The marriage took place after a service filled with African drums, dancing, sermons and family and friends sharing memories of Asa, all in celebration of his life.
Miller said about 1,100 people attended the service, with hundreds overflowing onto the church lawn, where sound systems were set up so they could hear the service. When the wedding was announced, there were shocked cheers and applause from those in the church pews.
"We wanted it to be a surprise," Hill said. "We knew it would be a joyous moment. You could see how it lifted them, and we figured, why not make it a surprise at the end."
The Unitarian Universalist Church was chosen because its non-denominational tradition would welcome all the diverse groups of the Elmwood community, Hill said. The family has strong ties to the community and, according to Miller, who had known Asa since he was 5, Asa embodied this.
"He was a powerful presence: direct, smart, and had a way of bringing people together," Miller said. "When you met him, you knew you met someone. We all didn't know each other, but we knew Asa and his family."
|
[
"What did the parents decided to do after his death?",
"who died last week",
"Did boy died who has been involved in traffic accident?",
"What did Asa HIll want his parents to do?"
] |
[
"ended the service with a wedding ceremony,",
"Asa Hill",
"he passed away the following night.",
"make their union official."
] |
question: What did the parents decided to do after his death?, answer: ended the service with a wedding ceremony, | question: who died last week, answer: Asa Hill | question: Did boy died who has been involved in traffic accident?, answer: he passed away the following night. | question: What did Asa HIll want his parents to do?, answer: make their union official.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- At 80, Maya Angelou says her "knees are not all that swift and my lungs need some extra help but other than that, my desire to learn and to share, that has not abated."
Maya Angelou urges politicians to "aim for the high ground" in her new book, "Letter to My Daughter."
She shares what she's learned in an eventful life in her best-selling new book, "Letter to My Daughter." Angelou achieved fame for her autobiographical writing, including "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and her poetry.
She read her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Clinton's first inauguration. She was only the second poet invited to read at the swearing in of a new president.
But her career has had many facets -- Angelou has been a singer, dancer, playwright, director and teacher.
In 166 pages, "Letter to My Daughter" distills stories from Angelou's life into universal lessons. She writes about birth, life and death, about the ways people misunderstand each other and then transcend their conflict. She calls on national leaders to raise the country's spirit and on Americans to remember that this is the nation that defeated the Nazis and expanded people's freedom through the civil rights movement.
"Politicians must set their aims for the high ground and according to our various leanings, Democratic, Republican, Independent, we will follow," she writes. "Politicians must be told if they continue to sink into the mud of obscenity, they will proceed alone."
In an interview last week in her 1881 brownstone in Harlem, decorated in vibrant, bright colors, Angelou sat at the round table in her dining room, sipping coffee, as she talked about the election and her work.
She supported Sen. Hillary Clinton's bid for the Democratic nomination and then backed Sen. Barack Obama once the primaries were over.
CNN: In the chapter called "National Spirit," you call on political leaders to raise the level of discussion. Could you elaborate on that?
Maya Angelou: What I've encouraged voters to do is to vote for the person I am extolling, and also don't expect that if your man or woman gets in, that all things will be rectified immediately. It's taken us a long time to come to this place of weariness and almost hopelessness.
So because Obama gets in or McCain gets in, it's not going to be repaired overnight. The economy is not going to be repaired, the schools -- the disaster in our schools -- will not be repaired overnight. Nor will the social conversation be repaired overnight.
However, I would encourage every voter to say to his or her candidate, go in and do it, and you will not do it alone. I will help. You have to get up off that sofa or off that couch and give something to the country -- even if it's one hour every other week to an old people's home -- I will read, go into the children's ward and read, or give to your church or your synagogue or your mosque. ... Offer something to the country. So you don't just sit there.
CNN: What does it say about the country that Barack Obama is a candidate to be president?
Angelou: The country is growing up and confessing to something we've known all along. What prevented us from admitting that we knew that? And I was taken back to slavery.
If you will have a person enslaved, the first thing you must do is convince yourself that the person is subhuman. The second thing you have to do is convince your allies so you'll have some help, and the third and probably unkindest cut of all is to convince that person that he or she is subhuman and deserves it.
Well, such a job has been done on all of us that people found it very difficult to admit that human beings are more alike than we are unalike. We've known it. But to admit it, you have to
|
[
"What should not be expected?",
"Who says that politicians should raise the level of discussion?",
"What did Maya Angelou says?"
] |
[
"rectified immediately.",
"Maya Angelou",
"\"knees are not all that swift and my lungs need some"
] |
question: What should not be expected?, answer: rectified immediately. | question: Who says that politicians should raise the level of discussion?, answer: Maya Angelou | question: What did Maya Angelou says?, answer: "knees are not all that swift and my lungs need some
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Barely six months after being crowned the winner of "American Idol," David Cook has released his self-titled debut album.
David Cook recently released his debut album, which includes songs about his family.
The Missouri native (no relation to the author of this article) described the recording process as "squeezing a year's worth of work on a record into 2½ months." But he's very happy with the result.
"It's a very accurate definition of where I'm at, where I was and where I want to be," he said.
Cook sticks to his rock roots on the release, eliciting help from ex-Soundgarden member Chris Cornell to write the lead single, "Light On."
He also keeps loved ones close: The track "Heroes" is a tribute to his family. "Permanent" (which Cook describes as having a "delicate and lullaby feel") and "A Daily AntheM" ("sing-alongy and grandiose") acknowledge his older brother, who is battling brain cancer. The latter song was written three years before Cook's "Idol" run, when he was cutting his teeth as a grass-roots rocker. Watch David Cook show his chops »
Cook, 25, dropped by CNN's New York offices (with his mother, Beth Foraker, in tow) to talk about keeping creative control, losing his privacy and his responsibility as Idol No. 7. The following is an edited version of that interview.
CNN: You were very involved in the making of your debut album, weren't you?
David Cook: Yeah. Out of 12 songs on the record, I wrote or co-wrote 10, and the label was even kind enough to let me get involved with the art direction on the record. So it was a busy summer.
CNN: You actually have a degree in graphic design, don't you?
Cook: I spent five long years at the University of Central Missouri. It should've been four, but I enjoyed college a little bit more than I should have.
CNN: There's skepticism that American Idols have very little control over the music they ultimately make. That wasn't the case for you?
Cook: Well, I can't speak for anybody else except myself, and I guess in that sense, I lucked out. I mean, 19 [Entertainment] and RCA really [gave] me a little bit of carte blanche to allow me to make a record that is me. And to that end, I think we managed to pull something really cool off.
CNN: What was your approach with the music?
Cook: I tried to put music down on this record that [translated] live. I want these songs to make people feel things and invoke certain responses in an audience. And so it's a lot of very epic choruses and open bridges and stuff like that. Something that will give a show some room to meander and feel like a unique experience for everybody.
CNN: [Lead single "Light On"] debuted on the Billboard charts at No. 17, and then several weeks later -- about four -- it dropped to No. 80. Was that discouraging?
Cook: No, not really. I think, for us, it's all about the long-term results. And I feel like the song seems to be getting speed now, especially with the record coming out. It just feels like everything's headed in the right direction, so I'm definitely not one to hang my head on immediate results. I'd rather the song hit No. 1 four months from now if it's gonna do it. I'm just excited to get this record out. I'm excited to have people hear it.
CNN: When you were catapulted to fame, did you ever experience any self-doubt or feelings of insecurity?
Cook: I'll be the first to admit there are [musicians] out there who are way better than me
|
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"Who wrote the songs?"
] |
[
"\"American Idol,\"",
"David Cook",
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"David Cook",
"David Cook",
"David Cook:"
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question: What did David Cook win?, answer: "American Idol," | question: Who was the 7th American idol?, answer: David Cook | question: What did Cook cowrite?, answer: "Light On." | question: Who won American Idol?, answer: David Cook | question: Who became the seventh American Idol?, answer: David Cook | question: Who wrote the songs?, answer: David Cook:
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Before Monday, Eliot Spitzer was a rising star in the Democratic Party -- his squeaky-clean image as a corruption buster led to his being mentioned as a potential vice-presidential candidate and possibly even a future White House contender.
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer arrives with his wife Monday for a press conference.
Now, after federal investigators have linked the New York governor to a top-dollar prostitution ring, political advisers are split over whether Spitzer has any political future at all.
"There's no way he can survive it," said Ed Rollins, a Republican political consultant and adviser to former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. "All the facts aren't out there, but as they're being reported, there's no way you can survive.
"Not only is he a hypocrite, he may also end up being a charged felon."
On Monday, Spitzer publicly apologized for an undisclosed personal matter. He did not specifically mention the prostitution sting, nor did he resign. Watch Spitzer's apology »
The apology came four days after federal prosecutors announced the arrests of four people in an international prostitution ring that charged clients up to $5,500 an hour. A source with knowledge of the probe said that wiretaps in the case identify Spitzer as an unnamed client who met a prostitute on February 13 at a Washington hotel.
Many political professionals said they were stunned by Monday's developments regarding Spitzer, a man who once made a name for himself going after organized crime and Wall Street corruption as New York's attorney general.
"Obviously, the facts are going to come out in the next several days and the story will be told," said Robert Zimmerman, a political adviser and Democratic National Committee member. "But if the facts are as we suspect, it's very hard to imagine him staying in office."
But James Carville, a CNN political analyst and onetime adviser to former President Bill Clinton, said Spitzer could hold on to his position if the scandal remains strictly about sex -- or if it's revealed that his political enemies were responsible for leaking the story.
Carville mentioned other high-profile politicians who have weathered sex scandals, including Republican Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after his arrest in a men's room sex sting, and his own former client, President Clinton.
"All of us remember the Monica Lewinsky scandal and the immediate rush to judgment," he said. "A lot of people said, 'How could Bill Clinton survive a scandal like that?' Yet, he managed to survive.
"If it's not a financial or monetary thing involved, I don't know." Watch a discussion of Spitzer's political future »
On a more personal level, Dina Matos, the estranged wife of former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey -- who resigned after an alleged affair with a male political aide -- said Spitzer should step down whether he thinks he can salvage his political career or not.
McGreevey, who announced he is gay and is now attending an Episcopalian seminary, and Matos are in the midst of divorce proceedings.
Matos said "was very difficult for the family" when her husband tried to hang on to the governor's office for several months after stories about the relationship with the aide surfaced.
"I thought Gov. Spitzer was going to announce his resignation today," Matos told CNN's "Larry King Live." "By not doing so, he's only prolonging the pain and and anguish and humiliation for his wife and family." Watch responses to the question: Will Spitzer have to resign? »
If Spitzer resigns, Lt. Gov. David Paterson would complete his term in accordance with the New York state constitution. Paterson, 53, is the highest-ranking African-American elected official in New York state.
Paterson, who is legally blind, is a leading advocate for the visually and physically impaired. E-mail to a friend
|
[
"Who is the govenor?",
"Who was a hard-charging ex-prosecutor?",
"Who is the estranged wife?",
"Who said Spitzer should resign?"
] |
[
"Eliot Spitzer",
"Eliot Spitzer",
"Dina Matos,",
"Dina Matos,"
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question: Who is the govenor?, answer: Eliot Spitzer | question: Who was a hard-charging ex-prosecutor?, answer: Eliot Spitzer | question: Who is the estranged wife?, answer: Dina Matos, | question: Who said Spitzer should resign?, answer: Dina Matos,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Before heading out for a trio of well-publicized meetings with foreign dignitaries Tuesday, Sarah Palin received a briefing from the director of national security, Adm. Michael McConnell.
Gov. Sarah Palin is in New York to meet with leaders from around the world.
The appearances with world leaders, taking place on the sidelines of the United Nation's General Assembly meetings in New York, come as the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain tries to convince voters that Palin is ready for the world stage.
Palin's top foreign policy adviser informed reporters of the meeting at a small briefing after Palin's visits with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
The adviser, Stephen Biegun, formerly a top member of the National Security Council under President Bush, characterized the intelligence briefing as "routine" and said it was the sort of meeting that "is standard for candidates for the vice president and president." Biegun said several officials were present to brief Palin.
Although Palin held photo-ops with the leaders, she refused to take questions from any reporters.
The Alaska governor initially said that no reporters would be allowed to sit in on her meeting with Karzai. She planned to allow in only photographers and one television crew, but she changed her position after at least five U.S. news networks protested.
CNN does not send cameras into candidate events where editorial presence is not allowed.
Nonetheless, Biegun said, "these are relationships that she intuitively understands are very important for the next president and vice president of the United States."
In those get-togethers, Palin kept the focus primarily on energy issues and the growing influence of Russia, according to Biegun.
Palin found Kissinger particularly engrossing; their meeting had been scheduled to last 30 minutes, but the two met for nearly an hour and a half.
"In talking to Dr. Kissinger," Biegun said, "she certainly had a lot of questions about how the United States can develop a cooperative relationship with Russia, what are some of the unique challenges to the current state of Russia's political development, and having been in particular, some of the recent developments we've seen with Russia: backsliding democracy, Russia's incursion into Georgia."
Asked about her meetings with Karzai and Uribe, Biegun said Palin "liked them very much" and "established a great personal rapport."
With Karzai, Palin chatted for half an hour about McCain's desire to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. With Uribe, she listened for about 20 minutes as the president discussed the country's security situation and its handling of guerrillas.
According to Biegun, "rather than make specific policy prescriptions, she was largely listening, having an exchange of views, and also very interested in forming a relationship with people she met with today."
Biegun is helping prepare Palin for her debate with Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Joseph Biden on October 2 in St. Louis, Missouri. He would not say what specific topics Palin was concentrating on in her study sessions.
James Hoge of the Council on Foreign Relations, said the Palin meetings are meant to "show, just as [Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack] Obama did when he went to Germany and gave a speech in Berlin, that she is comfortable on the international scene, that she can hold her own in conversations with foreign leaders. Watch what's on Palin's agenda »
Democrats warn that Palin's carefully scripted photo-ops, some of which will include McCain, could backfire by bringing attention to the holes in her résumé.
"The big risk that they run with this strategy of having her meet with these leaders individually is that they end up with three days of stories about how she doesn't have foreign policy experience," said Hilary Rosen, a Democratic strategist and CNN contributor.
But Republicans point out that Palin is just following in the footsteps of other national candidates such as Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, former governors who needed to beef up their international policy credentials.
"The first thing you
|
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question: What state was Palan gorvernor of?, answer: Alaska | question: What was the duration of the meeting with Kissinger?, answer: nearly an hour and a half. | question: Who did she meet for an hour and a half?, answer: former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. | question: Who does Palin debate next week in St. Louis?, answer: Sen. Joseph Biden | question: who is kissinger?, answer: former Secretary of State | question: Who is Palin meeting on the sidelines?, answer: world leaders, | question: Where was Palin born?, answer: Alaska | question: who palin debates?, answer: Sen. Joseph Biden | question: who palin meets with?, answer: leaders from around the world. | question: Who will she debate with next week?, answer: Sen. Joseph Biden
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Bidding failed to meet expectations Saturday on a uniquely complete skeleton of a Jurassic-era dryosaurus -- a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur -- so it was no-sale for the centerpiece at an auction of rare skeletons, fossils and other prehistoric memorabilia.
Fossils including dinosaur skeletons are on display at the I.M. Chait Gallery on Saturday.
Auctioneers at the I.M. Chait Gallery had hoped the 150-million-year-old, 9-foot-long dryosaurus would sell for as much as $500,000, but the bidding did not add up.
Two museums are said to still be interested in acquiring the skeleton, being sold by Western Paleontological Laboratories out of Utah.
An 18,000-year-old, 7-foot-tall and 15-foot-long skeleton of a teenage woolly mammoth from Siberia took the auction's top price, fetching close to $60,000.
A completely opalized green, blue, yellow and red ammonite fossil measuring 2½ feet in diameter went for close to $50,000.
Both were bought by private collections.
"The woolly is so special because it wasn't fully grown and can therefore fit in someone's living room," says Josh Chait, director of operations at the gallery. "A collector's dream." Watch collectors stroll among fossils »
The ammonite, an extinct marine animal, turned to opal as part of the fossilizing process. Ammonite fossils have been found in ancient seabeds in Alberta, Canada.
|
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question: What had auctioneers hoped for?, answer: as much as $500,000, | question: Where was the 9-foot skeleton from?, answer: Jurassic-era | question: What sold for almost $50,000?, answer: opalized green, blue, yellow and red ammonite fossil | question: What did auctioneers hope?, answer: the 150-million-year-old, 9-foot-long dryosaurus would sell for as much as $500,000, | question: What sold for $60,000?, answer: skeleton of a teenage woolly mammoth | question: What did an extinct sea creature fossil sell for?, answer: close to $50,000. | question: What sold for 60,000 at auction?, answer: An 18,000-year-old, 7-foot-tall and 15-foot-long skeleton of a teenage woolly mammoth from Siberia | question: What did the fossil of a teenage wooly mammoth fetch?, answer: close to $60,000.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Billionaire oil man T. Boone Pickens is shelving plans to build the world's largest wind farm.
T. Boone Pickens says the capital markets will not support his plans to build the world's largest wind farm.
The chairman of BP Capital Management announced Tuesday that his plans for the Pampa Wind Project, designed to generate 4,000 megawatts of electricity using thousands of wind turbines, is on hold.
"I had hoped that Pampa would be the starting point, but transmission issues and the problem with the capital markets make that unfeasible at this point," Pickens told CNN's Ali Velshi. "I expect to continue development of the Pampa project, but not at the pace that I originally expected."
The Pickens Plan was an attempt to wean the United States off foreign oil and switch to wind and natural gas. The project was to be set in four Texas Panhandle counties.
Pickens said he faced hurdles in routing the power from Texas to a distribution system. His plans were also stymied by a plunge in natural gas prices and a tightening credit market.
"The capital markets have dealt us all a setback, and I'm less aggressive with the Panhandle project than I have been," Pickens said. Watch Pickens respond to criticism that the U.S. can't shake it's oil addiction »
He said he was still committed to 667 wind turbines that he has already ordered and would find homes for them.
The Texas billionaire pushed The Pickens Plan in television commercials and lobbying efforts that started last summer. Pickens had hoped to complete his $12 billion plan in 2014 and provide enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes.
Renewable energy is the source of only a small portion of electricity used today, but in 2008, the United States became the world's leading provider of wind power.
Pickens, 81, made his fortune in oil production and trading and is listed in Forbes magazine as the 117th richest person in the United States with a net worth of about $3 billion in 2007.
|
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question: Who shelves plans for building world's largest wind farm?, answer: T. Boone Pickens | question: What problems did the project have?, answer: capital markets will not support | question: How many homes would the wind farm have powered?, answer: 1.3 million | question: When did the US become the world's leading provider of wind power?, answer: 2008, | question: In what year does US become world's leading wind power provider?, answer: 2008, | question: Who has shelved plans for building world's largest wind farm?, answer: T. Boone Pickens | question: Pickens says project is unfeasible because of?, answer: capital markets will not support his plans | question: How many homes would the project have powered?, answer: 1.3 million | question: When did the US become the leader in wind power?, answer: 2008,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Brittany Zimmerman, a 21-year-old college student who wanted to be a doctor, called 911 as she was being attacked by a stranger, police say.
Brittany Zimmerman's screams and struggle for her life were captured by a 911 tape.
But the police did not come for 48 minutes. By that time, Zimmerman was dead. Her fiance found her body.
Although the dispatcher claimed later to have heard nothing, the 911 tape captured screams, gasps and what sounds like a struggle, according to the court documents.
Spring was in the air when college student Zimmerman returned April 2 from classes at the University of Wisconsin to the off-campus apartment she shared with her fiance, Jordan Gonnering.
He was out when she arrived home. He discovered her body when he returned.
Zimmerman had been stabbed multiple times in her chest, near her heart. She'd also been beaten and strangled, according to warrants released recently. Watch an update on the case »
Zimmerman managed to call 911 at 12:20 p.m. The call was taken by the Dane County 911 center and an internal investigation revealed the dispatcher did not hear any sounds that would signal an emergency.
Because of that, police were not sent to the apartment until 48 minutes after Zimmerman made the call. Her fiance was already there.
Dane County has taken some harsh criticism from the public regarding the delay, and tough questions have been raised about whether a prompt response might have saved Zimmerman's life.
Police are still looking for her killer.
"We are working diligently on this case, have generated significant leads, and are making progress," said Joel De Spain of the Madison Police Department.
The police said they believe Zimmerman was attacked by a stranger. Her apartment door showed signs of forced entry.
After interviews with Zimmerman's family, friends and acquaintances, investigators determined there was no personal motive for the attack.
"In fact, we have not been able to determine any motive yet in this case," De Spain said. He emphasized that police have no reason to believe Zimmerman was the victim of a serial killer.
During the investigation, police have tracked leads pointing to vagrants in Zimmerman's off-campus neighborhood. The vagrants often would knock on doors and beg for money.
"We are still investigating this avenue, but at this time we have not been able to develop any specific suspects," De Spain said.
Zimmerman's family and friends describe her as a loving, warm young woman, who had much to look forward to. She was engaged to the love of her life and had dreams of earning a medical degree, they said. She was idealistic, and her goal was to help people, not to earn a large salary, they said.
Other details in the released warrants reveal that Zimmerman was murdered in her bedroom, that her cell phone was found in "parts," and that her bloody slippers and bloody computer paper were recovered.
The murder weapon is described as a knife, two to five inches long. Police are not saying whether they have recovered it.
DNA was collected from Zimmerman's body, as well as hair, blood samples, footprints and fingerprints. So far, no match has been made to a suspect.
Zimmerman's family is offering a $14,000 reward, and Crime Stoppers is offering $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest and/or conviction of anyone responsible for Zimmerman's death. Please call the tip line at 608-266-6014.
|
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question: How long did police take to respond?, answer: 48 minutes. | question: Who found her body?, answer: fiance | question: What was caught on the 911 tape?, answer: Brittany Zimmerman's screams and struggle for her life | question: Police suspect who attacked Zimmerman?, answer: a stranger, | question: What did the college student do?, answer: called | question: How long did it take for police to respond?, answer: 48 minutes. | question: who foud Brittany zimmerman's body?, answer: Her fiance
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- CNN's Lou Dobbs is no fan of the $700 billion bailout plan that went down to defeat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday. He spoke with Kiran Chetry of CNN's "American Morning" on Tuesday about how he thinks there are better ways to solve the financial problems plaguing the U.S. economy.
Lou Dobbs: Americans "don't want to hear this nonsense about $700 billion to bail out financial institutions."
Kiran Chetry, CNN anchor: CNN's Lou Dobbs joins us this morning from Suffolk, New Jersey. You expressed delight I guess you could say, at the fact that it did go down yesterday in defeat. We saw the largest point-drop on Wall Street ever.
What happens now?
Lou Dobbs, CNN host of "Lou Dobbs Tonight": Well, what happens now is that it sounds like the same fools who brought you this effort are going to try again.
Henry Paulson saying he's going to come right back, suggests he's not learning. And he's not paying attention to the Congress. These Congress people are all at home in their home districts, nearly every one of them and they're hearing an earful. The American people don't want to hear this nonsense about $700 billion to bail out financial institutions. Frankly, Kiran, they don't need it.
Economist after economist, with whom I've spoken, CEOs, they acknowledge that there are far better ways to deal with the issues confronting our financial system than this bailout. And it's absolutely obscenely irresponsible of House Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, Treasury Secretary [Henry] Paulson, President Bush, Sen. Harry Reid, the leader of the Senate; for these people to be clucking about like hysterical -- so hysterically. It really must stop. And to hear there -- go ahead.
Chetry: I was just going to ask you --
Dobbs: Go ahead.
Chetry: You say that there's other ways around this. One of the things that everyone keeps talking about is the fact that credit markets are frozen and there has to be some way to free that up so that everyday business from Wall Street to Main Street can continue.
Do you buy that?
Dobbs: No, not at all. And neither do most of the CEOs and economists with whom I'm speaking certainly. The real issue, they say, is liquidity. The Fed has injected more than half a billion dollars in liquidity into this banking system. Watch Lou Dobbs and economists discuss bailout effort »
What we are watching are business -- quote, unquote -- leaders who won't surface and put their faces before the American public who are hysterical. Absolutely hysterical. These are not leaders of moment. They are not leaders of great character or vision. Only Warren Buffett has had the courage to step forward. And that's after he puts $5 billion into Goldman Sachs.
To watch our political leaders, they have no idea in the world, Kiran, what they're doing. Literally. And the arrogance with which this administration asks for, not only money, almost $1 trillion, and surely more in the months ahead. But the absolute power for Treasury Secretary Paulson. Give me a break. The American people want this stopped. Those Congressmen and women at home right now, in their districts, are getting an earful because this is an absurdity and it has to end.
Chetry: So in one way, you're knocking Congress. But on the other way you're saying that, I guess the system works in that the brakes were pulled. Whether or not you agree with the reasons why it didn't go through. So, weren't they doing their job and showing leadership?
Dobbs: Let me be clear, Kiran. I'm saying leadership -- I'm saying the Democratic leadership of this Congress was absolutely in the same situation as this president.
They don't know what they're talking about. They're trying to ram this thing down the people's throats and Congress. And those House Republicans
|
[
"Who said better ways to deal with finanicial problems?",
"What did Dobbs say?",
"Who is going to try again?"
] |
[
"Lou Dobbs",
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"the same fools"
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question: Who said better ways to deal with finanicial problems?, answer: Lou Dobbs | question: What did Dobbs say?, answer: Americans "don't want to hear this nonsense about $700 billion to bail out financial institutions." | question: Who is going to try again?, answer: the same fools
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Candace Bushnell is a New Yorker and the author of five novels, including the best-selling "Sex and the City" and "Lipstick Jungle". She tells My City_My Life about her marriage, real life in New York and the secrets of her success.
Candace Bushnell. "In New York you're going to see sides of human nature that you're going to be shocked by."
CNN: How would you describe your work?
Candace Bushnell: I try to write about the human condition, and shopping, materialism and consumerism comes into that, because America is a very consumerist economy.
CNN: Tell me about when you first arrived in New York.
CB: I first arrived in New York in 1979. I was 19 and I was going to University in Houston, Texas, and I decided that I knew what I wanted to do and it was time to go and do it. I literally ran away from college.
Then I went to an acting school, "HB Studio" and I moved into this apartment with three other girls who wanted to be actresses. Of course, they were all waitresses so I was a waitress.
Watch Candace Bushnell take CNN on a tour of New York. »
I was incredibly determined -- I wrote short stories, I wrote the beginnings of novels. I wrote a little children's book and sent it to the editor-in-chief of the children's division of Simon and Schuster and she asked me to write a little children's book for a series she was doing.
I got paid $1,000 for it and I was like "Oh my god, who says you can't make it in New York right away!" Of course that little dream crashed in about a month.
CNN: So you didn't have an overnight success?
CB: I was a freelancer all through my twenties. I did about one story a month and I wanted to write fiction, so the stories that I would do were precursors to "Sex and the City."
I started working for the NY Observer when I was 33. After I had been writing for them for about a year and a half the editor said, "Your stories are the most talked about stories in the Observer, you should have your own column." I was paid $1000 a column and the reason was that the column "Sex and the City." was so popular that they sold newspapers and advertising off it.
See photos of Candace Bushnell's New York. »
People in New York were faxing it to their friends who worked in the movie business in LA and almost immediately I was getting phone calls from movie producers who wanted to buy it and ABC and HBC wanted to buy it.
It started as a seed, with an absolute truth that people may agree with or it may disturb them. It disturbs me sometimes when I read it because it's very wrong and very honest. I think most call it cynicism but I call it realism -- it is absolutely raw reality. It was never written for a big audience and it was never written to make people feel good. It was written as the truth in a humorous way.
CNN: How do you feel about the TV series?
CB: I think the reason why the TV series has continued, and has continued as a movie, is that they have never lost the authenticity of the column.
CNN: How would you describe New York today?
CB: It's a very, very busy place and it's a city where everybody has a place to go and a million things to do. It certainly can be a very stressful city but it can also be an incredibly exciting city. It is a place where your dreams can come true.
It's also a city where you're going to see sides of human nature that you're going to be shocked by. New York is a city where, if you are open minded, when you walk out of your apartment you don't know what
|
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"How many novels were written by Candace Bushnell?",
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"Who wrote Sex and the city?"
] |
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"five",
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question: How many novels were written by Candace Bushnell?, answer: five | question: Who was cynical?, answer: Candace Bushnell | question: What was NOT written to make people feel good?, answer: "Sex and the City." | question: What is she the author of?, answer: "Sex and the City" | question: Who wrote Sex and the city?, answer: Candace Bushnell
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Charges have been dropped against four men accused of raping an 18-year-old student at Hofstra University after the woman recanted her allegations, prosecutors said.
A Hofstra University student recanted her claims that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall.
A judge dismissed all charges Wednesday night and ordered the release of the four men -- Jesus Ortiz, 19; Stalin Felipe, 19; Kevin Taveras, 20; and Rondell Bedward, 21; all of the New York metropolitan area, according to Nassau County, New York, District Attorney Kathleen Rice.
They had been arrested, arraigned and jailed, with bail set at $500,000 each. Each was facing five counts of first-degree rape.
"Late this evening, during the continuation of the Nassau County Police Department's investigation of the allegation, and under questioning by my office's chief trial attorney and chief sex crimes prosecutor, the alleged victim of the sexual assault admitted that the encounter that took place early Sunday morning was consensual," Rice said.
She said her office has launched a criminal investigation into the statements and reports given by the woman.
The student had told Nassau County police that she had been lured from a club, forced into a men's bathroom at a university dormitory, bound and assaulted.
The woman then called the university public safety office, which alerted local police.
The reported rape shocked the Hofstra University community. The university had announced that it was increasing safety patrols on campus, as well as establishing a support hotline for students and parents.
|
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"that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall.",
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] |
question: What did the judge order?, answer: the release of the four men | question: What was the judge's verdict?, answer: dismissed all charges | question: What will the DA do?, answer: her office has launched a criminal investigation into the statements and reports given by the woman. | question: What did the judge do?, answer: dismissed all charges | question: What did the Hofstra student say?, answer: claims that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall. | question: What did the student claim?, answer: that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall. | question: What were investigators told?, answer: she had been lured from a club, forced into a men's bathroom at a university dormitory, bound and assaulted. | question: What is the Hofstra student claiming?, answer: that she was lured to a dorm and assaulted in a bathroom stall. | question: What did the woman tell investigators?, answer: she had been lured from a club, forced into a men's bathroom at a university dormitory, bound and assaulted.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III was "the right guy at the right time at the right moment" to guide a jet safely onto the surface of the Hudson River, a neighbor and friend said.
Chesley Sullenberger is an Air Force veteran who has been with US Airways since 1980.
Sullenberger has a cool, calm and collected style -- honed by decades of flight experience and research on safety issues, friend and neighbor John Walberg told the Contra Costa Times newspaper.
All 155 passengers and crew aboard Flight 1549 survived.
The 57-year-old former Air Force fighter pilot has been flying for more than 40 years, and has been with US Airways since 1980.
His two-page resume is packed with achievements and highlights his broad aviation experience.
The pilot speaks internationally on airline safety, and collaborates with the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management at the University of California-Berkeley, whose researchers look for ways to avoid air disasters. Watch a pilot applaud Sullenberger's skills »
Passenger Joe Hart praised the plane's crew as "phenomenal, in all respects."
"Once the pilot said 'brace for impact,' the flight attendants made sure everybody knew they had to be buckled in and bent over," Hart said.
"Then they sat in their chairs, strapped themselves in, and in a regular cadence, until we hit the water, they just continued to chant 'brace, brace, brace' so that nobody would sit up. And that, I think, helped prevent a lot of injuries on impact."
CNN affiliate WKOW in Madison, Wisconsin, identified the co-pilot as Jeffrey Skiles, 49.
Barbara Skiles told WKOW that, in conversations since the incident, her husband has praised the rescue effort.
"He was really grateful and really impressed about the response that they got, how quickly boats were at the side of the airplane," she said.
Sullenberger was primed to help passengers aboard the Airbus A320 survive the crisis, said Karlene Roberts, a university professor who co-directs the center.
"I can imagine him being sufficiently in charge to get those people out," she said. "He's got that kind of personality, which is to his credit." Watch how passengers call pilot a hero »
Sullenberger's resume is packed with achievements.
After graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1973, he had a brief but distinguished Air Force career during which he flew the Vietnam-era F-4 Phantom fighter jet.
He was a flight leader and training officer with experience in Europe and the Pacific and at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where he was the mission commander for Red Flag exercises. The exercises are for advanced aerial combat training, a position delegated to top pilots.
Among those who congratulated Sullenberger was Lt. Gen. John Regni, the Air Force Academy superintendent, who graduated with Sullenberger.
"He not only showcased unbelievable airmanship, but exemplary character as well," Regni said.
"In addition to superb judgment under utmost pressure, by checking his aircraft twice to ensure there were no passengers left behind he epitomized the 'service before self' concept we strive to instill in our cadets," Regni said.
Sullenberger is president and CEO of Safety Reliability Methods Inc., a company he founded. The firm provides emergency management, safety strategies and performance monitoring to the aviation industry.
He was an instructor and Air Line Pilots Association safety chairman, accident investigator and national technical committee member, according to a biography on the Web site of his company.
He participated in several U.S. Air Force and National Transportation Safety Board accident investigations, and worked with NASA scientists on a paper on error and aviation, according to his resume.
He was widely praised after Thursday's forced water landing, apparently caused by a "double bird strike," which crippled the plane's engines.
"It was an amazing piece of airmanship," said Peter Goelz, a former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board.
Even New York
|
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question: How many years of experience does this professional have?, answer: more than 40 | question: How old is Sully?, answer: 57-year-old | question: Who is the former Air Force fighter?, answer: Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III | question: What does Sullenberger usually speak about?, answer: airline safety, | question: Age o Chesley B. Sullenberger?, answer: 57-year-old | question: Who is the Air Force Academy superintendent?, answer: Lt. Gen. John Regni, | question: What branch of the military was Sullenberger in?, answer: an Air Force veteran | question: What did the superintendent do?, answer: congratulated Sullenberger | question: What is Chesley B. Sullenberger III's nickname?, answer: "Sully" | question: Who has 40 years of flight experience?, answer: Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III | question: What pilot's character was praised?, answer: Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Chester French is giving its music away.
Chester French, Max Drummey, left, and D.A. Wallach are earning buzz as a band to watch.
Go to the duo's Web site and you can scoop up an entirely free "athletic-themed" album. The idea is that you'll be so impressed by the free stuff, you'll feel inspired to buy the band's official debut album, "Love The Future" (Star Trak/Interscope), which came out last month.
"We're doing something that's never been done by a band before," says lead singer D.A. Wallach. "It's great because when you put out free music, people can spread it around as much as they want. And right now as we're just trying to expose ourselves to more people. Every new supporter helps."
The band has even come up with a fancy name for its fans: "VIP Concierge Service."
So who are these two clever, skinny dudes who jokingly claim to "put in a lot of burn at the gym"?
Wallach and Max Drummey met at Harvard, but found music to be more interesting than their studies. Fortunately for them, sought-after producer Pharrell Williams liked what he heard and signed the group to his label.
So far things seems to be working out for Chester French (named for sculptor Daniel Chester French, though the group is sick of explaining). They won a place on Rolling Stone's "Artists to Watch" list in 2008. HBO's "Entourage" showed some love for their catchy single "She Loves Everybody." Watch Chester French get punched by a pretty girl »
And then there's the transportation situation.
"Right now we're on the first tour bus we've ever had," says Wallach. "We were driving around in a van for the past year and a half and it's a real luxury now to be able to sleep while we're driving."
The band spoke to CNN about the challenges of navigating a rapidly changing industry, getting punched by a pretty girl in a music video and why the Beach Boys have nothing on them.
CNN: How does it feel to be called the next big thing?
D.A. Wallach: You know what, we actually haven't been called that in those words too often. But if we did, that would be very flattering.
CNN: Things get a bit violent in the music video for your song "She Loves Everybody." Who's idea was it to have you both get beaten up by an angry girl?
Wallach: It was the director's. We worked with Paul Hunter on the video and it was our first music video. ... He had the concept that love hurts. So this girl was going to take it out on us and we were going to be all about it and still smiling and enjoying it.
CNN: So it was a lot of fun?
Wallach: Yeah it was great. It was painless. Actually we both got hit accidentally by her. I mean most of the hits were kind of staged punches. But we both got hit once each, and it was fun.
CNN: You're both Harvard graduates. Does that make you the smartest dudes in pop music?
Wallach: Probably not. We were kind of nerds in high school. And the hardest part about Harvard is getting in, people say. After that you take it at your own pace. And at different times we were more or less engaged there, but we met some other really intelligent, thoughtful people.
Max Drummey: And there's definitely a lot of stupid people at Harvard.
CNN: Tell me how you both met.
Wallach: We met in the dining hall our freshman year and we started the band with three of our classmates. It was just a funny hobby at first and it wasn't until sophomore year that we really got serious about it and said, "OK, let's actually try and make this
|
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] |
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question: The band is a duo of who?, answer: Chester French, Max Drummey, | question: What type of music was it?, answer: pop | question: Where did the duo graduate?, answer: Harvard, | question: What was the name of the Harvard grads?, answer: Wallach and Max Drummey | question: Where are they "probably not" the smartest folks?, answer: pop music?
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Chris Cornell has taken to Twitter like Tweety Bird took to making mischief.
Chris Cornell's new solo album, "Scream," was produced by Timbaland. He acknowledges it's an odd mix.
Not to suggest he's using the popular social networking service to cause trouble. Hardly.
The 44-year-old rock musician said he enjoys the open stream of chit-chat with his fans.
"It's actually created an environment where I can answer simple questions that someone's probably had forever," said Cornell. "And I don't mind answering them. And I can actually have conversations with fans that are quick, but still more meaningful than the typical situations you're put into. I've really liked it."
His more than 200,000 followers can revel in bite-size musings about life on the road ("crowd was amazing last night") or sweet tweets to his wife, Vicky ("hi baby! i miss you!"). Watch Cornell talk about his Twitter fascination »
The former front man of Soundgarden and Audioslave -- who is also known for singing the James Bond theme "Casino Royale" -- is the first to admit he's a fan of experimenting. His new solo album, "Scream," has him meshing his rock vibe with dance-floor beats by the much sought-after producer Timbaland.
The collaboration has left some people scratching their heads. Nine Inch Nails lead singer Trent Reznor took a swipe by twittering: "You know that feeling you get when somebody embarrasses themselves so badly YOU feel uncomfortable? Heard Chris Cornell's record?"
Ouch. The album debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, but it took a substantial tumble the second week.
But Cornell -- who said he's never met Reznor nor read or responded to his tweet -- was more than ready for criticism.
"You could kind of see it coming," he said. "Some of it is a script that was written just by putting [me and Timbaland] together. And most of the negative responses fit that script perfectly: 'You can't put these two things together. We don't like it! We're not going to let you! So we're gonna say bad stuff.' "
For Cornell, working with Timbaland required him to "rinse away everything that I knew about songwriting and recording." He said the biggest challenge was in having to relearn how to sing to a different rhythm, his raspy voice needing to match up with slick studio beats rather than sliding loosely around the live, loud accompaniment he's so used to.
"To me it seemed like an exciting thing to just go and do," he said. "I think this is as good as any album I've ever made, and I listen to it probably more than any other record I've ever made."
Cornell spoke to CNN about Timbaland, Twitter and throwing stuff out windows. The following is an edited version of the interview.
CNN: Some people have said that you've lost your musical identity in this album.
Chris Cornell: I don't have one, really. I don't want to have one. If I had a musical identity that was definable then it would be time to get into painting or something else. Race car driving.
CNN: So you would be happy to be experimental on your next album?
Cornell: Absolutely.
CNN: So what was it like working with Timbaland?
Cornell: He didn't really have a particular direction in mind in terms of what he wanted me to do. He did what Timbaland does, and I did what I do. We just wrote songs, which is really the best thing that came out of it. ...
It doesn't sound like anybody else's record. It doesn't sound like music I've ever heard. It defies genre, and yet it's very much a song-oriented album as well as an album-oriented album. ... The music never stops.
|
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] |
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"Cornell's",
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question: Whose new album is "Scream"?, answer: Cornell's | question: What is the name of the album?, answer: "Scream," | question: What was the name of the old band?, answer: Soundgarden and Audioslave | question: Who is he working with as a producer?, answer: Timbaland. | question: Who is he working with?, answer: Timbaland. | question: Who's new album is called Scream?, answer: Chris
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- City officials in New York have denied Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's request to visit the site of the destroyed World Trade Center next week, a police spokesman said Wednesday.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked to visit ground zero, but New York city officials said no.
The controversial, outspoken president wanted to "pay his respects" and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks during his visit to the U.N. General Assembly, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said, citing Iranian officials.
But workers are rebuilding the foundations of the site, "and it would not be possible for him to go where other people don't go," Kelly told CNN.
Iranian officials have not put in any additional requests to visit the public platforms at ground zero, police spokesman Paul Browne told CNN. But, he said, "If there were a further request, we'd reject it" because of security fears. Watch why New York said no to Iranian leader »
The Iranian mission to the U.N. said it had not been told of the decision, but in a statement issued Wednesday evening, it called the rejection "unfortunate."
Iran is ruled by a Shiite Muslim government hostile to the fundamentalist Sunni al Qaeda.
Ahmadinejad's predecessor at the time of the September 11 attacks, Mohammed Khatami, condemned them, and Tehran cooperated with the U.S.-led campaign to topple al Qaeda's Taliban allies in Afghanistan that followed.
The United States and Iran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980 after Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days.
The United States considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism and has accused the country of meddling in Iraq and in Afghanistan where U.S. troops are battling Taliban and al Qaeda remnants more than six years after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
More than 2,700 people died in the attack on the World Trade Center, when al Qaeda terrorists flew hijacked passenger jets into the twin towers. A third jet hit the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers resisted their hijackers.
"It is appalling that President Ahmadinejad, one of the world's leading sponsors of terror, would find it appropriate to visit this hallowed ground," State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.
Several presidential candidates also condemned the requested visit. Hillary Clinton, the New York senator and Democratic front-runner, called the request "unacceptable." Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a leading Republican, called it "shockingly audacious."
And former Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- whose leadership after the attacks is the cornerstone of his GOP presidential bid -- said that "under no circumstances" should Ahmadinejad be allowed to visit the World Trade Center site.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the site should not be "used as a photo op."
Numerous critics have attacked Ahmadinejad's hard-line anti-Israel stance and his insistence that Iran will defy U.N. demands that it halt its production of enriched uranium. Iran insists it is producing nuclear fuel for civilian power plants, but Washington accuses Tehran of trying to produce a nuclear bomb. E-mail to a friend
CNN Correspondent Deborah Feyerick contributed to this report.
|
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question: who called the request audacious, answer: Mitt Romney, | question: who are the persons who said no because the site is under construction?, answer: New York city officials | question: who wanted to visit ground zero?, answer: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | question: what did US consider about Iran?, answer: a state sponsor of terrorism | question: which country considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism?, answer: United | question: which country is NYC in?, answer: U.S. | question: did the Iranian president actually visit ground zero, answer: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked to visit ground zero, but New York city officials said no. | question: what did the president want to visit?, answer: the site of the destroyed World Trade Center | question: what was the cause for no from new york city officials?, answer: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asked to visit ground zero,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Coagulated sheep's blood. Pig knuckles. Snake bile. Fried crickets. Sound like ingredients you might see bubbling away in a caldron, right?
Zane Lamprey raises a toast to alcoholic beverages the world over.
Well, these are just some of the unusual items Zane Lamprey has eaten -- yes, eaten -- during the course of his day job.
No, he's not a human garbage disposal. Lamprey is a comedian who hosts a TV program about drinking, "Three Sheets." The show follows him all over the world as he samples local libations.
Lamprey also claims to be in search of the ultimate hangover cure, which is why he's often called upon to ingest the indigestible.
Not that the drinks are any better. Anyone for a shot of Belize rum that's had a dead snake fermenting in it for about a year? If the locals drink it, so will Lamprey.
"I'll try anything once," he said, adding that "there's certainly a lot that I won't drink twice." Watch Lamprey use sword to open champagne »
Gross stuff aside, Lamprey has what many consider to be a dream job. And although he occasionally gets a little bleary-eyed, the Californian maintains that it's not a show about getting inebriated.
"I drink to try new things, to learn about drinking cultures or new drinks," Lamprey said. "Sometimes levels of inebriation are the by-product of my job, but I'm certainly not going out looking to do that. If I did I think I'd be the wrong person for the job."
We caught up with Lamprey in New York's Bubble Lounge, where he was preparing (soberly, mind you) to use a sword to lop off the end of a champagne bottle, glass neck and all. It's a ritual he says started in the Napoleonic era as a way to celebrate victories at battle.
While Lamprey might not be as battle-scarred as Napoleon's men, he does have a victory to celebrate: "Three Sheets" has a new home after being put in limbo for several months after its original network went off the air.
The show now airs on the Fine Living Network, which has just popped the cork on "Three Sheets' " fourth season. New episodes air Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET and repeat throughout the week.
Besides demonstrating how one sabers champagne, Lamprey talked to CNN about dealing with thumping hangovers, staying in shape and other challenges of hosting a TV show about alcohol. The following is an edited version of the transcript.
CNN: Do you consider yourself a professional drinker?
Zane Lamprey: I get paid to drink. If I got paid to play baseball, I'd be a professional baseball player, right? Yeah. So I guess I am a professional drinker.
CNN: By now you must have discovered a cure for a hangover.
Lamprey: There is no cure. Actually, there's two. Either don't drink, or don't stop. Once you break one of those, you get into trouble.
We've found remedies, things that'll make it a little easier. I've jumped in freezing water, I've done just about everything, and nothing has wiped out my hangover.
CNN: Where were you when you had your worst hangover?
Lamprey: Oddly enough, I was in a place that I was promised by several people I would not get a hangover: Champagne, France. They said if you drink good champagne, you can drink as much as you want, and you won't get a hangover. So I put it to the test, and the next day, I had the worst hangover yet. It was horrible. Oh. So bad.
CNN: In Iceland, you drank something called "Black Death," the same name given to the pandemic that nearly wiped out Europe centuries ago. Taste good?
Lamprey: I'm sure it tasted better than the plague, but not
|
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] |
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"Monday nights at 10 p.m.",
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question: When does the program air?, answer: Monday nights at 10 p.m. | question: Who hosts "Three Sheets"?, answer: Zane Lamprey | question: What does lamprey host?, answer: a TV program about drinking, "Three Sheets." | question: Does Zane Lamprey travel on his show?, answer: yes, | question: what network in this on?, answer: Fine Living | question: What does Lamprey drink on the show?, answer: alcohol.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Consumer advocates Wednesday hailed the settlement of a class-action lawsuit over Sears stoves in which the retailer agreed to install safety brackets for free to prevent the appliances from tipping over or provide other reimbursements.
Stoves in danger of tipping over can be fixed for free under terms of a settlement announced Wednesday.
According to the court-approved agreement, Sears will notify nearly 4 million customers who may have bought stoves between July 2000 and September 2007 that they either can get anti-tip safety brackets installed for free or receive gift cards or reimbursements of up to $100 to qualifying customers.
The brackets keep the appliances bolted to the floor or wall to prevent them from tipping over. Such accidents have caused more than 100 deaths or injuries, mostly from scalding and burns, according to the nonprofit consumer group Public Citizen.
The value of the settlement depends on how many customers respond to Sears' offer, but Public Citizen said it could end up costing the retailer more than $545 million. Watch to see if your stove is in danger of tipping »
In addition to paying $17 million in legal fees, Sears will install brackets on all new stoves for free for the next three years.
"This agreement by Sears and the lawyers for the consumer is a real deal," said Joan Claybrook, president of Public Citizen. "This is a fantastic deal for a lawsuit to make this headway and get the protection for the consumer."
Sears Holdings Corp. spokesman Chris Brathwaite said the plaintiffs' counsel is overestimating the settlement's monetary value.
"The parties dispute many aspects of the case, including the value on this settlement -- which Sears estimates to be a small fraction of what plaintiffs' counsel estimates," Brathwaite said in a statement.
Claybrook and other consumer advocates said they would like the Consumer Product Safety Commission to require anti-tip brackets for all stove installations. Installing brackets is now voluntary.
Claybrook said the agreement "sets a model for what the Consumer Product Safety Commission should do and should have done. They've known about it for 25 years and done nothing."
She said an amendment requiring anti-tip stove devices should be added to Senate legislation intended to beef up the safety commission.
Commission spokeswoman Patty Davis disagreed, saying, "The statistics and risk do not support mandatory rule-making at this time. We believe the voluntary standards are working."
Brathwaite said customers can visit the Web site http://www.searsrangesettlement.com/ for information. E-mail to a friend
|
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] |
question: The amount of deaths blamed for faulty products?, answer: 100 | question: How much could the settlement cost?, answer: more than $545 million. | question: Which consumer group is being discussed?, answer: Public Citizen. | question: The settlement may cost retailers how much?, answer: more than $545 million. | question: Sears agree to do what?, answer: will notify nearly 4 million customers who may have bought stoves between July 2000 and September 2007 that they either can get anti-tip safety brackets installed for free or receive gift cards or reimbursements of up | question: What were tipping stoves blamed for?, answer: more than 100 deaths or injuries, | question: What company will install brackets at no cost?, answer: Sears | question: Stoves tipping over are blamed for how many deaths?, answer: more than 100 | question: Amount of money that consumer group says settlement might cost?, answer: more than $545 million.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Criminal charges will not be filed against the 18-year-old college freshman who falsely accused five men of raping her in a dormitory bathroom at Hofstra University, an official said Friday.
Instead, Danmell Ndonye must participate in a year-long psychiatric program and spend 250 hours in community service for lying to police about what was a consensual sexual encounter with four of the five accused men, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a written statement.
Ndonye said she did not engage in sexual activity with Rondell Bedward, the only one of the men who attends Hofstra University. He has returned to classes.
Rice said she retains the option of filing criminal charges against Ndonye if she fails to complete the course of therapy or community service.
Rice added that filing criminal charges might have made any future false accuser reluctant to recant and tell the truth, possibly leading to an innocent person serving a lengthy prison sentence.
Authorities dropped charges and freed the four men they had taken into custody after their accuser changed her story about having been tied up and sexually assaulted in a dormitory bathroom.
The woman recanted after authorities told her that part of the incident was recorded on a cell phone video, Rice said.
"That was when she began to tell the truth," she said.
It is against the law to report a crime when there was not one, the district attorney said.
"Her actions and her demeanor depict a very troubled young woman in need of much help," Rice said.
Hofstra University has suspended Ndonye.
|
[
"In what program and service must she participate?",
"Was she suspended from her school?",
"Who will not face criminal charges?",
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"What school was he suspended from?",
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"Is Danmell Ndonye going to face criminal charges?",
"Who must participate in yearlong psychiatric program?",
"Will she face charges?"
] |
[
"in a year-long psychiatric",
"Ndonye.",
"18-year-old college freshman",
"Hofstra University",
"Hofstra University",
"part of the incident",
"will not be filed",
"Danmell Ndonye",
"not be filed"
] |
question: In what program and service must she participate?, answer: in a year-long psychiatric | question: Was she suspended from her school?, answer: Ndonye. | question: Who will not face criminal charges?, answer: 18-year-old college freshman | question: Who has suspended Ndonye?, answer: Hofstra University | question: What school was he suspended from?, answer: Hofstra University | question: Was it caught on cell phone video?, answer: part of the incident | question: Is Danmell Ndonye going to face criminal charges?, answer: will not be filed | question: Who must participate in yearlong psychiatric program?, answer: Danmell Ndonye | question: Will she face charges?, answer: not be filed
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Diane Sawyer will take over nightly news anchor duties for ABC when Charlie Gibson retires from "World News" at the end of this year, a network spokesman confirmed Wednesday.
Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer worked together on "Good Morning America."
Sawyer, 63, will be the second woman to be the solo host of an evening newscast for an American broadcast TV network.
Sawyer will take the chair in January, ABC's Jeffrey Schneider said.
Gibson, 66, and Sawyer worked together for years on ABC's morning show -- "Good Morning America" -- before Gibson was promoted over Sawyer to anchor ABC's "World News" in May 2006.
Elizabeth Vargas and Bob Woodruff co-anchored the newscast before Gibson. That duo came to an end after Woodruff was seriously wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
Maria Brennan, president of the Washington-based American Women in Radio and Television organization, called the announcement a "watershed moment" and said Sawyer was the "obvious choice" to take over ABC's anchor chair.
Asked about the significance of two out of three network nightly news anchors being women -- the other being CBS' Katie Couric -- Brennan said, "It comes with some excitement and some glee for groups like ours, who have worked for years to ensure that women have parity with their male counterparts."
"When we get to a point in time when we don't even notice the gender, we can really celebrate," Brennan said.
Sawyer worked for President Richard Nixon in the 1970s, first in his White House press office and later helping him write his memoirs after his resignation.
After a stint with CBS News -- including five years as a "60 Minutes" correspondent -- Sawyer joined ABC News in 1989.
She worked on news magazines for ABC -- including "Primetime Live" and "20/20" -- before being assigned to co-host "Good Morning America" with Gibson in 1999.
CNN's Albert Lewintinn contributed to this report.
|
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] |
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] |
question: Who is retiring at the end of the year?, answer: Charlie Gibson | question: On which show did the pair work together?, answer: "Good Morning America." | question: Who will take over "World News"?, answer: Diane Sawyer | question: What will Diane Sawyer do?, answer: take over nightly news anchor duties for ABC | question: Who is Charlie Gibson?, answer: news anchor | question: Who's taking over from Charlie Gibson?, answer: Diane Sawyer | question: Who is the ABC news anchor?, answer: Diane Sawyer | question: When will Gibson retire?, answer: at the end of this year, | question: Who presented Good Morning America?, answer: Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Director Barry Levinson is the star of his new film. Well, almost.
Director Barry Levinson sizes up politics and media in his new film, "PoliWood."
In the Academy Award-winning filmmaker's new documentary "PoliWood," Levinson takes a look at the world of policymakers and screen actors and ends up voicing his own ideas in the process.
"The fact that my voice is in it always scares me to death, because I never like to be on camera, period," Levinson said. (The "Rain Man" director has appeared in a handful of films, notably the Robert Redford-directed "Quiz Show.")
In "PoliWood," Levinson follows a group of politically active actors to the Democratic and Republican conventions as they take in the theater of it all. The journey leads to President Obama's inauguration.
"PoliWood" also explores the idea that the media have become confusing catalysts that blur the lines of reality and myth. Television, which was once a romanticized invention that brought entertainment and public service announcements into our homes, is now a portal for manipulating what we see, feel and think, in the film's presentation.
CNN talked to Levinson about the politics of the media, Hollywood actors supporting candidates and "PoliWood."
CNN: Tell me about the celebrity-politician-media link.
Barry Levinson: Well, I think what happened is, you have this television screen, and everything has to go through that screen -- and at a certain point, I don't think that we can tell the difference between the celebrity and the politician. They both have to entertain us in some fashion.
That's why I think, in second half of the 20th century, you saw this kind of change where John F. Kennedy was probably the first television politician. He came across, he was good-looking, he was great in the way he spoke; he had a certain sense of humor.
Then you had Reagan. Someone looked at him giving a speech for Goldwater and said, you know, he could be a politician. Two years after that, he became governor of California.
So anyone that is pleasant enough on television suddenly gets credentials, whether they have earned it or not. And there's that blurring of it between celebrity and politics and everything else.
CNN: Do you think that most celebrities have a good understanding of the politicians they support, or do some just jump on the bandwagon?
Levinson: I think "PoliWood" shows it in some ways and talks about it. But basically, to be honest, there is no upside for any actor to be politically involved other than the fact that they are concerned citizens. It doesn't benefit their career at all.
The term "celebrity" is sort of a bogus term, though, in a lot of ways.
CNN: Why?
Levinson: Well because Paris Hilton and Susan Sarandon, they're both celebrities, but Paris Hilton hasn't ever really done anything, in a way. Susan Sarandon has been an actress whose done a lot of different roles, been around a long time, has been politically active, extremely smart and knowledgeable about that. But there's two women, they get exposure, but there's a huge difference between that. Some have earned it; some get that attention just by the way they look or the way they have carried on in public.
CNN: There's a scene in "PoliWood" where actors sit down with regular people, and they talk about relating to one another.
Levinson: Well, how is that so-called celebrities -- how would they possibly relate to the ordinary person? But 90 percent of them come from those families -- they come out of the Midwest or the South or the Northeast. They come out of working-class families primarily. And because of the nature of America, that if you have certain dreams, and ultimately those dreams can in fact come true, they benefited by the society that they live in. But
|
[
"What does Levinson's new film show?",
"What does the director observe?",
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"What does Levinson say about politician?",
"What is the director observing?"
] |
[
"takes a look at the world of policymakers and screen actors",
"the world of policymakers and screen actors",
"\"The fact that my voice is in it always scares me to death, because I never like to be on camera, period,\"",
"I don't think that we can tell the difference between the celebrity and the",
"politics and media"
] |
question: What does Levinson's new film show?, answer: takes a look at the world of policymakers and screen actors | question: What does the director observe?, answer: the world of policymakers and screen actors | question: What did Levinson say?, answer: "The fact that my voice is in it always scares me to death, because I never like to be on camera, period," | question: What does Levinson say about politician?, answer: I don't think that we can tell the difference between the celebrity and the | question: What is the director observing?, answer: politics and media
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Divers on Tuesday recovered the bodies of the final two of nine victims of Saturday's collision between a helicopter and small plane over the Hudson River, police said.
The wreckage of a PA-32 that collided Saturday with a helicopter is lifted Tuesday from the bed of the Hudson River.
"They were inside the wreckage when we pulled it up," said New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne.
Earlier Tuesday, police divers had attached chains and straps to the plane's fuselage and used a crane to lift it from the riverbed 60 feet below the surface.
On Saturday, the Piper PA-32 Saratoga carrying three people collided with a helicopter carrying six people, five of them Italian tourists, killing all nine people aboard both aircraft.
The wreckage of the helicopter, operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours, was lifted Sunday nearly intact from the Hudson.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the collision, which occurred shortly after the helicopter took off from a heliport in Midtown Manhattan on what was to have been a 12-minute sightseeing tour around New York.
The Piper took off from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport and was bound for Ocean City, New Jersey. It began its flight Saturday morning at a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-area airfield.
CNN's Susan Candiotti and Mary Snow contributed to this report.
|
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"where did helicopter collide",
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] |
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"over the Hudson River,",
"Tuesday",
"Tuesday"
] |
question: Which two aircraft collided Saturday over the Hudson River?, answer: helicopter and small plane | question: How many victims have been recovered from plane wreckage?, answer: nine | question: What was used to lift the submerged wreckage of a plane?, answer: a crane | question: How many people died in plan crash, answer: nine victims | question: When was the wreckage pulled from the iver?, answer: Tuesday | question: Where did a helicopter and a single engine plane collide on Saturday?, answer: over the Hudson River, | question: where did helicopter collide, answer: over the Hudson River, | question: When was the helicopter's wreckage recovered?, answer: Tuesday | question: when was wreckage pulled from the river, answer: Tuesday
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Dolores O'Riordan is singing "Linger" while playing a gleaming white guitar that's almost half her size.
Dolores O'Riordan says the Cranberries are planning a tour, scheduled to begin in November.
As the diminutive musician hums her way through the song's familiar intro, she smiles and nods her head a little as though she's just remembered an important kiss or something sweet one of her children told her.
We weren't expecting her to play "Linger," arguably the Cranberries' most beautiful hit and the one that gave the Irish rock band its leg up to global stardom in the early '90s. In truth, we weren't expecting O'Riordan to perform anything at all, but when somebody shows up for an interview handling a guitar, you've got to ask for a tune. Come on!
So when O'Riordan, 37, started to pluck away at that spine-tingling song that harks back to her days as the moody-cum-boisterous 'Berries lead singer -- wait, she didn't want to play something from her brand new solo album instead? -- I almost tripped over in my haste to get out of the way so our cameraman could capture the moment.
O'Riordan's nostalgia, it turns out, has a purpose. Watch O'Riordan talk about the chills she had making her album »
During our interview, which took place the same day O'Riordan's second solo disc "The Baggage" was released in the U.S., she officially shared the news that the Cranberries are to regroup. Technically, she says, they never split up and have merely been on hiatus since 2003.
But there's no need to let that linger. Here's what you need to know, berry by berry (sorry):
The weight of "No Baggage"
Some might argue that solo Dolores sounds no different from front woman Dolores, but being in control of all her material allows O'Riordan to get personal as she does on "No Baggage" (Rounder Records). The song "Skeleton" deals with not being able to outrun the skeletons in your closet. "Lunatic" addresses the hassles of fame. Give lead single "The Journey" a spin, and check out the music video to see some lovely scenery from the Emerald Isle. It was filmed around Dublin Bay on a chilly, windy day.
When she takes off her musician hat ...
O'Riordan has four kids and divides her time between her homes in Dublin, Ireland, and Ontario, Canada (check out the "No Baggage" album cover for a peek at the lake outside the latter residence). She's been married to her manager, Don Burton, for 15 years, and in that time has never taken off her wedding ring. Even if she wanted to she couldn't. It's stuck on her finger.
She also wears ...
Funky shoes. In the '90's, O'Riordan was known for her chunky Doc Marten boots, but she showed up to our interview in sequin and gem-encrusted Converse sneakers ("They're deadly, aren't they?"). She bought them on the Champs Elysees in Paris, France, which she says is one of her favorite places to shop.
TV isn't normal ...
She's relaxed and goofy in interviews, though she admits that live television gives her the willies.
The Cranberries went on hiatus because ...
Says O'Riordan: "We all had little children. We all had personal challenges going on in our life. I wanted to know who the heck I was if I wasn't in a Cranberry."
She wants to be "in a Cranberry" again because ...
A performance with fellow 'Berries Noel and Mike Hogan at an event in Dublin in January proved to be a bit of a wake-up call: "It made me realize that I actually feel really comfortable with them, more so than anyone."
The Cranberries will ripen ...
The Cranberries tour is slated to kick off in November in North America. But it won't be an all-out greatest
|
[
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] |
[
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"\"The Baggage\"",
"\"The Baggage\"",
"O'Riordan",
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"since 2003.",
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] |
question: Who says the Cranberries were on hiatus?, answer: O'Riordan's | question: What was the name of the solo album?, answer: "The Baggage" | question: What is the name of the new solo album just released by O'Riordan?, answer: "The Baggage" | question: Who wears the Doc Martens?, answer: O'Riordan | question: For how long has the group "Cranberries" been on hiatus?, answer: since 2003. | question: How long were the Cranberries on hiatus for?, answer: since 2003. | question: What did singer O'Riordan just do?, answer: is singing "Linger" while playing a gleaming white guitar
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Dr. David Ores, or Dr. Dave as he's referred to by his patients, isn't your average neighborhood doctor. It's not because his arms are covered with tattoos of nearly naked women or because he drives a Harley to work, but because eight months ago he started New York City's first health care cooperative for restaurant workers.
The Harley-riding Dr. David Ores has started New York's first health care cooperative for restaurant workers.
The Restaurant Worker's Health Care Cooperative, currently servicing 15 restaurants in lower Manhattan, provides free health care to all restaurant employees, from bus boys to bartenders. Every month the owner or manager of each restaurant contributes money into a common fund based on its number of employees. In return, their workers can go see Dr. Dave with any kind of health issue they may have.
Dr. Dave, a graduate of Columbia Medical School, has been treating uninsured people for more than a decade. He decided to start the co-op after noticing a trend among patients working in the restaurant industry.
"Over the past ten years, I've seen many patients that work in restaurants, and there were always two things in common: They had no real access to any kind of medical care, and they also waited a long time to come see a doctor," Ores says. "I decided to form this co-op in order to get them early, basic health care." Watch the doctor at work »
The restaurant workers, many of whom have never been medically insured, can now make appointments, stop by the office, text medical questions and even send photos of their injuries to Dr. Dave, free of charge.
"This is my first checkup ever," Asaf, a waiter at Macao Trading Co., told CNN in the waiting room. "It's an example of how someone finds an easy and fair solution to a serious problem or a need."
And statistics show there is, in fact, a need.
According to a 2005 study by the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, about 73 percent of all New York restaurant workers -- about 160,000 people -- have no health insurance.
The co-op comes as a relief to restaurant owners who would ideally like to provide medical insurance to their employees but cannot afford to do so.
"Obviously we want to take care of our people, but financially we're only capable of doing so much," says restaurant owner Billy Gilroy. "This was the perfect opportunity to be able to extend the ability to find medical services through the restaurant, but in a way that's affordable."
The price for use of the co-op's services ranges from as little as $50 a month for an establishment with a couple of employees to $400 a month for a larger restaurant.
Dr. Dave, who works as a general practitioner and sees other patients, is able to support himself because both his office and apartment are located in rent-stabilized buildings operated by the Lower East Side People's Mutual Housing Association, a not-for-profit housing group that charges him only $800 a month for rent.
With health care currently a hot-button political issue, Dr. Dave sees this local, not-for-profit health system as a model for how national health care in America could work.
"I'm not against profit," he says. "I just don't think you can have a for-profit health system that provides everyone with proper health care. It's just never going to work."
In the meantime, Dr. Dave has plans to expand.
"In the next year I'd like for our little health co-op to offer more services. Maybe dental, more hours in the evening, maybe hire a second doctor."
He also hopes to offer routine checkups for all workers, so he can catch illnesses early and hopefully prevent steeper medical costs down the road.
Although Dr. Dave started the program only eight months ago, he's no stranger to
|
[
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] |
question: Who now has plans to expand coverage, hours of service?, answer: Dr. Dave | question: Who now enables workers to see a doctor when necessary?, answer: Dr. David Ores, | question: Who helps New York restaurant workers?, answer: Dr. David Ores, | question: What does it enable workers to do?, answer: make appointments, stop by the office, text medical questions and even send photos of their injuries | question: Who are helping New York restaurant workers?, answer: Health Care Cooperative, | question: Who has plans to expand coverage?, answer: Dr. Dave | question: Who is a pioneer of health care?, answer: Dr. David Ores
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Embattled Sen. Larry Craig accused police after his June arrest of trying to entrap him, but CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin says he puts little faith in such a defense.
A police mug shot of Sen. Larry Craig after he was arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport in June.
In a police recording released Thursday, the Idaho Republican denied that he was trying to engage in lewd behavior in a men's bathroom at a Minnesota airport. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.
"You shouldn't be out to entrap people," Craig said on the tape.
The arresting officer denied Craig's accusation of entrapment. Listen to police interview Craig »
CNN.com asked Toobin about how an entrapment defense might work in court.
CNN.com: What's the legal definition of entrapment?
TOOBIN: The key concept with entrapment is the idea of predisposition. A person is entrapped if they are lured into committing a crime that they are not otherwise predisposed to commit.
Basically an entrapment defense shifts the burden of proof to the prosecution to prove that the defendant was not predisposed to commit the crime.
The question is, did the police entice you to do something that you didn't want to do in the first place? And the important point to raise about entrapment defenses is that they're rarely successful. And most juries tend to think that if you commit a crime, you did it of your own volition.
CNN.com: What tactics do police employ to protect their sting operations from the entrapment defense?
TOOBIN: Well, what they often do, which was not done here, is use tape recordings or video so the jury can see how anxious the defendant was to commit the crime. Tape and video is the best refutation of an entrapment defense.
I think Craig had the possibility of raising an entrapment defense in this case. Now, I don't know if it would have been successful. What you have to remember about that tape is the officer's report says that Craig did a heck of a lot more than just pick up a piece of paper in the stall. Watch how fellow Republicans are pressuring Craig to quit »
He rubbed his hand along the side of the stall, and he lingered outside and looked through the crack and rubbed his fingers together. I mean there were a whole series of signals. And the jury might very well have believed the officer rather than Craig.
I don't mean to suggest that entrapment defense would have necessarily been successful, but it was not an implausible defense given the facts.
The whole issue is moot because he pled. I don't take seriously his protestations of entrapment because he pled guilty. You know, he's not innocent until proven guilty. He's guilty.
He's an intelligent, sophisticated man with access to lawyers, and he actually told the authorities that he'd consulted a lawyer. He had weeks to reflect on whether to plead guilty.
It would have been one thing if the day of the offense, he signed a paper pleading guilty. He could have made the argument that he just panicked on the day of the offense. But there were weeks between the offense and the guilty plea.
CNN.com: Is there any way that Craig could use entrapment as a defense to improve his case -- to work backward legally toward vindication?
TOOBIN: Out of the question. No way. E-mail to a friend
|
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] |
question: Who said, "You shouldn't be out to entrap people"?, answer: Sen. Larry Craig | question: what political party does Larry Craig represent, answer: Republican | question: What did the Idaho Republican plead guilty to?, answer: a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. | question: What did he plead guilty to?, answer: a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. | question: where is Larry Craig from, answer: Idaho | question: Where was larry craig arrested, answer: Minneapolis-St. Paul airport | question: What did Larry Craig tell the arresting officer?, answer: "You shouldn't be out to entrap people,"
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Enya is an anomaly. Think about it: How many recording artists have enjoyed 20 years of success while never having toured?
Enya sets her own pace when making albums. "And Winter Came" is her first CD in three years.
"The fans are very, very loyal," says the Irish chanteuse. "They're always saying, 'When is the next album?' They know when I finish in the studio it's got to be a few years before the next album."
Perhaps it's the vast gaps between releases that help make Enya, 47, the Emerald Isle's second-biggest-selling artist of all time (after U2). Thanks to a stipulation in her recording contract, the Grammy winner has the luxury of setting her own pace with each project, another rarity in the music business. She'll devote two to three years to each album, flitting between her Dublin castle and the studio, where she works tirelessly to perfect every celestial chord and layer harmony upon harmony.
"I always felt that the music sells by itself," she says. "The music has always been the successful aspect on my career and that means that, to me, I can always still stay very focused on music." Watch Enya revel in harmony »
Her latest album -- the seventh of her career -- celebrates both the drama and quiet contemplation that come with the winter season. Called "And Winter Came," the release has reached the top 10 on album charts across Europe and in the U.S. since its November release.
And while Enya won't commit to the idea of taking her tunes on the road, she does hint at the possibility.
"To actually tour with the songs would be wonderful. It would be very much on a large scale: the orchestra, the choir. There'd be a lot of rehearsals, but it'd be very exciting," she says.
Enya spoke to CNN about how her music is like an onion (think layers, not tears), keeping a low profile, and marking the 20-year anniversary of "Watermark," her breakout album.
CNN: What does wintertime mean to you?
Enya: Wintertime for me is a time when I do a lot of my writing in the studio. It's a time I enjoy. And it's very reflective and a very calming time of the year. Throughout the year I gather a lot of musical inspirations and this is where I bring them to the studio and see what will evolve musically.
CNN: You set out to make a Christmas album. How did the project evolve?
Enya: I've always wanted to put together a Christmas album. So I was writing some Christmas carols and what happened was some of the songs started to veer more into winter themes. And when I discussed it with [producer and lyricist] Nicky and Roma [Ryan], they felt, well, within winter is the celebration of Christmas, so let's infuse the two themes together.
CNN: A lot of people think of Enya as a soloist, but really you're kind of a trio, aren't you?
Enya: I work with two other people, the producer Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan, the lyricist.
The way I work with Nicky and Roma is firstly I do the writing of the melodies in the songs, and that's kind of the solitude moment for me in the studio, which I enjoy very much. When I have the melody -- the idea of the melody -- I play that to Nicky and Roma. ... I get to see their reaction immediately. Is this a song for the album? And I can see from their reaction -- "Yes, this is going to work," or perhaps it's not.
There are a lot of ideas that Nicky had wanted to experiment with. When I met with him first he had this idea of using a voice -- one voice -- as an instrument to layer many times and he knew my love of harmonies. Some people who
|
[
"Who is the Irish singing star?",
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] |
[
"Enya",
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] |
question: Who is the Irish singing star?, answer: Enya | question: What does the Irish singing star do?, answer: writing of the melodies in the songs, | question: What is Enya's new album called?, answer: "And Winter Came," | question: What does the Irish singer do while she works on albums?, answer: sets her own pace | question: What is the name of Enya's new album?, answer: "And Winter Came"
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Every weekend for more than four years, Fred Murray has walked the road where his daughter, Maura, vanished. Family, friends and volunteers help him look in the woods and mountains near Haverhill, New Hampshire, for clues to what happened to her.
Maura Murray, 21, disappeared while driving in the New Hampshire woods on a snowy night in 2004.
Maura Murray, a 21-year-old nursing student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, disappeared on a cold and snowy night in February 2004. She was last known to be driving from Massachusetts through New Hampshire. It is still unclear where she was heading in her black 1996 Saturn.
The car was found abandoned, its front end crashed against a tree. It apparently had skidded off a road at a sharp curve.
Shortly after the accident, a passing bus driver stopped and asked Murray if she needed help. She said no.
Ten minutes later, police arrived. Inside the crumpled Saturn, they found some of Murray's belongings -- school books, running gear, snack foods and alcohol -- police won't say what kind. But Murray was gone, along with her car keys and a backpack she always carried.
There was nothing to hint she'd be motivated to run away, according to her fiancé, William Rausch, and her father, Fred Murray. Watch why this cold case is a true mystery »
Maura Murray had just gotten engaged to Rausch, her college sweetheart and an Army lieutenant stationed in Oklahoma. They planned to marry after she graduated from nursing school in June 2005. She'd found a summer nursing job in Oklahoma. She had everything to look forward to.
"She was in good spirits and had no worries or reason to run away from her life," Fred Murray said.
Investigators initially operated under the theory that the dean's list student was troubled and had decided to escape from the demands of her life for a while. As a result, they did not immediately begin to look for her.
The search did not begin until 39 hours after her crashed car was found. When it finally got under way, helicopters, search dogs and ground teams covered the area near where Murray's car was found.
The dogs picked up her scent for about 100 yards, leading investigators along the road to an area between two homes. There, the dogs lost the trail.
Murray's credit cards and cell phone have not registered any activity since the night she disappeared, February 9, 2004.
Tom Shamshak, a private investigator hired by the Murray family to continue the search, said police and volunteers looked for her for two days.
"No footprints were even found in the snow," he said. "Luckily there hadn't been any fresh snowfall in those two days."
Shamshak has concluded that only two scenarios could explain what happened to Murray. Either she was picked up by someone driving on the road, or she walked to a nearby house to ask for help.
Police say they did not treat Murray's case as an abduction because they saw no signs of a struggle at the scene.
Before she left campus, police learned, Murray had e-mailed her professors and informed them she'd be absent for a few days because of a death in the family. Murray's family and friends said no one in the family had died.
Police also noted that Murray had enough food and other items in her car to suggest she might be taking a short getaway vacation.
Murray is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 120 pounds, with brown hair and blue-green eyes. She was last seen wearing a dark coat and jeans and carrying a black backpack and Samsung cell phone.
A $40,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to her whereabouts or the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance. The tip line is 603-271-2663, New Hampshire State Police.
|
[
"What was found crashed into a tree?",
"What is the number to call?",
"What number do you call?",
"What is the reward amount?",
"What did Maura tell her proffesor?",
"What is the reward offered?",
"What did the car crash into?",
"How much was the reward?"
] |
[
"The car",
"603-271-2663,",
"603-271-2663,",
"$40,000",
"she'd be absent for a few days because of a death in the family.",
"$40,000",
"a tree.",
"$40,000"
] |
question: What was found crashed into a tree?, answer: The car | question: What is the number to call?, answer: 603-271-2663, | question: What number do you call?, answer: 603-271-2663, | question: What is the reward amount?, answer: $40,000 | question: What did Maura tell her proffesor?, answer: she'd be absent for a few days because of a death in the family. | question: What is the reward offered?, answer: $40,000 | question: What did the car crash into?, answer: a tree. | question: How much was the reward?, answer: $40,000
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Fans of Michael Jackson lined the streets outside Harlem's Apollo Theater on Tuesday for a chance to pay their respects to the late "King of Pop" at the hall that helped launch his career.
A hat and glittery glove represent Michael Jackson at the Apollo Theater tribute.
The crowd stood eight to 10 abreast in the sun and 80-degree weather for 10 blocks, waiting for hours for a chance to enter the theater. Fans were allowed in 600 at a time, where they lay flowers and other mementos at the foot of the stage and danced to Jackson's music as it played over the sound system.
"We left our house at 4 o'clock in the morning and got here at 9, and we were lucky to get here," said Angela Staples, who came to New York from Pennsylvania with her daughter Jasmine. "I'm so happy about the outpouring of love and the crowd and the people. It's so respectful to Michael."
Those in the hall observed a moment of silence at 5:26 p.m. -- the time Jackson was pronounced dead Thursday in Los Angeles, California. The cause of the 50-year-old singer's death has not yet been determined.
An autopsy on the 50-year-old singer was was inconclusive, leaving authorities waiting on the results of toxicology tests to determine what killed him.
Fans have been gathering outside the theater since last week to remember Jackson, who at age 9 won a 1967 Apollo amateur night showcase with his brothers in the group the Jackson 5.
"While he went on from the Apollo stage to achieve international fame on an unprecedented level, to us and all of you, he's family because he started out here," said Jonelle Procope, the legendary venue's CEO.
Jackson became an idol of both black and white fans and was among the first African-American artists to get widespread play on the music-video channel MTV. But in later years, he was known more for a roller-coaster personal life, including extensive plastic surgery, financial woes and a 1995 trial and acquittal on child-molestation charges.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, the New York civil rights activist who became a friend of the Jackson family, urged Jackson's fans not to let critics "scandalize" a groundbreaking performer.
"Michael wasn't no freak," Sharpton said. "Michael was a genius. Michael was an innovator. You can't take someone with extraordinary skills, extraordinary talent, and make him an ordinary person. He was extraordinary. He lived extraordinarily, and we love him with an extraordinary passion."
The Apollo had been one of the top venues for jazz, gospel and soul artists for decades before the Jacksons' breakthrough. Sharpton said the theater was home to "the best and the baddest."
"You've got to come from the stage of the Apollo and go all over the world to understand Michael," Sharpton said. "We understand his journey, because we were with him every step of the way."
The Jackson brothers' amateur night win led to a $1,000 deal for 31 shows at the Apollo, said Bobby Schiffman, whose family owned the theater.
"Shortly after their appearance, Diana Ross took them on an NBC special that she did, and there was no looking back after that. They just skyrocketed," Schiffman said.
Jackson at the time "was a sweet little boy," he said.
"He was extremely talented, extremely easy to get along with," Schiffman said. "He always had a smile on his face, and it was a pleasure to see him working in the theater."
CNN's Aspen Steib contributed to this report.
|
[
"In what year did Jackson 5 win amateur night at the Apollo?",
"when did they win?",
"Where did fans go to pay tribute to Michael Jackson?",
"Who lay flowers,mementos?",
"what did they lay down?",
"In what ways did the fans pay tribute to Jackson?",
"Who pay tribute to Michael Jackson at Apollo Theater?",
"where was the tribute?",
"Who won amateur night contest at Apollo in 1967?"
] |
[
"1967",
"1967",
"Harlem's Apollo Theater",
"Fans of Michael Jackson",
"flowers and other mementos",
"lay flowers and other mementos",
"Fans",
"Harlem's Apollo Theater",
"Michael Jackson"
] |
question: In what year did Jackson 5 win amateur night at the Apollo?, answer: 1967 | question: when did they win?, answer: 1967 | question: Where did fans go to pay tribute to Michael Jackson?, answer: Harlem's Apollo Theater | question: Who lay flowers,mementos?, answer: Fans of Michael Jackson | question: what did they lay down?, answer: flowers and other mementos | question: In what ways did the fans pay tribute to Jackson?, answer: lay flowers and other mementos | question: Who pay tribute to Michael Jackson at Apollo Theater?, answer: Fans | question: where was the tribute?, answer: Harlem's Apollo Theater | question: Who won amateur night contest at Apollo in 1967?, answer: Michael Jackson
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Federal, state and municipal agencies staged an elaborate drill in the waters off New York City on Tuesday to prepare for the possibility of a nuclear or dirty-bomb attack from the water.
A U.S. Coast Guard vessel passes a container ship in New York Harbor as part of Tuesday's terror drill.
"We're a big city, and there are vulnerabilities," said Ray Kelly, commissioner of the New York Police Department.
Agencies involved in Tuesday's test emphasized they did not undertake it because of a specific threat against the city. However, Kelly said the city was taking no chances after a proclamation years ago by Osama bin Laden. "We do know that Osama bin Laden several years ago obtained a fatwah to use nuclear weapons, and our goal is to make certain that that fatwah does not come to fruition," he said.
In addition to increasing various agencies' preparedness for a seaborne radiological attack, Kelly said Tuesday's well-publicized drill was meant to deter those who would perpetrate such an attack.
"It pays to advertise to a certain extent. We want anyone who would do us harm to know that we're out there, that we have the capability to detect," Kelly said.
Eight government agencies participated in the drill, ranging from the NYPD to the U.S. Coast Guard. The exercise took place at the entrance of New York Harbor, just south of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge linking Staten Island to Brooklyn.
Per the drill's plan, eight boats were to cross a checkpoint set up by authorities. They were on the lookout for abnormally high concentrations of radioactivity -- a telltale sign of an improvised nuclear device or a radiological dispersal device, more familiarly known as a dirty bomb. Some of the boats were decoys with no radioactive substances aboard, while others had actual radioactive isotopes planted in them.
A radioactivity detector in the hull of the authorities' boats was to identify which vessels had radioactive substances in them. The devices are highly sensitive -- so much so that people who have recently had certain medical treatments can set them off.
It was up to the authorities participating in the drill to sort the good boats from the bad -- and to intercept the bad.
Only minutes into the six-hour exercise, equipment aboard a police boat detected radioactivity within a small white pleasure craft passing through the checkpoint.
Two patrol vessels then converged on the pleasure craft, while officials began to question the driver and his two passengers. Soon after, authorities boarded the boat and used a radiation detector, officially known as a radiological isotope identification detector, to produce a "spectrum" of the radiological material. They then transmitted the spectrum to the Department of Homeland Security's Joint Analysis Center (JAC) in Washington to determine precisely what radiological material was aboard the boat.
Within moments, the JAC radioed back with a positive identification: Caesium-137, an industrial radioactive isotope that if used in large enough quantities could power a devastating dirty bomb.
Sure enough, when a separate boat containing press and police officers sidled up to the apprehended craft soon afterward, the portable radioactivity detectors of officers onboard began to sound excitedly.
NYPD Sgt. Art Mogil said that, in part, the agencies chose to practice on leisure craft to illustrate that radiological weapons could be transported in deceptively benign-looking boats. "It doesn't require a large vessel. A device can be just a few pounds and still be a major threat," Mogil said.
James Waters, counterterrorism chief for the NYPD, said exercises like Tuesday's were vital because the stakes involved are so high. "Someone bringing in a radiological or nuclear device would be very serious if not catastrophic," he said.
On an average day, not all incoming maritime traffic in New York City is subjected to the radioactivity tests performed at Tuesday's drill. An NYPD official declined to specify what percentage of boats normally undergo such screening.
|
[
"What were they on lookout for?",
"How many boats were in the waterway?",
"What did ray kelly say?",
"Who is the NYPD Commissioner?",
"What were they on the lookout for?"
] |
[
"abnormally high concentrations of radioactivity",
"eight",
"\"We're a big city, and there are vulnerabilities,\"",
"Ray Kelly,",
"abnormally high concentrations of radioactivity"
] |
question: What were they on lookout for?, answer: abnormally high concentrations of radioactivity | question: How many boats were in the waterway?, answer: eight | question: What did ray kelly say?, answer: "We're a big city, and there are vulnerabilities," | question: Who is the NYPD Commissioner?, answer: Ray Kelly, | question: What were they on the lookout for?, answer: abnormally high concentrations of radioactivity
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Five new cases of the H1N1 virus in New York City schools will force three schools to close for a week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a news conference Thursday evening.
The city is temporarily closing the schools to "slow transmission" of the virus, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
The two intermediate schools and one primary school are in Queens, and all three will be closed for at least five days, the mayor said.
"We are closing the schools to slow transmission" of sickness, he said.
Bloomberg, flanked by New York Gov. David Paterson and New York City School Chancellor Joel Klein, said four students at one of the intermediate schools have the virus and an administrator was critically ill Thursday with H1N1. Bloomberg indicated the school administrator had a pre-existing medical condition. Fifty students at that school have been sent home with flu-like symptoms since May 6.
At the two other schools, the primary school had an overflowing nurse's office Thursday, reporting 29 students suffering from flu-like symptoms. The other intermediate school had 241 students absent with illness Thursday.
The New York City Department of Health and the Department of Education have been in nearly constant contact, said Jason Post, a spokesman from Bloomberg's office. When there's a spike in students absent from classes, the Department of Health is alerted.
"There's always good communication, flu or no flu," Post said. "But our senses have been sharp for a while now."
The Health Department has seen a general increase in flu activity in Queens, officials said in a news release. While the symptoms of H1N1 flu seem to resemble those of seasonal flu, the H1N1 virus appears to spread more extensively, at least in schools, warranting closures to slow transmission in the community, the release said.
Dr. Isaac Weisfuse, the deputy commissioner of the city's Department of Hygiene and Mental Health, said although concern is legitimate, there's no solid evidence that suggests the H1N1 flu -- also known as swine flu -- is more dangerous than the flu in general.
"The bottom line is if you're sick, stay home," Weisfuse said. "And don't go back to school until you're better for one whole day."
In late April, St. Francis Prep, a high school in Queens, was closed because of a flu outbreak. Since then, the school reopened and the stricken students have recovered, according to the mayor's office.
"As we have said from the outset of the appearance of H1N1 in our city last month, we will share with New Yorkers what we know and not speculate on what we don't know," said Bloomberg in a statement.
According to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Thursday night 7,412 cases of H1N1 flu have been confirmed worldwide. The organizations said 63 deaths attributed to the virus have been confirmed worldwide.
The CDC said 4,298 cases of the virus and three fatalities have been confirmed in the United States as of Thursday night. New York had 224 confirmed cases of H1N1, the CDC said.
It was not clear whether the five cases cited by Bloomberg and the other New York officials were included in the latest CDC total.
|
[
"Students reported what symptoms?",
"How many schools have been closed?",
"What is the name of the virus that is spreading?",
"Which virus was reported?"
] |
[
"flu-like",
"three",
"H1N1",
"H1N1"
] |
question: Students reported what symptoms?, answer: flu-like | question: How many schools have been closed?, answer: three | question: What is the name of the virus that is spreading?, answer: H1N1 | question: Which virus was reported?, answer: H1N1
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- For actress Jane Alexander, the criticism of a $50 million boost in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts is a sequel.
Tony-award winning actress Jane Alexander says giving money to the arts will save and create jobs.
She was chairman of the agency from 1993 through 1997 when arts funding was cut sharply by the Republican-led Congress, which questioned whether it was an appropriate way to use government money.
Now the issue is whether giving money to the arts should have been part of the economic stimulus program. Among those who have criticized the new spending this year is Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who delivered the Republican response to President Barack Obama's message to Congress Tuesday.
On Monday's "Larry King Live," Jindal said, "Fundamentally, I don't think $30 million for the federal government to buy new cars, $1 billion for the Census, $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts is going to get the economy moving again as quickly as allowing the private sector to create jobs."
It's no surprise that Alexander disagrees and argues that arts spending can give a vital boost to the economy. The actress, who will appear later this month in a new comedy at the New York theater company Primary Stages called "Chasing Manet," won a Tony Award for her role in the "The Great White Hope." She has been nominated eight times for an Emmy and four times for an Oscar for films including, "All the President's Men" and "Kramer vs. Kramer."
Alexander spoke to CNN.com last week.
CNN: What do you think of the controversy over the $50 million in increased government spending for the arts?
Alexander: I think it's long overdue and I was very, very happy to see it. Since 1995-96 we had an incredibly decreased budget for the NEA. Finally we're getting back to where it was when I came in [as chairman]. It's all vitally needed. In fact, the endowment has not kept pace with inflation as other agencies have. ... This $50 million will certainly help a great deal.
What people forget is that there are over 2 million people in the United States of America who are professional artists. Those are jobs like any other jobs. The artists have families, they have people for whom they're responsible and they give to their communities.
We all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The life part would be health and housing. The liberty part would be our civil rights. And the pursuit of happiness, the arts would come under that. And it's as vital a part of well-being in the United States as anything else.
CNN: When you say 2 million artists, could you define artist?
Alexander: Well they include everything from writers, painters, all the visual arts spectrum and that's pretty large, including graphic arts. Theater and so on, music, ceramicists, costume designers, makeup artists, filmmakers, it's a huge panoply.
CNN: How far can $50 million go?
Alexander: Well for the endowment which has had a budget of around $144 million currently, it can go quite a way. When I came in it was about $175 million and then it was cut under my aegis by Congress down to $99 million.
CNN: Some people will say that while the NEA may consider this a victory, it's really a pittance, a drop in the bucket, so little money given the challenges many arts organizations are facing today.
Alexander. It will help, it will help enormously, because every single NEA grant that goes out is a challenge to the community to come up with the same amount of money, or a 3 to 1. ... By the way, the public should know that within this coming year, we're going to see an awful lot of arts organizations closing. I just came from working at a theater in Pittsburgh, [Pennsylvania] and the International Poetry Forum,
|
[
"What did Alexander say would quickly support jobs?",
"What are 2 million Americans employed as?",
"Approximately how many Americans are employed as artists?",
"What will increasing funds for arts be?",
"What did Congress cut?",
"What did Jane Alexander say about increasing funds for the arts?",
"When did she chair the NEA?"
] |
[
"giving money to the arts",
"professional artists.",
"2 million",
"save and create jobs.",
"arts funding",
"will save and create jobs.",
"1993 through 1997"
] |
question: What did Alexander say would quickly support jobs?, answer: giving money to the arts | question: What are 2 million Americans employed as?, answer: professional artists. | question: Approximately how many Americans are employed as artists?, answer: 2 million | question: What will increasing funds for arts be?, answer: save and create jobs. | question: What did Congress cut?, answer: arts funding | question: What did Jane Alexander say about increasing funds for the arts?, answer: will save and create jobs. | question: When did she chair the NEA?, answer: 1993 through 1997
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- For more than a half-century Jerry and Marilyn Damman wondered what happened to their 2-year-old boy, who mysteriously vanished into thin air outside a Long Island bakery.
Steven Damman and his sister disappeared from outside a bakery in 1955. His sister was found safe.
Now, 54 years later, a Michigan man claims he is the missing child whose name was Steven Damman.
Within the last six months, the unidentified man contacted Nassau County, New York, police and said he had credible evidence that would link him to the case of the missing toddler, according to police Detective Lt. Kevin Smith. Nassau County police turned the case over to the FBI in Detroit.
So far, authorities will not release the Michigan man's identity and won't say why he believes he is Steven Damman. The FBI is conducting DNA testing, Smith said.
Sandra Berchtold, spokeswoman for the FBI Detroit bureau, said only, "The FBI investigates all leads in kidnapping cases, but cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation in this matter."
In 1955, Marilyn Damman took her toddler, Steven, and his baby sister, Pamela, to a bakery in East Meadow. The mother went inside to do some quick shopping, leaving her 2-year-old and baby girl in the stroller outside. But when Damman returned, her children were gone. A short time later, blocks away, the baby girl was found unharmed and the stroller was intact, but Steven was missing, Smith said.
Thousands of searchers looked for the toddler, but the boy was nowhere to be found. Hitting one dead end after the next, the Dammans packed up and moved from New York back to Iowa, Jerry Damman said.
And until now, they thought there was little chance of ever seeing their son again.
Jerry Damman, who lives on a farm in Iowa, told CNN, "You never give up hope, [but] things dim after all those years."
He said he isn't ready to comment on the latest developments for various reasons. Damman says authorities have contacted him, but he has not yet given DNA samples.
A few years back, Steven Damman's sister gave a DNA sample in connection with the 1957 Philadelphia case of a young boy's body found in a box. In that case, all indications were it was not Steven Damman.
|
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"What service is the FBI providing in this case?",
"What doe an unnamed Michigan man claim",
"what Unnamed Michigan man says?",
"When did the toddler went missing?",
"Which organization is conducting DNA testing",
"where 2-year-old Steven Damman vanished from?",
"Where did the child vanish from",
"What is the name of the missing toddler?"
] |
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"The FBI",
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"outside a Long Island bakery.",
"Steven Damman"
] |
question: What service is the FBI providing in this case?, answer: is conducting DNA testing, | question: What doe an unnamed Michigan man claim, answer: he is the missing child whose name was Steven Damman. | question: what Unnamed Michigan man says?, answer: claims he is the missing child whose name was Steven Damman. | question: When did the toddler went missing?, answer: 1955. | question: Which organization is conducting DNA testing, answer: The FBI | question: where 2-year-old Steven Damman vanished from?, answer: outside a Long Island bakery. | question: Where did the child vanish from, answer: outside a Long Island bakery. | question: What is the name of the missing toddler?, answer: Steven Damman
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- For someone who claims to be incredibly laid back, Jason Mraz is certainly piling up the accomplishments.
Jason Mraz was recently honored with a songwriting award for his work, which includes the hit "I'm Yours."
The singer-songwriter was the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award at last week's Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee ceremony in New York. The honor typically goes to newcomers striking a chord in the music industry.
Or, as Mraz puts it, "I hope it has something to do with their savvy freshness."
Mraz, who turned 32 this week and took his parents to the celebratory dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square June 18, says he feels great about the honor.
"I never thought my songs would escape my bedroom," he said. "To have the music shared all around the world, and to be acknowledged by communities like this ... it's inspiring."
Mraz's 2008 album "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things" has been a runaway success, with more than 2.5 million copies sold worldwide. It also led to three Grammy nominations, including song of the year and best male pop vocal performance for the reggae-inflected hit "I'm Yours."
Mraz (whose name reflects his family's Czech heritage) hits the festival circuit overseas before kicking off his stateside "Gratitude Café Tour" July 25. The tour's quirky title was inspired by a wholesome San Francisco, California, restaurant Mraz loves.
A fan of maintaining a diet of predominantly raw foods, Mraz is also a farmer of sorts: He owns an avocado farm in his home city of San Diego, California. He's also a juggler, a skill Mraz taught himself during the downtime that comes with touring. Watch the multitalented Mraz perform »
Mraz shared tales of his avocado farm, as well as what it's like to get the cold shoulder from Simon Cowell, when he sat down with CNN recently.
CNN: So, you live on an avocado farm. What's that like?
Jason Mraz: It's fantastic. Anytime you're harvesting something in your yard -- whether you have a small herb garden or I've got avocados, and now we have a solar system so we're also harvesting sun energy, which is great -- for me that's when I became an environmentalist.
I was like, "Wait a second. This is my environment. This is my piece of the Earth that I'm responsible for." Yes, the trees give me avocado and fruit that we sell and we eat tons of, but I feel like I have a role to play back to that, too. So it's cool.
CNN: So if you're at home, daily how many avocados would you eat?
Mraz: At least two. Sometimes three or four.
CNN: So you must have very nice oily skin.
Mraz: I do, thank you. It's the avocado. I just lather it on.
CNN: Do you really?
Mraz: I do. Yeah, why not? I've got tons of them!
CNN: Do you cook?
Mraz: I prepare. There's not much cooking in our household. We do a lot of raw food so it's more about putting the right ingredients together to create something scrumptious. See Mraz's chocomole recipe
CNN: When eating healthy is so important to you, how difficult is that to maintain when you're traveling around the world so much?
Mraz: Well, I bring tons of backup supplies with me.
CNN: How did you like performing on the "American Idol" final? (Mraz performed "I'm Yours" with contestants Anoop Desai and Alexis Grace.)
Mraz: I loved it. It was such a great event. And I have compassion for every one of those kids that dares audition.
I wasn't a contestant. I was just there to sing, and when I saw Simon at the end of
|
[
"What is Mraz's first name?",
"Did Mraz appeared on \"American Idol\"?",
"Who was recently honored with songwriters award?"
] |
[
"Jason",
"(Mraz performed \"I'm Yours\" with contestants Anoop Desai and Alexis Grace.)",
"Jason Mraz"
] |
question: What is Mraz's first name?, answer: Jason | question: Did Mraz appeared on "American Idol"?, answer: (Mraz performed "I'm Yours" with contestants Anoop Desai and Alexis Grace.) | question: Who was recently honored with songwriters award?, answer: Jason Mraz
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- For three years, family, friends and her college sorority sisters have been looking for Jennifer Kesse, wondering what happened to her.
Jennifer Kesse would be 26 now. She has been missing since January 24, 2006.
Last week, on the third anniversary of Kesse's disappearance, an inmate in a Florida prison said he might have the answer.
David Russ, a convicted killer being held at the Seminole County Jail, spoke last week with the missing woman's father, Drew Kesse, claiming he had information that could lead to a break in the case.
Details are being withheld from the public. In a jailhouse phone call with CNN, Russ hinted he'd eavesdropped on other inmates. He also was outspoken about his skepticism toward investigators.
"The investigators have messed this case up from the beginning and cannot be trusted," he said. That's why he asked to speak directly with the missing woman's father, he said.
Orlando police are just as skeptical of Russ. They said he provided information they already had.
"His information is not some big break in the case," said Sgt. Barbara Jones of the Orlando Police Department. "We are still hoping for new tips that could lead us to finding Jennifer Kesse."
The 24-year-old financial adviser was just back from a Caribbean vacation with her boyfriend and was getting back into her routine. She went to work at her new job, came home to her new condominium and called her parents. Watch an update on the case »
At 10 p.m., she called her boyfriend, who lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Then, her family believes, she went to bed.
The next morning, she got up and showered for work. Her clothes were neatly laid out on her bed, her family says, suggesting she may have tried on a few outfits before deciding what to wear to the office. Then, she disappeared, her family said.
She did not show up for work that Tuesday morning and her employer reported her missing.
Police found Kesse's Chevy Malibu two days later. It was parked in a gated lot about one mile down the road from the condominium complex where she lived. Inside the vehicle, police found some of Kesse's personal items, but her purse, wallet, two cell phones and briefcase were missing. The car doors were locked and the car keys were not found.
Police later released a video surveillance tape of the car being parked in the lot by someone other than Kesse.
The grainy video partially shows a person walking away from the car, past a parking lot gate. Police are uncertain if this person of interest is a man or a woman, because the image is partially obscured by the gate.
The person is described as 5 feet 4 inches, with a short haircut, wearing light-colored clothes and dark shoes. The video is time and date-stamped at noon on the day Kesse disappeared.
Forensic tests on the vehicle came back inconclusive, Sgt. Jones said. No blood or other trace evidence was found to show that Kesse had been injured in the vehicle.
Drew Kesse said that every Tuesday, landscapers worked at the condo complex near his daughter's parking space. The landscapers said they didn't see Kesse leaving her apartment and getting into her car, which she did every weekday morning between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m.
"The only theory we could come up with is that she walked out her front door and was kidnapped somewhere between her front door and the parking lot where her car was. We think since the landscapers didn't see her, she must not have even made it out of the hallways or stairwells of the condo complex," Drew Kesse said.
He added that there weren't any surveillance cameras in the hallways or stairwells at the time his daughter was living there.
Sgt. Jones said investigators have developed forensic evidence from Kesse's car that could someday match with a person of interest and identify a suspect. Police have also released a photo of a
|
[
"what says police?",
"Who is Jennifer Kesse?"
] |
[
"\"We are still hoping for new tips that could lead us to finding Jennifer Kesse.\"",
"24-year-old financial adviser"
] |
question: what says police?, answer: "We are still hoping for new tips that could lead us to finding Jennifer Kesse." | question: Who is Jennifer Kesse?, answer: 24-year-old financial adviser
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- For three years, family, friends and her college sorority sisters have been looking for Jennifer Kesse, wondering what happened to her.
Jennifer Kesse would be 26 now. She has been missing since January 24, 2006.
Last week, on the third anniversary of Kesse's disappearance, an inmate in a Florida prison said he might have the answer.
David Russ, a convicted killer being held at the Seminole County Jail, spoke last week with the missing woman's father, Drew Kesse, claiming he had information that could lead to a break in the case.
Details are being withheld from the public. In a jailhouse phone call with CNN, Russ hinted he'd eavesdropped on other inmates. He also was outspoken about his skepticism toward investigators.
"The investigators have messed this case up from the beginning and cannot be trusted," he said. That's why he asked to speak directly with the missing woman's father, he said.
Orlando police are just as skeptical of Russ. They said he provided information they already had.
"His information is not some big break in the case," said Sgt. Barbara Jones of the Orlando Police Department. "We are still hoping for new tips that could lead us to finding Jennifer Kesse."
The 24-year-old financial adviser was just back from a Caribbean vacation with her boyfriend and was getting back into her routine. She went to work at her new job, came home to her new condominium and called her parents. Watch an update on the case »
At 10 p.m., she called her boyfriend, who lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Then, her family believes, she went to bed.
The next morning, she got up and showered for work. Her clothes were neatly laid out on her bed, her family says, suggesting she may have tried on a few outfits before deciding what to wear to the office. Then, she disappeared, her family said.
She did not show up for work that Tuesday morning and her employer reported her missing.
Police found Kesse's Chevy Malibu two days later. It was parked in a gated lot about one mile down the road from the condominium complex where she lived. Inside the vehicle, police found some of Kesse's personal items, but her purse, wallet, two cell phones and briefcase were missing. The car doors were locked and the car keys were not found.
Police later released a video surveillance tape of the car being parked in the lot by someone other than Kesse.
The grainy video partially shows a person walking away from the car, past a parking lot gate. Police are uncertain if this person of interest is a man or a woman, because the image is partially obscured by the gate.
The person is described as 5 feet 4 inches, with a short haircut, wearing light-colored clothes and dark shoes. The video is time and date-stamped at noon on the day Kesse disappeared.
Forensic tests on the vehicle came back inconclusive, Sgt. Jones said. No blood or other trace evidence was found to show that Kesse had been injured in the vehicle.
Drew Kesse said that every Tuesday, landscapers worked at the condo complex near his daughter's parking space. The landscapers said they didn't see Kesse leaving her apartment and getting into her car, which she did every weekday morning between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m.
"The only theory we could come up with is that she walked out her front door and was kidnapped somewhere between her front door and the parking lot where her car was. We think since the landscapers didn't see her, she must not have even made it out of the hallways or stairwells of the condo complex," Drew Kesse said.
He added that there weren't any surveillance cameras in the hallways or stairwells at the time his daughter was living there.
Sgt. Jones said investigators have developed forensic evidence from Kesse's car that could someday match with a person of interest and identify a suspect. Police have also released a photo of a
|
[
"Who called the father/",
"Who says inmate's information is nothing new?",
"when did she disappear?"
] |
[
"David Russ,",
"Sgt. Barbara Jones",
"January 24, 2006."
] |
question: Who called the father/, answer: David Russ, | question: Who says inmate's information is nothing new?, answer: Sgt. Barbara Jones | question: when did she disappear?, answer: January 24, 2006.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- For years, Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout made millions of dollars delivering weapons and ammunition to warlords and militants, officials say.
On Thursday, Bout and his associate, Andrew Smulian, were arrested in Thailand after a series of events that officials said could have come straight out of a spy novel.
The men's capture involved law enforcement agencies from at least five countries, including two undercover agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration posing as Colombian rebels.
Bout and Smulian are accused of conspiracy to provide surface-to-air missiles and other weapons to Colombian rebels, said Michael Garcia, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
In a complaint filed by a DEA agent, they are said to have conspired to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.
The U.S. Department of State designated the group as a foreign terrorist organization in 2003.
"This marks the end of the reign of one of the world's most-wanted arms traffickers," Garcia said of Bout.
"Someone will undoubtedly write a book about this case someday, and I can tell you that it will read like the very best work of Tom Clancy, only in this case, it won't be fiction," said Michael Braun, assistant administrator and chief of operations for the DEA.
Secret meetings
The operation began in January, when Smulian began meeting with two men who claimed to represent FARC but who were actually confidential sources working for the DEA.
The men expressed interest in buying millions of dollars worth of weapons.
At meetings in the Netherlands Antilles, Denmark and Romania, Smulian discussed the details and logistics of the arms deal with the two agents. At one meeting, the agents were given a digital memory stick containing an article about Bout and documents containing photos and specifications for 100 surface-to-air missiles and armor-piercing rocket launchers.
Smulian explained that a delivery system was in place that would allow the weapons to be air-dropped into Colombia, and he told the men that it would cost $5 million to transport the weapons.
During one meeting, Smulian introduced the DEA sources to Bout over the phone.
After that conversation, Smulian told one of the sources that the weapons were ready in Bulgaria. Smulian and Bout set up a face-to-face meeting with them to finalize the deal, and that is what happened Thursday.
The arrests were made Thursday afternoon.
The charges against Bout and Smulian cover the period from November through February, according to a written statement from the U.S. attorney's office and the DEA.
The United States plans to pursue the extradition of Bout from Thailand, the statement said. There was no mention of Smulian's fate.
Bout and Smulian are charged with conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, each could get a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, the statement said.
'I'm not a diamond guy'
Intelligence agencies around the world have tracked Bout for years. Although some of his work has been legitimate, most has not.
He has made deliveries to Africa, Asia and the Mideast using obsolete or surplus Soviet-era cargo planes.
Bout, a former Soviet air force officer who speaks multiple languages, has what is reputed to be the largest private fleet of Soviet-era cargo aircraft in the world, according to U.S. officials.
He acquired the planes shortly after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said in 2005.
At that time, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was freezing the assets of Bout and his associates, who are all tied to former Liberian President Charles Taylor.
Taylor is being tried on war crimes charges by the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Intelligence officials said Bout shipped large quantities of small arms to civil wars across Africa and Asia, often taking diamonds in payment from West African fighters.
A 2006 article in Foreign Policy magazine said that although Bout served many third-world leaders
|
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question: what does U.S wants from Thailand?, answer: extradition of Bout | question: Who is Bout accused of selling weapons to?, answer: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, | question: who is viktor bout, answer: Russian arms dealer | question: what did british official say about bout shipping?, answer: shipped large quantities of small arms to civil wars across Africa and Asia, | question: what are associates accused of?, answer: conspiracy to provide surface-to-air missiles and other weapons to Colombian rebels, | question: what did bout do, answer: made millions of dollars | question: Who do the United States want extradited from Thailand?, answer: Viktor Bout | question: Who does the US want extradited from Thailand?, answer: Bout | question: To whom did Bout ship arms?, answer: warlords and militants, | question: To what rebels are Bout and his associate accused of conspiring to sell weapons to?, answer: militants,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress pleaded guilty Thursday to a weapons charge stemming from a shooting incident at a nightclub last year, the Manhattan district attorney said.
Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress will serve two years in prison after pleading guilty to weapons charges.
Burress, 32, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted criminal possession of a weapon and will serve two years in prison, according to Alicia Maxey Greene, spokeswoman for district attorney Robert M. Morgenthau's office. Two years of supervised release will follow his jail term, she said.
Burress is free on bail and will be sentenced September 22.
A grand jury indicted the former New York Giants football player earlier this month on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and a single count of reckless endangerment in the second degree.
He pleaded not guilty to those charges earlier this year.
Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg November 29, 2008, with a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol he was carrying in the waistband of his jeans. The incident occurred in the VIP area of the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan.
A teammate who was with Burress, linebacker Antonio Pierce, drove him to a hospital and arranged to have the pistol delivered to Burress' New Jersey home, according to an August 3 statement from the district attorney's office. The district attorney also sought charges against Pierce, but the grand jury did not indict him.
Burress was not licensed to carry a pistol in either New York or New Jersey.
No one, including employees of the New York Presbyterian Hospital and the NFL, called the police to report the gunshot wound, as required by law. One of the hospital workers was suspended after the incident.
Burress became a hero to New York Giants fans in the 2008 Super Bowl when he caught the game-winning touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning with 35 seconds remaining in the game.
In the following year, however, Burress' career with the Giants was marred by a series of incidents in addition to the shooting. He was suspended from the team in early October for missing a practice, and later that month the NFL fined him $45,000 after he argued with a referee and threw a football into the stands during a game.
Burress was suspended from the Giants immediately after the shooting incident. The team released him in April.
CNN's Chloe Melas contributed to this report
|
[
"What date did the ex New York Giant accidentally shoot himself?",
"Who pleaded not guilty to other charges this year?",
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] |
[
"November 29, 2008,",
"Plaxico Burress",
"two"
] |
question: What date did the ex New York Giant accidentally shoot himself?, answer: November 29, 2008, | question: Who pleaded not guilty to other charges this year?, answer: Plaxico Burress | question: Plaxico Burress will serve how many years in prison?, answer: two
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former New York City police Commissioner Bernard Kerik pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday to a revised indictment charging him in a corruption and tax evasion case, according to a spokesman for the New York District Attorney.
A revised indictment brings to 15 the number of counts against former police Commissioner Bernard Kerik.
The revised indictment includes two new counts of aiding the filing of false returns and a charge involving making false statements while applying for a housing loan, spokesman Herbert Hadad of the district attorney's office told CNN.
Kerik is accused of failing to report more than $500,000 in income between 1999 and 2004, said Patricia Haynes, the IRS agent in charge of the case.
Prosecutors allege Kerik received and concealed benefits of about $255,000 in renovations to his Riverdale, New York, apartment from a company seeking to do business with the city of New York.
Revisions to the original indictment, which included charges of corruption, conspiracy and tax evasion, bring to 15 the number of counts against Kerik.
Barry Berke, Kerik's attorney, declined to comment.
The indictment also charges that Kerik made several false statements to the White House and other federal officials when he applied for the position as adviser to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and in connection with his nomination to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Robinson did not rule Monday on whether the two counts that include charges of lying to White House officials will be tried in Washington or White Plains, New York.
Kerik is due back in court February 3 for a hearing on pretrial motions, Hadad said. A trial date has not been set.
Kerik, 53, is a longtime friend and former protege of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. President Bush nominated him to be secretary of homeland security after winning re-election in 2004, but Kerik withdrew his name amid allegations that he employed a nanny who had a questionable immigration status.
Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson began investigating allegations that Kerik had traded payment on repairs to his Bronx apartment for favors, including city contracts.
The former chief pleaded guilty in 2006 to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts while he worked as city corrections commissioner. He was fined $221,000 and avoided jail time under his plea agreement.
Before tapping Kerik for a Cabinet post, Bush dispatched him to Baghdad to train Iraqi police after the U.S. invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. He left three months into an expected six-month stint, with Iraqi officials telling reporters that he had completed his assignment.
In 2004, he campaigned for Bush's re-election and spoke at the Republican National Convention in New York.
CNN's Mary Snow contributed to this report.
|
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] |
question: What is Kerik accused of?, answer: corruption and tax evasion | question: What job did Kerik formerly have?, answer: New York City police Commissioner | question: How much money did Kerik fail to report?, answer: more than $500,000 | question: Who did he make false statements to?, answer: the White House and other federal officials | question: How much money did he not report?, answer: $500,000 in income | question: What is Bernard Kerik being accused of?, answer: of failing to report more than $500,000 in income between 1999 and 2004, | question: Who is Bernard Kerik?, answer: Former New York City police Commissioner | question: What is Bernard Kerik ccused of?, answer: corruption and tax evasion | question: Has a trial date been set?, answer: not
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Global markets were reeling Monday after a historic day on Wall Street that saw two famous names become the latest victims of the credit crunch.
The leading U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and brokerage Merrill Lynch was the subject of a $50 billion buyout by Bank of America.
The fate of other big name financial institutions remained in doubt and stock prices plunged in Asia, Europe and the United States.
In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 504 points down, or about 4.4 percent.
The Nasdaq composite lost 3.6 percent, its worst single-session percentage decline since March 24, 2003. It left the tech-fueled average at its lowest point since March 17 of this year.
In Europe, FTSE index in London declined 3.92 percent while the Paris CAC 40 was down 3.78 percent. It was the worst day for the index since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.
Major Asian indexes were closed but India's Sensex fell 5.4 percent, Taiwan's benchmark dropped 4.1, Australia's key index dropped 2 percent and Singapore fell 2.9. Check markets
The turmoil at Merrill Lynch and Lehman is bound to mean job losses in the already hard-hit financial services industry, but so far neither company has indicated how many will be cut.
"This crisis is clearly deeper than anybody had imagined only a short time ago," Peter Stein, an associate editor at the Wall Street Journal in Asia, told CNN.
The chaos followed a roller-coaster weekend for a Wall Street already concussed by woes at other major financial firms and mortgage-financing titans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Sound off: What do you think?
At one point the U.S. Federal Reserve was forced to step in, announcing plans to loosen lending restrictions to the banking industry in an effort to calm markets, while a consortium of 10 leading domestic and foreign banks agreed a $70 billion fund to lend to troubled financial firms.
U.S. President George W. Bush said Monday he is confident that the markets are resilient and can deal with the latest financial blows. "We are working to reduce disruptions and minimize the impact these financial market developments on the broader economy." Watch what went wrong »
He added: "In the short run, adjustments in the financial markets can be painful for people worried about their investments and for employees of the firms."
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said eight years of Bush "brought us the most serious financial crisis since the Great Depression."
His Republican rival said John McCain said he was happy the federal government decided not to use taxpayer dollars to bail out Lehman Brothers.
In an effort to calm market jitters, the European Central Bank on Monday said it has pumped $42.6 billion into money markets. The Bank of England in London also took steps, offering nearly $9 billion in a three-day auction.
In another development, American International Group, the world's largest insurer, was reportedly struggling to secure billions of dollars in capital after months of seeing its share values slide.
Police cordoned off Lehman's headquarters in New York on Sunday as staff, some in suits, others in casual clothes, left the building with cardboard boxes while tourists and onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle.
The 158-year-old bank, which has weathered previous financial upheavals and saw its offices destroyed in the September 11 World Trade Center attacks, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which grants protection while it works out a plan to pay back creditors.
The collapse of Lehman came after shares declined 94 percent in the space of a year, prompting speculation over its fate. It took a turn for the worse Sunday when Bank of America and British bank Barclays, both viewed as potential "white knights," pulled out of deal talks, sources told CNNMoney.com.
Both Lehmans and Merrill have been caught with huge exposures to unsecured mortgages, the bad debts at the heart of the so-called credit crunch that has devalued the U.S. housing market and sent financial shockwaves worldwide. Analysis: Different rules for different names »
Lehman
|
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question: what happened for dow jones, answer: closed 504 points down, | question: which bank file for bankruptcy?, answer: Lehman Brothers | question: Who is to file for bankruptcy?, answer: Lehman Brothers | question: Which markets tumbled?, answer: Global | question: which bank is going to take care of Merrill Lynch?, answer: of America. | question: Who agrees to be taken over?, answer: brokerage Merrill Lynch | question: Who is to be taken over by Bank of America?, answer: Merrill Lynch | question: Who filed for bankruptcy?, answer: Lehman Brothers | question: what did bank of america do, answer: $50 billion buyout
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Gov. David Paterson of New York has told state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states and countries where they are legal, his spokeswoman said Wednesday.
The governor's legal counsel told state agencies in a May 14 memo to revise policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in California and Massachusetts as well as Canada and other countries that allow gays and lesbians to marry, said Erin Duggan, the governor's spokeswoman.
The memo informed state agencies that failing to recognize gay marriages would violate the New York's human rights law, Duggan said.
The directive follows a February ruling from a New York state appeals court. That decision says that legal same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions are entitled to recognition in New York.
"This was in direct response to a court ruling," Duggan told CNN. "Just to make sure all the state agencies are on the same page." See what rules your state has about same-sex unions »
Duggan says that the court's decision was consistent with the findings of several lower courts in New York State.
The governor's legal counsel sent the memo one day before the California Supreme Court struck down a ban on gay marriage in that state. Court officials in California counties may begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on June 17, state officials said Wednesday.
Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriages in 2004, and gay couples need not be state residents there to wed. However, then-Gov. Mitt Romney resurrected a 1913 law barring non-resident marriages in the state if the marriage would be prohibited in the partners' home state.
Subsequent court and agency decisions have determined that only residents of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Mexico may marry in Massachusetts, unless the parties say they plan to move there after the marriage.
New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey and Connecticut permit civil unions, while California has a domestic-partner registration law. More than a dozen other states give same-sex couples some legal rights, as do some other countries.
|
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"Massachusetts",
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question: What state legalized marriages?, answer: Massachusetts | question: what will violate a human rights?, answer: failing to recognize gay marriages | question: who legalized the marriages, answer: Massachusetts | question: What other states have legalized same-sex marriage?, answer: New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey | question: what follows the rulling?, answer: The directive | question: what breaks the law, answer: failing to recognize gay marriages
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- He is iconic, there's no doubt.
George Hamilton gets his life story on screen in "My One and Only."
With the elegant suit and tie, the impeccable grooming, the tan (Did I mention the tan?), George Hamilton is still a charmer, and he comes across like a born bon vivant.
Sure, his acting may have taken a backseat to his bronzed visage years ago, but what did happen to him years ago? Well, there's a story there, one now coming to the big screen. Hamilton's formative years are loosely depicted in the film "My One and Only," opening in wide release September 4.
"My One and Only" has the style of a film produced during Hollywood's golden age, but the tale is easily relatable to today. In the film, Hamilton's mother, Anne, played by Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger, walks in on her bandleader husband and another woman. She hits the road in a brand new Cadillac Coupe de Ville with her two sons, George and Robbie, en route to find a new husband and a new life. Watch a preview of 'My One and Only' »
Hamilton, 70, spoke with CNN about the film, old Hollywood and his mother. The following is an edited version of the interview.
CNN: There is a lot of heartache in this story. Why did you want to share it?
George Hamilton: I don't know that I really did want to share it. It's a fictional story based on a real story loosely about me. And I went to the movie to hate it.
And I looked at the movie and I thought, my God, [Zellweger] looks nothing like my mother, but she was able to portray the emotions just the way it was then. I couldn't speak. I was completely overwhelmed by what Renee did. That's a great actress.
CNN: Do you think that your mother shaped your life more than your father?
Hamilton: I think they're kind of like sand and a rock, kind of -- you keep rubbing up against them and they form you.
I knew that I was the man of the family from the time I was 10, 12 -- you know, I had to be. But I knew I had to get away from it. So I signed onto military school. Then my mother said, if you're bad I'm sending you to your father, and I said, send me. I ... lived a whole year with my father -- I got to know him, I got to understand the two sides to the story. My mother didn't say bad things about him. I presumed that he was this foreign person who left and abandoned us. He didn't at all.
And when I made it in Hollywood and I didn't want to be an actor, there they arrived. It was their triumph, not mine. I wanted to be a doctor.
CNN: Now in hindsight, do you understand what your mom was doing?
Hamilton: That's a very good question. No, I didn't, I didn't get her. What I knew was I would work -- I was ... with people who had millions of dollars, and they just accepted me, and I would go out and buy a tuxedo in the thrift shop, and go to the coming-out party of a very wealthy socialite, and they would say oh, now chic. You wore your grandfather's or your father's tuxedo. And I had bought it for $5.
And I realized there was a whole reverse way of acting, and people just presumed you were old money, and I played that. That was my game. But when I looked at my mother I realized that she was born almost like a child, with the theory that we would be divinely supported. Always trust that, don't be afraid. Poverty, or [being] poor, is a mentality, it
|
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"Who wrote My One and ONly?",
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"What is the subject of \"My One and Only\"?",
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"What did Hamilton originally want to be?",
"What actor is perpetually tanned?",
"What actor wanted to be a doctor?",
"What did Hamilton say about old Hollywood?"
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] |
question: Who wrote My One and ONly?, answer: George Hamilton | question: What does Hamilton remember?, answer: old Hollywood and his mother. | question: What is the subject of "My One and Only"?, answer: Hamilton's formative years | question: Who was the subject of "My One and Only"?, answer: George Hamilton | question: What did Hamilton want to be?, answer: a doctor. | question: What did Hamilton originally want to be?, answer: a doctor. | question: What actor is perpetually tanned?, answer: George Hamilton | question: What actor wanted to be a doctor?, answer: George Hamilton | question: What did Hamilton say about old Hollywood?, answer: think they're kind of like sand and a rock, kind of -- you keep rubbing up against them and they form you.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- He performed at Ellen DeGeneres' wedding this past summer, and he's as quick-witted as Adam Sandler. Could Joshua Radin be the next great wedding singer?
Joshua Radin got a push from old friend Zach Braff, but has been making his own fans.
"No, don't say that," the singer-songwriter says good-naturedly. "Wedding singers play covers and they're usually Motown songs. I don't know any Al Green."
Maybe not -- and Al Green didn't record for Motown, either -- but Radin hopes to put a little love in your heart with his sophomore album, "Simple Times."
"It's about my whole life. Every song I write is an honest account of my life. They're sort of like journal entries," he says. "So this one's about falling in and out of love, it's about my friends, it's about my family. It's about the world we live in."
Radin's world has been anything but simple these past few years. Since actor Zach Braff -- a buddy from Northwestern University -- promoted the Cleveland, Ohio-born musician's tunes on the TV sitcom "Scrubs," Radin's vulnerable lyrics and whispery delivery have caught on. Primetime programs like "Grey's Anatomy" and "American Idol" also used his music, and before long Radin had a debut album -- 2006's critically acclaimed "We Were Here" -- and a reason to hit the road.
Radin (who has a loud, hearty laugh for a guy whose songs are pretty melancholy) dropped by CNN's New York offices to talk about how he landed that wedding gig, and some of the unusual surfaces he uses to jot down lyrics. The following is an edited version of the interview. Watch Radin cause hearts to melt »
CNN: A lot of your songs are about heartache and heartbreak. Are you sad all the time?
Joshua Radin: No, not at all. Just tired.
CNN: Why so tired?
Radin: Because I play a lot of shows all the time. When you're trying to get your music out to as many people as humanly possible, you gotta go places ... all the time, and talk about it and play songs and you get a little less sleep than you might like. It's cool. But in terms of the heartache I guess I get my sad out by writing songs.
CNN: How do you get your happy out?
Radin: Hanging out with people I like.
CNN: Speaking of people you like, Zach Braff [is] a big buddy of yours ...
Radin: Never met him.
CNN: Liar!
Radin: He's a very close friend and he's been very supportive.
CNN: Some might say that without Zach Braff's support you might not have come to the fore as you have ...
Radin: I wouldn't even be born.
CNN: Do you sort of feel like you are going to be indebted to him for the rest of your life?
Radin: No, he's pretty much indebted to me. I mean he got to launch my career (laughs). I'm just kidding.
CNN: You sang at Ellen DeGeneres' wedding. How did that come about?
Radin: I played her show in January and she came up to me after we soundchecked the song ["Today"] and said, "That's the song I want to walk down the aisle to." And I thought she was just being nice, really.
And then about two days before the wedding -- I was on tour -- I got a call saying she wanted me to come in and she was going to have her wedding for a very intimate gathering at her house. And she wanted me to play about five or six of my songs ...
CNN: The happy ones, I hope.
Radin: Yeah, I only have about five or six songs about falling
|
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"\"Simple Times.\"",
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question: What is Josh radins new album called, answer: "Simple Times." | question: What wedding did he play at?, answer: Ellen DeGeneres' | question: What is the name of the album?, answer: "Simple Times." | question: Who is a friend of Zach braff, answer: Joshua Radin | question: What show were his songs on?, answer: "Grey's Anatomy" and "American Idol"
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- He's the other hero.
After pulling child to safety, firefighter Jimmy Senk went back into burning building in case another was inside.
Jimmy Senk is a Bronx, New York, firefighter who went inside a burning apartment with black smoke billowing out of the windows on Wednesday, pulled out a 4-year-old boy and handed him to a bystander.
"I'm just glad he's alive, you know?" Senk told CNN. The boy has since been released from the hospital.
The bystander, shopkeeper Horia Cretan, climbed four floors up a fire escape to try to help the boy before firefighters arrived.
Cretan couldn't reach the youngster. But when firefighter Senk and his fellow battle blazers arrived on the scene, they sprung into action.
Senk couldn't use the fire escape. Too many apartment residents were using it to get out.
"When I looked up," Senk said, "I could see the boy's arm sticking out the window." But the window was blocked by a bunk bed. Senk couldn't fit through the window.
One of Senk's fellow firefighters put him on a ladder and got him to a different window. But then the boy did something unexpected.
He disappeared into the black smoke back inside his bedroom.
"What am I gonna do now?" Senk recalled. "I masked up and went in."
Senk says there was intense heat. The smoke was so thick that he couldn't see a thing. He felt around for the boy with his hands. Senk found him near a doorway.
In video that's been aired repeatedly on local, national, and international TV, Senk is seen leaning out the window and handing the boy to Cretan.
Senk says he knew the boy wasn't in good shape. "He was unconscious. The body was limp. He was foaming at the mouth."
"I didn't think he was going to make it," Senk added. Watch Senk talk about the rescue with CNN's Susan Candiotti »
He says he yelled to his team to get some oxygen. Then, thanks to the helping hand from Cretan, he went right back in.
Senk said he had to. He remembered seeing that bunk bed.
"You see bunk beds; you gotta figure there's two kids in there, right?"
Meantime, Cretan said he was holding the boy. "He was lifeless. I cleaned up his mouth and his nostrils,' said Cretan.
He pushed on his chest and he says the boy opened his eyes. 'Once he did that, I was happy," said Cretan.
Then, he carried the boy downstairs and into the waiting hands of firefighters.
Senk didn't find anyone else inside the bedroom. When he eventually made it to the ground, his team patted him on the back.
"I said, 'I just hope that kid lived. And he [another firefighter] goes, 'He lived.' He was talking before he left,' " said Senk.
"It was just incredible. I couldn't believe it because he was completely unconscious."
Cretan has been congratulated on several TV shows for his efforts, but he acknowledged the role firefighters played.
"Trust me. Firefighters are heroes," Cretan said.
Senk says such rescues are a team effort.
"It's the greatest job in the world. You get to save lives every day," he said.
|
[
"Who carried the boy from the burning building?",
"What event turned Hori Cretan into a hero?",
"Who was the other hero?",
"Who was also noted as a hero and went into the building?",
"What did Senk say about the experience and rescue?",
"Did anybody think the boy would make it?"
] |
[
"Jimmy Senk",
"climbed four floors up a fire escape to try to help the boy before firefighters arrived.",
"Jimmy Senk",
"Jimmy Senk",
"\"I'm just glad he's alive, you know?\"",
"\"I didn't"
] |
question: Who carried the boy from the burning building?, answer: Jimmy Senk | question: What event turned Hori Cretan into a hero?, answer: climbed four floors up a fire escape to try to help the boy before firefighters arrived. | question: Who was the other hero?, answer: Jimmy Senk | question: Who was also noted as a hero and went into the building?, answer: Jimmy Senk | question: What did Senk say about the experience and rescue?, answer: "I'm just glad he's alive, you know?" | question: Did anybody think the boy would make it?, answer: "I didn't
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Her identity revealed, a blogger who posted rants about model Liskula Cohen said she was the real victim in the case and plans to sue Google for violating her privacy.
Rosemary Port says she plans to sue Google for not doing enough to protect her identity.
Rosemary Port and her lawyer said Monday that they will file a $15 million lawsuit against the search engine giant for not doing enough to protect her identity.
"I not only feel my client was wronged, but I feel now it sets precedent that anyone with money and power can get the identity of anyone that decides to be an anonymous blogger," said Salvator Strazzullo, Port's lawyer.
A New York Supreme Court judge ordered Google to reveal Port's identity after Cohen sued the company to acquire information about the anonymous blogger. Watch model explain her persistence »
"I wanted it gone," Cohen said. "I didn't want it to be there for the rest of my life. And I knew the only way for it to be gone was to call my lawyer."
In August 2008, Port, a user of Google-owned Blogger.com, created "Skanks in NYC." The site assailed Cohen, 37, a cover girl who has appeared in Vogue and other fashion magazines. The blog featured photos of Cohen accompanied by derogatory terms.
The judge rejected Port's argument that blogs on the Internet "serve as a modern-day forum for conveying personal opinions" and should not be regarded as fact.
Cohen's attorney, Steve Wagner, said he couldn't believe Port's nerve in suing Google.
"Her being a victim here? I have trouble understanding that in its entirety," he said.
Legal experts said Port is not likely to win her case.
Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's senior legal analyst, said Google was complying with a court order and that disclosing Port's name cannot be viewed as violating her rights.
"Google never promises anyone absolute anonymity," Toobin said. "There are all sorts of circumstances when Google cooperates with law enforcement."
Blogger.com requires only a valid e-mail address to register for a blog. After the court demanded Port's identity, Google handed over her e-mail address to Cohen's lawyers so they could track her down.
In response to CNN's request for an interview, Google issued a statement:
"Google does comply with valid legal processes, such as court orders and subpoenas, and these same processes apply to all law-abiding companies. At the same time, we have a legal team whose job is to scrutinize these requests and make sure they meet not only the letter but the spirit of the law."
Online activists have closely followed the model blogger's case.
Nick Thompson of Wired magazine said the case will force people to recognize that the blogosphere, however anonymous, is not above the law. On the other hand, it could deter some bloggers who fear the cloak of anonymity could be lifted at any moment.
"There will be people who won't publish things that maybe they should publish or that would be good for society," Thompson said.
|
[
"what did judge order Google to reveal",
"Who created,\"Shanks\" in NYC",
"What did Rosemary Port create",
"A Judge in a lawsuit ordered Google to do what?"
] |
[
"Port's identity",
"Rosemary Port",
"\"Skanks in NYC.\"",
"reveal Port's identity after Cohen sued the company"
] |
question: what did judge order Google to reveal, answer: Port's identity | question: Who created,"Shanks" in NYC, answer: Rosemary Port | question: What did Rosemary Port create, answer: "Skanks in NYC." | question: A Judge in a lawsuit ordered Google to do what?, answer: reveal Port's identity after Cohen sued the company
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hip-hop artist Lil Wayne pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted criminal possession of a weapon, the Manhattan district attorney's office said.
Lil Wayne is expected to receive a one-year jail sentence for his guilty plea.
He is expected to receive a one-year jail sentence, the office said. The Grammy Award-winning artist, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, is due for sentencing in February.
His trial had been scheduled to begin in January.
When he was indicted in February 2008, Carter pleaded not guilty to a charge of criminal possession of a weapon, the district attorney's office said. His guilty plea Thursday was to a reduced charge.
He was arrested in July 2007. Police officers said Carter and another man were smoking marijuana on a street, and the officers found a .40-caliber pistol in Carter's possession.
Born and raised in New Orleans, Carter launched his solo career at age 16 with the release of "Tha Block is Hot" in 1999. He won two BET Awards in 2007 and four Grammy Awards in 2009.
|
[
"How many Grammy Awards did he won in 2009?",
"When is sentencing due ?",
"Who was arrested in July?",
"What charge was Lil Wayne arrested for in July 2007?"
] |
[
"four",
"February.",
"Lil Wayne",
"of criminal possession of a weapon,"
] |
question: How many Grammy Awards did he won in 2009?, answer: four | question: When is sentencing due ?, answer: February. | question: Who was arrested in July?, answer: Lil Wayne | question: What charge was Lil Wayne arrested for in July 2007?, answer: of criminal possession of a weapon,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- His was one of the first photos of a missing child to appear on a milk carton. Almost 30 years later, Etan Patz is still missing.
Etan Patz, 6, disappeared while walking to a school bus stop. It was the first time he'd gone alone.
Etan was 6 when he disappeared on May 25, 1979, the Friday before Memorial Day. He was on his way to school in what is now the upscale Soho neighborhood of New York.
It was the first time he'd walked to the bus stop by himself. It was just a few blocks away. Etan, like any 6-year-old, argued that all of his friends walked to the bus stop alone, and his parents relented.
His mother, Julie Patz, learned that Etan hadn't been in classes when he failed to return home. She called the school at 3:30 p.m., then called the homes of all his friends. When no one had seen Etan, she called police and filed a missing person's report.
By evening more than 100 police officers and searchers had gathered with bloodhounds. The search continued for weeks, but no clues to Etan's whereabouts were found. Watch an update on the case »
The boy's disappearance was one of the key events that inspired the missing children's movement, which raised awareness of child abductions and led to new ways to search for missing children. Etan's case was the first of the milk carton campaigns of the mid-1980s.
"In our minds there were only two possibilities," said Stan Patz, the boy's father. "Either Etan was taken by a stranger and killed or he was taken by a very sad woman desperate for a child of her own, and we hoped that such a woman would at least take care of him and keep him safe."
Patz lived with this hope until 1982, when he learned of Jose Antonio Ramos' arrest and the surprising connection between him and a former babysitter of Etan's.
Ramos was a drifter who in 1979 lived in Alphabet City, a neighborhood not far from Soho. In 1982 he was arrested after boys in a neighborhood in the Bronx complained that he had stolen their book bags while trying to coax them into a drainpipe under a bridge, where he lived, said the Patzes and federal prosecutor Stuart GraBois, who spent years investigating the case.
When police found Ramos in his drainpipe home, they found he had many photographs of small blond boys. They noticed that they looked a lot like Etan Patz, according to author Lisa R Cohen's book about the case, "After Etan: The Missing Child Case that Held America Captive."
Bronx police questioned Ramos, and he denied having anything to do with Etan's disappearance. But he did tell police that his girlfriend used to baby-sit for the boy, GraBois said.
Prosecutors in the Bronx and Manhattan pursued this lead, but concluded they did not have enough evidence to connect Ramos to Etan's disappearance, GraBois and a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said.
Ramos was released when the parents of the Bronx boys chose not to press charges against him, according to published reports. He left town and disappeared for six years -- until GraBois reviewed Etan's case. GraBois said he focused on Ramos as the prime suspect.
GraBois said he learned in 1988 that Ramos had been arrested and convicted of child molestation and was serving time in a Pennsylvania prison.
GraBois said he brought Ramos to New York for questioning and surprised him with the question: "How many times did you have sex with Etan Patz?"
Ramos told GraBois that he'd taken a little boy to an apartment he had on the lower East Side on the same day that Etan went missing. "He was 90 percent sure it was the same he'd seen in the news that was missing," GraBois said.
According to GraBois, Ramos claimed he released the boy and brought him to a subway station so the boy could go visit his aunt in Washington Heights.
|
[
"What year did the boy disappear?",
"When did Etan Patz disappear?",
"Where did the boy not show up at?",
"Who disappeared on May 25, 1979?",
"who begged to let him walk?"
] |
[
"disappeared on May 25, 1979,",
"May 25, 1979,",
"a school bus stop.",
"Etan Patz,",
"Etan Patz,"
] |
question: What year did the boy disappear?, answer: disappeared on May 25, 1979, | question: When did Etan Patz disappear?, answer: May 25, 1979, | question: Where did the boy not show up at?, answer: a school bus stop. | question: Who disappeared on May 25, 1979?, answer: Etan Patz, | question: who begged to let him walk?, answer: Etan Patz,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hugh Hefner founded Playboy magazine 55 years ago and turned the adult-oriented publication into a multimillion-dollar empire. CNN anchor John Roberts recently sat down with Hefner, now 82, and talked about Steven Watts' new book, "Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream."
Hugh Hefner, 82, says that "staying young is what it is all about for me."
John Roberts, CNN anchor: Mr. Hefner, good to see you.
Hugh Hefner: It is my pleasure.
Roberts: You have over the decades certainly supported political causes, you've supported Democratic causes. I'm wondering what your thoughts are regarding the pending inauguration of Barack Obama and where you think the country is headed in the next four years.
Hefner: Well, where the country is headed is obviously a question we would all like to know. But I, certainly, [say] this [is] a time for a change. I supported Obama. I'm delighted that I lived to see a black president. I think he's a very good man. I think we've had ... eight of the worst years in my memory. And we hope that Obama can make some difference. Watch the interview with Hugh Hefner »
Roberts: You know in the 1950s and through the '60s and the early '70s you were such a factor in the sexual revolution in this country. With the election of Barack Obama, do you believe that the cultural revolution has come to an end?
Hefner: It's always ongoing. You know, we remain essentially a puritan people. And so I think that conflict is always there. One got a remarkable revolutionary change in pop culture and in moral values in the '60s and '70s, and then there was a backlash. And that backlash, I think, has influenced government. And, um, the Christian right has had, played a major role in all of that. And I think that the complicated problems with religion being involved with politics hopefully will come to an end for a while at least.
Roberts: Now in 1953, when you first launched Playboy magazine, you seemed to be the right publication for the right time. I know that you were very heavily influenced by the Kinsey Report, which had come out not too long prior to that. But 55 years later, is Playboy magazine still relevant? And if it is, how do you keep it relevant?
Hefner: Well, I don't think obviously it will ever play the same kind of role that it played back in the 1950s and '60s. But I do think that a magazine of quality always has a place. Increasingly, obviously fewer people are reading magazines and fewer people are reading newspapers and books, but I think that part of that is a change that Playboy is always, is also embracing. We're very much involved with the Internet. We were the first magazine to use [the] Internet and have our own Web site. So I think that we'll continue to publish and publish both the magazine and then publish through electronics.
Roberts: The new Steven Watts biography is a fascinating, very fascinating look at your entire career, from your roots all the way up until the present. And he says, looking back over it, that "the key to his approach was that he edited Playboy for himself. Aiming it at his own tastes and values." Was that also a key to your success as well that you approached this with such a personal passion?
Hefner: I think so, but I think that is one of the things that makes magazines unique. They do speak with a personal voice. And I think it is one of the things that makes magazines special.
Roberts: Now this, of course, has been a family enterprise. You founded the magazine, your daughter Christie took over as CEO of the company in 1982. She has been there for 26 years, but she's stepping down later on this month. Will you be able to still maintain that
|
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"what is new book about?",
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"Who is mr. playboy?",
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"what age is publisher-playboy"
] |
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"\"Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream.\"",
"Hugh Hefner",
"it is all about for me.\"",
"Hugh Hefner",
"Hugh Hefner",
"82,"
] |
question: What is the name of the new book?, answer: "Mr. Playboy: Hugh Hefner and the American Dream." | question: what is new book about?, answer: Hugh Hefner | question: what did hefner say, answer: it is all about for me." | question: Who is mr. playboy?, answer: Hugh Hefner | question: what was the new book about, answer: Hugh Hefner | question: what age is publisher-playboy, answer: 82,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hundreds of people converged on New York's Union Square Friday for the May Day Immigration Rally, calling for workers' rights and a path to citizenship for the country's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants.
New Yorker's support the rights of undocumented workers on Friday at a May Day rally.
The annual event, which began in 2006, was organized by the May 1st Coalition for Workers and Immigrants Rights. Similar rallies were scheduled across the nation in Boston, Massachusetts; Detroit, Michigan; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, and San Antonio, Texas, according to the group's Web site.
Following rally cries from speakers in both English and Spanish, demonstrators braved a rainstorm and marched approximately two miles to New York's Federal Plaza.
Among the participants was Saul Linares, who emigrated from El Salvador six years ago and works at a Long Island factory making equipment for the U.S. Army. Linares is particularly concerned about children who are American citizens, yet whose illegal immigrant parents have been deported. "The children are living alone, sometimes with relatives, at churches or with neighbors," he said.
Teresa Gutierrez, a co-coordinator of the event, blames current government policy for the United States' immigration woes. She said she believes the Clinton administration's landmark 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA -- which was meant to promote cross-border growth between the United States and Mexico -- actually had exploitive effects on the Mexican population.
"Immigrants came because of NAFTA. They don't risk their lives crossing the border because they want to, but because they have to," she said.
A smaller anti-illegal immigration rally assembled across the street, organized by the New Yorkers for Immigration Control and Enforcement. Charles Maron, a New York firefighter and husband of a first generation Pakistani, believes illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be deported. "Someone who comes, teaches their kids the American way, I support that."
Participants in the May Day rally included people from Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. According to Gregory Jesus Luc, who is producing a documentary about the plight of Haitian immigrants, "It's about awareness, letting media and America know that we are immigrants and we are the backbone of this country."
|
[
"May Day rally seeks path to what?",
"What draws a smaller crowd?",
"what is the name of the rally?",
"where did the anti-illegal immigration rally take place?",
"What is the May Day rally seeking?",
"What does the rally seek to do?",
"What else will take places across United States?",
"A rally in New York was for what?"
] |
[
"citizenship",
"anti-illegal immigration rally",
"May Day Immigration",
"New York's Union Square",
"calling for workers' rights and a path to citizenship for the country's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants.",
"citizenship for the country's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants.",
"Similar rallies",
"May Day Immigration"
] |
question: May Day rally seeks path to what?, answer: citizenship | question: What draws a smaller crowd?, answer: anti-illegal immigration rally | question: what is the name of the rally?, answer: May Day Immigration | question: where did the anti-illegal immigration rally take place?, answer: New York's Union Square | question: What is the May Day rally seeking?, answer: calling for workers' rights and a path to citizenship for the country's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants. | question: What does the rally seek to do?, answer: citizenship for the country's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants. | question: What else will take places across United States?, answer: Similar rallies | question: A rally in New York was for what?, answer: May Day Immigration
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In 2009, some units of the New York Police Department still function more like "Dragnet" than "CSI." They rely on typewriters.
Records show New York City signed a $432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance with in 2008.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne confirmed the department's continued, if limited, use of the 20th-century writing devices, explaining that they're mainly used for filling out property vouchers -- forms that officers must file when they seize items during case investigations. The typewriters also are retained in case a technological meltdown disables the NYPD's computers, he said.
The vintage typing machines do not come cheap.
Public records show that the city signed a $432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance with Afax Business Machines in 2008, as well as a $99,570 contract with that company in 2009. Typewriter company Swintec received a $982,269 contract from the city in 2007.
Eugene O'Donnell, a former New York police officer who now lectures at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said the typewriters are an anachronism -- and a waste.
"The two places you'd find typewriters are the museum and the police department," O'Donnell said. Typewriters create significant efficiency and storage problems for the department, he added, causing extra labor and unwieldy paper trails.
Deputy Commissioner Browne emphasized that "we have a $4 billion budget" and the financial resources devoted to typewriters are relatively miniscule.
Officers interviewed by CNN on the street had no soft spots for the contraptions.
"It's so antiquated," said one officer who did not want to be identified.
Her partner shared her frustration. "It's very inconvenient -- you have to find ink, you have to find this, find that."
|
[
"What did one officer say?",
"Typewriters were mainly used for what?",
"Are they using antiquated methods",
"What did public records show?"
] |
[
"typewriters are an anachronism",
"filling out property vouchers",
"\"It's so antiquated,\" said one officer who did not want to be identified.",
"the city signed a $432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance with Afax Business Machines in 2008, as well as a $99,570 contract with that company in 2009."
] |
question: What did one officer say?, answer: typewriters are an anachronism | question: Typewriters were mainly used for what?, answer: filling out property vouchers | question: Are they using antiquated methods, answer: "It's so antiquated," said one officer who did not want to be identified. | question: What did public records show?, answer: the city signed a $432,900 contract for typewriter maintenance with Afax Business Machines in 2008, as well as a $99,570 contract with that company in 2009.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In a column appearing in Newsweek, world affairs expert and author Fareed Zakaria said he thinks it would be best for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain if Gov. Sarah Palin bowed out as his vice presidential running mate.
"For him to choose Sarah Palin to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible," says Zakaria.
Zakaria says McCain did not put the country first in making his V.P. choice, and he says Palin is not qualified to lead the United States.
CNN spoke to him about his commentary titled, "Palin is ready? Please."
CNN: What did you initially think when Sarah Palin was announced as the Republican vice presidential nominee?
Zakaria: I was a bit surprised -- as I think most people were. But I was willing to give her a chance. And I thought her speech at the convention was clever and funny. But once she began answering questions about economics and foreign policy, it became clear that she has simply never thought about these subjects before and is dangerously ignorant and unprepared for the job of vice president, let alone president. Watch Zakaria slam Sarah Palin »
CNN: You don't think she is qualified?
Zakaria: No. Gov. Palin has been given a set of talking points by campaign advisers, simple ideological mantras that she repeats and repeats as long as she can. But if forced off those rehearsed lines, what she has to say is often, quite frankly -- nonsense. Just listen to her response to Katie Couric's question about the bailout. It's gibberish -- an emptying out of catchphrases about economics that have nothing to do with the question or the topic. It's scary to think that this person could be running the country.
Here is their exchange:
Katie Couric: Why isn't it better, Gov. Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?
Gov. Sarah Palin: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the -- it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.
CNN: But Dan Quayle wasn't very qualified and that didn't seem to matter, did it?
Zakaria: This is way beyond Dan Quayle. Quayle was a lightweight who was prone to scramble his words, or say things that sounded weird, but you almost always knew what he meant. One of his most famous miscues was to the United Negro College Fund when he said, "What a terrible thing to have lost one's mind. Or not to have a mind at all." Now he was trying to play off a famous ad that the group used to run, "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste." And he screwed it up in a funny way. But read Gov. Palin's answers and it does appear that she doesn't have any understanding about the topic under discussion.
CNN: But she has a lot of supporters.
Zakaria: Look, I'm not saying that she is not a feisty, charismatic politician who has done some good things in Alaska. It is just we are talking about a person who
|
[
"Who said John McCain did not put his country fist with his choice?",
"What does Fareed Zakaria say about Sarah Palin?",
"Who should bow out saying she wants to spend more time with her family?",
"What did Fareed Zakaria say Sara Palin should do",
"Did John McCain put his country first when he chose Palin as VP",
"Who said it was a hell of a time for Palin to start thinking about national, global issues?"
] |
[
"Fareed Zakaria",
"to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible,\"",
"Gov. Sarah Palin",
"bowed out as his vice presidential running mate.",
"the",
"Zakaria:"
] |
question: Who said John McCain did not put his country fist with his choice?, answer: Fareed Zakaria | question: What does Fareed Zakaria say about Sarah Palin?, answer: to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible," | question: Who should bow out saying she wants to spend more time with her family?, answer: Gov. Sarah Palin | question: What did Fareed Zakaria say Sara Palin should do, answer: bowed out as his vice presidential running mate. | question: Did John McCain put his country first when he chose Palin as VP, answer: the | question: Who said it was a hell of a time for Palin to start thinking about national, global issues?, answer: Zakaria:
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In a dramatic reversal, the Florida state attorney's office announced Monday it will seek the death penalty against Casey Anthony, the 23-year-old woman charged in the death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee.
Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of her daughter Caylee, 2, Trial is set for October.
The state had previously said it would not ask for the death sentence for Anthony.
The development could have a major impact on how the case plays out at trial, including whether defense attorney Jose Baez can stay on the case.
Baez has not been certified by the court to defend capital punishment cases.
Prosecutors announced their change in strategy in a letter of intent. Read the letter of intent (pdf)
Meanwhile, Anthony's defense filed a motion on Friday with Orange County Circuit Court, seeking more phone records from a dozen people involved in the case. The motion asks for any and all records for "phone calls, text messages, P2P communications, Internet usage, WAP usage, and cell tower pings."
The defense wants records from the defendant's parents, George and Cindy Anthony; her former fiancé, Jesse Grund; her brother, Lee Anthony; a friend, Amy Huizenga; and Roy Kronk, the meter reader who found Caylee's remains in December of last year.
Kronk had called authorities as early as last August to report he had seen a suspicious bag in the area.
Other names on the list include several former boyfriends, two private investigators, a volunteer searcher and Richard Cain, an Orange County Sheriff's deputy.
Cain was fired after an internal investigation found he failed to respond to repeated calls from Kronk about the suspicious bag. Cain has refused to leave the job and is awaiting an appeal.
"Various cell phone service providers are in possession of certain items which are material to the preparation of the defense in this cause,'' the motion says, adding, ''the items sought by this application cannot be obtained through normal discovery."
The motion says the release of these records could lead to admissible evidence in Anthony's trial, which is set to begin in October. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder of Caylee, whose remains were found in woods near her grandparents' home in Orlando.
|
[
"Whose defense motioned for more phone records?",
"What does the motion ask?",
"What did Caset Anthony's defense do?",
"who filed motion for more phone records?",
"What could florida's turnaround have a major impact on?",
"Where is the case taking place in?",
"who asks for all \"phone calls, text messages\"?"
] |
[
"Anthony's",
"seeking more phone records from a dozen people involved in the case.",
"filed a motion",
"Anthony's defense",
"the case.",
"Orange County",
"Anthony's defense"
] |
question: Whose defense motioned for more phone records?, answer: Anthony's | question: What does the motion ask?, answer: seeking more phone records from a dozen people involved in the case. | question: What did Caset Anthony's defense do?, answer: filed a motion | question: who filed motion for more phone records?, answer: Anthony's defense | question: What could florida's turnaround have a major impact on?, answer: the case. | question: Where is the case taking place in?, answer: Orange County | question: who asks for all "phone calls, text messages"?, answer: Anthony's defense
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In the days after Benazir Bhutto's assassination, it will be tempting to reach two hasty conclusions: that she was Pakistan's last great hope and that her geo-politically crucial country has revealed itself to be inherently hopeless.
Irshad Manji is a controversial Muslim feminist and activist from Toronto, Canada.
On each front, I take a different view.
While far more liberal and democratic than Gen. Musharraf, Bhutto disappointed moderate, modern Pakistanis with her adherence to feudal politics.
Writing to me through my Web site, American feminists say they are "aching" over the loss of "our dear, sweet, brave Benazir."
I understand the sentiment. But "brave" is not the word used by Pakistani women from whom I've also heard. They're hurting more over Bhutto's "self-imposed" conformity.
"She never realized her potential," a woman from Karachi tells me. "And not because she was killed but because when she had the chance, she did not effectively challenge the backward mindset that has now led to her demise."
For example, during Bhutto's time in office, Pakistan didn't defy the anti-female rape and adultery laws. Those notorious ordinances, known as Hudood, took their inspiration from tribal politics masquerading as Islam. Watch Manji argue on CNN why Bhutto's legacy is mixed »
Imagine the opportunity: Bhutto could have championed a purer faith by tackling corrupt cultural practices.
In so doing, she might have created allies among conservatives, who can be persuaded that although Islam is God-given, culture is man-made.
Last year, a media campaign to strike down the Hudood Ordinances achieved this fine balance. But not because of her. And that, say many progressive Pakistanis, amputates Bhutto's legacy.
The fact that cruel laws against women can be publicly debated at all should suggest that Pakistan has hope anyway. An exceptional leader can tap into it. History tells us so.
There was a time when Pakistan's democratic politicians stuck it to the feudal fanatics. Bhutto's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was once heckled by a religious fundamentalist.
"You drink alcohol!" shouted the critic.
"Yes," retorted the elder Bhutto, "but I don't drink the blood of the people!"
His response captured the spirit of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founder. In 1947, Jinnah exuded high hopes for his people: "You are free. You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques, or to any other place of worship in the State of Pakistan.
"You may belong to any religion or caste or creed. That has nothing to do with the business of the state. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens of one state... You will find that in due course of time, Hindus will cease to be Hindus and Muslims will cease to be Muslims, not in the religious sense ... but in the political sense as citizens of the state."
Jinnah meant every word of his unconventional vision because he, himself, lived as a maverick. He adored his non-Muslim wife, and his sister often appeared with him on the campaign trail. Her visibility attested to Islam's embrace of women as partners of men.
In the months ahead, the people of Pakistan will need to recall Jinnah's vision. It may be of comfort know that they're not alone.
Countless Americans are now asking about their founders' intentions, desperate to re-discover the better angels of their country after eight years of George W. Bush.
Still, Pakistan must avoid America's enduring mistake. The United States lapsed into profound divisiveness following the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.
Many would argue that today's politics of polarization can be traced to the unresolved trauma of the King-Kennedy murders. For Pakistan, it's high time to transcend both trauma and tribalism.
I pray that in death, Benazir Bhutto will
|
[
"Who disappointed Bhutto?",
"Who must transcend?",
"Who did not defy anti-rape laws?",
"Who said Bhutto disappointed some?",
"Who was in office?",
"Who must transcend trauma and trbalism?"
] |
[
"moderate, modern Pakistanis",
"Pakistan,",
"Pakistan",
"moderate, modern Pakistanis",
"Benazir Bhutto's",
"Pakistan,"
] |
question: Who disappointed Bhutto?, answer: moderate, modern Pakistanis | question: Who must transcend?, answer: Pakistan, | question: Who did not defy anti-rape laws?, answer: Pakistan | question: Who said Bhutto disappointed some?, answer: moderate, modern Pakistanis | question: Who was in office?, answer: Benazir Bhutto's | question: Who must transcend trauma and trbalism?, answer: Pakistan,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In the midst of the ongoing culture wars, can it be a good idea to put out a comedy about two Stone Age men who wander into the Bible?
In "Year One," Jack Black stars as an inquisitive Stone Age man, with Michael Cera as his sidekick.
Harold Ramis thinks so.
"Year One," which he directed, concerns two men -- played by Jack Black and Michael Cera -- who leave their home and, in their travels, meet biblical characters such as Cain, Abel, Abraham and Isaac. Among the locales: ancient Sodom, which "didn't seem worse than Las Vegas to me," Ramis told CNN.
"Year One" comes out Friday.
Ramis, whose writing and directing credits include "Groundhog Day" and "Analyze This," said it was time for a new biblical epic -- of sorts.
"No one had done this film for our generation," he told CNN. It's like, you know, when 'Animal House' [which Ramis co-wrote] came out, there were college films. Every generation had college films, but our generation didn't have one yet, and I don't know that our generation - this young, new generation of kids has a, you know, a sandal epic yet, and this is the one. This is for them."
Ramis rounded up a cast of comedians familiar to any watcher of Judd Apatow-produced movies -- no surprise, since Apatow is a producer of "Year One." Christopher Mintz-Plasse ("Superbad"), Horatio Sanz ("Saturday Night Live," "Step Brothers") and Bill Hader ("Tropic Thunder") all have parts.
"A lot of them were new to me," said Ramis. "[But] Jack knew them, Michael knew them, they were connected -- all connected through Judd Apatow, through 'Saturday Night Live' ... the comedy world is a club."
Black joked that everyone's a member of a secret society, requiring retinal scans, that meets "inside the O of the Hollywood sign -- the first O," he noted..
"All the projects are laid out on a table," he said. "And we talk generally about how we're gonna take over the planet, take over the comedy and keep a vise grip on it."
Black said he revels in the chance to find the humor in the Bible.
"That was the fun of this thing," he said. "It's like, we are going to have some fun with the Bible; you don't see it very often. It hasn't really been done since Monty Python days. 'Life of Brian.' "
However, the film could get more than it asked for. Films poking fun at the Bible -- or, indeed, treating the Bible with anything less than reverence -- have been the subject of protests and criticism.
"Life of Brian," the Python troupe's 1979 comedy about an assumed messiah that parodied the story of Jesus, was protested by clergy in the U.S. and banned outright in Ireland. French protesters threw Molotov cocktails into a Paris theater showing "The Last Temptation of Christ," Martin Scorsese's 1988 film version of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel.
More recently, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," though a huge financial success, was criticized by some observers for alleged anti-Semitism, as well as its violence.
Ramis, who observed that a number of biblical films focus on the New Testament, said he deliberately chose to make the Old Testament his subject.
"I told people that I wanted to do for the Old Testament what Monty Python did for the Gospels," he said. "Which is just to kind of take a funny look and project a contemporary sensibility back to these treasured myths of Western civilization.
"It wasn't so much to attack any particular religion," he added. "I figure all religions are
|
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"Who stars as Stone Age men?",
"Who directed the film?",
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question: Who says the film uses comedy to make points?, answer: Harold Ramis | question: Have biblical films sometimes met protest?, answer: been the subject of | question: Who stars in Year One?, answer: Jack Black | question: Who is the director?, answer: Harold Ramis | question: What are met with protest?, answer: Films poking fun at the Bible | question: What type of film is it?, answer: sandal epic | question: What movie stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as Stone Age men in Bible?, answer: "Year One," | question: What film are Jack Black and Michael Cera starring in?, answer: "Year One," | question: What type of films are often met with protest?, answer: poking fun at the Bible | question: Year one stars who?, answer: Jack Black | question: Who stars as Stone Age men?, answer: Jack Black and Michael Cera | question: Who directed the film?, answer: Harold Ramis | question: What does Jack Black and Michael Cera play as in "Year One"?, answer: stars as an inquisitive Stone Age man, with | question: in what year Jack Black stars as Stone Age?, answer: "Year One,"
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that he won't push to visit the site of the destroyed World Trade Center during his visit to the United Nations next week.
Iran's president said he wanted to "pay his respects" and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks.
The controversial leader asked to "pay his respects" and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks, but New York city officials on Wednesday denied that request, citing safety concerns at what is now a construction site.
Ahmadinejad said he would try to visit the site "if we have the time and the conditions are conducive." But if local officials cannot make the proper arrangements, "I won't insist," he said in an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes."
The Bush administration considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism, and State Department spokesman Tom Casey called the request "the height of hypocrisy."
CBS correspondent Scott Pelley told Ahmadinejad he "must have known that visiting the World Trade Center site would infuriate many Americans."
"Well, I'm amazed," he said, surprised by the question. "How can you speak for the whole of the American nation? The American nation is made up of 300 million people. There are different points of view over there."
More than 2,700 people died in the attack on the World Trade Center, when al Qaeda terrorists flew hijacked passenger jets into the twin towers. A third jet hit the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers resisted their hijackers.
Iran is ruled by a Shiite Muslim government hostile to the fundamentalist Sunni al Qaeda. Ahmadinejad's predecessor, Mohammed Khatami, condemned the attacks and cooperated with the U.S.-led campaign to topple al Qaeda's Taliban allies in Afghanistan that followed.
But the United States calls Iran the world's top state sponsor of terrorism because of its support of the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah and other militant groups. Washington and Tehran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980 after Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days.
The Bush administration has also accused Iran of meddling in Iraq and Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are battling Taliban and al Qaeda remnants more than six years after the September 11, 2001, attacks. It accuses Iran of supplying advanced explosives to Shiite Muslim militias, some of which have used the devices against U.S. troops.
Ahmadinejad also has drawn fire for his hard-line anti-Israel stance and his insistence that Iran will defy international demands that it halt its production of enriched uranium. Iran insists it is producing nuclear fuel for civilian power plants, but Washington accuses Tehran of trying to create a nuclear bomb.
The Iranian leader has made statements suggesting that Israel be politically "wiped off the map," though he insists that can be accomplished without violence. He has questioned the existence of the Holocaust, the genocidal Nazi campaign against European Jews, and warned Europeans that they may pay a heavy price for its support of Israel.
Ahmadinejad is also slated to speak on the campus of Columbia University during his visit, university President Lee Bollinger said. His presence is likely to spark protests on and off campus. Bollinger said the appearance is part of the World Leaders Forum -- an annual university event "intended to further Columbia's long-standing tradition of serving as a major forum for robust debate." E-mail to a friend
|
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"Where did the Iranian president want to visit?",
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"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad",
"sponsor of terrorism",
"the existence of the Holocaust, the genocidal Nazi campaign against European Jews,"
] |
question: Where did the Iranian president want to visit?, answer: site of the destroyed World Trade Center | question: Who has asked to visit ground zero?, answer: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | question: What did the Iranian leader question ?, answer: He has questioned the existence of the Holocaust, the genocidal Nazi campaign against European Jews, | question: Who is the Iranian President?, answer: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | question: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had asked to visit what?, answer: destroyed World Trade Center | question: What is the name of the Iranian president?, answer: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | question: What does the United States calls Iran ?, answer: sponsor of terrorism | question: What did the Iranian president question?, answer: the existence of the Holocaust, the genocidal Nazi campaign against European Jews,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- It is one of the most notorious cold cases in recent memory. A 6-year-old girl, a child of beauty and privilege, was found dead in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado, on the day after Christmas 1996.
The strangulation of JonBenet Ramsey is also among the coldest of cases. Twelve years have passed, and again it is Christmastime, the season of JonBenet's death.
The investigation has taken many heartbreaking twists and turns, including a false confession and baseless suspicions cast for a time on the child's parents. After years of false starts, there are no solid leads.
For many, the images of this tragic story are indelible: A doll-like child smiling flirtatiously at the camera in flamboyant costumes, heavy makeup and grown-up hairstyles parading on a beauty pageant stage. A tiny, lifeless body, dressed in long johns, found on the basement floor by her father. Watch how this case touched nearly everyone »
Just this past July, John and Patsy Ramsey were exonerated by police of having any role in their daughter's death. Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in June 2006.
FBI lab results confirmed that a man, yet to be identified, touched JonBenet's long underwear. This so-called touch DNA also was found in JonBenet's underpants, mixed with the child's blood.
Police believe the DNA belongs to the killer. They just don't know who he is. They are waiting for a match.
From the beginning, police focused their attention on Patsy Ramsey, placing the entire family under what authorities later would admit was a cloud of suspicion.
The investigators' working theory was that JonBenet's mother may have struck her in anger as punishment for bed-wetting, causing the little girl's death on Christmas night. Investigators theorized that a strangulation was then staged to direct suspicion toward an intruder or sexual predator.
Patsy Ramsey told police she awoke early December 26 and found a two-page, handwritten ransom note on a back staircase. It said JonBenet had been kidnapped by a "small foreign faction" and that she'd be executed if the Ramseys did not pay a $118,000 ransom.
The Ramseys checked JonBenet's room, discovered she was missing and immediately called 911.
When police arrived, they suggested that John Ramsey and a family friend, Fleet White, search the house. Shortly afterward, Ramsey and White found JonBenet's body in a wine cellar in the basement. The child's body was wrapped in a blanket, with duct tape across her mouth and white cord wrapped around her neck and wrists.
An autopsy showed the child had eaten pineapple shortly before she died. She'd been sexually assaulted, strangled by the cord and struck on the head.
Crime scene photos show two small burn-type injuries on JonBenet's head. Private investigators Ollie Gray and John San Augustin, working as consultants on the case, said the burns are consistent with marks made with a "stun gun."
Investigators also concluded that the paper the ransom note was written on came from a notepad in the Ramsey home, as did the broken paintbrush handle used to form the garrote.
However, the sources for the cord and duct tape were not found anywhere in the home.
Other nagging clues include an open basement window near where the child's body was found. A suitcase stood directly below the window, and appeared to have been used as a step. There was a scuff mark on the wall beneath the window. A footprint of a Hi-Tec hiking boot was found in the dust in the wine cellar and cannot be connected to anyone in the Ramsey family or their friends.
Police say they were initially suspicious of the Ramseys because there were no footprints in the snow outside the house.
Lou Smits, a lead police investigator on the case, resigned because, he said, the investigation "was misdirected and had developed tunnel vision, only focusing on the Ramseys as suspects and not following alternative leads."
The contradictory facts have caused problems in the case
|
[
"What new technology cleared the family?",
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] |
question: What new technology cleared the family?, answer: touch DNA | question: Which family is under suspicion?, answer: Ramsey, | question: Where did the crime take place?, answer: basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado, on the day after Christmas 1996. | question: Who did the new touch DNA test clear?, answer: John and Patsy Ramsey | question: How many years were the Ramsey's suspected of the murder?, answer: Twelve | question: When did the crime occur?, answer: the day after Christmas 1996.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- It was a typical November day in 1971 when an eighth-grader left her house in a sleepy New Hampshire town with her pet dog, Tasha, in tow.
Kathy Gloddy was found murdered a mile from where she was last seen.
The German shepherd returned home that day without its 13-year-old master, Kathy Gloddy.
To her family's horror, the little girl's body was found the next day, three miles from her home.
She had been beaten, raped, strangled and run over by a car repeatedly until she was dead.
Her body was found clothed only in her kneesocks.
At the time, police had several possible suspects, but not enough evidence for an arrest, said Sgt. Scott Gilbert of the New Hampshire State Police.
In 2006, Gilbert said, Kathy's body was exhumed in search of further clues, but authorities were unable to obtain forensics from the remains.
Kathy's family asked private investigator Tom Shamshak to aid in the investigation and he agreed to volunteer his services.
So far, investigators have only been able to piece together a timeline of the day Kathy went missing. Watch an update on the case »
It is believed that she left her family's home at 5 p.m. to go to a convenience store, where she bought ice cream and potato sticks.
Soon after leaving the store, she was spotted at Franklin High School, where one of her older sisters was attending a banquet.
It is unclear where Kathy went next, but what is known is that later that evening her dog returned home acting frantic and anxious, family members said.
"When Tasha came home without Kathy, we were worried," said Kathy's sister, Janet Young. "And then the dog was running around in circles, acting crazy and pawing at the door as if looking for Kathy. We always came home when we said we would and never stayed out late worrying our parents."
Private investigator Shamshak said he believes the killer may not have been a stranger.
"This kind of brutality and rage-driven crime can only come from someone that knew her or her family," he said.
Jim Conrad, a former New Hampshire State Police trooper who worked on the case, said Kathy was found in the woods not far from a small gravel road near a popular swimming hole in Franklin, New Hampshire.
Investigators believe the area -- which is only one mile from where she was last seen at the high school -- was merely a dumping site for the body and not the actual crime scene.
"One of the things my team is working on is trying to get the post-mortem DNA evidence collected by the forensic pathologist who examined her," Shamshak said.
While there is not a lot of evidence left, it is the one piece of evidence the family hopes could link potential suspects to Kathy's murder.
"We have waited so long for justice and closure," said Karen Beaudin, another of Kathy's sisters.
Gilbert said there are at least two persons of interest authorities have focused on and both were acquainted with Kathy Gloddy and her family.
Gilbert said police thought they'd caught a break in 2004 when convicted sex offender Edward Dukette, who served time in a Florida prison for raping and nearly killing a young girl, unexpectedly came forward to police claiming he had key information about Kathy Gloddy's murder.
Dukette was a former neighbor of the Gloddys and had been evicted from the multiple-family dwelling eight months before Kathy's murder.
Gilbert was one of several investigators who traveled to Florida to question Dukette, but the potential suspect recanted his earlier statements and refused to speak further with officials.
The Gloddy family and Tom Shamshak have said they believe there is more than one person responsible for Kathy Gloddy's murder. The family is organizing a reward fund in conjunction with the Carole Sund Foundation.
Anyone who has information that could lead to the arrest of the individuals responsible for Kathy Lynn Gloddy's murder is asked to call the New Hampshire
|
[
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"found clothed only in her kneesocks."
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question: HOw many persons of interest do the police have?, answer: Gilbert said there are at least two | question: What was the girl found wearing?, answer: her kneesocks. | question: What was the girls name?, answer: Kathy Gloddy | question: What did Kathy Gloddy leave home with?, answer: pet dog, | question: What was the teen girl wearing, answer: found clothed only in her kneesocks.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- It's been five years since Carrie Bradshaw journeyed to Paris in search of true love on the series finale of "Sex and the City." She appeared to have found it in the arms of Mr. Big, and she returned to New York -- and her now-settled friends -- ready for a new start.
Sarah Jessica Parker was a driving force in creating the "Sex and the City" movie.
Then came the inevitable cry: That's it? What happens next?
Sarah Jessica Parker, who played Carrie, wanted to find out as well. But the situation had to be right, she said, which prompted a cascade of rumors as plans for a movie came together, fell apart and came together again.
Now that the movie is out, Parker -- who's a producer of the film as well as one of its stars -- talked about the journey to making a big-screen "Sex and the City" with "Showbiz Tonight" anchor A.J. Hammer. The following is an edited version of that interview.
CNN: I think a lot of fans, maybe a lot of people, and those of you among the cast, didn't think this day would actually ever come ... but here we are. So how are you feeling deep inside, Sarah?
Sarah Jessica Parker: I feel extraordinarily privileged. I've spent the last two years cobbling this movie together. ... It's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of professional experience and one really shouldn't be greedy enough to ask for it twice. Watch the cast talk about the thrill of "Sex" »
I have to say that, this last six, eight months, was better than those seven years [the show aired] and I think it's because we all recognize how lucky and unique those seven years were and that this is a story that you don't get to tell twice. It has been, I must say, worth every obstacle and dead end, and fit and start, and every moment that was seemingly impossible. It has been a dream.
CNN: And I imagine sitting down for the first time in that room together for the table read, which was, from my understanding, the first time you all actually were in the same room [together] regardless of how much you kept in touch. Tell me a little bit about that moment.
Parker: I started putting [the] script back together in April of 2006 ... and that [table read] was a really extraordinary day, because just the perfunctory details of getting people to a table read were complicated.
Kim [Cattrall] had been away and Kristin [Davis] had been away and Chris [Noth] had been [doing] his other job, and this magnificent script had arrived and had been everything we hoped for and more. It was basically like being in an alternate universe for about three hours. ...
It was a kind of reunion that is very, very special, because you really want to be there. It's not the reunion where you're forced by your parents to meet your aunts and uncles that you see rarely. It's the reunion that you want.
I think even more so was that first day on [the] set. When we thought, good God, [writer/director] Michael Patrick [King] and I are actually making this movie, like we got it done, we're here, we're doing it -- what a privilege.
CNN: I think we as fans and viewers actually got a sense of what that feeling was like when we saw you all together on "Oprah," because the energy was ... palpable. ...
But we're talking about the perceived drama around this whole project. (Rumors have abounded about friction between the stars.) One of my producers said while we were watching the TV, "Are they going to sit near each other?" "Why are they putting Chris in the middle of all of them?"
Hearing that, does it make
|
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"what was the title",
"Who said Sex and the City has been a dream?",
"what did she say",
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"the situation had to be right,",
"friction between the stars.)"
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question: Who said Sex and the City has been a dream?, answer: Sarah Jessica Parker | question: Where do she and her husband live?, answer: New York | question: What has been a dream for the actress?, answer: "Sex and the City" movie. | question: Who said that "Sex and the City" was a dream?, answer: Sarah Jessica Parker: | question: Where do the married pair live?, answer: New York | question: where does the pair live, answer: New York | question: According to whom has "Sex and the City" been a dream?, answer: Sarah Jessica Parker | question: what did Parker mention about ?, answer: talked | question: what was the title, answer: "Sex and the City." | question: Who said Sex and the City has been a dream?, answer: Sarah Jessica Parker: | question: what did she say, answer: the situation had to be right, | question: What were there rumours of?, answer: friction between the stars.)
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Jamaica's Usain Bolt is officially the fastest man on the planet as he set a new 100 meters world record of 9.72 seconds at an international meeting in New York.
Bolt served notice of his immense talent ahead of the Beijing Olympics by breaking the world 100m record.
Bolt was trimming two hundredths of a second off the record previously held by fellow-Jamaican Asafa Powell and for good measure relegated world champion Tyson Gay to a distant second.
The 21-year-old had served notice of his excellent form by running a world's second fastest time of 9.76 seconds in Jamaica last month and he quickly took control of Saturday night's Reebok Grand Prix showdown with Gay, who finished in 9.85 seconds, still a personal best.
Bolt gave credit to a big contingent of Jamaicans who were in the crowd to watch his feat. "Just coming here, knowing a lot of Jamaicans were here giving me their support, it meant a lot," Bolt told the Associated Press. "I just wanted to give them what they wanted."
"He ran a perfect race," Gay said. "I've got to take my hat off to him."
"An awesome athlete," said Shawn Crawford, who finished sixth and witnessed history from two lanes inside of Bolt. "The time shows it."
The lanky 1.95 meter Bolt had produced his previous best performances before this year over 200 meters and finished second to Gay at this distance in last year's world championships.
With doubts over his starting ability in the 100 meters, Bolt was even pondering a move up to 400 meters in favor of the 100.
But the record changes all that and with Powell, who is recovering from a chest injury, and Gay he will be among the favorites for the 100 meters at the Beijing Olympics.
He faces a showdown at the end of June with Powell at the Jamaican national championshps. Also at the Jamaican event will be Veronica Campbell-Brown, who won the women's 100m on Saturday in 10.91, the fastest time of 2008.
The start of the night was delayed by an hour because of threatening weather the area and the meeting was briefly hit by a storm which left the track shimmering with a moist sheen ahead of the race of the night.
Bolt was assisted by a healthy tailwind of 1.7 meters per second, just under the limit at which a record can be set.
|
[
"Who set a world record?",
"Where did Bolt set a new record?",
"What was Gay's record?"
] |
[
"Usain Bolt",
"York.",
"9.85 seconds,"
] |
question: Who set a world record?, answer: Usain Bolt | question: Where did Bolt set a new record?, answer: York. | question: What was Gay's record?, answer: 9.85 seconds,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Joey "Jaws" Chestnut unseated the six-time defending champion in Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest on Wednesday, eating 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.
Chestnut -- veins throbbing in his forehead -- wolfs down a dog on his way to the title and a world record Wednesday.
Six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi of Japan, nursing a sore jaw after wisdom tooth surgery, scarfed down 63 hot dogs. Last year, he edged out Chestnut by nearly two dogs, eating a then-record 53 and three-quarters to Chestnut's 52.
Chestnut, who hails from San Jose, California, set a record with Wednesday's feat of eating 66 hot dogs, the event's organizers said.
Not since Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali in the 1971 bout coined the "Fight of the Century" have two contestants battled so hard. Perhaps.
At one point, Kobayashi expelled some of his half-mashed hot dogs from his mouth; those did not count in his total.
Chestnut toiled beside him, a vein throbbing in his forehead and his face bright red. Watch how the wiener-off went down »
"My body worked for me," Chestnut said in an interview after the contest.
Kobayashi, 29 years old and weighing in at 154 pounds, was listed as questionable prior to the event. He was receiving acupuncture treatment Wednesday morning to relieve pain in his jaw after wisdom tooth surgery.
Video from Tuesday's weigh-in showed that he could open his mouth only half way.
Chestnut, 23, weighing 215 pounds, had broken Kobayashi's 2006 record by downing 59½ hot dogs at a qualifying contest in Phoenix last month.
Chestnut claims the "Coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt" and wins a one-year supply of hot dogs from Nathan's, the sponsor of the annual event, which has been held on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn since 1916.
Organizers said 50,000 people attended Wednesday's contest.
Chestnut is a civil engineering student at San Jose University. E-mail to a friend
|
[
"What did the winner say",
"What did Chestnut say worked for him?",
"How many times did the defending champion win?",
"How many times had the defending champion won",
"Who unseated the defending champion"
] |
[
"\"My body worked for me,\"",
"\"My body worked for me,\"",
"six-time",
"six-time",
"Joey \"Jaws\" Chestnut"
] |
question: What did the winner say, answer: "My body worked for me," | question: What did Chestnut say worked for him?, answer: "My body worked for me," | question: How many times did the defending champion win?, answer: six-time | question: How many times had the defending champion won, answer: six-time | question: Who unseated the defending champion, answer: Joey "Jaws" Chestnut
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- John and Elizabeth Calvert enjoyed the good life on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, friends said, but they were growing more and more suspicious of the way their business books were being handled. Things weren't adding up. Money appeared to be missing.
John and Elizabeth Calvert are featured on missing persons posters on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
So they scheduled a meeting with accountant Dennis Ray Gerwing to address their concerns, recalled one close friend, Nancy Cappelmann.
The Calverts said they were meeting with Gerwing at his offices in the upscale resort community at 6 p.m. last March 3, she added.
It would be the last time anyone would see or hear from the couple.
The Calverts lived part-time on their yacht, docked at the island's Harbor Town Yacht Basin, the same marina where they managed boat slips. They spent the rest of the year in Savannah, Georgia, and also had a home in Atlanta.
They were an active, affluent couple in their mid-40s, and their absence was quickly noticed. On the evening of March 3, 2008, the evening they were to meet with their accountant, both of the Calverts' phones were turned off. Family members said it was very unusual for either John or Elizabeth Calvert to shut off their cell phones. Watch an update on the case »
Family and friends called police and reported the Calverts missing on March 4, after they missed appointments and still couldn't be reached.
"I was supposed to meet John that night and he is never late, so when 20 minutes went by, I got worried and called his cell, but it went straight to voicemail, like it was turned off," Cappelmann said. She was a good friend of the couple's and worked at one of their harbor businesses.
Police and search teams scoured the island. Divers and dogs searched the harbor and found nothing.
The Calverts' small airplane was still at the island's airport and provided no clues. Their 2006 Mercedes Benz was found parked at a hotel in Palmetto Dunes, a gated community six miles from where the Calverts' yacht was docked. The Mercedes also contained no forensic clues.
In reconstructing the Calverts' last days, investigators concluded that Gerwing was worth a deeper look. They now say they believe the 54-year-old accountant was the last person to see the Calverts alive.
Gerwing ran the management company that kept the books on the Calverts' four businesses on Hilton Head Island. Authorities were already looking into possible financial improprieties involving the company, The Club Group.
They named Gerwing as a person of interest in the case about a week after the couple disappeared. An internal audit later revealed that Gerwing had embezzled $2.1 million from the Calverts and others, police said.
Gerwing committed suicide within hours of learning he was a person of interest, slashing his neck and legs with a steak knife, authorities said. He also left behind suicide notes with vague references to the Calvert case, said Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner.
Tanner said the notes indicated some acknowledgement of responsibility for his actions, but didn't say specifically what those actions might have been.
Police also gathered circumstantial evidence that seemed to point to Gerwing, including drop cloths large enough to use to wrap bodies and latex gloves purchased on the day the Calverts disappeared.
In addition, police learned that Gerwing's cell phone had been turned off for 12 hours after he was scheduled to meet with the Calverts.
If Gerwing were alive, Tanner said, police wouldn't have enough corroborating evidence to name him a suspect and arrest him.
Police executed search warrants on Gerwing's office, home and vehicles and found soil in Gerwing's kitchen. Investigators hope analysis of the dirt might provide clues to the origin of the dirt and a new location to continue searching for John and Elizabeth Calvert.
Friends and family are offering a $65,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the Calverts' disappearance.
Police urge anyone with information about John and Elizabeth Calvert
|
[
"who are growing?",
"Where did the couple live?",
"when was the last seen of John and Elizabeth?",
"Who were they suspicious of?"
] |
[
"friends",
"Hilton Head Island",
"March 3,",
"Dennis Ray Gerwing"
] |
question: who are growing?, answer: friends | question: Where did the couple live?, answer: Hilton Head Island | question: when was the last seen of John and Elizabeth?, answer: March 3, | question: Who were they suspicious of?, answer: Dennis Ray Gerwing
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Juliana Redding was 21, an aspiring actress and model who, like so many others before her, had moved from Arizona to southern California in pursuit of the Hollywood dream. She wound up the victim in a real life murder mystery -- one few people are willing to talk about in any detail.
Juliana Redding, an aspiring model and actress, was found murdered in her Santa Monica apartment.
By the age of 18, Redding had earned her first film credit, appearing in a 2005 independent film called "Kathy T Gives Good Hoover," about college students and the graffiti culture.
In 2006, she moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Santa Monica, California, with her pet Yorkshire terrier.
She was also taking college courses while working part-time in a trendy Venice Beach bar.
Friends grew worried in March when they couldn't reach Redding for a few days. They called her mother in Redding's hometown of Tucson, Arizona. Her mother called the Santa Monica police. Watch why this case is so baffling »
Police found Redding dead inside her apartment. "The manner of death is homicide," said Sgt. Rinaldi Thruston of the Santa Monica Police Department.
Although there are unconfirmed reports that the cause of death was blunt force trauma, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office denies that. "Those media reports are not accurate. The cause of death was not blunt force trauma. The file has been sealed by police, so we cannot disclose the actual cause of death."
Police also would not disclose whether a weapon was used or whether Redding's apartment had been broken into, which would give clues as to whether she knew her assailant and opened the door for him or her.
Thruston also refused to say whether Redding had been sexually assaulted.
"We have made no arrests in this case nor do we have any suspects or persons of interest at this time," Thruston said.
He said police have collected evidence from the crime scene that could link a potential suspect to the crime. Police are hoping they will continue to get tips and leads from the public.
According to friends, Redding had been dating another actor for two years and they had broken up about six months before her slaying, but remained friends.
It is unclear whether she had a new boyfriend, but police have been interviewing all of Redding's known friends and neighbors.
"We believe the police are doing what they can to solve this case, but we really prefer no media attention," her mother said.
Early in the investigation, there were reports of blood found on the sidewalk or wall outside Redding's apartment.
Police will not comment on the forensic results of that blood or any specific evidence at the crime scene. They also will not reveal whether any of Redding's neighbors heard screams or other sounds of a struggle.
At this point, there are more questions than answers.
If anyone has any information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for Juliana Redding's death, please call the Santa Monica Police Department tip line at (310) 458-8449.
|
[
"Where were they found dead?",
"When was the actress found?",
"What was the cause of death",
"Who was found dead?",
"What number should you call for information?",
"What number should you call?",
"What has the police released few details about?"
] |
[
"Santa Monica apartment.",
"March",
"homicide,\"",
"Juliana Redding",
"(310) 458-8449.",
"(310) 458-8449.",
"will not comment on the forensic results of that blood or any specific evidence at the crime scene. They also will not reveal whether any of Redding's neighbors heard screams or other sounds of a struggle."
] |
question: Where were they found dead?, answer: Santa Monica apartment. | question: When was the actress found?, answer: March | question: What was the cause of death, answer: homicide," | question: Who was found dead?, answer: Juliana Redding | question: What number should you call for information?, answer: (310) 458-8449. | question: What number should you call?, answer: (310) 458-8449. | question: What has the police released few details about?, answer: will not comment on the forensic results of that blood or any specific evidence at the crime scene. They also will not reveal whether any of Redding's neighbors heard screams or other sounds of a struggle.
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Just blocks from where U.N. diplomats debate their interpretations of tyranny and democracy, what may be the first document to articulate the difference is going up for sale.
The version of the Magna Carta up for auction has been on display at the National Archives in Washington.
Sotheby's will auction off one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta later this year, the auction house announced Tuesday.
This will be the first time any version of the Magna Carta has ever gone up for auction, according to David Redden, vice chairman of Sotheby's.
The Magna Carta is expected to fetch at least $20 million to $30 million, Redden said.
Redden, who has also sold dinosaur bones, space race artifacts and a first printing of the Declaration of Independence, called the Magna Carta "the most important document on earth."
The charter mandated the English king to cede certain basic rights to his citizens, ensuring that no man is above the law.
Many believe the Magna Carta was the first document to recognize the legal right to freedom from tyranny, an influential concept to American political philosophers -- from the founding fathers to the modern presidency.
The version to be auctioned is one of fewer than 20 known copies of the Magna Carta, which means "Great Charter" in Latin. The document was first devised in 1215, but not confirmed into English law until 1297 -- the year this version was issued and sealed by King Edward I.
The document is one of only two copies of the charter that exist outside of England, according to Sotheby's. This Magna Carta and another version in Australia are the only two ever to have been privately sold.
The version up for auction rested for six centuries with the Brundell family in Deene Park, England, until being bought in 1984 by businessman Ross Perot. Since then, the Perot Foundation has kept the copy on display at the National Archives in Washington.
The Perot Foundation plans to distribute the money from the auction to various causes such as medical research and helping wounded soldiers.
The Magna Carta will be coming up for auction during the week of December 10. E-mail to a friend
|
[
"Who is Ross Perot?",
"how much is it expected to go to",
"what is magna carta",
"what is expected price",
"who bought the version",
"Where will the auction be held?",
"what will sotheby do"
] |
[
"businessman",
"$30 million,",
"The charter mandated the English king to cede certain basic rights to his citizens, ensuring that no man is above the law.",
"$20 million to $30 million,",
"Ross Perot.",
"Sotheby's",
"auction off one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta"
] |
question: Who is Ross Perot?, answer: businessman | question: how much is it expected to go to, answer: $30 million, | question: what is magna carta, answer: The charter mandated the English king to cede certain basic rights to his citizens, ensuring that no man is above the law. | question: what is expected price, answer: $20 million to $30 million, | question: who bought the version, answer: Ross Perot. | question: Where will the auction be held?, answer: Sotheby's | question: what will sotheby do, answer: auction off one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Kenneth Cole is the first to admit he has a bit of a language problem.
Pun-loving Kenneth Cole pays tribute to inspiring people in his new book.
"I need to distort not just leather and fabric, but also words," he said. "It's a disorder I have."
The pun-loving fashion designer has raised plenty of eyebrows with advertising copy that ranges from the provocative and the political to the lighthearted and cutesy.
Browse his online store and you can buy a T-shirt that reads "In war is it who's right, or who's left?" A canvas tote bag says, "Use me again and again and again ... (I'm used to it)."
Should you purchase either product, you're assured that all your money will go to Cole's "Awearness Fund," an initiative designed to draw attention to social issues like homelessness and AIDS.
To that end, Cole has just released a new book called "Awearness: Inspiring Stories About How to Make a Difference" (DK Adult). It's a collection of essays from influential types intended to encourage readers to get involved in service and volunteerism in their communities. Watch Cole talk about 'Awearness' »
Former President Bill Clinton contributes a piece on the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Actress Rosario Dawson writes about empowering young Latinos to vote, and cyclist Lance Armstrong discusses the merits of starting a movement like Livestrong, his effort to energize the fight against cancer.
As Cole says: "No good deed should go unpublished." Pun intended.
The book commemorates 25 years in the fashion business for the New Yorker, as well as a quarter century as an advocate for social activism.
Cole spoke to CNN about the book, the belief, his wife and the cover. (OK, so not everyone is brilliantly punny.) The following is an edited transcript of the interview.
CNN: What is the big message you're hoping to get across with this book?
Kenneth Cole: The message is that these are extraordinary times. They're transformative in so many ways. And America recently expressed the reality that there is an appetite for meaningful, significant, social change like we've never seen before.
CNN: In the introduction of your book, you talk about how you've met a lot of people who have inspired you. Is there one person who stands out above the rest?
Cole: There are so many people that inspire me, and there are 90 role models in this book, some of whom I've been very close to. I am the closest of all to my wife, who is in and of herself a change agent and has committed to impacting the realities of homelessness -- and making sure I get out of the house every day to do what I have to do. So she's inspired me and she's done great stuff. So I think I'll stay with that answer.
CNN: In Robert Redford's essay on freedom of speech, he encourages the use of humor when speaking out about a cause someone feels passionate about. Has humor helped you?
Cole: I think it does. I agree with Mr. Redford, and he's been a model of mine. ...
And I think we also have these walls around us, and when people disagree, we're inclined not to listen, but to a degree you can break through that wall often with humor. Jon Stewart has shown us how to do that, as have some other people who are in the art of doing it well.
CNN: What's your biggest hope for President-elect Barack Obama's presidency?
Cole: He has already surpassed my greatest hopes. I think he's created a sense of spirit and energy and opportunity in this country that we've never seen. And I think it has transformed, in a sense, who we are as a nation globally within 24 hours. We saw that happen.
CNN: How does a successful fashion designer, who also
|
[
"Who highlights public spirited people?",
"What is the name of the fashion designer?",
"What use of humor leavens passion?",
"What does Kenneth Cole highlight?",
"What fashion designer admires use of humor?"
] |
[
"Kenneth Cole",
"Kenneth Cole",
"And I think we also have these walls around us, and when people disagree, we're inclined not to listen, but to a degree you can break through that wall often",
"social issues",
"Kenneth Cole"
] |
question: Who highlights public spirited people?, answer: Kenneth Cole | question: What is the name of the fashion designer?, answer: Kenneth Cole | question: What use of humor leavens passion?, answer: And I think we also have these walls around us, and when people disagree, we're inclined not to listen, but to a degree you can break through that wall often | question: What does Kenneth Cole highlight?, answer: social issues | question: What fashion designer admires use of humor?, answer: Kenneth Cole
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Late-night talker David Letterman married his longtime girlfriend, Regina Lasko, last week, according to a transcript of the taping of his Monday night show.
Late-night host David Letterman says he "avoided getting married for ... 23 years."
The wedding was at the courthouse in Choteau, Montana, on Thursday, he said, according to quotes from CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" provided to CNN by Letterman's publicist, Tom Keaney.
"Regina and I began dating in February of 1986, and I said, 'Well, things are going pretty good, let's just see what happens in about 10 years ... ," he joked during the taping. Watch Letterman spill the beans »
"I had avoided getting married pretty good [sic] for, like, 23 years, and ... honestly, whether this happened or not, I secretly felt that men who were married admired me -- like I was the last of the real gunslingers."
Lasko is a former "Late Show" staffer. The couple have a son, Harry.
Letterman told his audience that the wedding almost didn't happen after the couple, son in tow, got their pickup truck stuck in the mud on the way to the ceremony.
"So I get out of the truck and I walk two miles back to the house into a 50 mph wind. It's not Beverly Hills, it's Montana, for God's sakes,' " he said. "And the whole way, I'm thinking, 'See, smartass? See? See? You try to get married, this is what happens.' "
When he returned with a car, he said -- presumably joking -- that his son was disappointed, "because mom had told him if I wasn't back in an hour, the deal was off."
|
[
"What Monday night show?",
"Where were Lasko and Letterman married?",
"The talk show host married whom?",
"What person got married in Montana?",
"Which talk show host married Regina Lasko?",
"Do they have a child?",
"What talk-show host?",
"What did he talk about on Monday night?"
] |
[
"with David Letterman\"",
"courthouse in Choteau, Montana,",
"his longtime girlfriend, Regina Lasko,",
"David Letterman",
"David Letterman",
"a son, Harry.",
"David Letterman",
"David Letterman married his longtime girlfriend,"
] |
question: What Monday night show?, answer: with David Letterman" | question: Where were Lasko and Letterman married?, answer: courthouse in Choteau, Montana, | question: The talk show host married whom?, answer: his longtime girlfriend, Regina Lasko, | question: What person got married in Montana?, answer: David Letterman | question: Which talk show host married Regina Lasko?, answer: David Letterman | question: Do they have a child?, answer: a son, Harry. | question: What talk-show host?, answer: David Letterman | question: What did he talk about on Monday night?, answer: David Letterman married his longtime girlfriend,
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Latino immigrants living in Suffolk County, New York, have been living in an environment of intolerance and attacks against them, a report released Wednesday by the Southern Poverty Law Center said.
The atmosphere of intolerance is stoked in part by anti-immigrant groups, an indifferent police department, and county leaders themselves, according to the report.
The law center, which researches and keeps tabs on hate groups, became interested in the Long Island county after the November 8, 2008, murder of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant in Patchogue, New York. Prosecutors allege that the killers were a group of teenagers who targeted Latinos as part of a sport they called "beaner-hopping."
After four months of research in Suffolk County that included interviews with more than 70 Latino immigrants, 30 local religious leaders and other community leaders, the law center said it found a pattern of ethnic intolerance going back 10 years.
Low-level harassment of Latinos in Suffolk County is common, the report said.
"They are regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted with apples, full soda cans, beer bottles and other projectiles," the report said.
Latino residents riding bikes have been run off the road and others have been beaten with baseball bats or shot at with BB guns, the report said.
"Our feeling is that what we found is really the tip of a very ugly iceberg," Mark Potok, who edited the report, said at a news conference Wednesday. "We were told stories that are absolutely hair-raising."
The findings point to a disturbing larger trend, the report said.
The situation in Suffolk "is a microcosm of a problem facing the entire United States, where FBI statistics suggest a 40 percent rise in anti-Latino hate crimes between 2003 and 2007," the report said.
Tuesday night in Patchogue, the same city where Lucero was killed, a church frequented by Latinos was vandalized with anti-Mexican graffiti, Potok said.
The climate of fear in Suffolk County was created in part by anti-immigration voices that found sympathetic ears in the area, according to the report.
Anti-immigrant groups, such as the now-defunct Sachem Quality of Life, "heavily influenced the tone for public discourse on immigration in the area," the report said.
This stance was adopted by county leaders themselves, the law center said.
In August 2001, county legislator Michael D'Andre said that if his community were "attacked" by Latino day laborers, "we'll be up in arms; we'll be out with baseball bats."
In March 2007, another county legislator, Elie Mystal, said of Latino day laborers looking for work, "If I'm living in a neighborhood and people are gathering like that, I would load my gun and start shooting, period."
Both men later apologized for their remarks, according to news reports.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, who was also criticized in the report for employing measures seen as anti-immigrant, responded to the report Wednesday with a list of facts he says were distorted or taken out of context by the law center.
For instance, a statement in the report that raids evicted day laborers from their homes in Suffolk County was distorted, Levy's office said. The action in question affected a condemned house where 60 people were living in hazardous conditions, the statement said.
The law center's contention that Levy tried to downplay the significance of the Lucero murder was a misrepresentation of a comment the executive made to a reporter, the statement said.
The law center report also said Latinos who had suffered harassment and crimes against them seldom reported them to police because they seemed indifferent.
"Many said police did not take their reports of attacks seriously, often blaming the victim instead," the report said.
The law center recommended that police receive training to take hate-motivated crimes more seriously, and that area leaders avoid language that could be conducive to inciting violence against immigrants.
|
[
"Who studied New York county after the slaying?",
"Who is being \"regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted\" with objects?",
"Who's death are prosecutors calling a race crime?",
"What does law center spokesman say?",
"What year was an Ecuadorian immigrant killed?",
"Who was killed in '08?",
"Who are \"regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted\"?",
"What does the report say happens to Latinos?"
] |
[
"Southern Poverty Law Center",
"Latino immigrants",
"murder of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant in Patchogue, New York.",
"found a pattern of ethnic intolerance going back 10 years.",
"2008,",
"Marcelo Lucero,",
"Latinos in Suffolk County",
"\"They are regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted with apples, full soda cans, beer bottles and other projectiles,\""
] |
question: Who studied New York county after the slaying?, answer: Southern Poverty Law Center | question: Who is being "regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted" with objects?, answer: Latino immigrants | question: Who's death are prosecutors calling a race crime?, answer: murder of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant in Patchogue, New York. | question: What does law center spokesman say?, answer: found a pattern of ethnic intolerance going back 10 years. | question: What year was an Ecuadorian immigrant killed?, answer: 2008, | question: Who was killed in '08?, answer: Marcelo Lucero, | question: Who are "regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted"?, answer: Latinos in Suffolk County | question: What does the report say happens to Latinos?, answer: "They are regularly taunted, spit upon and pelted with apples, full soda cans, beer bottles and other projectiles,"
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Layoffs for sea lions? Furloughs for frogs? Is there no job security, anywhere?
State budget cuts mean New York's 76 zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums will lose $9.1 million in funding.
The recession may be coming to a zoo near you. State budget cuts mean many zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will lose crucial state funding for their exhibits. New York's 76 zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will lose $9.1 million in state funds next year.
"We're faced with this very difficult problem of firing the animals, as it were," said Steve Sanderson, the CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium. They will lose $3 million to budget cuts.
The Bronx Zoo has made a short video posted on its Web site www.bronxzoo.com/ to draw attention to the cuts. In the video, the zoo director fires a porcupine and a frog.
"I am sure you have heard that Gov. [David] Paterson's proposed budget will mean severe cuts here at the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium," the zoo director says. "Next year, all 76 zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums in the state will lose all of their state funding. There is no easy way to say this: Even though you bring record numbers of people to New York and help the economy, we are going to have to let you go."
Firing a porcupine and a frog may be a cute way to get publicity for their budget woes, but it's a serious matter and zoo officials say the recession will certainly affect the animals.
Zoo officials say some collections with "short life cycles" will not be replaced when they die, and other animals could be sent to other zoos or wildlife sanctuaries.
The state of New York funds just 2.7 percent of the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium's budget, but zoo officials say it will be difficult to make up. Between the state budget cuts, the loss in the value of their endowment and fewer people renewing memberships -- times are so tough for the zoo and aquarium -- they say they may lay off 120 to 130 people.
"Two-thirds of our budget is people, and so two-thirds of the cuts will come in cutting positions," Sanderson said. "And we'll also cut back what we provide in the way of education and entertainment and nature experiences for people. So it affects everything."
Zoo officials questioned the state's priorities. But just about everybody getting taxpayer funds has to cut back.
Jeffrey Gordon, a spokesman for the New York State Budget Office told CNN the cuts are regrettable but necessary considering the state's current financial crisis.
Citing a "dramatic reduction in revenue," Gordon said, "Every entity that receives state funds must do what the state has done, which is to review its operations and identify ways to operate at lower costs."
The Bronx Zoo isn't the only one affected; cutbacks are happening everywhere. The Los Angeles Zoo in California stopped work on its $42 million elephant exhibit last year, and there are big budget cuts for zoos in Maryland, Missouri and North Carolina.
There's no relief for the zoos in the $819 billion economic stimulus package. Section 1109 of the stimulus bill which passed this week in the House forbids the use of federal taxpayer money to plug the budget gaps. Taxpayer watchdog groups lobbied to keep zoos, aquariums, swimming pools, golf courses and casinos out of the stimulus, arguing that there are higher priorities for Americans' money during a recession.
|
[
"What is being threatened?",
"Zoos in Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina and which other city faced budget cuts?",
"How many zoos and similar places does New York have?",
"What are the zoos facing?",
"Will the animals be replaced?"
] |
[
"zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will lose crucial state funding",
"New York's",
"76",
"this very difficult problem of firing the animals,",
"not"
] |
question: What is being threatened?, answer: zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will lose crucial state funding | question: Zoos in Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina and which other city faced budget cuts?, answer: New York's | question: How many zoos and similar places does New York have?, answer: 76 | question: What are the zoos facing?, answer: this very difficult problem of firing the animals, | question: Will the animals be replaced?, answer: not
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Layoffs for sea lions? Furloughs for frogs? Is there no job security, anywhere?
State budget cuts mean New York's 76 zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums will lose $9.1 million in funding.
The recession may be coming to a zoo near you. State budget cuts mean many zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will lose crucial state funding for their exhibits. New York's 76 zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens will lose $9.1 million in state funds next year.
"We're faced with this very difficult problem of firing the animals, as it were," said Steve Sanderson, the CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium. They will lose $3 million to budget cuts.
The Bronx Zoo has made a short video posted on its Web site www.bronxzoo.com/ to draw attention to the cuts. In the video, the zoo director fires a porcupine and a frog.
"I am sure you have heard that Gov. [David] Paterson's proposed budget will mean severe cuts here at the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium," the zoo director says. "Next year, all 76 zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums in the state will lose all of their state funding. There is no easy way to say this: Even though you bring record numbers of people to New York and help the economy, we are going to have to let you go."
Firing a porcupine and a frog may be a cute way to get publicity for their budget woes, but it's a serious matter and zoo officials say the recession will certainly affect the animals.
Zoo officials say some collections with "short life cycles" will not be replaced when they die, and other animals could be sent to other zoos or wildlife sanctuaries.
The state of New York funds just 2.7 percent of the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium's budget, but zoo officials say it will be difficult to make up. Between the state budget cuts, the loss in the value of their endowment and fewer people renewing memberships -- times are so tough for the zoo and aquarium -- they say they may lay off 120 to 130 people.
"Two-thirds of our budget is people, and so two-thirds of the cuts will come in cutting positions," Sanderson said. "And we'll also cut back what we provide in the way of education and entertainment and nature experiences for people. So it affects everything."
Zoo officials questioned the state's priorities. But just about everybody getting taxpayer funds has to cut back.
Jeffrey Gordon, a spokesman for the New York State Budget Office told CNN the cuts are regrettable but necessary considering the state's current financial crisis.
Citing a "dramatic reduction in revenue," Gordon said, "Every entity that receives state funds must do what the state has done, which is to review its operations and identify ways to operate at lower costs."
The Bronx Zoo isn't the only one affected; cutbacks are happening everywhere. The Los Angeles Zoo in California stopped work on its $42 million elephant exhibit last year, and there are big budget cuts for zoos in Maryland, Missouri and North Carolina.
There's no relief for the zoos in the $819 billion economic stimulus package. Section 1109 of the stimulus bill which passed this week in the House forbids the use of federal taxpayer money to plug the budget gaps. Taxpayer watchdog groups lobbied to keep zoos, aquariums, swimming pools, golf courses and casinos out of the stimulus, arguing that there are higher priorities for Americans' money during a recession.
|
[
"What did the state budget cut threaten?",
"how much loss the zoos?"
] |
[
"zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums",
"$9.1 million"
] |
question: What did the state budget cut threaten?, answer: zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums | question: how much loss the zoos?, answer: $9.1 million
|
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Legendary football coach and broadcaster John Madden is retiring, he announced Thursday.
John Madden appears at the TV Critics Association Press Tour in Beverly Hills, California, in 2008.
"It's been such a great ride ... the NFL has been my life for more than 40 years, it has been my passion -- it still is," he said in a statement released by NBC Sports.
Madden, 73, was a Hall of Fame coach for the Oakland Raiders, but is best known to millions as an ebullient football commentator.
He won 16 Emmy awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, NBC said.
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"What is his passion?",
"How long was he involved?",
"What is Madden best known for?",
"where are Legendary football coach and broadcaster?",
"what is he well known for?",
"What is John Madden known for?",
"where Madden is best known to millions?"
] |
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"the NFL",
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"ebullient football commentator.",
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"an ebullient football commentator.",
"football commentator.",
"Oakland Raiders,"
] |
question: What is his passion?, answer: the NFL | question: How long was he involved?, answer: 40 years, | question: What is Madden best known for?, answer: ebullient football commentator. | question: where are Legendary football coach and broadcaster?, answer: TV Critics Association Press Tour in Beverly Hills, California, | question: what is he well known for?, answer: an ebullient football commentator. | question: What is John Madden known for?, answer: football commentator. | question: where Madden is best known to millions?, answer: Oakland Raiders,
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