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LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nigeria 's military has rescued 18 hostages held by militants in its oil-rich Niger Delta region , a military spokesman said Monday . File image shows Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta fighters . The first group -- nine Filipinos and five Nigerians -- were released on Saturday , while four Ukrainians were released on Sunday , according to Col. Rabe Abubakar , spokesman for the Nigerian military 's joint task force . Nigeria 's military began clearing the western Niger Delta region last week , its first major operation against the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , an armed militant group that demands a better distribution of the country 's oil wealth . Both the Nigerian military and the militants have said the ongoing fighting has resulted in a high number of casualties . As many as 1,000 have been killed , according to Victor Burubo , a spokesman for the Ijaw National Council which represents the region 's largest ethnic group . However , aid groups and journalists have been unable to verify that figure . `` We want the international community to know that we are getting rid of criminals and terrorists in our communities so foreigners who come here to work and invest are safe , '' Abubakar said . Four villages near the militants ' camps have been destroyed in the fighting , Burubo said . However , the military spokesman stressed that Nigerian forces are not targeting civilians , blaming such attacks on the militants . `` We are not attacking villages -- just -LRB- militant -RRB- camps , '' Abubakar said . On Friday , MEND declared `` an all-out war '' on the government after what it said was a deadly bombing raid on civilians . It is not the first declaration of war by MEND , which demands that more of Nigeria 's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those the militants consider corrupt politicians . The militant group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks . At that time , MEND destroyed several oil facilities , forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day , or 40 percent . The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria , Africa 's largest producer . MEND has threatened to blockade oil vessels , and has warned oil companies in the region to leave and `` cease oil production until further notice . '' The militant group said Friday the country 's armed forces conducted `` indiscriminate aerial bombardment on the defenseless civilians in the Gbaramatu area of Delta state . '' It said the strikes were punishment `` for the humiliating defeat '' of the army in raids on two militant camps Wednesday . `` Casualties are mostly women , children and the elderly who could not get away quickly into the bush or high sea , '' the militant group said . The military says it is responding to the militants ' attacks on troops , hijackings of vessels , and threats to innocents , such as the `` expatriates who were given ultimatum to leave the region by the militants . '' It characterized the various claims by the militants as `` propaganda . '' `` We are not at war with any individuals or groups in the region , '' Abubakar said . `` Ours is to protect lives and property and also to rid the region of criminals who hide under the guise of struggle agenda to perpetrate crime . '' CNN 's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report . | 9 Filipinos and 5 Nigerians released Saturday , 4 Ukrainians released Sunday . Nigeria 's military began clearing the western Niger Delta region last week . Operation against militants demanding better distribution of country 's oil wealth . Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has declared `` all-out war '' | [[246, 327], [330, 375], [470, 545], [637, 660], [666, 726], [1765, 1769], [1778, 1920], [1598, 1607], [1610, 1668], [1921, 1988]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some of the worst fighting to hit Somalia 's capital city in recent months uprooted nearly 34,000 people in less than a week , according to a United Nations report released Monday . A young girl feeds her baby brother at a refugee camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu , Somalia . Relief workers said the fighting between the Somali government and rebels over Islamic law has left Somali civilians with the choice of facing bloody battles or fleeing to squalid camps . The displaced people have found shelter in already overcrowded camps in and around Mogadishu , while others have fled into neighboring Kenya , according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs -LRB- OCHA -RRB- . OCHA said that an estimated 34,000 people were displaced by the fighting between insurgents and Somalia 's government from May 8-14 . Although Somalia 's border with Kenya is officially closed , an estimated 5,000 displaced Somalis arrive every month in the U.N. refugee camps in the Kenyan border town of Dadaab , according to Doctors Without Borders , known by its French acronym MSF . `` The situation is simply scandalous , '' said Joke Van Peteghem , who heads the MSF mission in Kenya . `` These refugees have risked everything to escape the fighting in Somalia . Now some are telling us they would rather take their chances in Mogadishu than die slowly here . '' One nurse called the refugee camps in Kenya `` public health time bombs . '' `` The refugees , many of whom are already suffering from serious war-related injuries or illnesses , are packed together without the bare minimum to survive , '' said Donna Canali , who worked for MSF at Dagahaley Camp . `` After all these people have endured , how can their most basic needs continue to be so woefully neglected ? '' Nearly a quarter of the more than 90,000 refugees at Dagahaley suffer from acute malnutrition , according to MSF . MSF is calling on the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees , Kenya 's government , and international donors to help alleviate the `` dire living conditions '' at the camps in Kenya which house more than 270,000 Somali refugees . More than 100 people have died in the latest fighting in Somalia , and hundreds more have been wounded in the bloody insurgency , government officials said last week . The violence stems from an interpretation of sharia , or Islamic law . Somalia 's new president , Sheikh Sharif Ahmed , recently approved implementing sharia , but the al-Shabab rebel group wants the country to institute a stricter form . On Sunday , al-Shabab seized control of Jowhar , the president 's hometown about 55 miles -LRB- 88 km -RRB- north of Mogadishu , according to a local journalist . The violence is exacerbating the already precarious humanitarian situation in Somalia , where an estimated 40 percent of the country 's population -- more than 3 million people -- need humanitarian support , according to the U.N. . The fighting erupted days after a mortar attack on Somalia 's parliament that killed six people and wounded more than a dozen others on April 25 . The fatalities included a soldier and three children who were killed when the rounds struck a nearby school , a police spokesman said . Members of parliament were meeting when the attack occurred , but none of them was injured , an official said . | Fighting in Somalia uproots 34,000 civilians in a week , report says . Civilians have choice : Face bloody battles or be forced into squalid camps . More than 100 have died in most recent fighting . Violence stems from an interpretation of sharia , or Islamic law . | [[0, 15], [94, 143], [364, 413], [721, 854], [736, 854], [430, 484], [2147, 2211], [297, 387], [2315, 2385]] |
LIMA , Peru -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven children and two teachers were killed Monday when a bridge collapsed in southern Peru , according to a health department official . Fifty-five others were injured in the incident , which occurred near a school in Peru 's Ayacucho province , said Director Maria Torrealba . Further details were not immediately available , nor were the conditions of those injured in the incident . Journalist Maribel Salas contributed to this report . | Fifty-five others were injured in the collapse . The incident has occurred near a school in Peru 's Ayacucho province . The conditions of those injured in the incident is not immediately available . | [[169, 215], [169, 186], [278, 309], [386, 417], [203, 215], [224, 275], [310, 356], [386, 417]] |
ASUNCION , Paraguay -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo acknowledged Monday that he is the father of a 2-year-old child who was conceived when he was a Roman Catholic bishop . Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo speaks at a news conference in Asuncion on Monday . `` It 's true that there was a relationship with Viviana Carrillo , '' Lugo told reporters , citing the mother . `` I assume all the responsibilities that could derive from such an act , recognizing the paternity of the child . '' He said he was making the acknowledgment `` with the most absolute honesty , transparency and feeling of obligation . '' The announcement came in the week after Carrillo had filed suit in a city in southern Paraguay seeking a paternity test . Judge Evelyn Peralta , who is overseeing the case , said she was treating it routinely . `` It is a case like any other , which involves the president and nothing more , '' she said . `` It will be processed as it should be . '' Some Cabinet members interpreted Lugo 's acknowledgment of paternity as an indication of the change he has promised to bring about to achieve greater transparency in the public sector . `` This is the Paraguay that we want , '' said Liz Torres , minister of children 's issues . `` This is the Paraguay of serious change , in which there is no double standard or secrets . It seems to be an example , a very big lesson . '' But some opposition party members said it appeared that Lugo had practically been forced to acknowledge what happened ; that he had not done so willingly . Sen. Julio Cesar Velasquez of the opposition Colorado Party called on the Vatican to excommunicate Lugo . Lugo was laicized last year , around the time he assumed the presidency . Journalist Sanie Lopez Garelli contributed to this report from Asuncion . | Fernando Lugo says he 's the father of a 2-year-old conceived when he was a bishop . Announcement comes in the week after child 's mother sued , seeking paternity test . Some Cabinet members say paternity disclosure reflects government transparency . But opposition party member calls on Vatican to excommunicate Lugo . | [[11, 35], [39, 137], [116, 137], [142, 193], [633, 754], [710, 754], [1564, 1669], [1646, 1669]] |
LA PAZ , Bolivia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After weeks of enduring cajoling and threats that culminated in a hunger strike by President Evo Morales , Bolivia 's congress on Tuesday approved a law allowing him to run for re-election in December . Evo Morales on hunger strike at the presidential palace in Bolivia 's capital , La Paz . Bolivia 's first indigenous president credited his five-day hunger strike for the decision , which came after an all-night debate . `` That effort has not been in vain , '' the leftist leader said as he approved the law , which calls for general elections to be held on December . 6 . The congress also approved a new census , seven parliamentary seats to be reserved for representatives of indigenous villages , and a referendum on autonomy for five resource-rich eastern regions and the eastern province of Gran Chaco . It also set April 4 , 2010 , for regional and municipal elections . For the opposition , the requirement of a new electoral census and tighter rules regarding who gets to vote was an important victory . `` It will give to all of us the assurance that our vote counts , that our vote will not be manipulated and that , therefore , we will define our future and the future of Bolivia , '' said Oscar Ortiz , a senator with the opposition Democratic Power party . But Jose Antonio Quiroga , a political analyst , predicted that the national electoral court will face big difficulties in deciding how the new census will affect who gets to vote -- both inside and outside the country . `` That 's an enormous job that must be decided not only by the electoral court , but the Office of Civil Registry , the National Police or perhaps the office of personal identification , which is where I believe the biggest problems will emerge , '' he said . The approval of the electoral law marked the end not only to days of political tension but to the hunger strike by Morales , who reportedly carried out an 18-day hunger strike in 2002 -- when he was expelled from Congress . | December 6 set as date for country 's general elections . President Evo Morales is expected to win another five-year term . Morales began a hunger strike to force the congress to approve the election law . The Congress also approves a new electoral census . | [[528, 608], [73, 80], [86, 140], [1908, 1915], [1922, 1976], [613, 625], [631, 654]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two high-profile political officials linked to Guinea-Bissau 's recently assassinated president were killed Friday , according to a statement from the West African country 's interim army chief . The killings raised fears that a military coup may be under way . Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr , left , and interim President Raimundo Pereira are currently out of the country . The military confirmed the killings of former Defense Minister Helder Proenca and presidential candidate Baciro Dabo , saying the men were killed because they were plotting a coup against the current government . The military said several members of the ruling party have been arrested on allegations of taking part in the plot , which included a plan to assassinate the current prime minister and the interim president , according to the statement from interim army chief Zamora Induta . However , the move by the military has raised fears that the military itself is plotting to take over the government , particularly since the arrests and killings took place while Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr. , interim President Raimundo Pereira , and defense minister Artur Da Silva are out of the country . President Joao Bernardo Vieira , 69 , was assassinated on March 2 during an attack on the presidential palace . The attack happened a day after Gen. Tagme Na Waie , chief of Guinea-Bissau 's military , was killed in a bomb explosion in his office . The army and Guinea-Bissau 's president clashed in the months prior to Vieira 's assassination . Guinea-Bissau , a former Portuguese colony , has a history of military coups . | Two former allies of Guinea-Bissau 's assassinated president killed , military says . Military says pair were plotting against government ; some fear military plans coup . President Vieira assassinated March 2 in attack on presidential palace . Former Portuguese colony has a history of military coups . | [[66, 114], [409, 513], [215, 280], [241, 280], [409, 421], [528, 621], [908, 1014], [66, 114], [1210, 1240], [1243, 1321], [1556, 1569], [1601, 1634]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bolivian President Evo Morales on Sunday pledged to continue his hunger strike until Monday , when Congress -- including the opposition-led Senate -- is set to reconvene . Evo Morales on hunger strike at the presidential palace in Bolivia 's capital , La Paz . Morales ' speech , televised by a state-run station , was his first formal address to the nation since starting the strike Thursday in the government palace . More than three days into the strike , Morales appeared healthy during his address . The president wants the opposition-led Senate to set a date for general elections that are expected to give him another five-year term . Morales on Friday called on opposition members -- who walked out of the Congress in mid-session late Thursday -- to pass the election law , the government-run Bolivian Information Agency said . The nation 's first indigenous president reportedly carried out an 18-day hunger strike in 2002 , when he was expelled from Congress . | Evo Morales initiated his hunger strike Thursday in the Government Palace . Opposition-controlled Senate yet to pass law setting December date for vote . General election expected to give him another five-year term . Morales is the South American nation 's first indigenous president . | [[280, 298], [334, 438], [584, 605], [611, 660]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's House of Lords voted Wednesday to suspend two of its members over corruption claims -- the first time a lord has been barred from the chamber since 1642 , a spokesman for the chamber said . Britain 's House of Lords voted to suspend two of its members . It 's first time a lord has been barred since 1642 . Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Truscott allegedly agreed to use their influence to get a loophole into a proposed tax law in exchange for cash , but the person offering the bribe turned out to be an undercover reporter . The Sunday Times newspaper ran the sting operation , in which journalists approached members of the House of Lords , claiming to be acting on behalf of a foreign business looking to open a chain of stores in the United Kingdom . `` Secret recordings showed Lord Truscott , a former energy minister , discussing a fee of up to $ 113,000 to work ` behind the scenes ' on behalf of the lobbyists , while Lord Taylor offered to conduct a campaign to persuade ministers and officials for a one-year retainer of $ 189,000 , '' the newspaper said . `` Neither peer took any money or offered to -LSB- introduce -RSB- an amendment themselves . '' Truscott and Taylor were among four lords investigated by the House of Lords Sub-Committee on Interests . The ethics panel found last week that Truscott `` was advertising his power and willingness to influence parliament in order for substantial financial inducement . '' He called the verdict `` outrageous and slanderous , '' according to the official report by the panel , which rejected his appeal against the decision . Taylor said he knew the journalists were running a sting operation and that he made `` increasingly extravagant and outlandish claims in an effort to ` flush out ' the truth , '' according to the official Lords report on the incident . The ethics committee considered his defense `` full of internal contractions '' and found him in breach of the Lords Code of Conduct . Two other lawmakers , Lord Moonie and Lord Snape , were found not to have breached the code . The suspension of Truscott and Taylor is officially for breaching the Code of Conduct , which states that members are required to `` always act on their personal honor . '' They will not face criminal charges , London 's Metropolitan Police said . The suspension will last until the next session of parliament begins in November . Only the Queen can permanently strip a lord of his title . Both Taylor and Truscott are associated with the governing Labor Party . Thomas Taylor joined the House of Lords , the upper house of parliament , in 1978 . Peter Truscott got his baronage in 2004 . Their historic suspension comes a day after the speaker of the House of Commons , the lower house of parliament , was forced to resign -- the first such resignation in more than 300 years . CNN 's Nicola Goulding contributed to this report . | Lord Taylor of Blackburn and Lord Truscott barred for corruption charges . They allegedly agreed to take cash to influence specific legislation . They will not face criminal charges , London 's Metropolitan Police said . | [[9, 32], [62, 130], [237, 300], [354, 499], [1322, 1485], [1360, 1485], [2280, 2315], [2318, 2354]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN wants to hear from viewers in both English and Russian for its weeklong focus on modern Russia . CNN Moscow Correspondent at Star City , the Russian cosmonaut training facility . Reflecting on Dmitry Medvedev 's first year as president , and looking ahead to President Obama 's first trip to the Kremlin in July , CNN delves beyond politics to profile the many facets of this vast land through an ambitious bi-lingual audience initiative and a wide-ranging week of programming . The audience initiative -- CNN 's first with a Russian-language component -- complements an energetic mix of live reporting and interviews , feature and documentary programming , and cultural despatches running the gamut of sports to space travel , fashion to music , business to farming , as CNN travels the length of the country to bring viewers the Russia of today . CNN wants to hear from both Russian residents and worldwide viewers , in English or in Russian , what they think about Russia 's role in the international community . Send us your comments via Sound Off below . or send your videos and pictures via iReport or to youtube.com/CNN . The best will be posted online to be read and watched by CNN.com Youtube audiences around the world , while English language contributions have the additional opportunity to feature on air in CNN 's programming output . `` Russia is making its voice heard far beyond its borders at a time when the global community has never been more interdependent , '' said Mike McCarthy , CNN International 's vice president of coverage and feature programming . `` We want our compelling interviews and reports to stand alongside the very best in audience commentary to provide a really lively insight into what contemporary Russia looks like at a time when its impact is being felt not just in politics but in a diverse array of other fields . We 're also excited to offer an online outlet for the first time for Russian language audience feedback as well . '' The week of programming kicks off with a special travelogue documentary Eye on Russia : Moving Forward where CNN 's Moscow-based Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance rides the train from the Arctic north of Murmansk down to the southern climes of Sochi by way of St Petersburg and Moscow , to offer a diverse range of reports . He visits a Russian farm to look at the country 's ambitions to be an agricultural superpower , checks out the Star City astronaut training center , meets with seven-foot boxing world champion-turned-movie star Nikolai Valuev and talks along the way with entrepreneurs and environmentalists working to make the city of Sochi home to green Olympics in 2014 . CNN also catches up with famous faces like NHL hockey star Alexander Ovechkin , Russian Vogue editor in chief Aliona Doletskaya , A list model Natalia Vodianova , acclaimed conductor Valery Gergiev , the `` Russian Madonna '' singer Valeriya , and London-based Russian art collector Nonna Materkova to bring together an eclectic mix of Russians who have made it on the world stage . Additionally , there are reports on Russian communities around the world that have sprung up in places as different as Ashdod , Israel and Brighton Beach , New York . CNN is also live every night from a range of iconic Moscow locations as Chance gives his topical insights into a country increasingly at the center of international headlines , to complement a range of interviews with top Russian CEOs and industry leaders airing throughout CNN 's prime time evening programming . From St Basil 's Cathedral , the Kremlin , Christ the Saviour Cathedral and Manej Square , Chance gives us the latest on what makes the Russia of today , from domestic and foreign policy , to business , to culture . The Eye on series has travelled around the world visiting France , Russia , India , South Korea , China , South Africa , Brazil , Beirut and Poland . | CNN launches week-long series of special programming on modern Russia . Moscow Correspondent Matthew Chance rides train from Arctic to Black Sea . Series also features hockey star Alexander Ovechkin , conductor Valery Gergiev . Tell CNN what you think about Russia 's role in the international community . | [[19, 119], [337, 501], [2111, 2230], [2701, 2704], [2710, 2778], [974, 1038]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- From barefoot tomboy to fashion supernova , fearless pop renegade Rihanna lives to bust all the rules . `` I love the heavy chain over this pretty dress -- it 's exactly the way I would do it , '' says Rihanna . What are some rules you 'd like to crush ? The idea of not wearing brown and black together seems so dated . The other day I wore a black T-shirt , black Nobody jeans , a brown leopard-print belt by Dolce & Gabbana , and brown Giuseppe Zanotti shoes , and it looked awesome . Also the rule about not matching your makeup to your outfit . I do that onstage , matching red lipstick to a bright red jacket or neon-pink eye shadow to a pink jumpsuit . And I also love to mix prints . We 've had the Meg , the Jennifer , and now people ask for the Rihanna at salons . Will you be switching it up again ? The first time I heard people were asking for the Rihanna , it was really flattering and maybe a little strange . It caught me by surprise , but now I feel it 's a very cool thing . I do n't feel the pressure to change it up again at all . I like it , as they like it . Can you talk about your style obsessions and how your look has evolved over the years ? It has evolved without my even noticing it . Lately I 'm obsessed with Thierry Mugler ... Grace Jones inspires me . She is the most iconic woman ever , in my eyes . She has extraordinary style and she 's fearless . I love designer Martin Margiela ; Kanye West told me about him . I also like Dsquared , Chloé , Zac Posen ... But you were n't always a fashion maven ? Growing up in Barbados , you were a tomboy . I wore my brother 's clothes , dresses with sneakers , or no shoes at all . I would always get into trouble with my mom . She would say things to scare me like , `` You 're going to get cut ! '' But I could n't help it . I would climb trees , steal mangoes , catch birds -- silly things that were fun to us at the time . My cousin and I were the only girls in the group . We would have to stand up for ourselves because the guys did n't want us around . You stood out in Barbados because of your light complexion . Do you remember having trouble fitting in at school ? Definitely . It made me angry ... For the first six years of school , I would go home traumatized . The harassment continued to my very last day of elementary school . High school was better . I read that your mom owns a boutique and your dad works at a garment factory -- it seems you have the Rihanna fashion line already partly sewn up . -LSB- Giggles -RSB- Well I am working on that right now . It takes a lot of effort , and I want to be involved with every step of the process . What do you do for kicks in L.A. ? I do n't go out much . I 'm moving into a new four-bedroom home in Los Feliz that I 'm excited about . Parts of it will be inspired by India . I love things like canopy beds , printed fabrics and Spanish touches . Then I can stay at home and cook West Indian dishes like callaloo -LSB- stewed greens -RSB- . But I do want a sports car -- as soon as I get my license . Who knew you were so domestic . Wait a minute . You 're such a rebel . In the video for `` Take a Bow , '' you drive a car . I have my Barbadian license , just not my American one . How will you celebrate your 21st birthday ? Do n't scare me ! I have till February . I feel like I have so much more to accomplish before I 'm 21 . No party plans yet . Many showbiz types say , `` Do n't ever read your own press , '' but you do , even the online stuff . What 's the kookiest thing you 've read about yourself ? The Grammy thing -- that I brought Jay-Z on stage and Beyoncé was upset , which is so ridiculous . Or the idea that I 've had breast implants -- I do n't even have much cleavage . It was just the dress ! So yes , I read about myself and about everybody else in the gossip pages . It 's comedy to me ; I laugh about it . The tattoo behind your ear is a Pisces symbol -- two fish swimming head to tail in a circle -- which represents life after death . If possible , what would you be reincarnated as ? If I had to come back in another form , it would be as my dog , DJ . He gets the best treatment , all the attention in the world , and he 's so adorable . Plus , he goes everywhere I can take him . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Rihanna wants to crush the idea of not wearing brown and black together . Her light complexion gave her trouble fitting in at school in Barbados . Singer 's new four-bedroom home decor in Los Feliz to be inspired by India . `` If I had to come back in another form , it would be as my dog , '' Rihanna says . | [[282, 321], [2062, 2122], [2123, 2125], [2146, 2176], [2800, 2839], [221, 238], [4079, 4113], [4114, 4137]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- The holiday season is also the engagement season ! A gorgeous cushion-cut stunner by Daniel K. Yes , you read that right . It 's been said that nearly 40 percent of all marriage proposals occur between Thanksgiving and Valentine 's Day . If you 're one of the lucky ladies hoping for a ring this season -LRB- or one of the nervous gentlemen contemplating popping the question -RRB- , use this guide to popular diamond shapes and cuts -- and the stars who sport them -- to get acquainted with the dazzling world of engagement rings . Emerald . No shape more aptly fits the diamond nickname `` ice '' than the emerald , a rectangular cut with lean facets extending down the sides . This elegant art deco shape received its confusing name during the 1920s , when it was typically used for emeralds . Characterized by a flat top and step-shaped side facets , an emerald cut cries out for a clean setting . Star Power : Eva Longoria , Ellen Pompeo , Melania Knauss . Asscher . The Asschers of Amsterdam , gem cutters for the British royal family , designed this striking , dramatic shape in 1902 . A square with diagonally cropped corners and stepped sides , it features a high crown and sheds a gentle light . Star Power : Tameka Foster , Ashlee Simpson , Christine Costner . Cushion . A square with curved sides and rounded corners , this stone shines softly instead of sparkling . Cushion-cut center stones surrounded by tiny diamonds are especially in vogue . Star Power : Jeri Ryan , Courtney Ford , Guiliana DePandi . Princess . Think of this flirty , flashy option as the `` Yeah , baby ! '' stone , and not only because it was dreamt up in London during the swinging sixties . The arrangement of the gem 's many -LRB- 49 to 144 -RRB- facets produces a hall-of-mirrors effect . Star Power : Stephanie March , Kara Janx , Sarah Michelle Gellar . Oval . Ovals have been enjoying a high profile since Tom Cruise placed a gorgeous one on Katie Holmes 's finger . The cool cousin of the round , the oval shares many of that stone 's features , with plenty of sparkle and versatility when it comes to settings . The long shape is especially flattering . Star Power : Bridgette Wilson , Toni Braxton , Rebecca Romijn . Pear . Made to sit with the point facing up , this lusciously feminine -LRB- and unusual -RRB- cut frequently goes solo because few wedding bands fit easily beneath the large underside of this stone . Star Power : Katherine Heigl , Lela Rochon , Tiffany Fallon . Marquise . The name for this cut comes from 18th-century Versailles , where courtiers wore ship-shaped rings as a sign of their rank . Today the marquise can be worn lengthwise or sailing sideways across the finger . Star Power : Catherine Zeta Jones , Victoria Beckham , Portia de Rossi . Round . Created by Marcel Tolkowsky in 1919 , the round diamond is the most popular shape for engagement rings . It 's often called the round brilliant because it has triangular facets , arranged to direct light from the bottom of the stone up through the top for maximum sparkle . Star Power : Katherine McPhee , Roselyn Sanchez , Mary J. Blige . Radiant . This rectangular stone , introduced in the seventies , lives up to its name : By combining long , lean , step-cut and triangular facets , it refracts lots of light . So if you decide on this shape , keep the setting simple . Star Power : Heidi Klum , Leslie Grossman , Anna Chlumsky . Rose-Cut . Most diamonds have a flat top with facets on the edges and bottom , but a rose-cut diamond is domed and covered with facets . Carat for carat , rose-cut diamonds , which cast a mellow , soft light , are typically less expensive than other shapes . Star Power : Melissa Akey . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Think of the flirty , flashy Princess cut as the `` Yeah , baby ! '' stone . The name for the Marquise cut comes from 18th-century Versailles . A rose-cut diamond is domed and covered with facets . The round diamond is the most popular shape for engagement rings . | [[2515, 2571], [668, 706], [3520, 3573], [2840, 2906]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- Style-maker , TV host and opinionated fashionista Carson Kressley explains how to give yourself a complete makeover -- inside and out . Style-maker Carson Kressley spills the naked truth on giving yourself a mental makeover . Minimize the negative . As Coco Chanel said , `` Fashion is architecture : It 's a matter of proportions . '' In other words : No matter which part of your body you dislike , there 's a clever way to divert the eye elsewhere . Try different styles and employ horizontal -LRB- widening -RRB- , vertical -LRB- elongating -RRB- and diagonal -LRB- slimming -RRB- lines as necessary . Venture out of your comfort zone . `` Many women get used to dressing their body a certain way because they think it 's the only thing that works for them , '' says Kressley . Find a boutique or department store with well-trained salespeople and try on three styles you 've never worn . It might be a fabric such as jersey that you 've always deemed too clingy or an Empire-waist camisole that you 're convinced looks too young . Not every experiment will be a success , but even one new style or color will prove that there are more ways than you thought to look your best . Do n't be ruled by your insecurities . If you 've been avoiding the beach or missing out on parties because you 're afraid of being the largest person there , grab a friend and go to the very place that incites terror -- just be sure you 're wearing an amazing outfit . Avoid a blackout . `` Have you ever seen a happy goth ? '' muses Kressley . `` I think everyone needs color to feel good . '' Too many women rely on head-to-toe black as a form of camouflage . But any hue can be slimming if worn monochromatically -- so instead of black , reach for plum , gray or chocolate brown . Clean out your closet . Whether you 're holding on to clothes that are too small because you hope you 'll fit into them someday , or clothes that are too big for fear you 'll grow back into them , you 're keeping past wounds open . `` Old clothes stop you from living in the present , '' says Kressley . `` They reinforce what you used to look like . '' Get rid of anything you have n't worn in two years and replace it with something new that makes you feel pretty . And while you 're out shopping , have a house-cleaner swing by for good measure . Write yourself a love note . Some women are so obsessed with their hips that they fail to notice their flat tummy . Remind yourself of your virtues by writing a note that says something like `` Hey , you have a great chest ! '' Tack it to the bathroom mirror so you 'll see it in the morning and before bedtime . `` We 're so trained to look for the negative that we need a physical reminder of the positive , '' explains Kressley . Have a princess moment . Treating yourself to a massage , a body exfoliation , a professional blow-out , a brow shaping or a mani-pedi can elevate your mood by affirming to yourself that you 're worth the splurge . Get naked . Some women on Kressley 's show are so self-conscious about their bodies that they 're reluctant to be naked around their husbands . That discomfort affects how they feel when dressed too . Before you can move as if you own the room , you 'll have to be at ease inside your skin , and spending time in the buff can help . One idea : Take a bath with the -LRB- gasp ! -RRB- lights on -- no candles . `` Feeling comfortable with your body alone is the first step to feeling comfortable with your body around others , '' says Kressley . If all else fails , fake it . One of Kressley 's favorite mantras is `` looking cute is feeling cute . '' So if you 're having a low day , force yourself to go through the motions . Put on your makeup , do your hair , wear a great outfit . Sometimes faking it can give you enough of a boost to lift you out of the doldrums . `` Feeling pretty , '' Kressley says , `` changes your whole outlook because you feel good about yourself . '' Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Fashionista Carson Kressley : Women get stuck in fashion ruts . Well-trained salespeople can help you try new styles , colors . Old clothes reinforce old looks ; toss anything you have n't worn in 2 years . Remind yourself of good things about your body . | [[480, 500], [809, 874], [2101, 2144], [2168, 2198], [2148, 2171], [2203, 2232]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- Actress Cameron Diaz talks candidly about love , guys , friends , family and charting her own course . Sunny days and a smiling Diaz , here shot near the Malibu shore . `` I 'm mostly a jeans girl , '' she says . Casual style . Diaz does n't strive to be taken seriously . Her style is relaxed , never more evident than with her wardrobe . `` I do n't like overdone or being too put-together , '' she explains . `` I like casual chic . Eclectic style . I want to feel like I can go anywhere , whatever I 'm wearing . '' Today is no exception . She 's half glam , half laid-back . Her casualness comes courtesy of frayed jeans that show off her lightly tanned legs . `` I found these jeans today and was , like , ` Well hello , Abercrombie jeans ! ' They 're really old , and I love them . I do n't care that they 've got holes in them . '' Watch thoughts on friends and sexy poll results '' She has paired them with a simple black sweater and added a dash of glitz with a crystal-and-gold cocktail ring from Barneys . `` I 'm Cuban , so I 'm drawn to things that sparkle . I like to use accessories to give things a bit of my own flavor . '' Men . So , is Diaz dating ? `` I 'm a woman , '' she says , like , Duh ! `` Of course I 'm dating . And is that so surprising ? Oh my god , she 's dating ! '' So when you make a reported $ 15 million per movie , how do you make the call that someone is boyfriend material ? `` I trust my judgment , '' she says . And though she wo n't divulge whom she 's spending time with , she 's clear on what she 's looking for . `` My list is all about balance . You can have smart but not funny . You can have funny but not very smart . You can have intellectual but not social . But ... I want it all ! '' Not that her life has gone exactly as planned . `` I thought I 'd be married and have kids by the time I was 22 . But when I got to 22 , I realized that was n't what I wanted , which was a huge lesson for me , '' she says . `` Am I going to have a baby ? Who knows ? I do n't . I 'm not going to live my life looking just for that . How can I know what my future holds ? '' She pauses , then offers an answer : `` How about this -- I am happy right now . Does that count for anything ? '' Family . Diaz lives 45 minutes from her family and has always spent a great deal of time with them . She raves about her parents , crediting them with fostering her sense of humor . `` They just celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary . They 're just really good , cool people . '' This is one woman with a well populated inner circle . Says Diaz : `` I know I 'll never be in a situation where I ca n't get to somebody for support . '' That support will never be more important . Sadly , after this interview was conducted , her father , Emilio Diaz , passed away unexpectedly . In the following days , the actress released a statement on behalf of her sister and mother : `` My dad was so loved by so many people , and his humor and spirit will always live in our hearts . '' Two of her father 's favorite groups were the ocean conservation organizations Reef Check and Surfrider . To honor her father , she has asked that donations be made to those organizations in his name . In her interview , Diaz remembered how her dad taught a then scrawny young girl how to fight bullies in school . `` He said he 'd always back me up if I got in trouble . He is a good man , stand up and loyal . '' Looks like that runs in the family . | Actress Cameron Diaz likes `` casual chic , eclectic style '' Says she trust her judgment when it comes to dating . Her father taught her how to fight bullies in school . | [[442, 462], [1446, 1465], [3276, 3349]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- May 15 , 2009 . Where in the World ? You 've heard many different places mentioned this week on CNN Student News . Show you know your news by identifying the location described in each clue . Write your answers in the space provided . Click here for a PDF version of this Newsquiz . 1 . This country , whose general election lasts for a month , is considered the world 's largest democracy . * . * . 2 . Russia celebrated its defeat of Nazi Germany with Victory Day parades in this city . * . * . 3 . Journalist Roxana Saberi was freed from imprisonment in this country . * . * . 4 . Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope to visit this country in nine years . * . * . 5 . This is the location on the earth 's surface directly above where an earthquake begins . * . * . 6 . A small team from Operation Blessing helped this earthquake-ravaged town in China 's Sichuan Province rebuild . * . * . 7 . Graduating seniors at Dillard University , Xavier University and other colleges in this U.S. city were displaced as freshmen due to Hurricane Katrina . * . * . 8 . This Afghan capital 's only college for music has reopened . * . * . 9 . Controversy surrounds a scheduled commencement speech by President Barack Obama at this Catholic university . * . * . 10 . According to a report by RealtyTrac , this state led the U.S. in foreclosures in April . * . * . | You 've heard many different places mentioned this week on CNN Student News . Show you know your news by identifying the location described in each clue . Write your answers in the space provided . | [[69, 146], [83, 146], [147, 198], [161, 223], [224, 255], [246, 266]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.N. team entered Gaza on Monday to investigate possible human rights abuses by Israel and Hamas during a three-week conflict that ended January 18 . Palestinians run from an Israeli airstrike on a U.N. school in northern Gaza on January 17 . Richard Goldstone , a former Rwanda and Yugoslavia war crimes prosecutor , is leading the Human Rights Council investigation of the conflict that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Palestinians and 13 Israelis . Goldstone and three other investigators entered Gaza via Egypt for a five-day visit . Upon crossing into the Palestinian territory , Goldstone told reporters , `` We 've come here to see . We 've come here to learn . We 've come here to talk to people in all walks of life , ordinary people , governmental people , administrative people , obviously nongovernmental organizations that are so important in this sort of situation . '' The Geneva , Switzerland-based Human Rights Council established the fact-finding mission April 3 `` to investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that might have been committed at any time in the context of the military operations that were conducted in Gaza during the period from 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009 , whether before , during or after . '' Israel launched its offensive in Gaza with the stated intent of stopping a barrage of rockets -- primarily short-range homemade Qassam rockets -- fired from the territory into southern Israel by Hamas fighters . The Israeli government is not assisting the investigators , who are not scheduled to visit Israel as part of the inquiry . Yigal Palmor , a spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry , said that `` there is not a chance we will cooperate with this mission '' under the terms of the Human Rights Council mandate . `` The resolution was adopted by a vote of non-Democratic countries , and the democratic countries either abstained or rejected the resolution , '' Palmor said . Israel has been long been a critic of the Human Rights Council , arguing that it is one-sided in its approach to the Jewish state . The Israeli military conducted an investigation of its actions in the Gaza conflict and concluded in a report released in April that it `` operated in accordance with international law . '' An Israeli human rights group called that conclusion problematic since an impartial external body did not lead the investigation . The Palestinian Center for Human Rights has said that 1,417 Palestinians were killed in the fighting , of which 236 were active combatants . The Israeli military put the death toll at 1,166 and has maintained that more than half were `` Hamas terror operatives '' The Hamas movement welcomed the arrival of the investigators . Fawzi Barhoum , a Hamas spokesman , said , `` We are ready to help these committees and encourage them to unveil the truth and bring out all the hidden details of what took place during the war , hoping to show the entire world the truth . '' Barhoum went on to say that Israel 's lack of cooperation was evidence that it was trying to cover up crimes committed in Gaza . The U.S. State Department has labeled Hamas , a Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization , a terrorist group . Its military wing , Izzedine al Qassam , has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians as well as attacks against the Israeli military . | Human Rights Council enters Gaza to investigate possible abuses by Israel , Hamas . Three-week conflict between the two sides ended January 18 . Thirteen Israelis and more than 1,000 Palestinians were killed . Israeli government is not assisting investigators . | [[0, 19], [29, 147], [64, 156], [64, 156], [135, 156], [162, 180], [402, 414], [420, 487], [2472, 2612], [2521, 2572], [1544, 1666]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British new wave ska legends The Specials rounded off the Brixton leg of their 30th anniversary tour with an electric performance that threatened to bring the crumbling south London venue crashing to the ground . The frenzied crowd at London 's Brixton Academy . The six-piece 2-tone outfit originally from the English Midlands played a total of five dates at what is now the O2 Academy , such was the phenomenal demand for tickets . It 's no surprise really . From the rarefied perspective of the VIP bar , the sea of bobbing heads and mobile phone displays -LRB- which seem to have replaced cigarette lighters -RRB- created a fantastic spectacle . But down among the rude boys and rude girls the carnival atmosphere seemed to ratchet up a notch with each song . Balding , sweaty 40-something men in Fred Perry polo shirts were transported back to the late 1970s as they bounced around unselfconsciously , while post-Margaret Thatcher indie kids sloshed their pints in the air and enjoyed this unique experience for the first time . No one was standing with their arms folded here . Despite songwriter Jerry Dammers ' continued absence and Lynval Golding 's lost voice , the band was as tight as it ever was , both musically and personally . As soon as the curtain rose the band wasted little time plugging into the hysteria that greeted them . If `` Do The Dog '' appeared to hit the spot , then tracks such as `` Too Much Too Young , '' and `` Gangsters '' literally had the earth moving in this imposing old theatre . Terry Hall , showing no sign of fatigue after a recent throat infection and the band 's homecoming gig in Coventry the previous night , was in a chirpy mood . The Manchester United fan enjoyed reminding the London audience about his team 's league success that afternoon . Meanwhile , the irrepressible Neville Staple seemed to galvanize the rest of the band with his seemingly limitless energy -- he must have spent the entire gig running on the spot . The dapper singer has aged well and was clearly reveling in the band 's return to the spotlight . Despite only reforming recently , The Specials have rediscovered their mojo . They possess the kind of stage presence reserved for the truly great acts , while their lyrics still resonate today . `` Ghost Town '' encapsulated the gritty reality of Britain 's urban landscape in 1981 , and few in the audience would have argued that it remains a relevant portrait in today 's troubled economic times . | The Specials reformed for a 30th anniversary tour . The six-piece 2-tone outfit are originally from the English Midlands . Songwriter Jerry Dammers chose not to take part in the tour . Band played hits including `` Too Much Too Young , '' `` Gangsters '' and `` Ghost Town '' | [[299, 326], [343, 392], [1385, 1401], [1429, 1472]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival , some of the best music happens miles from the Fairgrounds , hours after the crowds have gone and the last of the crawfish bread has been consumed . Shamarr Allen , Mark Mullins and Ben Ellman sport the Midnite Disturbers T-shirts as they perform . It happens with the arrival of Midnite . At 1:18 a.m. , Bonerama -- a brass-funk rock band lead by three trombones -- has just finished a 90-minute set that started with a soulful , passionate original tune written by bandleader Mark Mullins , and concluded with a cover of Jimi Hendrix ' `` Crosstown Traffic , '' complete with the trombones running through wah-wah pedals . Suddenly the crowd of about 75 clears out of the way as a dozen musicians parade in the room . Dressed in black shirts , they are the Midnite Disturbers , a Jazz Fest supergroup whose appearance is as infrequent as a lunar eclipse . Each member of the Midnite Disturbers fronts his own band , and the artists are rarely in the city at the same time . The band was started by New Orleans drummers and longtime friends Stanton Moore and Kevin O'Day . In the weeks following Katrina , O'Day had moved into Moore 's house , where the two hit on an idea . `` We realized we had never had our own band together , and we decided to invite all of the best horn players we know to play with us , '' O'Day said . Each artist has a name , printed in red , on his shirt , following the command `` Listen to '' : Smokey Johnson ... Brian O'Neill ... Henry `` Red '' Allen . They 're the band 's predecessors and mentors . Although probably little known outside the Crescent City , they 're the musicians who shaped New Orleans music : masters of their craft . Modern-day masters in their own right , the Midnite Disturbers live up to their name , splitting the night with their loud , hard , funky jams . There are up-and-comers Troy Andrews and Shamarr Allen , and veterans such as Mullins from Bonerama , Stanton Moore and Ben Ellman from Galactic . Their black shirts are drenched with sweat by the time they finish playing . `` Its an honor to play with such veterans because it 's confirmation that I 'm doing my thing on a level to where people are noticing the hard work that I have been putting in , '' said trumpet player Shamarr Allen . `` Playing with this kind of band keeps you on your toes . It 's more interesting and challenging to try to understand everyone 's musical approach and find a spot for yours to fit . `` That 's the beauty of it , '' he said . `` How to sound good , have fun , listen to each other , entertain a crowd , and stay on the same page at the same time . It lets me know , if I 'm not there yet , I 'm on my way to being one of the big boys . '' The Midnite Disturbers will be at Jazz Fest -- of course -- holding down a 5:55 p.m. slot Saturday afternoon . And then , when it 's over , they 'll be gone -- ready to get together when the moon beckons . | Midnite Disturbers is an all-star band of New Orleans musicians . Group does brassy funk , New Orleans style , calling attention to influences . Disturbers scheduled to play Jazz Fest Saturday afternoon . | [[2788, 2831]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If Lagos were a person , he -LRB- or she -RRB- would be described as `` mad , bad and dangerous to know . '' Locals get about in traffic-heavy Lagos on motorcycles known as okadas . But we all know that these types of people are usually the most exciting kind . They are a lot of fun and you just never know what 's going to happen when they 're around . By the same token , any visitor to Lagos should prepare for the unexpected -- it can feel like a literal assault on the senses from the moment you step off the plane and feel the intensity of the dense tropical heat . Lagos is big , brash and bold and creaks under the weight of the 17 million people who live there . The former capital of Nigeria , Lagos remains its economic nerve center and teems constantly with the buzz of buying and selling -LRB- usually performed at the top of the vendors ' voices . -RRB- . There 's only one volume level in Lagos and that 's loud . From the constant tooting of horns in the snail-paced traffic , known locally as go slows , to music blaring from homes round-the-clock , the city buzzes constantly with noise . Getting around is not easy and you will be caught in the frequent go slows , where you will be confronted by vendors selling all manner of things , from English football team merchandise to dinner sets to plantain chips to frozen yogurts . Locals often joke they can kit out their entire home in a short car journey . The city is divided into three islands adjacent to each other and the mainland . Most expatriates and employees of multinationals , that proliferate in Lagos , are based on two of the islands ; Ikoyi and Victoria Island . The vast majority of wealth in the city is concentrated on these upmarket islands , with their western-style shopping malls and entertainment complexes . The best restaurants , bars , boutiques and galleries can also be found here and it 's best to stick to these areas to make the most of your time in Lagos . A stay in Lagos would be incomplete without visiting one of the lively and colorful markets like the Balogun market off Breadfruit St , Lagos Island . It is not for the meek or faint-hearted but you 're guaranteed to get a bargain or two if you 're prepared for a good haggle . It 's great for African prints and carvings but is a maze of a market , so best to hop on the back of popular motorcycles known locally as okadas to help you navigate it . To relax from all that haggling , you can head down to one of the five beaches in the city -- the best of them is Tarkwa Bay -- a small beach at the entrance to the Lagos port . It is easily accessible by boat from Tarzan Jetty at Maroko -LRB- around $ 6 per person -RRB- or under Falomo bridge on Victoria Island . At Tarkwa Bay you can browse through some local African arts , cloth or even locally produced honey brought round by the occasional hawker . For a spot of lunch , make like locals and indulge in some `` pepper fish '' or suya -- very spicy chunks of meat , similar to kebabs , cooked over a charcoal grill -RRB- , washed down with ice cold beer . For authentic Nigerian cuisine that wo n't give your stomach too much `` wahalla '' -LRB- trouble -RRB- , the Yellow Chili restaurant on Oju Olubun Close , Victoria Island is recommended . Those with an adventurous palate can order the special delicacy of Isi-Ewu - goat 's head , while others can tuck into jollof rice and chicken or spicy bean cakes -LRB- moi-moi -RRB- -- a favorite with most Nigerians . For a spot of culture , a short taxi ride away is one of the city 's main attractions , the National Museum on King George V Road , Onikan . It opened in 1957 and houses bronze sculptures and ivory carvings from Benin dating back 300 years . Is Lagos the most exciting city in Africa ? Use the Sound Off box below to have your say . If you are in the market for some art , you can pick up some tasteful , but admittedly , not cheap , Nigerian art at the Bogobiri boutique hotel in West Ikoyi . The hotel owner 's brother , Azu , will take you to his studio where you can see the artists at work . Lagos is a see-and-be-seen place and later you can party at one of the most fashionable places in town , Caliente on Goriola Street , off Adeola Odeku Street , a fun cocktail bar with a South American vibe and salsa dancing . Lagosians also let their hair down over a bucket of champagne or two at Bar Ten in Saka Tinubu Street , owned by Nigerian football star Jay Jay Okocha . There 's no chance of missing it as his name is engraved with golden letters above the entrance ! Be prepared to empty your wallet though , as Lagosians are big spenders . However , if your taste is less opulent , visit one of the numerous beer parlors found on every street corner and which are open 24 hours a day . Lagos is a city that never sleeps . For those staying on the mainland , check if musician Femi Kuti is in town on a Sunday and go to `` The Shrine '' , Ikeja - the home of Afrobeat . This is an amazing experience reminiscent of his dad , the legendary musician Fela Kuti . Or you can catch the current king of Afrobeat , Lagbaja at his club Motherlan ' on Opebi Road , Ikeja . The clubs do n't kick off in earnest until around 10pm and you can party well into the night , just do n't forget to make it in time for your flight home ! CNN 's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report . | Lagos is a vibrant , exuberant city that never sleeps . You can shop for African fabrics at the local markets , just be prepared to haggle ! Party at The Shrine nightclub , home of legendary Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti . | [[4793, 4828], [4802, 4808], [4814, 4828], [2219, 2255], [2173, 2176], [2192, 2215], [2744, 2820], [4571, 4584], [4865, 4892], [4920, 4975]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the swine flu outbreak escalates across the globe , U.S. travelers returning from Mexico are wondering what to do when they come home . Travelers leaving a Mexican airport fill out questionnaires about their health . On Wednesday , Christine Kovar of San Francisco , California , returned from a vacation to Nuevo Vallarta , Mexico . She said she was n't sure whether she should attend work or stay home . `` I feel fine , '' said Kovar . `` It will be the discretion of my boss whether I go back to work . '' The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta , Georgia , is advising U.S. travelers back from Mexico with at least two of the swine flu symptoms to stay at home and avoid public places upon return . Symptoms of swine flu , also known as 2009 N1H1 , can include a fever , sore throat , cough , chills , headaches and runny nose . People with symptoms should report to a health care provider or local health department and provide itinerary details and symptoms , according to the CDC . If infected , the swine flu is contagious for up to seven days . People who are n't sick should continue to work and use normal precautions like washing hands , according to the CDC . They should monitor their health for seven days . `` As long as they are n't presenting any flu-like symptoms , there is no reason why they ca n't continue to do things that they normally would , '' said Llelwyn Grant , a spokesman for the CDC . Meanwhile , the death toll from swine flu continues to climb . On Thursday , the World Health Organization reported 236 cases of swine flu worldwide . In the United States , the CDC said it confirmed 109 cases of swine flu , or 2009 H1N1 , in 11 states , an increase of 18 from its previous total . On Wednesday , the WHO raised the pandemic threat level to 5 on a six-step scale . These numbers are causing alarm among the public , as schools and businesses try to contain the disease and protect the health of others . Some companies are erring on the side of safety , telling employees who returned from Mexico to stay at home for a few days . One university in Pennsylvania barred nearly two dozen students back from Mexico from attending graduation . More than 100 schools across the country have shut down . Greenville County School District in South Carolina shut down on Thursday to clean the buildings and busses when 18 students reported flu-like symptoms after a band trip to Disney World in Florida . School officials are awaiting the test results of the children . `` We are being proactive and trying to take -LSB- the -RSB- right precautions , '' said Oby Lyles , spokesman for the Greenville County School District . Several state health departments such as the New York , where there are 50 confirmed cases , and Kansas , where there are two confirmed cases , said they have n't made state-level advisories yet on whether travelers from Mexico who feel healthy should attend work or not . If travelers are feeling sick , the state departments said travelers should follow CDC guidelines and stay at home . `` If you are n't sick , make sure you are practicing the common sense precautions , '' said a spokesman at the New York State Department of Health . `` Wash your hands . Cover your mouth when you sneeze . '' In addition to advising ill U.S. travelers returning from Mexico to stay confined , government officials are turning to the travel industry for help , particularly air travel . The CDC is advising airline crew members who have arrived from domestic and international areas affected by the swine flu to be on the lookout for ill passengers . Airlines have been advised to stock the planes with gloves and face masks in case of an emergency . The CDC said airline crew members need to ask passengers who appear sick to be quarantined at one of the CDC 's 20 locations across the country . It 's been smooth sailing at U.S. airports , several passengers say . There have been no nationwide questionnaires being issued at the airports , according to a spokeswoman at U.S. Customs and Border Protection yet . In contrast , at some Mexican airports , travelers are asked to fill out forms asking about his or her health , passengers interviewed say . Still , travelers will find warnings about swine flu all over the airport . At O'Hare International Airport in Chicago , Illinois , travel warnings about the flu are being distributed . Signs informing passengers about swine flu , particularly in the international terminal , are posted . As of Friday , the CDC was recommending U.S. travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Mexico . | Travelers with flu-like symptoms coming back from Mexico should stay at home . Healthy travelers coming from Mexico can continue to go to work and school . There are more than 230 confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide , according to WHO . Companies and schools are erring on the side of safety asking people not to come . | [[532, 589], [602, 689], [1981, 1995], [2031, 2106], [2998, 3082], [3316, 3373], [1095, 1188], [2899, 2920], [2938, 2956], [1523, 1534], [1537, 1598], [1896, 1980], [1981, 2028]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chris Helmbrecht is a 37-year-old German who lived in New York and Spain before moving to Moscow nearly six years ago . He runs an advertising agency and also writes Moscow Blog , a lifestyle blog about the city . Chris Helmbrecht : `` Not many places have as much energy as Moscow . '' CNN : You 've traveled around a lot -- what makes Moscow unique ? Chris Helmbrecht : Not many places have so much energy and so many things going on . It can be very nerve wracking and exhausting , but on the other hand it 's very exciting . New York is one of those places , Tokyo too , but there are only a handful of cities in the world that have that kind of energy . CNN : You used to be a DJ -- what 's your opinion of Moscow 's nightlife ? CH : For some people the nightlife is the best in the world , but for me it 's very commercial and posh . You can sum it up in one sentence , which is a general thing about Moscow : people here live `` Sex and the City . '' They just want to go out and spend money and pretend they 're rich and successful and live this dream . I recently had a conversation with the club editor of Timeout Moscow and I asked her if she thought the clubs were suffering right now with the economy . She said that in the modern `` New Russian '' culture people would rather sell their Mercedes than not go out and spend anywhere between $ 4,000 and $ 6,000 on a table in a club and admit that they 're not rich anymore . Moscow is dominated by posh parties , but it 's no different at a subculture place like a techno club -- you 're always judged by the labels you wear , the car you drive and the music you identify yourself with . CNN : Where do you like to go in the city ? CH : Novodevichy Monastery is a really beautiful old monastery . Stalin demolished a lot of churches and monasteries but this one was spared . There 's a pond below it that you can walk around , and all the Russian Orthodox popes are buried in he cemetery . It 's a very nice place . Another place is would be Vorobyovy Gory -LRB- Sparrow Hills -RRB- , where you can look out over Moscow . It 's pretty industrial looking but it has good views . I also enjoy the center of Moscow . I like hanging out on the roof bar of a hotel , having a drink , looking out over Red Square . It makes you feel like you 're away from the noise of the city . What makes Moscow special to you ? Let us know . CNN : What do Muscovites do at the weekend ? CH : It depends on the time of year , but in the summer they take every opportunity to get out of the city . Everyone has a little weekend house called a `` dacha '' and every Friday night after work people leave the city . From 4pm in the afternoon to 10pm at night you have long traffic jams on all the roads out of the city . People will spend three or four hours in traffic jams just to travel 60km -- and on the way back on Sunday and Monday mornings it 's the same . Some `` dachas '' are really basic wooden houses and some are palaces but every family has one , or even two or three . People go out to the woods or lakes and they have barbeques , they drink and they do some gardening . They value this `` dacha '' life so much that they 're willing to spend 6 hours in traffic to spend 1 1/2 days in the woods . CNN : So is Moscow is deserted in the summertime ? CH : Moscow is very quiet in the summertime -- it 's my favorite time . You can already notice that there are less people in the clubs and less people in the streets at the weekend . Towards the end of June , Moscow is really empty . You really notice it from the middle of July until September , when it 's school vacations . CNN : Has Moscow change a lot since you moved there ? CH : Yes -- you can see it renewing itself . I know how it went with Berlin -- in 10 years you wo n't recognize Moscow anymore . Streets have changed so much in the last five years , in a good way and a bad way . A lot of cool-looking brick buildings were torn down to create business centers , but on the other hand you have great new modern buildings and hotels -- the Ritz Carlton for example . There are lots of new museums popping up , art centers , alternative art , new shops and cafes . It 's so different to when I came here five years ago and to be honest , I never would have expected it . CNN : What do you miss about Moscow when you 're away ? CH : I miss the excitement . There 's something going on all the time . There 's so much choice in terms of theater , classical ballet , the nightlife , the galleries . You have that in Berlin but it 's harder to find and not as exciting , and New York has lost a lot of its flavor , glamour and energy at the moment . CNN : If Moscow were a person , what would he or she be like ? CH : An ugly princess who wears a lot of makeup and tries to be pretty ! She would probably seem pretty rude , but inside she 's a good person . | Chris Helmbrecht is a 37-year-old German who now lives in Moscow . He says Moscow 's energy makes it exciting , but it can be exhausting . Muscovites love to get out of the city at the weekend , says Chris . `` Moscow is renewing itself . In 10 years you wo n't recognize it , '' he says . | [[19, 59], [39, 59], [64, 138], [508, 520], [526, 547], [2491, 2557], [3711, 3746], [3793, 3820]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of the most cosmopolitan cities in Africa , Johannesburg is multicultural and multifaceted . Make the most of your time there with these tips . The Apartheid Museum is an often disturbing view of South Africa 's troubled past . Apartheid Museum It 's a disturbing experience , but a visit to Apartheid Museum is essential if you want to understand the city 's troubled past . On arrival , visitors are randomly allocated a pass labeling them as white or non-white , referencing the apartheid pass laws that obliged black South Africans to carry identity passes at all times . Harrowing multimedia displays and news footage recreate the brutality of the apartheid era , while nooses hanging from the ceiling represent the political prisoners executed under the system . Less bleak are the tributes to those who fought against the injustice of that era , paving the way for equality and democracy in today 's South Africa . The museum is open between 10 am and 5 pm -LRB- GMT +2 -RRB- Tuesday to Sunday . Admission is R30 -LRB- $ 3.20 -RRB- . For more information visit http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/ . Meaty treat The Carnivore is one of the city 's more unusual restaurants . A few miles outside Jo ' burg proper , on the Muldersdrift Estate , The Carnivore is designed to satisfy your primal meat cravings . As well as the usual chicken , lamb and beef dishes , this eatery offers an intriguing selection of big game dishes , including crocodile , giraffe and ostrich . There are veggie options available for those who are n't tempted by the thought of slow-roasted impala , but if you choose the vegetable lasagna you may never find out if crocodile really does take like chicken . See Hugh Masekela 's Johannesburg '' Day tripping Jo ' burg is well positioned for some interesting day trips . Pretoria is just 50km away , but has a very different to feel to Johannesburg , offering more of an insight into Afrikaans history . The Voortrekker monument and museum , just outside the city , celebrate the pioneer spirit of the Boer and their `` Great Trek '' from the Cape to the country 's interior . If African wildlife is more your scene , head to The Lion Park , a small nature reserve about 25km north of Johannesburg . It 's not the full safari experience , but you will get to see lions , cheetahs , antelopes , zebra and impala , among other local fauna . What are your tips for Johannesburg ? Let us know below . Get around Too big to explore on foot , Jo ' burg is a driver 's city . Public transport is generally poor and minibus taxis and the Metro train are crime hotspots . There are plenty of car-hire outlets in the city but if you 'd prefer someone else to do the driving City Tours offer minibuses to destinations including Soweto and The Lion Park . The advantage of a tour is that your guides can offer a local 's insight into the city 's history and culture . Crime There 's no doubt that progress has been made in reducing crime over the last couple of years , but it remains a problem in many parts of the city . ATMs are a magnet for criminals . Be sure to only use ATMs in well-lit areas and be wary of people offering to help you use them . If you 're driving , keep the car doors locked at all times and do n't open the windows too wide . Keep your wits about you when stopped at traffic lights and when you 're getting into and out of the car , and keep your valuables out of sight . Put bluntly , it is not safe to walk around most of Johannesburg after dark . | A visit to the Apartheid Museum offers an insight into the city 's troubled past . Sample the delights of crocodile and giraffe meat at the Carnivore restaurant . If you prefer your game alive and in its natural setting , head to The Lion Park . The best way to explore the city , and visit nearby Pretoria , is to hire a car . | [[167, 250], [304, 344], [348, 398], [1387, 1494]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's not as achingly hip as Barcelona and it 's more manageable than Madrid : Spain 's third city has plenty of flavor , an urban edge and uniquely Valencian oddities . From medieval cathedrals to Calatrava 's futuristic City of Arts and Sciences , Valancia packs in plenty . Where else could you glimpse the Holy Grail in the morning , gorge on paella on a Mediterranean beach for lunch and then wander along a old river bed transformed into a park and visit architectural blockbusters that look like a Star Trek vision of a colonized planet ? After an early morning shot of coffee and , depending on your sugar tolerance , churros , the Cathedral in the heart of the old city is the best place to start the day . Located on the Plaza de la Reina , the cathedral is an impressive mix of gothic , baroque and Romanesque architectural styles . As striking as the many parts of the cathedral are , the sight of the Holy Grail my leave you underwhelmed -- to the unenlightened it resembles something closer to a plastic mug circa . 1973 . If you 're in town on a Thursday , catch the enactment of a tradition almost as old as the grail . The Tribunal de las Aguas , or Water Court , is the meeting of the city 's elders , who gather outside the cathedral 's Plaza del Palau for around twenty minutes . It generally involves a number of old men sitting down not doing very much , while one pronounces what has been decided , and it 's a bit of a tour-group hot spot . On the other side of the plaza is the octagonal Miguelte Bell Tower , where you can climb 207 steps for a panoramic view of the low-rise old city . Not far through the old city 's happy tangle of narrow streets is the Lonja : a fifteenth-century trading house , studded with a fine collection of mugging gargoyles now preserved under UNESCO Heritage status . Bringing yourself out of the city 's medieval landmarks , you can feast on modern culture at IVAM , the city 's cheap and excellent modern art gallery . But for a vision of the future as designed by local superstar architect Santiago Calatrava , wander along the city 's old river bed towards The City of Arts and Sciences . It 's made up of four gleaming white architectural confections , including the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia concert hall , which is covered in cracked white tiles that glisten in the sunlight . A few minutes away is the final piece of the architectural dreamscape , the Oceanografico -- one of the world 's biggest aquariums . With two shark tunnels , beluga whales , walruses and thousands of fish it should sate anyone looking for a glimpse of the life aquatic . The Mediterranean Sea itself is not far away , and public transport in Valencia is a convenient way to get around town when things get out of comfortable walking distance . To get to the beach from the center of town hop on a tram on line 5 from Colon towards Neptu . When there you 'll find a beachside strip of hotels and paella restaurants offering versions of the city 's most famous culinary dish . The area was scrubbed up when Valencia hosted the Americas Cup , sailing 's blue riband event , in 2007 . Beyond the rice and seafood delights and the anodyne redeveloped area by the docks , the beach bar of Hotel Neptuno offers some choice classy cocktails . To be extra chilled , snag one of the massage therapists walking along the promenade for a bargain 10 euro beach massage or reflexology session . Back in town , the covered market of the Mercado Central is a must , not just for foodies , but for people-watching . The beautiful modernista building was constructed in 1928 -- look out for the green parrot weathervane . Eating and drinking in the city is a rich experience . Tapas is ubiquitous , but make sure you try horchata -- a sweet local specialty made from a mix of water , sugar and ground tigernut . Among the city 's numerous specialist bars serving the cooling drink , the Horchataria de Santa Catalina provides some fine mixes in a traditional tiled interior . For late night drinks the bars and cafes around Barrio del Carmen are popular with locals and visitors -- San Jaume , housed in an opulent old pharmacy , is a prime spot for people watching at any time of day or night and a little further away , Café Lisboa is buzzy and friendly on the Plaza Dr Collado . Summers in the city are blistering , with mid-autumn and spring the best seasons to visit . But it 's every March that Valencians exhibit the Spanish love for a street party during the Las Fallas festival . Its origins are a bit murky , harking back to pagan rituals , but today it 's a noise fest , with daily processions and ear-splitting fireworks set off through the city 's streets , even during the daytime . The biggest daily barrages take place in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento -- the city 's main square . Out of season some of the effigies and floats built during previous festivals can be seen year round at the Museum of Las Fallas on Plaza Monteolivete . CNN 's Linnie Rawlinson contributed to this report . | Spain 's third city has a fun mix of culture and entertainment . City of Arts and Sciences is Santiago Calatrava 's architectural masterpiece . Old city center can be explored by foot ; city 's river was transformed into a park . Chill out with a massage on the beach ; light up at the Las Fallas festival . | [[430, 506]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Any woman who 's ever watched `` Sex and the City '' has at some point tried to guess which of the characters she 's most like . The overly confident Samantha ? The slightly prudish Charlotte ? The pessimistic Miranda ? The overanalytical Carrie ? Candace Bushnell attends a fashion show during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in September . But an honest viewer probably would have to admit that she 's similar to all of the characters in some way . As a writer , that is Candace Bushnell 's gift . In her books , including `` Sex and the City , '' `` 4 Blondes '' and `` Lipstick Jungle , '' Bushnell has given the pop culture world feminine role models with which it can identify . And the best-selling author 's newest book , `` One Fifth Avenue , '' provides a few more -- including attorney Annalisa Rice , gossip columnist Enid Merle and gold digger Lola Fabrikant . Although all of her characters are fictional , Bushnell said each one is based on a common type of person . `` I 've always been interested in people . It 's part of being a novelist , really , part of the job , '' she said . `` As a writer you can never know a real person as well as you know your characters . '' Watch Bushnell talk about her new book '' Bushnell said a minor character or two often will appear in several of her books . Other characters she develops in her head for years before releasing them on the literary scene . For instance , she kept one fictional character , Schiffer Diamond , under wraps for 20 years , never seeing a place where she fit in -- until `` One Fifth Avenue . '' The story of a vicious scramble for a penthouse apartment once owned by a high-society queen shows the life of New York City women through the lens of where they live . One Fifth Avenue -- an actual building near Washington Square Park -- is an address that each character thinks will be her ticket to fortune . Bushnell contrasts old and new money -- and old and new media -- in the course of her tale . A New York lover herself , Bushnell looks like she belongs on a fashion walkway . Arriving at CNN in a blue dress , bright green jacket and what look like 6-inch heels , it 's obvious the author is n't just a bystander of the fashion capital . But those expecting a who 's who of the designer world should take another look at Bushnell 's subject matter . `` My books are social satire . They have a sense of the absurd , '' Bushnell said . `` They have to say something about contemporary life . '' `` One Fifth Avenue '' touches on art and antiquities theft , crosses back into the world of blogging and zips over to the stock market in less than 400 pages . Though the book is just out in stores , it was written months ago . So how did the author -- who 's been celebrated in the past for her ahead-of-the-curve approach to trends -- know the economy would be such a central focus of her readers ' current lives ? `` I keep my eyes open , '' she said with a smile . | Candace Bushnell has a new book , `` One Fifth Avenue '' It 's story of the scramble for a penthouse apartment owned by a high-society queen . Bushnell says she often knows her characters better than any real person . Books `` have to say something about contemporary life , '' she says . | [[1652, 1708], [1616, 1673], [1709, 1746], [1122, 1135], [2465, 2517]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rick Perlstein could have called his book `` Paranoia . '' Richard Nixon was `` the guy who exploited these tensions to create a new kind of politics , '' says Rick Perlstein . If Perlstein 's history of the 1960s and early '70s in America has a throughline , it 's mistrust . Parents do n't trust their children . Enlisted men do n't trust their officers . Blacks do n't trust whites , Southerners do n't trust Northerners , the Silent Majority does n't trust the Intellectual Establishment , and -- soon enough -- nobody trusts the government . And in the midst of it all was Richard Nixon : Red-baiter , former vice president , failed gubernatorial nominee , punch line , political strategist and president , a master at playing both sides to maintain his hold on power . In doing so , he provided a roadmap for his successors . Hence Perlstein 's actual title : `` Nixonland '' -LRB- Scribner -RRB- . `` I 'm fascinated with how Americans fight with each other , '' says Perlstein , 39 , who was born the year Nixon took office . `` And the '60s is the best , the most -- besides the Civil War , I ca n't think of a more dramatic canvas . And Nixon fits in as the guy who exploited these tensions to create a new kind of politics that we 're still living with now . '' Slideshow : What made the '60s the '60s '' Perlstein 's book has earned rave reviews . In The Atlantic magazine , conservative writer Ross Douthat praised the author for `` the rare gift of being able to weave social , political , and cultural history into a single seamless narrative . '' Newsweek 's Evan Thomas called it `` the best book written about the 1960s '' in more than a quarter-century . Perlstein says he 's long had an obsession with the '60s -- which , in `` Nixonland , '' start with the Democratic landslide of 1964 and end with the Nixon landslide of 1972 . The author , now a senior fellow at the left-leaning Campaign for America 's Future in Chicago , considers the book a sequel to his earlier work , a biography of Barry Goldwater and the rise of the conservative movement . But `` Nixonland '' is as much a cultural history as a political chronicle ; indeed , in the '60s the two were tightly enmeshed . The decade saw the full flower of youth culture , which was intertwined with Vietnam War protests , increasing drug use and distinctive music . It also saw the rise of what Nixon , in a major 1969 speech , termed the `` Silent Majority '' -- older , more conservative Americans buffeted on all sides by change , taking refuge in the familiar . Both groups had their pop culture heroes and touchstones , Perlstein observes . `` The generational divide went so deep as to form a fundamental argument about what was moral and what was immoral , '' Perlstein says . `` This was how people lived in the world -- through popular culture and through politics . The two feed off each other . '' Though the era is now remembered through the rosy lenses of the baby boomers , their parents -- the heart of the `` Silent Majority '' -- did n't look upon the culture so fondly . Many disdained the era 's pop music , the most obvious expression of youth . Moreover , some of the highest-rated TV specials of 1969 and 1970 were Bob Hope programs , Perlstein writes , and when a movie such as 1970 's `` Joe '' came out -- about a hardhat who loathes the hippies -- many in the audience came to cheer for the hardhat . Movies may have been the most revealing mirror of society . The rise of the youth culture coincided with the death of the studio system . Some of what emerged were films willing to show the grit and ugliness of the cities -LRB- `` the cities '' being a common euphemism for civic decline -RRB- . `` Midnight Cowboy '' and `` The French Connection , '' the Academy Awards ' best pictures of 1969 and 1971 respectively , show a weary , cold New York crumbling under its residents ' feet . Television tiptoed more gingerly into the new age , Perlstein says . With just three networks catering to the entire country , `` everything had to have this lowest-common-denominator mass appeal , '' he says . `` You could watch TV in 1966 and it 's really not any different from what it looked like in 1956 . `` When you did get interesting shows , it was often an accident -- a midseason replacement , '' he adds . '' ` The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour ' was supposed to be a typical variety show . -LSB- CBS -RSB- never would have signed it up had they known that they were going to start talking about how much they hated the Vietnam War and started putting on Pete Seeger and making jokes about Richard Nixon . It was an accident . '' An underlying theme of `` Nixonland '' is how the various cultural and political movements eventually borrow from each other , with varying results . The mass gatherings of youth -- `` be-in , '' `` sit-in '' -- became `` Rowan and Martin 's Laugh-in , '' a colorful comedy show hosted by two nightclub comics , with a writing staff that included an old Nixon hand , Paul Keyes . The nightly arguments between parents and children became the sitcom `` All in the Family , '' a show whose central figure -- the bigoted construction worker Archie Bunker -- became a cultural hero . And then there was Nixon , a controlling man who , in trying to stay at least one move ahead of everyone else , ends up consumed by his own power . The result is Watergate , which is just being uncovered as `` Nixonland '' ends . Could it have been different ? Countless commentators have tried to replay history from the hinge year of 1968 , wondering if a surviving Robert Kennedy could have beaten Nixon and salved an angry culture . Perlstein , whose next book will chronicle the '70s , will have none of it . `` I do n't like that magic thinking . I 'm very suspicious of it , '' he says . `` Martyrs seem to get 100 extra bonus points in the annals of history , and that 's a bias . By the same token , nostalgia systematically cheats the past . `` I think that it pulls around to one of the huge themes of my book and my work , which is that we really want to believe that somehow magically we can transcend our differences in American and as Americans without working hard at it . `` If only this person had lived ; if only this event had n't gone the way it did . But the fact of the matter is , we are a deeply divided nation , and transcending those differences is n't the work of an afternoon or a single person . It 's something we all have to fight for . '' | `` Nixonland '' is Rick Perlstein 's history of the '60s and early '70s . Central character is Richard Nixon , who exploited era 's tensions for his ends . Book shows how politics and pop culture intertwined -- and created gaps . End result ? We 're still living in Nixonland , author says . | [[199, 276], [5672, 5681], [5700, 5723], [566, 588], [593, 610], [4655, 4804]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was one of the greatest humanitarian acts in history . Pondering an imaginary Yiddish-speaking place produced `` The Yiddish Policemen 's Union , '' says Michael Chabon . At the beginning of World War II , as the Nazis tightened their grip on Europe , the U.S. government allowed millions of Jews to resettle from their homes in Poland and Russia to southeastern Alaska , along the panhandle . Two million Jews had died at the hands of the Nazi scourge , but millions more were saved as the Federal District of Sitka , Alaska , became the new Jewish homeland -- all the more important when the fledgling State of Israel went down to defeat in 1948 . However , 60 years later , Sitka is about to be returned to local jurisdiction , and the island 's Jews -- including a noted detective , Meyer Landsman -- are wondering where to go next . The Jewish people , forever rootless , will have to wander some more . Landsman 's got other problems , too . He 's rootless himself , biding his time in a seedy hotel . There 's the body that turned up in a nearby room , a onetime chess prodigy who appears to have major connections with some big shots -- machers , in the local Yiddish lingo . There 's his ex-wife , now his boss -- at least until the department is disbanded -- and his partner , a half-Jewish , half-Tlingit named Berko who 's far more responsible than Landsman . And there are a host of old enemies with long memories , particularly when Landsman decides to root around the dead chess player 's case . Landsman 's world is fiction , of course , a product of Michael Chabon 's imagination . Chabon 's new book , `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' -LRB- HarperCollins -RRB- , combines Landsman 's hard-boiled detective 's terrain with the landscape of alternate history , one in which world events take a startling turn . The story is rooted in fact , the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Chabon -LRB- `` The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay '' -RRB- observes . Chabon had written an article about the decline of Yiddish , and the reaction to the piece -- some of it very negative -- `` got me thinking about ... a possible , but nonexistent , imaginary Yiddish-speaking place in the modern world , '' he says in an interview at CNN Center . In the article , he noted an actual plan by Franklin Roosevelt 's Interior secretary , Harold Ickes , to create a refuge for European Jews in Alaska , still 20 years from statehood . In reality , the plan was squelched thanks to the opposition of Alaska delegate Anthony Dimond , but in the `` Yiddish Policemen 's '' world , Dimond is conveniently killed off and the plan goes forward . Chabon 's Federal District of Sitka is a land of tall apartment blocks and grimy streets , as if `` Hong Kong had moved to the other side of the Pacific Ocean , '' he says . The novel is peppered with clever conceits . The book 's black hats , as in villains , are actual `` black hats , '' a slang term for ultra-Orthodox Jews . The characters are fond of Filipino doughnuts , a twist on the Jewish taste for Chinese food . The place names of Russian Alaska are an apt companion to the Eastern European surnames of Chabon 's Jews , and then there are throwaway bits -- such as in the Sitka of 2001 , Orson Welles did release a version of `` Heart of Darkness . '' Doing a genre novel -- or several at once , as `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' is part detective story , part alt-history , part modern Jewish folktale -- is n't considered the natural turf for a so-called literary writer like Chabon , but the author -- who has been vocal in support of genre fiction -- makes no apologies for the work . `` I only ever try to write in genres that I love ... I love hard-boiled detective novels , I love fantasy , I love science fiction , '' he says . `` It feels like a natural impulse to want to integrate that passion that I have as a reader into my writing . I did n't see a good reason not to . ... And to say that there 's something inherently inferior about the mystery genre is just silly . '' In writing `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union , '' Chabon says , the key was re-reading Raymond Chandler , creator of L.A. detective Philip Marlowe and a distinctive tough-guy style , as well as the Russian-Jewish short story writer Isaac Babel , `` whose use of simile and metaphor strangely echoed Chandler , '' he says . Babel also had a `` clear-eyed view of violence . ... There 's a kinship there between Chandler and Babel , and that 's what helped me kind-of forge the voice for this novel , '' Chabon says . But , he adds , `` the whole novel is itself a simile . It 's setting up a series of semblances and mirrorings of the world we live in , so it seemed almost necessary , not just from a stylistic point of view but from a thematic point of view . '' Chabon 's layered themes include reason 's conflict with religious extremism , an idea that comes to the fore as the novel progresses . Holding a mirror to our world is a common theme of alternate histories , and Chabon says he is fond of the type in general . The noted comic-book fan -- he co-wrote `` Spider-Man 2 '' -- cites two favorites : the `` what-if '' scenarios often proposed in the Superman comics , and an issue of National Lampoon that celebrated John F. Kennedy 's fifth inaugural with the cover line , `` JFK 's First 6,000 Days . '' `` I read and re-read that a dozen times , '' he says . `` It had an undertone of poignance . ... It was like a perpetual November 21 , 1963 . America never went through any of the turbulence of the '60s . ... It was the opposite of most counterfactual fiction , which tends to present the catastrophic -- what if the bad things happened . ... This was presenting an ` if only , ' not a ` what if . ' '' Which is not to say `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' is presenting a better -- or worse -- future . There is a darkness in the book , Chabon observes . But there 's also the idea that millions of people were saved from the death camps . `` I 'm certainly not presenting the world of this novel as ` it would have been better this way . ' It 's a dark world , and the Jews of Sitka are on the brink of the abyss , '' he says . `` But there is a certain ` if only ' quality . '' `` The Yiddish Policeman 's Union '' has earned mostly admiring reviews . '' ` The Yiddish Policemen 's Union ' builds upon the achievement of ` Kavalier & Clay , ' '' wrote the notoriously hard-to-please Michiko Kakutani in The New York Times . Reaction from the public has been positive and even put him on The New York Times ' hardcover bestseller list , a rarified place for any author . `` I feel like the book has been embraced , '' says Chabon . Perhaps the only people concerned about the book 's subject matter are some Jews , who have asked Chabon if the book is n't , well , `` too Jewish . '' `` It reminds me of when my first novel , ` The Mysteries of Pittsburgh , ' came out ... and everybody in Pittsburgh said , ` Are you crazy ? Why would you set a novel in Pittsburgh ? Who 's going to want to read a novel about Pittsburgh ? ' '' he laughs . `` The reason we read fiction is know what it would be like to really be someone else . ... That kind of transport across time and place is the magic of fiction . '' E-mail to a friend . | `` Yiddish Policemen 's Union '' posits Alaskan Jewish homeland . Author Michael Chabon won Pulitzer for earlier novel . New book inspired by thoughts of Yiddish , love of genres . | [[95, 183], [1901, 1934], [2002, 2012]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- If you 're interested in actor Marlee Matlin , you 'll want two questions answered before deciding whether to read her memoir , `` I 'll Scream Later '' : . Actress Marlee Matlin appears on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' to talk about her sexual abuse . 1 . What does she say about her relationship with William Hurt , her former lover and costar in `` Children of a Lesser God , '' for which Matlin won a Golden Globe and an Oscar in 1987 ? 2 . Why does she want to scream ? The answer to the first is easy : Yes , yes , good Lord , yes , Matlin ca n't stop talking about Hurt and their passionate , turbulent , at times violent relationship . For instance , `` We made amazing , mind-blowing love . And we fought . '' Good to know . And also , `` No matter what triggered our fights , they were made far worse by his drinking and my drug use . '' Got it . Mr. Hurt no doubt sends his regards . The answer to the second is more complicated -- something to do with Matlin 's being deaf in a hearing world , and being headstrong and wild , and receiving news of her Oscar nomination while dealing with drug addiction -LRB- at the age of 21 -RRB- at the Betty Ford Center . This memoir , dutifully wrestled into order by L.A. Times film critic Betsy Sharkey , is more ramble than holler , but Matlin clearly enjoys making some noise . EW Grade : C + . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Marlee Matlin 's memoir `` I 'll Scream Later '' says plenty about William Hurt . Book more muddied when it comes to why she wants to scream . For a ramble , it is n't bad , but EW gives it a C-plus . | [[480, 509]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Listening to writer Brian K. Vaughan summarize the plot of his comic book , `` Y : The Last Man , '' makes it sound like just another pulp title . Brian K. Vaughan says he 's `` depressed '' about the end of `` Y : The Last Man , '' but he 's got other projects to work on . `` A plague of mysterious origin destroys every male mammal , human being and animal on the planet , '' he says , `` except for one boy and his monkey . And wackiness ensues . '' Well , that 's the story boiled down to its basics . But the tale of amateur escapist Yorick Brown , the last man alive on an Earth now home to only women , and his monkey , Ampersand , is actually far more complex than Vaughan 's description reveals , involving long journeys , the value of memory and the politics of gender roles . The title , which has had a very successful five-year run , is coming to an end this week with the release of issue No. 60 . It is a finale that is equally emotional for both fans and its creator . `` I guess I 've moved into acceptance but that does n't mean that I 'm not still depressed about it , '' says Vaughan , 31 , a soft-spoken Cleveland , Ohio , native who now makes his home in Los Angeles . Gallery : The worlds of Brian K. Vaughan '' `` It 's been weird because it 's a gradual -LSB- form of -RSB- saying good-bye , '' he says . `` First , you finish the script , but then it still has to be penciled and inked , and there 's so many stages in comics that it 's sort of been like the stages of death . '' Vaughan 's career in comics dates back more than a decade , but his love for the medium stretches back to his adolescence . Already an avid fan of comic books , he discovered Alan Moore 's seminal graphic novel `` Watchmen '' on a family vacation . It would be the spark that inspired him to give life to his own stories . Watch Vaughan pick out some of his influences '' When Vaughan first pitched his concept for `` Y : The Last Man '' to Vertigo , an imprint of DC Comics , he was focused on a specific ending , without knowing whether the series would last long enough to reach it . `` We had a long-term idea -LSB- of doing -RSB- five years but realistically , I knew I had just gotten ` Swamp Thing ' canceled at Vertigo and most people had n't heard of Pia -LSB- Guerra -RSB- , the artist , '' he says . `` It 's not like we were destined for a long and successful run , '' he adds , smiling . Almost immediately following its debut in 2002 , the series found success , earning critical praise as well as five Eisner Awards , the comic-book Oscars , along the way . Yorick 's quest to find his girlfriend , lost somewhere in a world forever changed by this mysterious plague , was just as much an international adventure story as it was the tale of the women in his life : his bodyguard , the enigmatic Agent 355 ; medical researcher Alison Mann ; even his sister , Hero , and his mother . Their experiences can be read as parables on humanity in a world where gender has been all but eliminated from the equation . Now , as their stories come to a close , Vaughan likens it to ending a relationship . `` It 'll be a drag not to get to spend more time with these characters , '' observes Vaughan . He adds he will also miss his collaborating with Guerra , who has provided the art for the entire series run . `` It 's hard to not think about working with Pia , just because I think she is the best ` actor ' in comics , '' he says . '' -LSB- That 's -RSB- a weird thing to say , but she captures emotions better than anyone . I 'm very hopeful we 'll work together again . '' Meanwhile , Vaughan 's other work in comics , including `` Ex Machina '' -LRB- Wildstorm -RRB- and `` Runaways '' -LRB- Marvel -RRB- , has captured the attention of Hollywood . Both `` Y '' and `` Ex Machina '' are currently being developed into films . Meanwhile , Vaughan , a one-time film student , has begun a career in television , working as a writer on ABC 's `` Lost . '' Remaining true to the mysteries of the island , Vaughan says he can share `` just about nothing '' from the upcoming fourth season of the series , which has been cut from 16 episodes to eight as a casualty of the continuing writer 's strike . The fourth season premieres Thursday night . `` Everything is still sort of in flux , sadly , but I know I 'm disappointed , '' says Vaughan , who was a fan of the show before `` Lost '' producer and fellow `` comic book geek '' Damon Lindelof approached him to write for it . `` I think these eight episodes are eight of the best in the entire series . '' As production remains shut down both on `` Lost '' and the film adaptation of `` Y : The Last Man , '' Vaughan considers himself fortunate . Comic books are n't covered by the Writer 's Guild of America , allowing him to continue to work while his colleagues can not . Despite the accolades and opportunities , Vaughan sees his growth , both personally and professionally , as very much a work in progress . `` I was just a kid when I came up with the idea for ` Y ' so I like to think that I 've evolved as much as Yorick has over the course of the book . But I 'm a comic book writer , '' he continues , `` so I 'm still a big dumb child , and I think I always will be . '' DC Comics is a unit of Time Warner , as is CNN . E-mail to a friend . | Brian K. Vaughan 's `` Y : The Last Man '' ending its run . Comic book took on big themes with its story of last man on earth . Vaughan , now a writer on `` Lost , '' believes the show 's next 8 episodes terrific . | [[3900, 3907], [3971, 4010], [4537, 4610]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- 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 ... -LRB- I 'm used to it -RRB- . '' 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 '' -LRB- DK Adult -RRB- . 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 . -LRB- OK , so not everyone is brilliantly punny . -RRB- 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 has a big conscience , feel in a weak economy ? Cole : I think it 's an extraordinary opportunity . There are only so many things we can do that make us feel better . We pick up the newspapers and we want to cry every day . We turn on the news and we want to jump out the first window , jump in front of the first truck . And there 's not a lot you can look forward to right now ... but you can make yourself look better , and if you look better , you 'll feel better , and it becomes self-fulfilling . I think fashion can do that to you . You can do it with some older stuff and mix it with newer stuff , or you can just do new cool stuff by a new cool American designer -LRB- smiles -RRB- . And starting from the ankles down , and then up . CNN : Do you think that fashion gets a hard rap ? -LSB- Are -RSB- people too quick to write it off as frivolous and underestimate its power ? Cole : I 've struggled with that over the years . Is fashion relevant ? Is it frivolous ? Is it trivial ? Because I give so much of my essence to it , as do everybody I work with . I 've come to two conclusions . One is that it 's as relevant as anything , because most of the people you encounter in a given day do n't get to know anything more about you than how you appear . You 're making a very thoughtful statement ... so I think fashion is important . And then at the end of the day if someone you know is sick or someone you know ca n't afford the roof over their head or the food on the plate , then it becomes not so important . So I think it 's relevant , and for me it 's been an extraordinary resource for me to do so much . And I love fashion . I think it makes us feel good . And if you feel good , we do good . | Kenneth Cole highlights public-spirited people in `` Awearness '' Fashion designer Cole admires use of humor to leaven passion . Cole : Fashion is relevant , even in tough times . | [[100, 174], [129, 174], [868, 879], [882, 935], [5112, 5142]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Patricia Cornwell began writing thriller novels , she ruled the world of forensic science . `` I 'm very interested in what motivates people , why they do what they do , how they do it , '' Patricia Cornwell said . `` I could treat readers in each book to some new aspect that they would n't be familiar with , '' Cornwell said . Now the author is bombarded with `` CSI '' - like information from every side -- from `` Bones '' to `` Forensic Files '' to , well , `` CSI . '' `` It 's like you create this monster and find out it 's living in the house with you , and it 's banished you to a room because it has more power than you , '' she said . Cornwell knew she had to adapt to the changing entertainment climate . `` One of the questions I really did ask myself was , ` What 's the one thing I have no one else does ? ' '' The answer was chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta , Cornwell 's heroine . Scarpetta is independent , feisty and someone Cornwell knows better than she knows herself . To honor that close relationship , Cornwell decided to name her 16th book in the series after its main character , titling it simply `` Scarpetta . '' `` I realized , here it is 2008 . I finished my first book 20 years ago in 1988 . This is a really big anniversary , '' Cornwell said . In the novel , Scarpetta leaves South Carolina for New York , where the NYPD has asked her to examine an injured psychiatric patient . The patient has a graphic tale to tell -- one of paranoia and murder . The novelist said her books all have two things in common : First , of course , is a plot twist that allows Scarpetta to make a Sherlock Holmes-like deduction . The second is intriguing character interaction . `` What 's going on with them in this book ? What are they doing with or to each other ? Who 's in love ? Who is n't ? Who 's on the outs with whom ? Because I hope , in the end , -LSB- my books -RSB- are like high-level , crime soap operas . '' With two decades of character history , Cornwell has a lot to work with in that area . But her books are also full of intellectual fodder . Scarpetta is a disciplined academic -- a scientist with a law degree . Cornwell spent six years working in a medical examiner 's office before writing her first book , and she continues to spend time with professionals to keep up on new forensic technology . In recent weeks she has researched an autopsy in Florida and worked with the National Forensic Academy . If she 's going to write about trace evidence , she believes , she 's going to go to a trace evidence lab . `` I was never a scientific person , '' Cornwell said . `` When I got interested in science I had to learn it after the fact ... and that was good because I had already learned how to describe things , how to ask questions the audience would want answered . I was much better able to translate things into a language someone else could grasp . '' Her dedication to understanding her subject translates into other areas as well . Cornwell became a helicopter pilot , a certified scuba diver and qualified for a motorcycle license , all because she was writing about characters who were doing those things . Fans appreciate Cornwell 's enthusiasm and writing style , pushing 12 of her novels onto USA Today 's best-seller lists . But Cornwell said `` Scarpetta '' is actually more uplifting than her last couple of books , which took on a more twisted aura . `` I 'm glad because I think we live in very dark times and no one wants to read a depressing book now . '' Still , Cornwell has been delving deeper into her characters ' minds with each new book , and `` Scarpetta '' wo n't alter that trend . `` I 'm very interested in what motivates people , why they do what they do , how they do it , '' she said . `` It probably has something to do with where I am in life . I 'm 52 years old and I think differently than I did at 42 . '' Fans have asked if this is Cornwell 's last book in the series -- noting that the title `` Scarpetta '' is very ominous-sounding . But she promises to keep writing as long as the characters let her . `` It 's certainly not by intention to be the last book , '' she said . `` I wanted to make this a very special book . I decided that early in the writing process . I wanted to make it longer , a richer book , a feast for the fans . So no , this is n't the last book about Scarpetta . '' Which sounds , well , ominous . Kay Scarpetta , watch out . | Patricia Cornwell releases 16th book about Kay Scarpetta called `` Scarpetta '' Scarpetta leaves South Carolina for new case in New York . Cornwell enjoys exploring her characters ' minds and criminal psychology . Author still spends time researching forensic science . | [[1074, 1151], [1074, 1082], [1154, 1186], [1326, 1338], [1341, 1385], [3565, 3570], [3573, 3652]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gregory Maguire absently cleans his glasses with his tie as he talks about pushing someone down the stairs . `` I use children 's stories as kind of a snare and temptation and illusion to draw in readers , '' Gregory Maguire says . `` I wonder if you 've ever stood at the top of the stairs behind someone who 's really annoying and just imagined putting your foot out and planting your boot in somebody 's objectionable behind ? '' he asks . `` You know , I think that thought is a fairly common human thought . '' Maybe for the author of `` Wicked , '' who looks more like a college English professor than someone who spends his days writing about the world of Oz . Maguire often imagines evil , and how those without self-control respond to it . Maguire 's `` Wicked '' series puts a spin on the classic `` The Wonderful Wizard of Oz '' tale , bringing in corruption , political prisoners and war . His first book , `` Wicked , '' has sold more than 2.5 million copies , and the musical based on the book reportedly has been seen by more than 3.75 million people in New York alone . National tours have been huge successes . Maguire 's newest book in the series , `` A Lion Among Men , '' tells the story of the Cowardly Lion -- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in `` Wicked . '' Watch Maguire roar about `` Lion '' '' CNN talked to Maguire about the book 's main character , his life before `` Wicked '' and why he has never written realistic adult fiction . The following is an edited version of that interview : . CNN : To someone who 's never read your books before , how would you describe your style ? Gregory Maguire : I would describe -LSB- my books -RSB- as being , not quite allegories , but commentaries on contemporary society -- and indeed politics to some extent -- enshrouded in , and disguised by , the guise of children 's stories . In other words , I use children 's stories as kind of a snare and temptation and illusion to draw in readers who say this is going to be easy ... and it 's going to be fun . And indeed I hope it is fun . But once I get people involved in the plot , I hope to also communicate some of the questions I have about the way we live our lives in the 21st century . CNN : Talk to me about Brrr . What 's his personality like ? What is he going through ? Maguire : Well , Brrr is the name that I 've given to the cowardly lion who is the main character -- the protagonist -- in this novel called `` A Lion Among Men . '' And I gave him that name for two reasons : One , because it does sound like a shiver , and he is always slightly spooked by the world ; and the second reason , because the two letters in it B-r-r-r are both letters from the name of Bert Lahr , who played the Cowardly Lion so famously in the 1939 MGM film . His character arises in the hollow space in our perceptions between that giant roaring lion at the MGM logo ... the ideal lion , and the kind of sad , sacked , out of work , vaudeville performer in lion pajamas that we see when Dorothy actually runs into the lion on the Yellow Brick Road . In other words , there 's a huge disconnect between the image we project of ourselves -- the best we might ever hope to possibly be -- and the way we feel about ourselves at our absolute worst -- when we 're the most down in the dumps . There 's a huge space in between there . So the novel 's really in some ways about character and taking control of the destiny of your own character . CNN : Everyone knows of your success with `` Wicked '' -- it 's huge . But what was your life like before you wrote that book ? Maguire : I had written children 's books for 14 years before I published `` Wicked . '' And none of them were poorly reviewed , and none of them sold enough for me to be able to buy a bed . I was the traditional artist in the garret , expecting to live that way or maybe to give up writing soon because I would eventually have to get a job that was going to pay me some kind of retirement package . Silly thought , that , these days . CNN : You often take the point of view of the `` wicked '' or `` evil '' characters in your books . How do you get inside their heads ? Maguire : Well , I like to think I 'm a pretty good-natured guy and pretty civil and probably not ever truly guilty in any serious way of any legal infractions . But I do seem to have an unconscionable , easy time of thinking about how people might do wrong , of what they might feel like and how they might behave if they had less self-control than I do . And then also , how they would have to deal with the weight of being called evil . If everyone was always calling you a bad name , how much of that would you internalize ? How much of that would you say , all right , go ahead , I 'll be everything that you call me because I have no capacity to change your minds anyway so why bother . By whose standards should I live ? In a way , all three of my adult books come down to that question -- by whose standards should I live ? Can I find my own standards ? Can I recognize them ? Can I value them if I can name them ? And are they good enough , are they strong enough , standards by which to live ? CNN : You talked about writing children 's books . How is writing for children different than writing for adults ? Maguire : Well , for one thing children are intensely more impatient than adults . So you have to start out active , you have to start out strong and you can not be , for a moment , self-indulgent . Everything has to be a sound bite or something that the children can visualize as if they 're running a little Super 8 projector in their mind . Now I date myself with ancient technology , but you know what I mean ... write the scene that you want Steven Spielberg to film , which means every sentence has to give us something to see . Make it intensely visual and this is , I think , the main rule for writing for children . But in no way do I make it less thoughtful . I just actually have to work harder . Writing for children is like the difference between writing a sonnet and writing a gossip column . I mean you have a lot more restrictions so you have to work a lot harder . I 'm not saying that a gossip column ca n't be intensely rewarding , but I dare say it 's easier to write . CNN : Have you ever considered writing anything that 's not magical , or more real life ? Maguire : I have , but I never seem to get very far . In a way , and I do n't mean to talk myself down , but sometimes I look at the mysteries of other people and I think , `` How do I know if they think anything like I think ? '' I can only guess who you might be . You might see the world in a whole different range of colors than I do . You might be super sensitive to nuances of body language or music or ... I just do n't know . So I always feel when I try to write realistic fiction for adults , that maybe I do n't have enough life experience , even though I 'm 54 . I 'm not sure I trust it . But when I write something that has a magic base to it , I put in everything I do know about the infinite varieties and subtleties and ambivalences in adult behavior , but nobody can call me out and say , `` You do n't even know who human beings are '' because I 've couched it . I suppose it 's a kind of safety net for myself , or a security blanket . If I 'm writing magic , nobody can say I got it wrong because we all know magic does n't exist . | Gregory Maguire 's new book , `` A Lion Among Men , '' is about the Cowardly Lion . Maguire wrote children 's books for 14 years before writing `` Wicked '' `` Wicked '' has sold more than 2.5 million copies . New novel is about `` taking control of the destiny of your own character , '' Maguire says . | [[1226, 1265], [2466, 2483], [2485, 2505], [3632, 3709], [968, 1008], [3442, 3495]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After several delays , NASA said Friday that space shuttle Discovery is scheduled for launch in five days . The space shuttle Discovery , seen here in January , is now scheduled to launch Wednesday . Commander Lee Archambault and his six crewmates are now scheduled to lift off to the International Space Station at 9:20 p.m. ET Wednesday . NASA said its managers had completed a readiness review for Discovery , which will be making the 28th shuttle mission to the ISS . The launch date had been delayed to allow `` additional analysis and particle impact testing associated with a flow-control valve in the shuttle 's main engines , '' the agency said . According to NASA , the readiness review was initiated after damage was found in a valve on the shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight . Three valves have been cleared and installed on Discovery , it said . Discovery is to deliver the fourth and final set of `` solar array wings '' to the ISS . With the completed array the station will be able to provide enough electricity when the crew size is doubled to six in May , NASA said . The Discovery also will carry a replacement for a failed unit in a system that converts urine to drinkable water , it said . Discovery 's 14-day mission will include four spacewalks , NASA said . | NASA now says that space shuttle Discovery is scheduled for launch Wednesday . Shuttle is set to lift off for the International Space Station at 9:20 p.m. ET . The launch date had been delayed to allow additional testing . Discovery 's 14-day mission will include four spacewalks . | [[19, 39], [42, 126], [127, 154], [180, 218], [219, 274], [285, 359], [219, 359], [491, 583], [1245, 1301]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An ex-convict , a mobster , a serial killer -- after more than two decades in the movie business , Ray Liotta is still perhaps best known for these `` bad guy '' roles in such films as `` Something Wild '' and `` GoodFellas . '' Ray Liotta -LRB- right -RRB- co-stars with Seth Rogen in `` Observe and Report , '' which opened Friday . But in his most recent film , `` Observe and Report '' -- a dark comedy co-starring Seth Rogen as a bipolar mall security guard and Anna Faris as the vapid make-up counter clerk he 's in love with -- Liotta inches away from his edgy persona to play a detective investigating a flashing incident at the mall . `` A flasher keeps flashing people at the mall , so they call in the ` real police , ' which is me , '' Liotta told the Columbus Dispatch . `` The last thing I want to do is investigate . '' The film , which opened in theaters Friday and has earned rave reviews by critics , is not Liotta 's first comedic undertaking . The 54-year-old actor also starred in 2007 's `` Wild Hogs , '' a comedy co-starring Tim Allen and John Travolta about a group of middle-aged suburban men who decide to become bikers . The film was one of that year 's surprise hits , taking in more than $ 150 million at the domestic box office . See some of the highlights of Liotta 's career '' Liotta first made his mark on the film industry by playing a psychotic ex-husband determined to win back his ex-wife in `` Something Wild . '' The role propelled Liotta to fame and earned him a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor . From there , Liotta starred as mobster Henry Hill in the Martin Scorsese classic `` Goodfellas '' -LRB- 1990 -RRB- , working alongside renowned actors Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci . `` Edgy guys stand out in people 's minds , '' Liotta said of his famous `` bad guy '' roles , according to the Dispatch . But , to avoid being typecast as the `` bad guy '' forever , Liotta decided to break from the mold in his next role as a caring father in the heartwarming film `` Corrina , Corrina '' -LRB- 1994 -RRB- , co-starring Whoopi Goldberg . Liotta soon proved that acting was not his only forte . He formed his own production company in 2002 and made his debut as a producer on the film `` Narc , '' in which he also starred as a corrupt cop . He 's also earned plaudits for his television work . In 2004 , Liotta starred in an episode of the hit NBC drama , `` ER , '' winning an Emmy for his guest appearance . The actor got his start on daytime TV , playing the character Joey Perrini on the soap `` Another World . '' With several films currently in production , Liotta shows no signs of stopping . The actor told the Dispatch that he hopes to try his hand at romance in the future , joking that he 'd like to `` kiss the girl without having to choke her first . '' CNN 's David Daniel contributed to this story . | Ray Liotta known for bad-guy roles such as gangsters , serial killers . Liotta tries something a little different with comedy `` Observe and Report '' `` Edgy guys stand out in people 's minds , '' Liotta has said . | [[118, 200], [1802, 1850], [1761, 1799]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Remember the worst job you ever had ? You know , back when there were jobs to be had ? Jesse Eisenberg tries to strike up a relationship with Kristen Stewart in `` Adventureland . '' For writer-director Greg Mottola , it was the summer he spent on hiatus between college and the real world , working as a carny at the local carnival . He 's turned the experience into the basis for the wonderful `` Adventureland . '' Handing out stuffed animals to the lucky customer whose tin horse romps home in first place -- this is not how James -LRB- Jesse Eisenberg from `` The Squid and the Whale '' -RRB- would choose to see himself . The paycheck is dismal , but undeniably commensurate with -LRB- as a character puts it -RRB- `` the work of pathetic , lazy morons , '' which is what it comes down to . Most jobs have their compensations , though . At Adventureland , for James , the biggest benefit comes in the form of Em -LRB- Kristen Stewart -RRB- , another recent grad with plans to move to New York in the fall , and who is n't entirely disdainful of his company . Last time out of the gate Mottola enjoyed a hit with the spectacularly lewd `` Superbad , '' an angle that Miramax Films is understandably keen to play up in the marketing this time around . At first glance the cap seems to fit . James ' sexual experience -- or rather the lack of it -- is a defining element in the story . `` Adventureland '' comes with the usual farcical peccadilloes of teen comedy -- barf gags , car wrecks and inopportune erections -- as well as several familiar supporting players from the Judd Apatow stable . Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are engagingly upbeat as the mutually besotted park managers , and Martin Starr -LRB- from `` Freaks and Geeks '' -RRB- is James ' cerebral , pipe-smoking buddy , Joel . -LRB- Mottola directed a couple of episodes of Apatow 's short-lived Fox series `` Undeclared . '' -RRB- . There 's also an extended cameo from Ryan Reynolds , an actor whose faintly supercilious good looks have graced innumerable dumb slacker comedies , including `` Van Wilder , '' `` Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle '' and `` Waiting . '' Yet , after an initial flurry of gross guffaws , the movie edges toward something rather different : a nuanced , sensitive coming-of-age story that finds its heart in post-adolescent romantic turmoil . Obviously adept with actors , Mottola respects his characters too much to let first impressions stick . The relationships in `` Adventureland '' are much richer , and stickier , for it . The understanding that James arrives at with his father -LRB- Jack Gilpin -RRB- , for example , is delineated in just a handful of looks and glances between them , but it 's enough to imply the older man 's resignation at his fate , and his appreciation for James ' tacit sympathy . It 's in moments like these -LRB- and there are a number of them -RRB- that we 're reminded Mottola made a fine indie movie , `` The Daytrippers , '' more than a decade ago now , another sharp and tender comic distillation of family bonds and fractures . Blessed with comical seriousness , Eisenberg is like a young Woody Allen : fretful , intelligent , naive and deluded . And like Allen , he seems to enjoy more than his fair share of luck with the opposite sex . Still , `` Adventureland '' makes more effort than `` Superbad '' -- not that hard admittedly -- to develop a character for Stewart . Looking wan and pensive -LRB- the `` Twilight '' star always looks in need of a good night 's sleep -RRB- , Stewart as Em gives the impression she 's living life more acutely than the others . She seems to have more on the line . Set in the mid - '80s , the film suggests the period unobtrusively , but predominantly through pop music . Lou Reed provides sweet relief to repeated bursts of Falco 's `` Rock Me Amadeus . '' Yes , in retrospect , that 's exactly what being young in 1987 was like . A mature movie about immature young people , `` Adventureland '' may be too muted to succeed in today 's marketplace , too sensitive for its own good . Like an anxious parent , a critic can only send it on its way and hope the world treats it well . `` Adventureland '' is rated R and runs 107 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's take , click here . | `` Adventureland '' is about a young man spending a summer in a crummy carnival . Tom Charity : Film pays attention to teen movie clichés but goes much deeper . Director Greg Mottola cares about characters , making movie richer , Charity says . | [[202, 205], [237, 353]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- During the presidential campaign , then-candidate Barack Obama said that he hoped his administration would n't get hung up on matters of race . Judge Sonia Sotomayor , center , meets with staffers from the White House Counsel 's Office on Monday . But several Republicans have said recently that his nomination of federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court has made race an issue . Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich called Sotomayor a racist . Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh called the president `` the greatest living example of a reverse racist , '' and said that he has picked another for the Supreme Court vacancy of retiring Justice David Souter . Limbaugh later equated Sotomayor to former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke . At issue is what she said at the UC Berkeley School of Law in about her hope that `` a wise Latina woman would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who has n't lived that life . '' One top GOP senator said he wants more than an explanation . `` I think she should apologize , but I do n't believe any American wants a judge on the bench that 's going to use empathy or their background to punish someone , '' South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told Fox News . Democrats have said conservative reaction to the pick is over the line . `` She 's been called the equivalent of the head of the Ku Klux Klan by Rush Limbaugh ; she 's been called a bigot by other Republican leaders like Newt Gingrich . I want to give her an opportunity to answer these kind of people , '' said Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont , who chairs the Judiciary Committee that will conduct Sotomayor 's confirmation hearing . The ranking Republican on the committee , Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama , tried to turn down the heat over the weekend . Watch range of comments on Sotomayor and race '' `` We should not demagogue race . It 's an important issue in our culture and our country . We need to handle it with respect that it deserves , '' Sessions said on NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' on Sunday . GOP leaders have focused on Sotomayor 's appellate court decision against a mostly white group of firefighters who say they were discriminated against after a promotion test was thrown out , because critics said it discriminated against minority firefighters . But legal experts have said her full record on race is n't that controversial -- in 96 race-related cases decided by Sotomayor on the court of appeals , she and her fellow judges ruled against discrimination 78 times and agreed with the claims in 10 cases , according to Scotusblog.com . Sen. Mitch McConnell , who will meet with Sotomayor on Tuesday , told CNN 's `` State of the Union '' on Sunday that he could n't predict how long it will take for Republicans to examine her record . But CNN political analyst David Gergen said they risk putting themselves on trial in front of Latino-Americans . `` If they line up uniformly in hostility against the first Hispanic woman to the court , they risk paying a terrible price with the biggest and fastest-growing minority in this country , '' Gergen said . | Some Republicans call Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor a reverse racist . GOP leaders avoid that stance ; `` We should not demagogue race , '' one says . Dems say the charge is over the line and Sotomayor deserves chance to answer . Legal experts say Sotomayor 's case record on race is not very controversial . | [[282, 420], [421, 501], [1444, 1521], [1888, 1921], [2358, 2408], [2382, 2504]] |
MARTINSBURG , West Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hardly a day that goes by that you wo n't find Tracey Wygal working out at the gym . Tracey Wygal weighed 295 pounds before starting a `` clean diet , '' keeping a food journal and exercising . The 30-year-old middle-school teacher does cardio exercise , strength trains and follows what she calls a `` clean diet . '' That 's quite a change for a woman who tipped the scales eight years ago at 295 pounds . Wygal first started gaining weight in her early teens . A fast-food diet and little to no exercise helped her pack on the pounds , and her weight ballooned to over 200 pounds . `` It was my first year out of college , and that number , along with being diagnosed as morbidly obese , was very frightening , '' remembers Wygal . `` I went to several doctors , trying to get them to prescribe a weight-loss pill . '' But none of her doctors would give her the quick fix she was looking for . Instead , a physician handed her a 1,600-calorie-a-day diet and told her to start moving . At first , Wygal was shocked and refused to begin a diet that she thought was too restrictive . Even though her weight was rapidly approaching 300 pounds , she believed she had a pretty good diet and an active lifestyle . As her weight crept up , Wygal grew more frustrated , and eventually she decided it was time to gain control of her life . She started by keeping track of her daily calorie intake in a food diary and soon realized that her eating was worse than she thought . Watch more from Tracey Wygal on her weight loss success . '' `` I was amazed by how many calories I was eating , '' Wygal said . `` The food diary showed me that I really needed to get my food intake under control and helped me maintain my diet realistically . '' She also started exercising . At first , Wygal says , she was too embarrassed to go to a gym , so she bought an elliptical machine and started working out 15 minutes a day in her apartment . `` It was all I could do at first . I did n't give up , though , '' she said . `` Gradually , my endurance improved . After losing about 30 pounds , I decided to join a small gym . '' Several months later , Wygal was ready to take the next step . She hired a trainer and began a short strength-training program . That 's when something clicked . Instead of feeling intimidated , Wygal started to love her workouts and the physical changes taking shape with her body . Ready to take the next step , she joined a larger gym , began researching different workouts and got into weight training . Over the next three years , she lost 120 pounds and dropped seven dress sizes . Wygal , who 's 5 feet 10 inches tall , says the fear of gaining weight motivates her to stick to her diet and exercise regimen because she never wants to look like she did at 295 pounds . Now comfortable with her weight , which she says fluctuates between 170 and 180 pounds , Wygal works out at least five to six days a week . She says the key to losing weight and keeping it off is being honest about what you eat , writing it down and staying consistent . She wants people to know they can do it , but there are no quick fixes or easy outs -- just hard work . `` It wo n't happen overnight , '' Wygal advises . `` Know that it will take time but it is worth it in the end . '' iReport.com : Have you lost weight ? Send your story , photos and video . CNN Medical News producer Matt Sloane contributed to this report . | Teacher Tracey Wygal was morbidly obese when she weighed 295 pounds . A doctor prescribed a 1,600-calorie-a-day diet and exercise . Wygal started eating clean , keeping a food diary and working out at home . Eventually she joined a gym , hired a personal trainer and lost 120 pounds . | [[132, 195], [198, 240], [393, 400], [405, 454], [590, 631], [677, 688], [697, 735], [954, 1003], [954, 965], [1008, 1034], [132, 195], [198, 240], [241, 278], [322, 362], [1380, 1452], [1780, 1783], [1789, 1809], [3017, 3101], [2218, 2237], [2563, 2588], [2591, 2610]] |
Tim Welch was never the kind of guy who worried about his weight . Tim Welch topped 260 pounds at his heaviest weight , before his cousin convinced him to join Weight Watchers . In fact , the 37-year-old accounts manager from Seattle , Washington , ate a fairly balanced diet and loved participating in sports while growing up . `` I was thin and fit my whole life , '' Welch remembers . `` I was always active in sports such as running cross-country in high school and swimming on the swim team in college . '' Things started to change in 1995 after he graduated from college . Welch got a job , moved out of his parents ' house and began indulging in late-night meals with his friends . `` I remember specifically in 1995 , my waist size went from a 34 -LSB- inches -RSB- to a 38 in a matter of months , '' Welch said . `` I got a size 36 pants to accommodate my waist size and I had to ask for a bigger size for Christmas because they were too tight . '' Welch was in total disbelief when he stepped on the scale and realized he was carrying 200 pounds on his 5-foot-10-inch frame . Despite the initial shock , he continued to gain weight . Even though he fit the medical definition of obese , Welch stayed physically active . He joined a master 's swim team , hiked and walked regularly . Because he was physically active , Welch thought he could keep eating whatever he wanted . As his weight crept up , his desire to exercise waned . By the winter of 2005 , the extra calories and his now-sedentary lifestyle caught up with him . During a doctor 's visit , Welch discovered that his weight had skyrocketed . `` That was pretty depressing to see that 262 -LSB- pounds -RSB- on the physical . Just knowing that I had become that heavy , '' said Welch . About the same time , Welch started walking with a cousin who had lost 70 to 80 pounds on Weight Watchers . During their walks , she would gently encourage him to give the program a try , he says . She also tried to calm his fears that he 'd have to stop eating all of the foods he loved in order to lose weight . `` I kept expressing a really persistent fear I had of restricting my comfort foods . I felt to truly lose weight , I could n't ever eat the things I loved -- hamburgers , ice cream , chocolate , bacon , cheese -LSB- and -RSB- cookies , '' said Welch . `` I felt like in order to lose weight I would have to give up those things . '' Welch started to become depressed and ashamed of his increasing waist size . Embarrassing moments such as asking for a bigger pants size and having a homeless man yell , `` Hey , big guy ! '' on the street -- began to take a toll on him . As a new year approached , Welch reached his breaking point . In January 2006 , as part of his New Year 's resolution , Welch reluctantly attended his first Weight Watchers meeting , but not before making one last stop for what Welch called his `` last meal . '' `` I had a double-cheeseburger , onion rings and milkshake at Johnny Rockets right before the meeting , '' said Welch . `` I weighed 252.6 at my first meeting . '' During the first week on Weight Watchers , he dropped 7 pounds . Welch also learned how to enjoy his favorite foods through portion control , eating in moderation and choosing healthier foods first . Welch , who was already walking 3.5 miles a day roundtrip to work , started taking water aerobics three times a week and swimming again competitively . The weight continued to come off , about 2-3 pounds a week . CNN iReporters before-and-after weight loss photos '' `` When I got to 200 pounds , I decided , well , ` Why do n't I go for a weight that 's a healthy weight range for my height , ' '' said Welch . `` So I did , and by that point the weight had slowed down . It does n't come off as quickly as you get closer to your goal weight . But it was still coming off . '' Eight months later , Welch had lost 87 pounds and reached his goal weight of 174 pounds , which is the maximum weight for someone who is 5 feet 10 inches tall , according to the national guidelines . People were stunned by his dramatic weight loss . `` I literally had people that knew me that did n't recognize me , '' said Welch . So , what 's the best advice Welch has for others who want to lose weight ? `` Be the best friend you can to yourself while you 're going through this weight loss journey . I 've always been someone who was very hard on themselves and suffered from low self-esteem . '' Welch said he tried to be very forgiving of himself during the whole process and he still is . He said you should congratulate yourself and focus on any accomplishment you make each day or each week , rather than focus on areas were you have failed . For example , Welch says if you have an extra helping of mashed potatoes , do n't beat yourself up . Stop yourself and focus on the fact that you chose salmon and peas for dinner and ate two helpings of mashed potatoes -- compared with the cheeseburger and French fries you would have eaten two years ago . Welch also says people should n't deny themselves completely . Allow yourself to indulge in some chocolate when you want it . But instead of eating the entire candy bar , break off a few squares , count the calories , and enjoy it . Also , learn to recognize the fats that are better for you . Do n't cut out all of the fat . Instead , choose a healthier fat . For example , Welch often allows himself to eat peanut butter or guacamole , which are higher in fat but are a healthier fat than eating something fried . How has the weight loss changed Welch 's life ? Welch can bend over and tie his shoes without discomfort . He feels much lighter going up a flight of stairs and he can hike much faster . More importantly , he 's become more optimistic . `` It made me realize I can , in fact , do anything I set my mind to , '' said Welch . `` It gave me a confidence I desperately needed that I try to apply to other areas of my life . '' iReport.com : Have you lost weight ? Share your story , tips and photos E-mail to a friend . | At his heaviest , Tim Welch tipped the scales at 262 pounds . Battling depression , he reluctantly joined Weight Watchers . He lost 87 pounds through exercise , portion control and better food choices . Welch says he 's become a more optimistic person . | [[67, 117], [2706, 2721], [2724, 2747], [2764, 2824], [3849, 3867], [3870, 3894], [5732, 5762]] |
Editor 's note : Peter Bregman is chief executive of Bregman Partners Inc. , a global management consulting firm , and the author of `` Point B : A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change '' . He writes a weekly column , How We Work , for HarvardBusiness.org . Peter Bregman says good times persuaded people to sacrifice what they loved for money . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I started my consulting business 11 years ago with a laptop computer in a living room . It grew quickly . The first year I made more money than I had in the previous three combined , the second year I doubled that and by the third year I began to fantasize about retiring within the decade . Then everything crashed ; the dotcom revolution , the financial services industry and my business . I had a large number of subcontractors and a small number of employees who had become friends . I also had a bad feeling things would n't turn around quickly . My wife and I were in a tough spot . We had one child and another on the way , bills that were accumulating and hopes for the future that were moving out of reach . However bad it was then , these days it 's worse . Back then the recession hit certain sectors and left other ones alone . Home prices were going up , so people felt protected , and there were loans to help . Today , everything 's been hit , nothing 's going up and credit is frozen . Many have already lost jobs , homes , self-identities , luxuries and necessities . And there 's more to come . That 's especially true for many older Americans , who might not have 10 years to recover and who do n't have sources of income other than their savings -- which have dwindled dramatically . They do n't deserve to live with the fear they now feel . I 'm still living in a rental apartment because I did n't want to take out a loan I could n't pay back . I saved money . Invested it . And now my investments are down 70 percent . But it is what it is . And when we wake up in the morning we are left with the question , `` Now what ? '' It 's actually a great question , because in a situation in which we 've lost control , it gives us a little back . `` Now what ? '' means we have a choice , in this moment , to do something . What 's it going to be ? I think it 's a mistake to try to rebuild what we 've lost . We have less now and I think we can do better with less . Having less forces choices . And consciously making those choices can bring us closer to the things we care about . Which can make a poorer life richer than a rich one . Because the research is clear . Above a basic threshold , more money does n't make us happier . But we think it will , so we do all sorts of things that make us unhappy in order to get it . A senior leader in an investment bank called to tell me she was leaving her job . She realized she would n't make much money in the next few years and did n't want to miss her children growing up . Did you get that ? She was willing to miss her children growing up if the money was good enough . People act in ways they 'd rather not in order to make money that does n't make them happy . Maybe , if we do this downturn right , we can get out of that cycle . So , what makes you happy ? Is it spending time with people you love ? Working on a pet project ? Having the time to exercise ? Being part of a community and feeling cared for ? Knowing the answer enables you to make decisions that will prioritize those things . Of course , losing money can break people apart ; we fight about money , people lose jobs and get depressed ; tension rises as mortgage bills sit on the kitchen table unpaid ; resentment builds when one person does n't live up to his own and others ' expectations . But I am also seeing the opposite . Losing money can bring you closer to your values ; can actually bring people together . It 's hard to appreciate in the midst of our loss , but embracing the forced reduction in lifestyle can be positive . I know of a couple whose marriage was saved when they moved from a bigger house into a smaller one and actually began talking to each other again . Last weekend , two people had a beautiful wedding in Central Park surrounded by family and friends , months before they had planned , avoiding thousands of dollars of expenses and all the tension that goes with it . Why ? Because she lost her job and needed to get onto his health insurance . Friends of mine held their daughter 's bat mitzvah at another friend 's house , avoiding tremendous expense while creating the warmest community celebration , filled with gratitude and tears , that I have ever seen . In 2003 , after my business crashed , my wife and I decided to move to Savannah , Georgia , where she grew up and life was much cheaper . Had my business continued to grow we could never have afforded to make that choice . When the business crashed , we could n't afford not to . While there , we spent priceless time with her family , had another child , made lifelong friends and rebuilt my business -- this time very differently . I love consulting and writing and speaking , but the bigger the business became , the less I did those things and the more I managed others doing it . Eventually we returned to New York . Now I 'm back to a laptop in a living room and I love it again . It 's smaller , more sustainable and a lot more fun . And I have the time to spend with my family and friends . My fantasy is no longer to retire ; it 's to keep doing what I 'm doing for as long as I can . Life is not a linear path of increasing wealth , accumulation and achievement . Do n't let the money crisis draw you apart from people you love and things you love to do . Use it to draw you closer . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bregman . | Peter Bregman : In the boom , people sacrificed their joys for more money . He says beyond a certain point , money does n't increase happiness . Bregman : Use hard times to evaluate what makes you happy and pursue it . | [[257, 344], [257, 262], [276, 280], [287, 344], [3015, 3021], [3062, 3107], [2561, 2568], [2587, 2624]] |
Editor 's note : The author has ridden motorcycles more than 125,000 miles since 1999 , including solo trips from Georgia to California and Canada . She takes us inside the world of motorcycle travel . Bikers approach Mount Mitchell , North Carolina , during a road trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains . SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK , Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We were parked at a peaceful , shady overlook beside Virginia 's Skyline Drive , admiring the green mountains and the river far below , when Keith realized he needed a new rear tire , and he needed it now . A bald tire is a serious problem when you 're traveling by motorcycle : We do n't carry spare tires , for obvious reasons , and a blowout on two wheels could be life-threatening . Keith decided he could make it 100 miles to the Harley-Davidson dealership in Richmond , Virginia , as long as we kept it slow , so our seven bikes headed that way . It 's been said that a great trip in a car is like watching a first-rate movie -- but a great trip on a motorcycle is like living the movie . For our road trip , we had chosen an eight-day itinerary from our homes outside Atlanta , Georgia , through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia , then east to the Atlantic shoreline and south along the coastal islands of the Outer Banks . The trip offered a spectacular ride up the Blue Ridge Parkway , a winding two-lane that clings to the ridgeline through North Carolina and Virginia . The elevation often reaches 5,000 feet or more , so temperatures were cool despite a heat wave down below . See map '' Our motorcycle motorcade passed panoramas of blue-tinged mountains and rolling meadows set off by split-rail fences . We motored through dense forests whose overhanging branches turned the road into a cool green tunnel . Rhododendrons and mountain laurels in bloom lined the road . See photos of this Harley road trip '' It all looks better from a motorcycle , because you 're so immersed in it -- not just looking out from inside a cage of steel and glass . In fact , we call cars cages and the people who drive them -- you guessed it -- cagers . See how motorcycle travel differs from car travel '' The smells were intense : fresh-cut hay , pine trees baking in the sun , honeysuckle -- and sometimes , the not-so-pleasant aroma of ripening roadkill . Songs of determined birds rang out over the rumble of the motors . Riding a motorcycle on a road like this is a physical pleasure , too , as you lean right , then left , then right , to guide the bike smoothly through the parkway 's sweeping curves . You swoop , you glide -- it 's like dancing , or like those dreams where you 're flying . In Virginia , Skyline Drive offered an abundance of wildlife . We saw five deer in 40 miles , including a small fawn with its mother -- none of them close enough to threaten a collision , and all of them smart enough to run the other way when they saw us coming . Finally we arrived at the dealership in Richmond to replace Keith 's balding tire . We knew we 'd be there for a while -- so we made ourselves at home . We ordered pizza to be delivered and Neil brought in his laptop so everyone could upload their snapshots . It might seem strange for customers to take over a retail establishment , but a Harley dealership always feels like home . There 's a strong sense of community among motorcycle riders -LRB- and by extension , the stores -RRB- . Almost all riders wave to other riders on the road , whether they 're on Harleys like ours or small , speedy sport bikes or huge , silent Honda Gold Wings . Bikers fall into conversations with other bikers as if we already know each other because -- in a way -- we do . We 've all experienced the same joys and aggravations -- but it 's mostly joys . One of those pleasures is how people go out of their way to be helpful or to strike up a conversation with a group of bikers . All kinds of folks wave to us on the road -- from Boy Scouts selling doughnuts on a street corner , to a man walking his dog , to shy-but-fascinated kids in a car stopped next to us at a traffic light . A couple of hours -LRB- and several hundred dollars -RRB- later , Keith 's tire was replaced and we headed for Elizabeth City , North Carolina . We hit a huge blanket of smoke from a massive wildfire about 40 miles away . The thick , yellowish smoke made the rural landscape look like another planet , with the late-afternoon sun glowing red through the haze . The next morning , the smoke was gone , and we headed for the Outer Banks and a day of lazy meandering toward Ocracoke , the southernmost town on the string of narrow islands . We stopped at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse , built in 1875 . The sight of a long line of other tourists persuaded us not to climb its 214 steps . At the Wright Brothers National Memorial near Kitty Hawk , we checked out the windy dune where aviation began and rode our bikes around a monument to Orville and Wilbur . We spent the next day in Ocracoke investigating artsy-craftsy shops in the village and stores that sell hokey pirate souvenirs , in honor of the fact that Ocracoke was supposedly a hangout of the legendary pirate known as Blackbeard . We watched descendants of the island 's wild ponies that now live in a fenced-in pasture to safeguard them from traffic . The final leg of our trip began with a two-hour ferry ride from the island to the mainland . But we came to a standstill the next day in traffic in Marion , South Carolina -- which was cause for some concern . Most Harley engines are air-cooled , so we ca n't just leave them idling for long periods because they can overheat . We managed to turn off the highway onto a series of small side roads , where we pulled over to figure out our next move . A mini-van pulled up beside us . `` Where are y' all trying to go ? '' the passenger asked . `` I-95 , '' we said . `` Come on ! '' she yelled , signaling us to follow . After a few turns , we were on I-95 , waving our thanks to the mini-van . By the time we reached Georgia , it was obvious there was a thunderstorm between us and home . Despite the 10-minute cloudburst , we were too hot to stop and put on rain suits . We did slow down , since it 's hard to see with rain running down your face shield or glasses . Soon we went our separate ways toward home . But I would have been ready to leave on another long motorcycle trip the next day , if it were n't for the suitcase full of dirty laundry and the need to deal with real life for a while . The unfiltered sights and smells , the enjoyment of riding , the companionship of other riders , the friendly encounters with strangers -- there 's nothing like it . | Bikers : Motorcycle road trips are more exciting than in other vehicles . `` It 's like dancing , or like those dreams where you 're flying , '' says Harley owner . Follow CNN.com writer 's road trip through Blue Ridge Mountains , Outer Banks . Eight-day ride includes tire repair , wildfire , Kitty Hawk , pirate lore , wild ponies . | [[1000, 1055], [2590, 2599], [2603, 2644], [2632, 2644], [2651, 2667], [202, 232], [252, 305], [1056, 1073], [1076, 1143]] |
TUSKEGEE , Alabama -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A trip through sweltering Alabama to experience some of the civil rights movement 's most important sites brought history books to life for my family and me . A marker shows the 54-mile route from Selma to Montgomery , Alabama , that voting rights marchers took . The road trip , with my wife and 14-year-old son , was an extraordinary experience , and not only because I 'm African-American . As an American , it was inspiring to experience the places where people fought and died for equality and the right to vote . Many of the places we visited are maintained by the National Park Service , which has made an extraordinary effort to preserve pivotal places related to the movement . When you think of national parks , great natural attractions like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon come to mind . But the National Park System has also preserved and restored many living history sites from the civil rights movement . We started our road trip at Moton Field in Tuskegee , the site of one of the early battles in the civil rights movement . In the 1940s , the U.S. government trained the nation 's first black military aviators at Moton in what it labeled a military experiment . Before that time , African-Americans `` were believed to be incapable of flying complex combat aircraft , '' Park Ranger John Whitfield said . Watch more on Moton Field '' The aviators were trained in every aspect of their combat aircraft , from flight to maintenance . They made their mark during World War II by not losing a single bomber to enemy fire in more than 200 combat missions -- a record unmatched by any other fighter group . Moton Field was declared a historical site in 1998 , and the National Park Service has gone through painstaking efforts to restore and rebuild its hangars and outbuildings , which were used by more than 15,000 men and women from 1942 to 1946 . iReport.com : Share your meaningful road trips . The site now offers only a small visitor 's center in a temporary trailer as construction and restoration are completed . The `` Tuskegee experience , '' as park rangers call it , will officially open in October , when Hangar One , and eventually Hangar Two , will be retrofitted to look as they did when the facility was in full operation in the 1940s . Moton field is a little over three miles from Tuskegee University , the only college campus in the country with a national park . The park includes The Oaks , home of university founder Booker T. Washington , and a museum that houses the work of the renowned slave-turned-scientist George Washington Carver . We browsed the various artifacts and exhibits that outline the life and scientific work of Carver , who is well known for the hundreds of uses he found for the peanut . My family and I learned that Carver was an accomplished painter who made his own paints from red Alabama clay . We grabbed lunch at Taliaferro 's , just off Tuskegee 's main square , which takes its moniker from the middle name of Tuskegee University 's founder . The restaurant offers a buffet of Southern favorites like okra , macaroni and cheese , banana pudding and peach cobbler at low prices . The fried chicken and `` mean greens '' are listed in `` Alabama 's 100 meals you should eat before you die '' brochure . The chicken certainly lived up to the brochure 's claim . It 's a 38-mile ride to Montgomery , where we visited Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church , which is the only church where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. served as senior pastor . Amazingly , the church literally lies in the shadow of the Alabama State Capitol , the very building where lawmakers passed segregation laws . Entering the church basement , we could visualize protest strategy meetings for the Montgomery bus boycott or the voting rights march that King presided over in this very room . The church is still home to a congregation of about 300 and is very active in Montgomery 's community . Driving down U.S. Highway 80 , now the historic National Voting Rights Trail , we thought about the 15,000 people who walked the same 54-mile route in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery , protesting Alabama laws that prohibited African-Americans from registering to vote . In between Selma and Montgomery , we discovered the Lowndes County Interpretive Center , which stands where a `` tent city '' once stood to support the marchers in 1965 . Watch more on the center '' A 20-minute film about the march , told by people who took the journey , moved us to tears . We toured the interactive exhibits to learn more about the protest , the challenges and the hurdles African-Americans had to conquer for their constitutional right to vote . At the center , and at several museums during our trip , we met volunteers who were participants in the voting rights movement who gave us first-hand accounts of their experiences . See photos from the trip '' Joe Glover , a volunteer at the center , said he was a resident of the tent city as a 15-year-old . He said that in retaliation for participating in the voting rights march , his family was kicked off a plantation where they share-cropped . `` I love sharing my experience with young people by letting them know how important it is to get an education and what their foreparents and other people shed their lives and blood for in order for them to have a right to vote , '' Glover said . We ended our road trip in Selma by crossing the infamous Edmund Pettus Bridge . There , on March 7 , 1965 , protesters demanding their right to vote met a wall of state police armed with bully clubs and cattle prods . The protest was the first of three attempts to march to Montgomery and came to be known as Bloody Sunday . We are thankful for the sacrifices of those who crossed the bridge in 1965 and regretful for those who do n't take advantage of their right to vote . | First stop provided early peek at Tuskegee Airmen site , which will open in October . Tuskegee University museum houses work of scientist George Washington Carver . In Tuskegee , Taliaferro 's offers tasty , reasonably priced buffet of Southern favorites . During trip , those who experienced civil rights movement gave first-person accounts . | [[2073, 2099], [2102, 2120], [2126, 2128], [2131, 2162], [2519, 2527], [2533, 2614], [3048, 3183], [4444, 4476], [4479, 4493], [4811, 4837], [4842, 4892]] |
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Taking a road trip by yourself can be good for the soul . The freedom and beauty of the open road on a recent trip in the Pacific Northwest and California brought me back to what is really important in life . Vistas along the California coast near Mendocino can be breathtaking . My road trip started in Seattle , Washington , and ended two weeks later in Sacramento , California , covering 2,277 miles with a stunning backdrop of natural beauty along the way . Living in the moment and charting my own course gave me a sense of self empowerment that extends to my path in life and what I want out of it . For those who wish to set out on their own solo road trip , I recommend research and planning -- while still leaving time to be spontaneous . Hoh Rain Forest , Olympic National Park . As I drove into the Hoh Rain Forest in Washington 's Olympic National Park , the only words I could muster were Holy ... Wow ! The greenness of it all and the smell of fresh air stimulated a part of my brain that had n't been stimulated in years , if ever . Here I was in the good , old U.S. of A. , driving through a rain forest . Having just left Seattle , where my trip started , this was the first leg of my self-proclaimed big adventure . From the start , Olympic National Park was always a must-see . See map of my road trip '' I mean , who knew you could hike through rain forests , climb glaciers , walk beaches or hit up mineral hot springs all in one place ? The Hoh Rain Forest offered enchanting hikes , with plenty of trails to choose from . Huge ferns , endless amounts of beautiful moss , and trees -- some 500 years old -- made up much of the landscape . On my second day , as the rain started to come down hard , I decided to squeeze in a late afternoon visit to Ruby Beach , about 45 minutes east of Hoh . There 's something special about walking a beach in a virtual downpour : You 've pretty much got it all to yourself . See photos from my trip '' Sol Duc Hot Springs . After two days in the rain , accidentally stepping on a couple of mammoth-sized banana slugs outside my tent , and looking a bit like Chewbacca , I decided to treat myself to the popular Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort , about 30 minutes north of the Hoh Rain Forest in Port Angeles , Washington . Named by American Indians , Sol Duc , which means sparkling water , is also thought to have healing values , something I was in desperate need of by this point . Three pools are heated by the nearby hot springs and there 's one freshwater pool if you need to cool off . I threw on my suit , quickly showered and then headed straight for the hot spring . Aaaaaah , this was perfect . The pools were crowded and the smell of the minerals in the water was obvious . With a backdrop of tree-lined hills , it 's easy to sit , relax and soothe your bones for hours . Oregon Caves . Oregon is a beautiful state from top to bottom . It seems to have it all , the ocean , rivers , cool towns and caves ! Oregon Caves National Monument is located outside Junction Caves , Oregon . To get to the cave 's entrance you have to drive 20 miles along a very windy -- but beautiful -- two-lane road , deep in the Siskiyous Mountains . I arrived just in time for the last tour which ran about 90 minutes . Bring a jacket since the temperature inside the cave is around 44 degrees -LRB- 7 degrees Celsius -RRB- year-round . Our group had just started the tour when one woman traveling with her daughter announced she could n't do it . She was n't comfortable walking within confined spaces . Our guide was very helpful and mentioned to all of us this was the right time to speak up if you did n't think you could do the tour . Moments later our group , minus two , made its way through the inside of the mountain . This place rocked -- literally and figuratively . In 1907 , poet Joaquin Miller coined the cave 's nickname , `` The Marble Halls of Oregon . '' You 'll hear a lot of stories on the tour ; from its discovery in 1874 by Elijah Davidson , whose dog chased a bear into the cave , to a couple who got married inside the cave , complete with cavemen outfits and fur . Our guide , Rachel De Nardis , called the cave intimate and personable . Steve Thede , chief of interpretations , says the Oregon Caves offer an opportunity to connect with the inside of Earth . Besides , he adds , this is something you 'll remember 10 years from now . The drive to the caves is a little bit off the beaten path , but it 's well worth the side trip . Mendocino , California . My day in Mendocino County was completely unplanned . I had a full day between planned stops on my route , so I headed to Mendocino because it 's known for its scenery and its art community . Everyone talks about the gorgeous coastline in Northern California , so I thought , we 'll see if they 're right . The vistas along the way were stunning . It took me longer than I had estimated because it 's so easy to constantly stop and snap pictures . Eventually I arrived in Mendocino , found a great spot on some rocks by the Pacific and ate lunch . Eating an avocado sandwich as waves crashed against the rocks was an inspiring moment . How often do you get to find those kinds of spots , I asked myself . Another traveler 's gem I found in Mendocino would be of interest to gardening gurus -- or those who just like flowers . The Mendocino County Botanical Garden showcases beautiful gardens and a gift shop . Big Trees of Calaveras County , California . The Big Trees of Calaveras County is home to the giant Sequoias . Located about four miles east of Arnold , California , the trees in the park are the biggest in the world . As soon as I began my stroll in the North Grove portion of the park , I was overtaken by the sheer massiveness , power and age of these trees . Some trees in the park are believed to be up to 2,000 years old . The largest tree in the park is about 25 feet in diameter and 250 feet tall . Pick up the guided tour sheet for 50 cents . It gives you perspective and stories behind the trees . Big Trees State Park is inside the Stanislaus National Forest , a huge forest spanning from just south of Lake Tahoe to the southern reach of Yosemite National Park . I stayed with a friend who lives in an A-frame home along the west boundary of the forest -- a neighborhood which is pretty unusual . Imagine driving out of your neighborhood and , instead of passing houses , you 're driving by mammoth trees and clear blue running rivers . Who has that ? To me , to live in the heart of Mother Earth like my friend does would be a privilege . Overall , I surprised myself during this solo adventure . I learned that during a trip alone , you find yourself doing things that you did n't plan on -- that you would n't put down on paper beforehand . A lot of people are afraid to be by themselves -- to travel by themselves . Some people do n't even like to eat by themselves . This trip showed me that going solo can be a valuable experience . It forces you to appreciate yourself , and realize that you are often times your own best company . | Olympic National Park has rain forests , glaciers , beaches , mineral hot springs . Oregon cave stories include dog chasing bear and a `` caveman '' wedding . Stunning seaside lunch in Mendocino , California , with amazing scenery . Among giant Sequoias , strolling among 2,000-year-old trees overtakes author . | [[1378, 1384], [1387, 1493], [1378, 1379], [1391, 1512], [4043, 4058], [4071, 4098], [4104, 4112], [4117, 4144], [263, 333], [4887, 4927], [5709, 5756], [5777, 5794], [5853, 5891], [5895, 5918], [5853, 5875], [5889, 5918]] |
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World leaders gave thanks Saturday to military veterans for their efforts in the D-Day landings of 65 years ago at a ceremony in northwest France , warning that their legacy must not be forgotten as the world faces renewed threats of tyranny . President Obama and Britain 's Prince Charles were among those attending the ceremony . President Obama joined Britain 's Prime Minister Gordon Brown , France 's President Nicolas Sarkozy and Canada 's Prime Minister Stephen Harper at a ceremony at the American Cemetary in Normandy , close where many died in the World War II offensive . More than 150,000 allied troops , about half of them Americans , took part in D-Day on June 6 , 1944 , overwhelming German forces in an operation that proved a turning point in driving the Nazis out of France . Allied forces secured the beaches at a cost of about 10,000 casualties in what was the first step in a campaign that would , in a matter of weeks , liberate Paris , which had been under Nazi occupation for more than four years . Brown praised those who fought on that day , saying , `` as long as freedom lives , their deeds will never die . '' He said their sacrifices had put obligations on people living today in what he called `` the great covenant of D-Day . `` We must be as if liberators for our day and our generation too , '' he said , citing Burma -LRB- renamed Myanmar -RRB- and Zimbabwe , as well as the `` mortal threat of poverty , hunger , illiteracy , disease and want . '' Obama addressed the 288 veterans said to be attending the ceremony , telling them : `` You are why we keep coming back . '' Watch Obama deliver speech to veterans '' `` You remind us that in the end , human destiny is not determined by forces beyond our control . You remind us that our future is not shaped by mere chance or circumstance . `` It has always been up to us , '' he said . Watch Obama arrive in France '' He urged the world to remember what happened at nearby Omaha Beach , one of the main landing points for U.S. troops involved in the operation . `` Friends and veterans , what we can not forget -- what we must not forget -- is that D-Day was a time and a place where the bravery and selflessness of a few was able to change the course of an entire century . '' Sarkozy described the horrors of the battle , where so many died before they were able to land that `` those who did make it ashore waded through the bodies of the dead and wounded that floated in on the tide . '' He cited a letter from a U.S. soldier who said the day `` was like a waking nightmare . The ground was so strewn with bodies that you could practically cross the beach without touching the sand . '' `` Never , never will France forget , '' he vowed . The speeches were followed by a 21-gun salute , a lone trumpter playing taps and a flyover by American , British and French jets . Among veterans attending Saturday 's remembrance ceremonies will be 86-year-old former British soldier Jim Tuckwell , who said the events will help those present to remember fallen comrades lost in the heat of battle . `` There was no time to mourn , you did n't have time to mourn , '' he said , recalling the events of 1944 . Read Tuckwell 's story . `` And the worst thing about later battles was that when you lost people , you normally had to bury them yourself . You could n't leave the bodies on the ground , there was nowhere else to put them . '' | Dignitaries , World War II veterans pay tribute to D-Day fallen . President Obama , France 's Sarkozy , UK 's Brown among those attending . 150,000 allied troops took part in operation on June 6 , 1944 . | [[0, 10], [47, 158], [379, 440], [630, 661], [695, 730]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Like most stories that end up with a man mowing his friend 's lawn in a dress , it started out innocently enough . Craig Harrell takes a quick break for the camera while fulfilling his end of the bargain . Not long after Robert Klein began working on his man cave , his friend Craig Harrell paid Klein a compliment . He noticed Klein was looking trimmer since they 'd last met . As Klein continued to slim down , they made a bet : Whoever could get down to 200 pounds first would be the winner , and the loser would have to mow the winner 's yard -- in a dress . Klein started building his man cave in Pasadena , Maryland , so he could have the bar of his dreams and a home theater . He worked on his basement for more than a year and ended up losing 65 pounds in the process -- more than enough to win his bet with Harrell . CNN.com and iReport.com got an overwhelming response when we asked readers to send in photos and stories of their man caves : spaces that foster men 's hobbies , decorating skills and technological needs . Some of their stories were so outrageous that we decided to profile a few of them . Klein 's man cave , however , was the only one to combine dramatic weight loss and cross-dressing , so we had to give him a call to find out more . Klein said his friends wanted to talk about two things while he was building his man cave : how his amazing bar was coming along and how they thought Harrell would lose the bet . The bet was popular with everyone Klein and Harrell knew . Their wives even started a dress committee , to make sure the loser was appropriately attired , and their kids delighted in the prospect of seeing Dad in a dress . To lose weight , Klein said Harrell played golf and cut out chips , while he adopted a balanced , calorie-restricted diet , and spent at least six hours a day on the man cave , which took most of his free time . Klein did all the electric wiring himself , worked on the framing and put three coats of paint on all the walls and ceilings . He attributes his weight loss success to replacing TV-watching with hard work . `` I lost at least 10 pounds on the painting alone , '' he said . `` My neck was sore for weeks . '' Klein knew he could n't build the kind of man cave he wanted all by himself , so he contracted out some of the big jobs , like cutting a hole in the foundation to add 6-foot-tall French doors to the side of the house in place of a window well , and finding someone to do the woodwork on a custom bar he designed . Although he started out with a carefully planned budget , Klein quickly found he needed to spend more money to make his dreams a reality . The hardest part , he said , was finding someone who could build his bar for a price he could afford . After some disheartening estimates -LRB- one was $ 65,000 -RRB- , Klein found Lyle Delfosse , a local furniture maker who had built libraries in the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. , and constructed a chair for a U.S. Supreme Court justice over his long career . Now 76 and retired , Delfosse told Klein , `` I can build anything out of wood . '' Klein said Delfosse was true to his word , and they did n't go over the initial estimate of $ 19,000 , although he said Delfosse told him `` if he had it to do all over again , he 'd have charged double . '' Klein calls the bar `` magnificent , '' and said that when people come over to see it , they feel underdressed . Convinced he 'd saved money by doing a lot of the work himself , Klein splurged on a new sprinkler system . The bet he 'd made earlier in the year was on his mind , and he wanted to ensure that the grass in his front yard would be nice and green once the weigh-in arrived . At the height of summer , Klein 's man cave was finished , and he decided it was time to step on the scales . Harrell was 208 pounds , and Klein was 195 . At the party Klein threw to show off his new bar and theater , Harrell was ready . With some help from the dress committee , Harrell became Klein 's newly acquired , frock-sporting landscaper . The wives had sewn two pink , strapless dresses together to fit Harrell , and then layered on accessories like a bow-topped headband and a corsage . All decked out , Harrell graciously mowed Klein 's front yard , with 80 people cheering him on . Somehow , as Harrell was mowing , Klein 's new sprinkler system went off , soaking Harrell and his dress . In a phone interview , Klein was coy about who the perpetrator might have been . These days , Harrell has his own man cave , complete with bar . Klein points out that his bar is nicer , but says he 's got his buddy 's back : Harrell 's wife thinks a dishwasher would be a practical addition to the man cave , but Klein is trying to convince her that the keg refrigerator Harrell wants is a good idea . E-mail to a friend . | Man builds man cave , loses 65 pounds in the process . Of all the man cave tales submitted to iReport.com , this is first to include a dress . Bar of man 's dreams is `` magnificent '' Dress committee sews two dresses together to fit the loser of the bet . | [[703, 705], [754, 794], [3319, 3353]] |
DINGLE , Ireland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fewer tourists and relatively warm temperatures may be reason enough to put Ireland on your list of winter travel destinations , especially Dingle Peninsula , once ranked by National Geographic Traveler as `` the most beautiful place on Earth . '' Winter offers tourists a chance to explore Ireland 's west coast unhindered by bothersome crowds . The peninsula , on Ireland 's west coast , includes the oceanside town of Dingle , which boasts more than 1,000 full-time residents . Winter visitors will avoid the area 's hundreds of thousands of summertime tourists . Boats crowd Dingle 's popular marina , bringing fresh seafood catches of the day . Some of the marina vessels also will ferry visitors to see Fungie , a locally famous dolphin who has lived in the waters outside town since 1984 . See breathtaking photos of Dingle '' Outside Dingle , numerous vacation cottages are available to rent , including homes in the village of Dunquin . In winter , rates are drastically cut , and rental period dates may be more flexible . Most shops and restaurants have shorter hours during winter , and traditional music is found in some of the pubs on the weekends . As with most of Ireland , pubs abound , even in the smallest villages . A beer -LRB- preferably Guinness -RRB- and some hearty pub grub are a perfect way to cap a day of exploring the wintry sights of the peninsula . Because Ireland sits near the warm waters of the Atlantic Gulf Stream , the Emerald Isle has an average temperature of 46 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- 7 Celsius -RRB- during December , January and February . But pack smart and bring layers of clothing , including warm sweaters and jackets , because winter weather often means rain on Ireland 's western shore . | Dingle , Ireland , called `` most beautiful place on Earth '' by National Geographic . Escape summer crowds by traveling to Dingle Peninsula during winter months . Cottage rentals are cheaper in winter , and periods are more flexible . Winter temperatures in western Ireland average 46 degrees F -LRB- 7 Celsius -RRB- . | [[165, 192], [195, 280], [383, 409], [426, 463], [0, 6], [9, 162], [284, 382], [517, 602], [982, 991], [994, 1019], [1022, 1068], [1489, 1620]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Skier Paul Wampach , a 49-year-old manager from Chicago , Illinois , hardly matches the stereotype of a hostel dweller : an under-30 backpacker from outside the United States who ca n't afford fancy lodging . Travelers looking to meet new people might consider staying at hostels , say experts . For the fifth time in two years , Wampach plans to head to the Fireside Inn in Breckenridge , Colorado , where he 's booked a dorm-style room for less than $ 40 a night during his ski vacation . `` If I 'm traveling by myself , there 's no reason to splurge , '' said Wampach , who is single and described himself as neither rich nor poor . `` That $ 40 or $ 50 -LSB- I save on lodging -RSB- goes to food , beer and ski-lift tickets . '' And amenities such as Internet access and a hot tub at the hostel add creature comforts to the trip . Wampach 's travel habits are consistent with a growing number of travelers called `` flashpackers . '' They are usually over 30 , in mid-to-late career and can afford higher-end hotels but instead choose budget options -- albeit better-furnished and well-kept ones -- because it fits their lifestyle , said Mark Vidalin , Marketing Director for Hostelling International USA , a nonprofit network of hostels . Flashpackers also tend to stay connected by traveling with gadgets and seeking accommodations with free Wi-Fi , Vidalin said . The term `` flashpacker '' likely originated in Australia , and combines the term `` flash '' -- meaning `` stylish '' -- with `` backpacker , '' according to Vidalin . Flashpackers and regular backpackers are booking hostels at U.S. vacation destinations in full force this year . Attendance at hostels has been consistently rebounding from lows following the September 11 , 2001 . This year 's turbulent economy appears to be fueling demand for hostel space . Heading into ski season , Loree Weisman , the owner of the Crested Butte International Lodge and Hostel in Crested Butte , Colorado , said her hostel bookings are trending ahead of the town 's other lodging options -- and up about 25 percent from her bookings by the same time last year . Amid the unsteady economy , she said , people `` do n't want to give up a vacation , but they might need to adapt a vacation . '' Instead of canceling pricey vacations due to economic fears , many travelers are rejecting accommodations with private bedrooms and bathrooms . They 're going for hostels with their dorm-style bunk beds , community bathrooms , and , most importantly for many hostel dwellers , shared living spaces . `` There 's a sense of community , and there 's a social aspect to it that 's pretty significant , '' said Jim Williams , editor of `` The Hostel Handbook '' and a former hostel owner . `` That is the heart of hostelling . You do n't go to a hotel and lock the door . '' Wampach agreed , saying that hostels offer `` a tremendous way to meet people from different cultures and talk to people you would n't normally talk to . '' But the communal atmosphere of hostels leaves many travelers skeptical , particularly Americans , Williams said . `` Americans have privacy issues . If you suggested to most people they were going to share a room with five other people , most of them would n't want to do it , '' he said . What if a roommate snores or what if he smells or does n't stop talking ? -- these are legitimate questions for travelers considering the hostel option , said Williams . Frequent hostel dweller Mandy Creighton , 30 , said she enjoys the overall hostel experience , but it 's a `` huge challenge '' to `` walk through the room and to my room without having to talk to 20 people . '' Creighton and her partner , Ryan Mlynarczyk , 32 , who are documentary filmmakers from Sebastopol , California , are bicycling around the United States for a year and stopping in ecologically sustainable communities along the way . Their choice to stay in hostels is rooted in a desire to maintain a green lifestyle by sharing resources as well as saving money . Mlynarczyk experienced the other side of the privacy issue when he stepped out of a shower in a San Francisco , California , hostel to discover he had a female audience . `` I ... did n't have my towel on -- and some girl walks in and was like , ` Woo ! ' I 'm totally open to that sort of thing , but I think she was a little bit new to it , and she kind of was giggling . But obviously the immediate reaction was , ` Oh my God ! ' '' Mlynarczyk said . In contrast to Americans who treasure their personal space , the communal environment is more ingrained in European culture , experts said . It 's possible to trace that cultural divide to post-World War II , said Williams , when Europe underwent its financial recovery in the 1950s and its culture was more communal . On the other hand , the U.S. economy was booming , and there was no need for Americans to share resources . `` At the same time -LSB- Europeans -RSB- were creating hostels , American teenagers were focused on getting their own cars , '' Williams said . Nevertheless , Hostelling International reported its hostels in many destination cities saw notable increases in October versus the same time last year : New York overnight guests increased by 9.8 percent , Washington by 9.7 percent and San Diego , California , by 22.1 percent , according to Hostelling International . Despite the rise in many hostel bookings , Williams said hostelling still is n't part of mainstream American culture . `` We do hostelling about as well as we do soccer . We do it , but it 's a limited market , and we do it a certain way . Otherwise , most Americans are n't very comfortable -LSB- with -RSB- it , '' Williams said . Wampach said he believes this represents Americans ' `` relatively conservative views and lifestyles . '' But people are respectful of each other 's space , he said , and they rarely spend time together in the dorm room aside from sleeping anyway . `` You just do your best ; everybody understands you are who are , '' Wampach said . `` Sometimes you get a guy who snores but ... that 's part of the deal . '' | `` Flashpackers '' are professionals older than 30 who prefer hostels to hotels . Hostels in New York , Washington and San Diego , California , report increased guests . Sense of community is the `` heart of hostelling , '' expert says . Many Americans uncomfortable with hostels ' lack of privacy . | [[5076, 5086], [5125, 5212], [2758, 2794], [5633, 5689]] |
-LRB- Travel + Leisure -RRB- -- You have n't experienced Christmas lights until you 've seen nearly four miles of them artfully hung in patterns dictated by Tiffany 's head designer in Copenhagen 's famed historic amusement park , Tivoli Gardens -- and that 's not counting the 1,800 strands dramatically draped on the lakeside willows . Salzburg , Austria 's Christkindlmarkt is one of Europe 's oldest markets . Copenhagen celebrates Jul -LRB- as in `` yuletide '' -RRB- in high style , with its famed Christmas market the centerpiece . Stalls stocked with fine handmade crafts , including traditional figurines of clog-clad elves in pointy red caps , compete for space with vendors selling iced doughnuts slathered with black currant jam and hefty cups of gløgg , a steaming hot mulled red wine laden with raisins , almonds , cinnamon sticks and cloves -- all of which , for good measure , are steeped in aquavit or schnapps . Christmas in Europe is a time for elaborate pastries straight out of a medieval cookbook , for lyrical midnight masses in Gothic churches and for the upholding of quirky local traditions -- in many countries , Christmas just is n't complete without mischievous pixies , kindly witches -LRB- Rome -RRB- , treacherous demons -LRB- Salzburg -RRB- or an 8,000-pound fruitcake -LRB- Dresden -RRB- . However else Europeans celebrate the Yuletide season , Christmas still centers around an Advent market that , in most cases , has filled the square before the cathedral each December for hundreds upon hundreds of years . Many markets start on the Friday before Advent , which is four Sundays before Christmas Eve ; most end on December 24 , especially in Germanic countries , where Christmas Eve is set aside for trimming the tree at home . Others keep celebrating until Epiphany on January 6 . Travel + Leisure.com : See Europe 's best Christmas markets . These markets are where the romance of the holiday comes alive in grand tradition -- smells of gingerbread and roasting sausages waft through the cold air , handmade ornaments adorn ancient fir trees , master glassblowers and other artisans ply their crafts in wooden stalls , shoppers bustle past Gothic church facades and half-timbered houses , pausing to sip their glühwein , heavily spiced and mulled `` glow wine '' -- the piping-hot beverage of choice at any self-respecting Teutonic Christmas market . This is what Christmas should be -- a holiday free of mall Muzak and the frantic need to lay your hands on the superstore 's last Tickle Me Xbox . It 's an old-world Christmas of heartfelt caroling and wooden toys , where every gift is crafted by hand and Santa has n't outsourced his workshop to China . For a few precious frost-nipped weeks , these museum-piece cities of Olde World Europe flicker back to the Middle Ages -- not the ossified medieval throwbacks of soot-blackened cathedrals and tourist-bedeviled museums , but the living , breathing yesteryear of a bustling outdoor marketplace . A few practical notes : It 's wise to book as far in advance as possible in these Christmas hotspots , especially for trips between December 15 and January 1 and definitely for December 24 and 25 . That goes not only for your lodging but also for restaurants , many of which close on Christmas Eve and Day ; those that are open usually offer a set-price feast and book up fast with locals . Planning a Caribbean getaway ? Do n't miss Travel + Leisure 's new Ultimate Caribbean Hotel Guide - CLICK HERE . Copyright 2007 American Express Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved . | Copenhagen 's Tivoli Gardens glitters with lights during the market . Advent markets have been held for hundreds of years . Handmade crafts , local snacks and mulled wine are typical . | [[1442, 1544], [539, 651], [654, 764]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Turn up the music , crack the window -- falling gas prices have flipped on the road-trip ignition switch . The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle is 104 feet long and 95 feet wide at the alcove . I decided to celebrate the unofficial return of reasonable driving vacations with a venture to the ultimate temple of excess -- Hearst Castle . From Los Angeles , my family and I retraced the journey of Hollywood luminaries who headed north to hang out with publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst . Charlie Chaplin , Cary Grant , Clark Gable , Gregory Peck , Carol Lombard and Hearst 's mistress Marion Davies all made the trek to what Hearst called `` La Cuesta Encantada , '' or the Enchanted Hill . Winston Churchill and President Calvin Coolidge also rested here amid art and antiquities from around the world . Hearst Castle looks down over golden fields , the glistening Pacific and the town of San Simeon , California , home to less than 500 people . We took a tour bus from the visitors center to the mansion , a long gull 's dive from the ocean , 1,610 feet above sea level . Hearst hired San Francisco architect Julia Morgan in 1919 and by 1947 the 165-room estate stretched over 127 acres . It 's crystal clear Hearst was a demanding mastermind of his kingdom on the hill , putting Morgan through what must have been agonizing brain twisters . Visitors see that when Hearst wanted European choir chairs wedged into his assembly room , Morgan made it work . When he wanted elaborate ceilings salvaged from Europe , Morgan expanded their reach to fit into the estate 's rooms . A massive 95 x 104-foot outdoor swimming pool , made of concrete and Vermont marble , is one of the central jewels of the property . Our guide recounted Hearst house rules . In an effort to control his guests ' alcohol consumption , Hearst banned them from bringing their own liquor . The Hollywood types reportedly snuck it in anyway , like frat boys at a football game . Guests stayed in opulent guest houses adorned with religious icons , art and other worldly treasures . Hearst mandated unmarried guests sleep apart , while violating his own edict by sleeping with his beloved actress friend Marion Davies . Though Hearst remained married to Millicent Hearst , with whom he had five children , Davies ' ghost is everywhere at Hearst Castle . Images of the actress , along with Charlie Chaplin and others stars , flicker about in a short film shown in the mansion 's 50-seat movie theater . Museum-worthy pieces fill the property , including intricate Flemish tapestries in an east-facing sitting room called the Morning Room . Owing to my Belgian roots , I looked at the tapestries and cracked to my kids , `` No wonder my 83-year-old mother can still sew a tiny patch onto a Girl Scout vest . '' The castle 's grandeur was enough to hold the childrens ' attention . We saw them as young as 4 years old , eyes popping while taking in ancient Egyptian statues or towering Christmas trees . `` This guy was rich ! '' my friend 's 7-year-old-son , Nicolas , exclaimed . Perhaps a headline from Hearst 's San Francisco Examiner in another era could best describe our trip : . `` The road to fun is back and affordable ! '' | William Randolph Hearst entertained Hollywood stars at his estate near San Simeon . The 165-room estate stretches over 127 acres overlooking the Pacific . Hearst filled the rooms with art and antiquities from around the world . | [[438, 458], [463, 536], [1185, 1239], [740, 787], [793, 853], [2015, 2100]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- 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 do n'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 is n'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 . | Prince Harry visits a nonprofit that offers free programs and classes in Harlem . Harry also takes part in the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic . On first visit to New York : `` Fantastic . ... I 'm hopeful I 'll come back to visit again '' 24-year-old plays down criticisms of past , says media `` stamps on '' false image . | [[291, 342], [345, 369], [375, 428], [345, 369], [431, 534], [129, 175], [1709, 1729], [1733, 1787], [1829, 1874], [1829, 1841], [1858, 1874], [2297, 2345]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two U.S. lawmakers have urged U.S. Army Secretary Peter Geren to recognize 350 American soldiers held as slaves by Nazi Germany during World War II , saying `` these heroes have not received the recognition and honor they deserve . '' Bernard `` Jack '' Vogel died in a Nazi slave camp in the arms of a fellow U.S. soldier , Anthony Acevedo , in 1945 . `` As Anthony Acevedo , one of the soldiers chosen , recently described to CNN , the Nazis picked those soldiers who looked Jewish , had a Jewish name or were considered ` undesirable , ' '' Reps. Joe Baca , D-California , and Spencer Bachus , R-Alabama , said in a letter sent to Geren last week . `` The trials and sacrifices made by those detained have largely gone unrecognized even to this day . As proud Americans , we wish to recognize and honor them for their service . '' Both congressmen have pushed for a congressional resolution to honor the 350 soldiers held at Berga an der Elster , a subcamp of Buchenwald where dozens of American soldiers were beaten , starved and killed . Baca and Bachus say they will continue to fight for the resolution . Listen as Acevedo tells brother of victim : `` I had him in my arms '' '' Army spokesman Paul Boyce told CNN that the Army is in the process of responding to the congressional letter . `` The U.S. Army has recognized hundreds of thousands of veterans of World War II and has expressed interest in this group 's history to see what could be done , '' he said . Anthony Acevedo was a 20-year-old medic when he was sent to Berga with the other soldiers in February 1945 . Acevedo kept a diary that details the day-to-day events inside the camp and lists the names and prisoner numbers of men as they died or were executed . Open up the pages of Acevedo 's diary '' The soldiers were put on a forced death march in April 1945 as American troops neared . For much of that march , Acevedo pushed a wooden cart with emaciated men inside . Many of them died . `` More of our men died , so fast that you could n't keep track of their numbers , '' Acevedo wrote on April 19 , 1945 , four days before he was liberated by advancing U.S. troops . Asked what it would mean if the U.S. Army officially recognized the soldiers of Berga six decades later , Acevedo , now 84 , wept . `` This is for all the fellas , '' he said . Norman Fellman , another Berga survivor , was one of the men on the wooden cart pushed by Acevedo so many years ago . He said that wounded men and corpses were stacked on top of him -- and that he believed he could survive just one more day when he was liberated on April 23 , 1945 . `` There 's a certain amount of pain involved when the country you serve fails to acknowledge the conditions under which you were kept , '' Fellman told CNN . There are only 12 known Berga survivors still living . It is difficult to ascertain exactly how many of the 350 U.S. soldiers died in captivity and on the subsequent death march . CNN has cross-checked a list of the names of 70 dead soldiers provided to the U.S. War Department after the war with the names of the dead listed in Acevedo 's diary . Watch as a soldier 's diary sheds light on atrocities '' It appears the death toll was well over 100 , roughly one in three soldiers . Acevedo says that more than 300 U.S. soldiers were alive at the start of the march , and that about 165 were left by the end . He says he was unable to keep track of the dead in the final days because soldiers were dying too fast . `` At Berga , captured soldiers were forced to endure inhumane conditions and suffer from the Nazi policy of physical destruction through labor , '' Baca and Bachus said in their letter to Geren . `` Over 100 American soldiers either died at Berga or on the death march from the camp -- the highest number of American fatalities at any German camp . '' The two Berga commanders -- Erwin Metz and his superior , Hauptmann Ludwig Merz -- were tried for war crimes and initially sentenced to die by hanging . But the U.S. government commuted their death sentences in 1948 , and both men were eventually set free in the 1950s . U.S. soldiers who survived captivity were interviewed by the U.S. Military Intelligence Service in Europe after they were liberated . Before they were sent home , they signed a document that instructed them to never speak about their captivity . `` Some activities of American prisoners of war within German prison camps must remain secret not only for the duration of the war against the present enemies of the United States but in peace-time as well , '' the document says . `` The interests of American prisoners of war in the event of future wars , moreover , demand that the secrets of this war be vigorously safeguarded . '' When Acevedo finally returned home , little had prepared him for his own father 's reaction . `` My dad told me I was a coward , '' he said . Baca and Bachus said men like Acevedo deserve the respect of the nation : `` We are writing to you to encourage the Department of the Army to acknowledge the heroism and sacrifice of those soldiers held captive at Berga in a manner appropriate for their service . It would be an honor well-deserved for the remaining survivors and the many colleagues that have gone before them . '' Editor 's note : To support the congressmen 's effort , Spencer Bachus has asked for faxes to his Washington office at 202-225-2082 , or send letters to Congressman Spencer Bachus , 2246 Rayburn Building , Washington , D.C. , 20515 . | 350 U.S. soldiers were held as slaves at camp in Germany during World War II . CNN recently reported on the captivity of one soldier held at Berga an der Elster . Congressmen urge Army secretary to honor the `` sacrifices made by those detained '' `` As proud Americans , we wish to recognize and honor them for their service '' | [[94, 166], [0, 15], [19, 115], [689, 722], [4992, 5094], [794, 849]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The government is delaying legal action against Pennsylvania landowners who have n't yet agreed to sell their land for a memorial to victims of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11 , 2001 , federal officials said Friday . This plot of land is scheduled to house the permanent United Airlines Flight 93 memorial . The government has been negotiating with several landowners since 2003 in an effort to purchase their properties near Shanksville where the hijacked jet crashed into a field , killing everyone aboard . If final efforts at negotiations are unsuccessful , officials intend to use eminent domain to acquire the property . That right allows governments to take private property for public use without an owner 's consent , after paying a fair price for the land . The government is seeking to buy 166 acres in western Pennsylvania to complete the area needed to build a memorial on 2,200 acres . `` The -LRB- National Park Service -RRB- will negotiate with the landowners to reach agreement . If agreement is not reached , eminent domain remains as a backstop to acquire these lands , '' said Kendra Barkoff , spokeswoman for the Department of Interior . See plans for the proposed Flight 93 Memorial . Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Sen. Arlen Specter , D-Pennsylvania , met with landowners and some 9/11 victims ' relatives Friday in Somerset County , where the plane crashed into a field . `` The goal remains to finish phase one of the memorial by September 10 , 2011 , '' Barkoff said . `` We 'll try to negotiate with the families , but eminent domain has always been and will continue to be the last resort . '' Landowner Randy Musser told CNN he is encouraged that the government is recognizing that the negotiations are n't working . While the threat of eminent domain stills seem to be on the table , `` it finally seems like the lines of communication are open , '' Musser said . Producers Eric Fiegel and Terry Frieden contributed to this report . | Government may use eminent domain to seize land needed for 9/11 memorial . Hijacked United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville , Pennsylvania . Federal officials say they hope to have first phase of memorial complete by 2011 . | [[591, 655], [455, 466], [473, 510], [1430, 1508]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- India 's lower house of parliament elected a woman as its speaker Wednesday , a first in the male-dominated chamber 's history . Meira Kumar was nominated by the ruling Congress party . Meira Kumar is also a member of the `` untouchable '' Dalit class , the lowest rung in the centuries-old caste system in the country . The speaker conducts the proceedings of the house . She will preside over 543 elected members , of which 58 are women . Kumar , 64 , was elected to the position unopposed . She was nominated by the ruling Congress party but also had the backing of the alliance led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party . Women play a prominent role in the politics of India , the world 's largest democracy . The South Asian country of 1.1 billion people has a female president , Pratibha Devisingh Patil . And four of the country 's political parties , including the Congress Party , are led by women . Hindus believe there are five main groups of people . The last group is the Dalits . They 're considered impure and are often forced to work in menial jobs . They drink from separate wells and use different entry ways to come and go from buildings . Dalits number about 250 million in India , about 25 percent of the population , according to the Colorado , U.S.-based Dalit Freedom Network . India 's constitution outlaws caste-based discrimination , and barriers have broken down in large cities . Prejudice , however , persists in some rural areas of the country . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report . | Meira Kumar a member of the Dalit class -- lowest rung in centuries-old caste system . She will preside over 543 elected members , of which 58 are women . Kumar , 64 , was elected to the position unopposed . | [[223, 288], [1010, 1040], [410, 456], [432, 477], [478, 483], [486, 530]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tensions eased in the northern Indian state of Punjab on Tuesday , following widespread violence across the region after a Sikh guru was shot to death and another was wounded at an Indian temple in Vienna , Austria . Sikh demonstrators brandish sticks as they shout slogans during a protest in Amritsar . The situation was tense , but under control , Punjab 's inspector general of police said Tuesday morning . The army and federal security forces were called in to restore order , added inspector general Parag Jain . Thousands took part in demonstrations across the Doaba region , where protesters attacked public transportation , knocking out train service in some areas . They also blocked a national highway to Jammu , CNN sister network CNN-IBN reported . A number of businesses were ransacked as well . Police reported one death . Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , himself a Sikh , appealed for calm , in a statement . `` There is no place for violence in a secular society like India 's and certainly no excuse whatsoever for the violation of the sacred premises of a -LRB- Sikh temple -RRB- for narrow sectarian or other purposes , '' India 's Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement . Killed in Sunday 's attack in Vienna was 57-year-old Sant Rama Nand . A second guru , Sant Niranjan Dass , 68 , was seriously injured . His health has improved noticeably , according to the Indian Embassy , the Austria News Agency reported . Fifteen others were also wounded . `` Sant Niranjan Dass is doing well , '' the embassy said . `` He could soon be released from the hospital . '' Six people were arrested in connection with the attack , which occurred Sunday afternoon in Vienna 's 15th district , police spokesman Schwaig Hofar told CNN . One suspect shot the two gurus , and five other attackers wielding knives assaulted people in the congregation during prayer , Hofar said . Four of the wounded were suspects , two of them in serious condition , he said . About 150 people were in the room when the violence took place , he said . Authorities are investigating what triggered the attacks , but Austrian Interior Minister Maria Fekter said Sikhs have lived `` exceptionally peacefully '' in Austria . CNN 's Ben Brumfeld and Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report . | Tensions ease in Punjab after widespread violence over Sikh guru 's death . Sant Rama Nand shot dead in temple in Vienna , Austria ; another guru wounded . Situation remains tense in Punjab , police say ; also unrest in Doaba region . Several businesses ransacked , one person reported dead , according to police . | [[37, 101], [0, 9], [104, 169], [152, 187], [192, 241], [1247, 1283], [1247, 1316], [1317, 1330], [1359, 1382], [800, 840], [848, 875]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cynde Strand , CNN 's Beijing camerawoman during the crisis , had spent night after night in Tiananmen Square , amidst a heap of trash , leaning on her ladder , her head over her camera , just waiting for something to happen . Cynde Strand : `` I just knew this was the day it was going to end . '' If she was really exhausted , she 'd lay plastic over the trash and cat-nap on that . `` Every night I would stay there , '' she recalled . `` Every night there 'd be rumors that the troops were coming , or they were n't coming . And then there were all those kids we had gotten to know , '' she said about the demonstrators . `` Some days I 'd start around 5 and just stay the whole night , '' she said . `` The sun would come up and I would just ache . But I knew I wanted to be there when it happened . '' She and Mike Chinoy , both based in Beijing and both keen watchers of the Chinese leadership , shared the feeling that the situation was going to end badly . The Chinese had been deeply embarrassed by the demonstrators during the visit of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev , they reasoned , and the students were still occupying Tiananmen Square , although their numbers had dwindled . See photos of the CNN team in Tiananmen Square in 1989 '' In their minds , the Chinese leadership just would not stand for that . And Strand had a feeling that whatever was going to happen was going to happen at night , when energy levels were low . `` That Saturday -LRB- June 3 -RRB- , I just knew this was the day it was going to end , '' she said . `` That peaceful people-power picnic sit-in was gone . There was anger , rock-throwing behind the Great Hall of the People . The tension was much higher . '' And then Strand and her team got word of troops coming towards the giant square . And then kids started running into one side of the square with bodies . `` I got everybody together and said , ` okay , this is it , ' '' she recalled . '' ` If you do n't want to stay , you can go . You do n't have to stay here with me , but you have to leave now . ' '' She and soundman Kit Swartz stayed in the square for that entire historic night , determined to witness history . `` Bullets were whizzing overhead and then about 3 or 4 in the morning , they turned all the lights off , '' she said . `` Troops started pouring out of Mao 's mausoleum , different troops came out from under Mao 's portrait . Tanks moved in . By early morning , they had taken over the square and crushed that tent city . '' Strand did n't get to film much that overnight of June 4 . It was dark , she and Swartz took shelter behind public bathrooms for awhile , and the most dramatic images she had managed to film had gone with producer Donna Liu back to the CNN bureau . Strand had no idea what had happened to the tapes . And no one at CNN knew what had happened to her and Kit . Her walkie-talkie battery was long dead and nobody had cellphones then . From CNN 's base at the Beijing Hotel , the square , she knew , `` looked like hell , with buses on fire , APCs -LSB- armed personnel carriers -RSB- on fire and the Goddess of Democracy statue backlit by the fires burning on the road . '' Daytime broke . Chinese troops controlled the square . Strand and Swartz needed to get back to the CNN bureau . They flagged down a flat-bed rickshaw driver , who pedaled them and their gear to the Beijing Hotel . As they arrived , journalists leaned out of the hotel windows , begging to hear what had happened overnight . She walked into the CNN bureau . She and Chinoy looked at each other . She could see the palpable relief on his face . `` It was one of those moments , '' she recalled , `` just a deep connection between us . It said : ` We knew it was coming , and we survived it . ' '' Cynde Strand is now Director of Coverage at CNN International , based in Atlanta . Daniela Deane was a chief sub-editor at the Reuters news agency in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen crisis . | Camerawoman Cynde Strand had spent night after night in Tiananmen Square . As troops arrived , she `` got everybody together and said , okay , this is it '' `` Bullets were whizzing overhead ... then they turned the lights off '' She and soundman Kit Swartz stayed in the square for the entire historic night . | [[0, 15], [72, 78], [81, 128], [1879, 1903], [1879, 1880], [1908, 1912], [1917, 1934], [2190, 2232], [0, 15], [72, 78], [81, 128], [658, 659], [682, 707], [2076, 2189], [2076, 2103], [2158, 2189]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man shot and killed his wife and two of their children and then killed himself in central Florida on Sunday night , authorities said . Troy Ryan Bellar shot and killed his wife , Wendy , and two of their children , sheriff 's officials say . Troy Ryan Bellar , 34 , used a high-powered rifle with a scope to shoot his 31-year-old wife , Wendy , when she tried to leave their home , the Polk County Sheriff 's Office said in a statement . Two of the couple 's children -- 5-month-old Zack and 7-year-old Ryan -- also were killed , but a 13-year-old got away , with the father chasing and firing after him , officials said . `` It is beyond my understanding why a man would shoot and kill his 5-month-old baby boy , his 7-year-old baby boy , try to kill his 13-year-old son , shoot his wife and then turn the gun on himself , '' said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd . `` There is no explanation for that . '' The shootings happened in Lakeland , Florida , just east of Tampa . When the shooting began , the couple 's son , Nathan , ran out of the house and down the street -- with his dad chasing him through the garage and firing several shots , authorities said . Nathan was unhurt and will be placed with family members . Investigators do not know what led to the shooting , but believe it was preceded by `` some kind of domestic disturbance , '' a statement from the sheriff 's office said . Bellar was arrested twice in Polk County : for aggravated assault in 1994 , and for driving under the influence in 1999 . His wife was arrested in March for battery domestic violence . | Bodies of gunman , wife , 2 children found at Lakeland , Florida , home , officials say . Boy , 13 , was chased down street , fired at , but got away unharmed , officials say . Gunman used a high-powered rifle with scope , authorities say . | [[156, 172], [182, 233], [459, 528], [537, 548], [555, 577], [555, 568], [608, 624], [995, 1018], [1021, 1038], [1050, 1090], [1021, 1038], [1142, 1162], [137, 155], [263, 279], [287, 312]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The White House did not intend to show any disrespect toward Nancy Reagan when it failed to invite the former first lady -- a vigorous supporter of stem-cell research -- to a bill-signing ceremony on the subject , White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday . Nancy Reagan watches President Obama sign the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act Tuesday . `` I think she speaks in real personal terms about the issue , '' Gibbs told reporters . `` And I think her candor and her courage have been heartening , and we certainly meant no slight to her whatsoever . '' On Monday , Vanity Fair published an interview with Nancy Reagan on its Web site in which she suggested the Obama administration missed an opportunity by not inviting her to witness President Obama signing a measure in March expanding federal support for stem-cell research . The former first lady has long promoted such steps despite objections from many in the GOP . She has argued that expanded stem-cell research could have helped her husband , who suffered from Alzheimer 's disease . `` I would have gone , and you know I do n't like to travel , '' she told the magazine . Watch more on Gibbs ' reaction to the controversy '' `` Politically , it would have been a good thing for -LRB- Obama -RRB- to do . Oh well , nobody 's perfect . He called and thanked me for working on it . But he could have gotten more mileage out of it , '' she said . Gibbs ' comments also come the same day Mrs. Reagan attended a White House ceremony marking Obama 's signing of legislation authorizing a Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission . The 11-member commission will plan activities marking Ronald Reagan 's 100th birthday on February 6 , 2011 . Watch Obama laud Reagan 's optimism '' Mrs. Reagan is slated to attend the unveiling of a new statue of President Reagan on Wednesday morning at the Capitol and then share a private White House lunch with first lady Michelle Obama . Obama issued an apology to Mrs. Reagan earlier this year after joking in a news conference that she held seances during her years in the White House -- an apparent reference to reports she consulted with astrologists during her husband 's presidency . | Former first lady Nancy Reagan is a strong supporter of stem-cell research . Mrs. Reagan tells magazine : Obama should have invited me to stem-cell bill signing . She 's slated to attend the unveiling of a new statue of President Reagan Wednesday . She witnesses signing of Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission legislation . | [[882, 974], [674, 686], [696, 881], [1158, 1184], [1780, 1897], [300, 395], [1568, 1631]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Do you know your `` futtock '' from your `` baggywrinkle ? '' A sailor stands on the `` widow-maker '' -- or bowsprit of his yacht . Do n't be concerned if you do n't , as they are both relatively obscure terms used in sailing . It is a sport littered with odd words and phrases and MainSail has put together a list of 10 of the weirdest below . They are bound to raise a smile and will certainly make you more knowledgeable on the water -- who knows , you could even impress friends and colleagues with your mastery of obscure nautical terminology . Scuttlebutt The scuttlebutt is a cask on a ship containing the vessel 's drinking water . It was named this as the container was traditionally a small barrel , the so-called `` butt , '' which had been `` scuttled '' -- had a hole made in it -- so water could be accessed . As sailors would often gather around the scuttlebutt to chat , the word has also taken on a slang meaning of rumor or gossip . Rollocks A commonly used spelling for `` rowlocks . '' These are the spaces cut into the vessel or small clasps raised up from the side of smaller boats that are used to rest oars when the boat is under paddle . Are there any other nautical words you 'd like to add ? Tell us in the Sound Off box below . Poop deck A poop deck is a deck at the rear of a ship , generally formed by the roof of a cabin . If a wave washes over this deck from behind the vessel , it is said to be `` pooped . '' Widow-maker This is a colloquial term for a boat 's bowsprit -- the long pole , or `` spar , '' extending from the bow used by sailors to tend to sails . The treacherous bowsprit earned its name and reputation from of the number of sailors who have lost their lives falling from the it . Baggywrinkle This strange-sounding gem is simply a soft covering for ropes aboard yachts that prevent chafing of the sails . Where ropes and lines come into contact with sails there is serious potential for damage to the sail due to the abrasive nature of most rigging . Mainsheet The mainsheet is a rope or line attached to the boom that allows the sailor to control the speed of a boat by adjusting the main sail . Bilge The bilge is the lowest part of the interior of a ship . It marks the spot at the inside-bottom of the hull , below any floorboards , and it sits below the water-line . Futtock Futtocks are the curved timbers used to form the interior ribs on the hulls of wooden ships . Cat-head The cat-head is a large wooden beam that extends from vessels at a 45 degree angle and is used to assist in raising and lowering the anchor . Many cat-heads have had the faces of lions or other large cats carved into them -- however , it 's not known if this gave the cat-head its name , or came as a result of the name . Escutcheon The place on the stern of a ship where the boat 's name is written is known as the escutcheon . | MainSail lists ten of the strangest and most humorous nautical words . Sailing and marine sports full of obscure terms and phrases . Terms include `` baggywrinkle , '' `` poop deck '' and `` futtock '' | [[307, 381], [208, 264], [265, 327]] |
LONDON -LRB- England -RRB- -- CNN -- When CSKA Moscow lifted the UEFA Cup in 2005 , becoming the first Russian team to win a European trophy , manager Valeri Gazzaev described it as `` a landmark victory for Russian football . '' Andrei Arshavin has become Russia 's first football superstar since the Soviet era . Three years later , Zenit St Petersburg matched the achievement a month before the Russian national team reached the semifinals of Euro 2008 . After years on the margins , Russian football was back in the limelight . Jonathan Wilson , author of `` Behind the Curtain , Travels in Eastern European Football , '' told CNN that recent successes mark a renaissance of Russian football . A far-cry from the early years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 , when teams previously funded by state bodies -- such as the police force or the army -- were left chronically short of money . Wilson said that under communist rule Spartak Moscow had been funded by a trade union representing catering workers and were less directly dependant on state support than other Russian clubs . Consequently , when the Russian Premier League was formed in 1992 , Spartak found themselves in a better position than many of their rivals and stormed on to win nine of the first 10 titles up for grabs . See photos of Russia 's post-Soviet football stars . '' While Spartak flourished , the rest of the division remained in desperate need of money ; that is , until a new source of funding came in the shape of Russia 's rising force of oligarchs -- men who had amassed fortunes buying cheap but highly profitable energy companies . These oligarchs and energy corporations now play a vital role in funding the game . Zenit St Petersburg is backed by Gazprom , the world 's biggest producer and exporter of natural gas and Spartak Moscow has oil and gas company Lukoil as its primary sponsor . CSKA Moscow 's 2005 UEFA Cup triumph was financed by Sibneft , whose majority shareholder at the time was Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich , currently the 51st richest man in the world according to Forbes.com . Abramovich 's cash meant the club could afford to sign quality foreign players , including Brazilian internationals Daniel Carvalho and the free-scoring Vagner Love . Other examples of imported talent includes Dynamo Moscow 's signing of Champions League winners Maniche and Costinha from FC Porto in 2005 , and Zenit St Petersburg capturing Portuguese midfielder Danny for a reported league record of $ 40 million . There are so many foreign players in Russia that Premier League regulations now limit clubs to fielding no more than six foreign players at a time . What are your views of Russian football ? Sound off below . But the injection of money into the Russian game is n't only useful for buying foreign talent , Wilson says the national game is also having a revival because of the oligarchs ' money . Abramovich funds Russia 's National Football Academy , which , along with providing plastic pitches and coaches for young footballers , is also responsible for paying the wages of national team coach Guus Hiddink . Dutchman Hiddink led Russia to the semifinals of Euro 2008 , with the team having never made it past the first round of international competition prior to his appointment in 2006 . Marc Bennetts , author of `` Football Dynamo '' , about the state of Russian football , is based in Moscow . He told CNN that Hiddink 's arrival was a turning point in the national team 's fortunes . `` Hiddink really shook up the national football team . He left out some of the veterans and began picking players who were young and fresh , like Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko , '' he said . In Arshavin Russia has found its first football superstar since the Soviet era . He signed for English club Arsenal in February 2009 and has made an instant impact in the English Premier League . Bennetts says one cloud on the horizon is that Russian football 's dependence on energy companies means the global economic crisis and low oil prices could have a negative impact on the sport . But if the oligarchs keep supplying the Roubles , there 's no reason why Russian football wo n't continue to blossom . | Recent UEFA Cup successes mark a `` new era '' for Russian football . When the Soviet Union broke up , Russian clubs faced a funding crisis . Oligarchs now back many Russian teams , bringing money into the game . Andrei Arshavin and Roman Pavlyuchenko are Russia 's newest stars . | [[37, 81], [84, 115], [143, 226], [623, 697], [1465, 1545], [1632, 1715], [2823, 2912]] |
MBOLA , Tanzania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Moved by a 2007 trip to Ghana , singer/songwriter John Legend joined the fight to end extreme poverty in his lifetime . And based on his experiences in poor , rural areas of Africa , he says , real change is possible . John Legend says `` Mama '' Mwadawa Ruziga 's role in uplifting her community inspired him . `` I do n't want people to only see Africa as a bunch of victims , '' Legend says . `` The people that I 've come across in these extremely impoverished villages , they want to work . They want to participate in their own development . '' To help people lift themselves out of poverty , Legend founded the Show Me Campaign , named after one of his songs . Partnering with economist Jeffrey Sachs ' Millennium Promise organization , Legend 's group adopted Mbola , a remote village in Tanzania that has little access to drinking water and improved farming techniques , according to Millennium Promise . `` The folks in Mbola are starting at a supreme disadvantage . Most of them are living on less than a dollar a day , '' Legend says . `` It 's difficult for them to even survive . '' On his 2007 visit to Mbola , Legend met `` Mama '' Mwadawa Ruziga , a single mother of two who was freeing herself from poverty . Her entrepreneurial spirit impressed Legend and solidified his belief that sustainable development at the community level can work in the fight against poverty . Ruziga leads a local business collective that sells products -- like wine , jam and juice -- that it makes out of indigenous fruits . `` I was really inspired by her willingness to not just wait for a handout , but really take an active role in helping to uplift her community , '' he says . Through the Show Me Campaign , Legend has pledged to raise $ 1.5 million over five years to support programs similar to Ruziga 's that are aimed at alleviating poverty in Mbola . But this is not just about cutting a check , he says . `` You can always go in and bring an influx of money and address things temporarily . But if development 's not sustainable , then something 's wrong , '' Legend says . `` This is about teaching them how to farm better , improving the education system , getting water pumps . The idea is that -LSB- the community -RSB- will continue to sustain themselves over time . '' Before joining her collective , Ruziga , 47 , says her life was at an all-time low . For years , she suffered through malaria and droughts . `` The only thing I did was farming , then I would just sit idle with nothing to do . But after joining the group , my life changed for the better , slowly by slowly , '' Ruziga says . In addition to agricultural processing , Ruziga 's group focuses on horticulture and tree planting . Ruziga herself has been instrumental to the success of the group , traveling to trade shows in the Tanzanian cities of Tabora and Dar es Salaam to sell their products . `` Our group has spread to other areas of Tanzania , and we 've experienced great success because many people have come to know about us , '' Ruziga says . Watch Legend talk about meeting Ruziga , and see her group making products '' Six different villages have adopted the group 's successful model . `` I think she 's a great example of someone who 's given the tools to succeed , having the energy , having the follow-through , having the leadership skills to go ahead and do it , '' Legend says . Not only has Ruziga 's group changed her own life , but other members ' lives have also improved . This is the first time that some of them have ever earned an income . `` Now they are more educated than before , '' Ruziga says . `` The group provides them with a platform to exchange and explore ideas , and the revenue collected enables the members to cater for their basic needs . '' Ruziga believes that the future depends on women taking an active role in their future and says her community is happy with the help and encouragement Legend offers them . For Legend , Ruziga 's passion is inspiring and motivating . Watch Legend visit with Ruziga and her group during his trip to Mbola '' `` Mama Ruziga is an example of someone who is personally taking her destiny in her hands , and the destiny of her community into her hands . She is a leader , she 's inspirational , and she 's one of my heroes . '' | Legend 's hero , `` Mama '' Mwadawa Ruziga , is lifting herself and others from poverty . They met when the singer/songwriter visited Tanzania on an anti-poverty campaign . Ruziga leads a business collective that makes products from local fruits , sells them . This is the first time some members of her group have ever earned an income . | [[255, 332], [1425, 1558], [1438, 1465], [1471, 1514], [1523, 1558], [3517, 3586], [3525, 3539], [3545, 3586]] |
ARLINGTON , Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the past few years , Dan Redmond has been on a mission to change the way his household uses energy . Dan Redmond uses an electric bicycle with a trailer to run errands . As concerns about global warming and rising energy costs grow , many families like the Redmonds are looking for ways to change the way they use energy . Three years ago Redmond began embracing solar energy to power his suburban Washington home . And he 's not alone in turning to the sun for energy . The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates there are about 250,000 homes in the United States with some sort of solar power , although not all of them have taken the concept as far as the Redmonds . Last year , 13,000 homes installed solar power . `` We 're just making different decisions about how we live our life , '' Redmond said , `` And what 's important to us as well , as being able to show our two boys that when they grow up they 're going to need to know to be more flexible in most parts of their life and they 're going to need to be adaptable . '' Redmond 's excitement about solar energy has changed his family 's daily routine and also saved money -- he paid $ 28.61 for electricity last month compared with $ 150 a month last year . The biggest change came when Redmond put solar panels on the roof of his 1925 bungalow , which he shares with his wife , Margaret McGilvray , and the couple 's two young sons . The system , which still allows the family to use energy from the traditional power grid when the sun is not shining , uses what is known as net-metering . No electricity is stored in the house . Energy produced in excess of what is needed is fed back to the power grid , effectively making the Redmonds ' electric meter run backward . Twelve panels on the roof feed power to a device in the basement called an inverter . The solar power system cost $ 23,000 after a $ 2,000 tax credit . Redmond estimates that the system will pay for itself in 10 to 15 years . `` As we know , our power rates are going up . '' He said `` So it probably will take less because that number is based on what we 're paying right now . `` About 80 percent of our power is used with the solar panels . '' Redmond says . To get that kind of benefit , though , the family greatly cut the amount of energy they use . `` We 've made a real effort to reduce how much electricity we need to use in the first place , which is much less expensive to do than to produce energy that you 're wasting inside of your home . '' The biggest lifestyle change is as low-tech as the solar panels are high-tech -- the family uses a clothesline to dry its laundry . `` It 's OK just to simply hang your lines ... and not use your dryer , '' says Redmond , who cut his electric bill by 15 to 20 percent by ditching the dryer . `` That to me would be the very first thing anybody should do in terms of conserving electricity for their home . '' Redmond cooks using a solar oven , a small appliance that uses four reflectors , to heat food in Redmond 's front yard . The device uses only solar power and leaves no carbon footprint . Richmond says he can heat food to about 350 degrees in his solar oven , but the stove 's manufacture says it can heat food up to 400 degrees . On the days when the sun is not shining , the family uses their traditional oven powered from electricity provided by the power grid . The family also uses a small array of solar panels to charge iPods and cell phones . Whenever possible , Redmond runs errands on an electric bicycle that pulls a small trailer . Every little bit helps keep their power bill low . Redmond works from home as a photographer , and McGilvray telecommutes as a consultant for IBM . The couple decided that since they spend a lot of time in their 1,400-square-foot home , and not much time on the road , their best option for saving energy was the solar panels . `` We had several years of back and forth consternation . Should we buy the Prius ? Should we get the solar panels ? '' Redmond said . `` What we decided is , opposed to spending that same amount of money on a hybrid , let 's offset what we 're using for our home and business from our roof . ... This would make much more difference in how we live . '' For Redmond , it 's not just about the money . `` It was more about what we thought was important for ourselves and the decisions we 're making for our family , '' he said . Yet he does look forward to many years of lower power bills . `` This system that we have on our roof is going to last 30 years , which will put me into my 70s , '' he said . `` That 's a lot of free energy . '' | Solar power cuts family 's monthly electricity bill from $ 150 to under $ 30 . Redmond family home uses solar panels for 80 percent of its energy . Sun-powered oven cooks meals ; family runs errands with bikes . About 250,000 homes in U.S. use solar power , industry group says . | [[1190, 1232], [1210, 1272], [407, 459], [2166, 2230], [2952, 2984], [515, 645]] |
A new company in Germany is trying to break into the fashion business selling stylish clothes designed and produced by prison inmates . Inmates design and produce the Haeftling range . The company Haeftling , which in English means inmate , has just opened its first store in Berlin . `` We want to have basic , durable , timeless , beautiful clothes , '' said Stephan Bohle , one of the company founders . Many of the clothes , cooking aprons and even stainless steel food trays offered in the Berlin store were either designed or manufactured in jails , but not just German ones . One design shows a female comic figure that was drawn by a man sitting on death row in Texas . Bohle said part of the proceeds from sales go to organizations that support prisoners ' rights and better conditions for inmates , like Amnesty International . But in some cases , money goes directly to the inmates that designed certain pieces . `` In the case of the female cartoon figure , this man was almost granted a stay from execution because of the design he did for us but in the end unfortunately the appeals court ruled against him , '' Bohle said . The clothes offered at the Haeftling shop also tell the story of the inmates that designed individual pieces . A small text inside the item lays out the prisoners story , including the name , where he is in jail and how long the term will be . Some of the clothes are manufactured at a corrections facility in Halle , near Leipzig , in Eastern Germany . Watch the inmates at work '' Prisoners sew cooking aprons in a jail workshop for several hours a day . `` It 's wonderful , at least it takes your mind off jail for a little while , '' says Mario Hildebrand , who is serving a 20 month term in Halle . `` We can really identify with this label , '' he said . `` We are the prisoners and without us this label would not be possible , so we do take some pride in making these clothes . '' However , Mario said he would not wear the clothes himself : `` Look , I am a prisoner , and I 'm really not proud of it . It is n't something I want to be parading around . '' But others seem to be catching the fever . Bohle said the company wants to start selling in the United States . `` We 've had people from New York , Chicago and Los Angeles ask about Haeftling , '' he said in an interview in the flagship store in Berlin . Bohle said he hopes socially responsible clothes will also make for a good business for the company . E-mail to a friend . | Prison inmates design clothes for new shop in German capital . Portion of profits go to prisoner rights organizations . Clothes include tag include prisoner 's name and sentence . Products include design by inmate on death row in Texas , U.S. | [[78, 93], [107, 135], [881, 892], [898, 923], [678, 740], [1250, 1328], [583, 677], [594, 621], [627, 677]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Walking through an Albuquerque park a passerby made a startling discovery -- a tiny black and lime shoe protruding from beneath the playground sand . Police say this shirt was found on the boy , dubbed `` Baby Justice '' or `` Baby Angel . '' It led police to the body of a young boy , who had been buried there in a shallow grave less than 48 hours earlier . That was Friday . On Tuesday , police still had no answers as to what happened at Alvarado Park -- or even who the boy was . His name is unknown , though the community has dubbed him `` Baby Justice '' or `` Baby Angel . '' Nobody in the area has claimed his body and nobody has reported a child of his age missing . Police said they could n't even show a photo or give a sketch of the boy because his body was so disfigured by the sand 's heat . All they have is a description based on how they found him . Police say the Native American or Hispanic boy was between 3 and 5 years old , 38 pounds , 38 inches in height , with brown eyes and dark quarter-inch hair . When he was found , he was wearing Arizona brand clothing , size 3T -- nylon black running pants with red stripes , a red shirt with a monster truck on it and black , gray and lime green Skechers sneakers . Police are n't sure how he died . Albuquerque Police Department Spokesman John Walsh said a preliminary autopsy did n't reveal a cause of death . Walsh said there were no obvious signs of bruising on the boy . Watch where boy was found buried '' Walsh said the department is working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to create a forensic reconstruction of what the boy may have looked like in hopes that someone will recognize him . `` We have canvassed the entire adjoining neighborhood , '' Walsh said . `` We 're knocking on every door . We 've been broadcasting and pleading for tips from the community . But still , nobody has come forward . '' Watch authorities discuss boy in the sand case '' Though police have received numerous tips from the public , Walsh said nothing has come from them . Albuquerque police are working with other local , state and nationwide law enforcement officials to try to piece together what happened . Until then , members of the community have spent hours at memorials for the boy -- who none of them knew -- praying for him and raising money . French Mortuary , in the town , has offered to pay all funeral costs for the boy . Resident Rachel Lesperance told CNN affiliate KOAT-TV she spent her weekend collecting $ 3,600 for the boy . Her money , and the donations raised by others , will go toward a plaque at the park in the boy 's honor , buying extra lights for the playground and to a fund toward finding out what happened to the little `` Baby Justice . '' `` He does n't have a family , '' Lesperance told KOAT-TV . `` We 're his family now and we want him to be taken care of like one of our own . '' | Boy found Friday at Alvarado Park buried under sand in playground . Police say nobody has been reported missing , nobody has claimed body . Nobody knows name of boy dubbed `` Baby Justice '' or `` Baby Angel '' No cause of death for boy who may be Native American or Hispanic . | [[379, 396], [603, 642], [603, 621], [647, 695], [169, 175], [214, 258], [526, 599], [1286, 1397], [1342, 1397]] |
OAKLAND , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former transit police officer charged with murder was released from custody Friday after posting a $ 3 million bail . Video shows Johannes Mehserle shoot Oscar Grant III in the back as another officer knelt on him . Dozens of demonstrators gathered in downtown Oakland to protest the release of Johannes Mehserle , 27 , charged with killing an unarmed man on New Year 's Day . iReport.com : Watch the protest . The former Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer 's release funds came from unknown sources , Alameda officials told CNN . Video taken by a bystander showed Mehserle pulling his gun and fatally shooting Oscar Grant III , 22 , in the back as another officer kneeled on Grant . Mehserle may have intended to draw and fire his Taser instead of his gun , according to a court filing by his attorney . In January , protests turned violent after a judge decided to allow bail for Mehserle 's release . A preliminary hearing in the case is set for March 23 , authorities said . CNN 's Jackie Castillo contributed to this report . | Former BART officer accused of murder posts $ 3 million bail . Johannes Mehserle charged with murder of Oscar Grant III . Mehserle may have intended to use Taser instead of gun , attorney says . | [[10, 36], [85, 159], [453, 544], [729, 801], [729, 737], [804, 849]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Irrawaddy , one of the world 's rarest species of freshwater dolphins , have been found in surprisingly large numbers deep in the waterlogged jungles of Bangladesh . The Irrawaddy is considered to be one of the world 's rarest species of freshwater dolphin . Conservationists thought the Irrawaddy had dwindled in number to just a few hundred , but they have now counted almost 6,000 of them in the Sundarban mangrove forests and the adjacent waters of the Bay of Bengal . The forests of the Sundarban -- Bengali for `` beautiful forest '' -- lie at the delta of the Ganges and two other rivers on the Bay of Bengal . Until now , little mammal research had taken place in the area . `` Every time we had done a study to look into the population -LRB- elsewhere -RRB- , they came out critically endangered , '' said Brian Smith of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society , who led the study . `` It was a very pleasant surprise and a shock to find that Bangladesh supports such a large number -LRB- of dolphins -RRB- . '' The discovery is noteworthy because scientists do not know how many Irrawaddy dolphins remain . The next step , they say , is to ensure the mammal 's survival . One rare dolphin species -- the Yangtze River dolphin , or baiji -- is extinct . Another , the Ganges River dolphin , is critically endangered . Some of the threats affecting the Irrawaddy are man-made . The construction of dams has reduced the flow of fresh water in many parts of Bangladesh . And the population is dwindling because the dolphins sometimes get caught in fishermen 's nets . The dolphin , which has a large , rounded head , can grow up to 8 feet in length and is related to the orca , or killer whale . It is found in large rivers , estuaries and freshwater lagoons in south and southeast Asia . In Myanmar , the dolphins help herd schools of fish toward fishermen 's boats and nets . In Bangladesh , fishermen hold them in high regard , Smith said . `` There is no market for dolphin products , '' he said . `` In a country like Bangladesh , with protein deficiency and where food is scarce , there is a real cultural prohibition against harming them . It gives us hope because it means fishermen are very receptive to working with us . '' The results of the study were shared Wednesday at a conference for marine mammal protected areas in Hawaii , and published in the winter issue of the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management . Conservationists are now working with the Bangladesh government to establish a protected area for the dolphins . `` There are so many bad news -LRB- stories -RRB- coming out of the conservation community that this is a real sort of positive story , '' Smith said . | Rare species of freshwater dolphins found in Bangladesh 's waterlogged jungles . Fears Irrawaddy had dwindled in number to just a few hundred . However , researchers have now counted almost 6,000 . | [[0, 15], [84, 188], [189, 281], [189, 202], [217, 281], [282, 365], [372, 385], [394, 495], [372, 376], [382, 495]] |
SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. Hillary Clinton claimed victory in Puerto Rico on Sunday and insisted that she is leading Sen. Barack Obama in the popular vote . Clinton won 68 percent of the vote compared with Obama 's 32 percent . Her vote tally was 263,120 ; his was 121,458 . The win gives Clinton the larger share of Puerto Rico 's 55 delegates . The Democratic primary season ends Tuesday when Montana and South Dakota cast their votes . `` When the voting concludes on Tuesday , neither Sen. Obama nor I will have the number of delegates to be the nominee , '' she said in San Juan , Puerto Rico . `` I will lead the popular vote ; he will maintain a slight lead in the delegate count , '' she said . Obama leads in the overall delegate count -- 2,070 to Clinton 's 1,915 . CNN analysts weigh in on Clinton 's next steps '' A candidate needs 2,118 to claim the Democratic nomination . The Clinton campaign has been focusing on the popular vote as it tries to convince superdelegates to pick her instead of Obama . The superdelegates are a group of about 800 party leaders and officials who vote at the convention for the candidate of their choice . But the popular vote count is debatable . If all the primary results including Florida and Michigan are counted , but not the caucus votes , Clinton leads in the popular vote 17,461,845 to Obama 's 17,244,762 , according to CNN estimates . That number includes giving Obama all the `` uncommitted '' votes from Michigan . Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates for scheduling their primaries too early . Clinton won both states , but Obama 's name was not even on the ballot in Michigan . The Democratic National Committee decided Saturday to reinstate all of Florida and Michigan 's delegates to the national convention , with each delegate getting a half-vote to penalize the two states for holding their primaries earlier than party rules allowed . The DNC 's Rules and Bylaws Committee 's move gave Clinton 87 delegates and Obama 63 . In a second scenario , which adds in CNN 's estimate of the caucus-goers , Obama leads Clinton 17,928,000 to 17,843,000 . And in a third scenario , which includes all of the caucuses but does not give Obama Michigan 's `` uncommitted '' vote , Clinton leads 17,873,000 to 17,703,000 . Obama campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs expressed confidence that Obama would clinch the nomination in the coming days . `` If not Tuesday , I think it will be fairly soon , '' he said Sunday on ABC 's `` This Week . '' `` We hope this week , absolutely , '' he added . At a campaign stop in Mitchell , South Dakota , Obama congratulated Clinton for her win Sunday and praised her for being an `` outstanding public servant . '' `` She is going to be a great asset when we go into November to make sure that we defeat the Republicans , '' he said . Watch Obama rally in South Dakota '' As Clinton tries to win over the undecided superdelegates , she argued Sunday that she would be the stronger candidate to face Republican John McCain in the fall . `` In the final assessment , I ask you to consider these questions : Which candidate best represents the will of the people who voted in this historic primary ? Which candidate is best able to lead us to victory in November ? And which candidate is best able to lead our nation as our president in the face of unprecedented challenges at home and abroad ? '' In the Puerto Rico primary , Clinton swept Obama in every major demographic group , including groups Obama generally wins , such as younger voters and higher-income voters , according to CNN 's exit polls . CNN estimated turnout to be between 325,000 and 425,000 . `` Most people in Puerto Rico , I would venture to guess , they are not even aware that there 's a primary going on , '' said Luis Pabón-Roca , a local political analyst . Part of the reason for the lack of interest , he said , is because voters feel the primary is n't meaningful since Puerto Ricans can not vote in the general election . The Democratic and Republican parties run the primaries and caucuses , and they allow U.S. territories , such as the commonwealth of Puerto Rico , to take part in the process . But only the 50 states and the District of Columbia vote in the general election . CNN 's Juan Carlos Lopez , Willie Lora , Bill Schneider , Xuan Thai and Jessica Yellin contributed to this report . | NEW : Clinton claims she 'd be the stronger candidate to face McCain . Elections officials report low turnout . Obama campaign spokesman : Obama could clinch nomination soon . Montana , South Dakota hold final two contests Tuesday . | [[2954, 3012], [2972, 3057], [2310, 2428], [2369, 2428], [367, 458]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite Hillary Clinton 's landslide victory in Kentucky , Barack Obama has won a majority of pledged delegates in the race for the Democratic nomination . Clinton won Kentucky by more than 30 points , but Obama 's share of the state 's 51 delegates was enough put him over the threshold , according to CNN estimates . Obama is expected to pick up at least 14 delegates in Kentucky , and by CNN estimates , that will give him 1,627 of the 3,253 pledged delegates at stake in all of primaries and caucuses . Obama will also pick up a win in Oregon , CNN projects , giving him the larger share of the state 's 52 delegates . Obama 's top strategist , David Axelrod , said getting the pledged delegate majority was an `` important milestone , '' but not the end of the trail . Neither candidate is expected to reach the 2,026 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination . That means the race is likely to be settled by `` superdelegates '' -- party leaders and officials who will cast votes at the Democratic convention in August . Speaking in Iowa , where he won the first-in-the-nation caucuses , Obama told supporters , `` it was in this great state where we took the first steps of an unlikely journey to change America . '' Watch Obama say he 's in reach of the nomination '' `` The skeptics predicted we would n't get very far . The cynics dismissed us as a lot of hype and a little too much hope . And by the fall , the pundits in Washington had all but counted us out . But the people of Iowa had a different idea , '' he said . Obama continued to look to the general election , focusing his attacks as he has for the past week on Sen. John McCain , while commending Clinton for `` her courage , her commitment and her perseverance . '' Obama said McCain 's policies do n't represent change . `` This year 's Republican primary was a contest to see which candidate could out-Bush the other , and that is the contest John McCain won , '' he said . McCain 's camp accused Obama of launching `` the tired old political attacks of a typical politician , not the ` new politics ' he 's promised . '' `` Without a doubt , Barack Obama is a talented political orator , but his naive plans for unconditional summits with rogue leaders and support for big tax hikes on hardworking families expose his bad judgment that Americans can ill-afford in our next president , '' spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement . After Kentucky 's results came in , Clinton thanked her supporters for handing her a win `` even in the face of some pretty tough odds . '' `` Tonight we have achieved an important victory , '' she said in Louisville . `` It 's not just Kentucky bluegrass that 's music to my ears . It 's the sound of your overwhelming vote of confidence even in the face of some pretty tough odds . '' Watch Clinton vow to keep going '' Clinton beat Obama across all age groups , income groups and education levels in Kentucky . Eighty-nine percent of Tuesday 's voters in Kentucky were white , according to the exit polls . Among them , Clinton won 72-22 percent . Nine percent of the voters were African-American and they overwhelmingly broke for Obama , 87-7 percent . The exit polls from Kentucky also suggest a deep division among Democrats . Watch how Clinton 's win could affect the race '' Two-thirds of Clinton 's supporters there said they would vote Republican or not vote at all rather than for Obama , according to the polls . Forty-one percent of Clinton supporters said they 'd cast their vote for McCain , and 23 percent said they would not vote at all . Just 33 percent said they would back Obama in the general election , according to the polls . Those numbers are even worse for Obama than in West Virginia one week ago , where 36 percent of Clinton voters said they would back him in the fall . Obama on Tuesday downplayed the idea that his party will have trouble unifying once there is a nominee . `` Some may see the millions upon millions of votes cast for each of us as evidence that our party is divided , but I see it as proof that we have never been more energized and united in our desire to take this country in a new direction , '' he said . `` More than anything , we need this unity and this energy in the months to come , because while our primary has been long and hard-fought , the hardest and most important part of our journey still lies ahead . '' Obama leads Clinton in the number of states won and in the popular vote in the primary and caucus contests this campaign season , but he has been careful not to declare victory in the Democratic contest . Obama does n't have enough delegates to capture the nomination outright ; Clinton still has a chance , if a slight one , to win the nomination if enough of the roughly 800 superdelegates were to back her . `` I 'm going to make -LSB- my case -RSB- until we have a nominee , but we 're not going to have one today , and we 're not going to have one tomorrow , and we 're not going to have one the next day , '' Clinton said Monday in Kentucky . She argues that she leads in the popular vote , but her argument is debatable . For Clinton to claim such a lead , primary states but not caucus states -- which Obama mostly won -- would only be counted , plus the popular vote totals in Florida and Michigan . Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates for scheduling their primaries too early , in violation of Democratic Party rules . Obama 's name was n't on the Michigan ballot , and he received no votes in that state 's contest . Clinton also argues that she 's won the states that she contends would stack up stronger against McCain in the general election . `` The states I 've won total 300 electoral votes . If we had the same rules as the Republicans , I would be nominee right now , '' she said . `` We have different rules , so what we 've got to figure out is who can win 270 electoral votes . My opponent has won states totaling 217 electoral votes . '' CNN 's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report . | Obama captures majority of pledged delegates . Obama : `` Most important part of our journey still lies ahead '' Clinton wins Kentucky across all age , education , income groups , polls show . Clinton voters in Kentucky more likely to back McCain than Obama , polls show . | [[78, 174], [526, 531], [583, 641], [4243, 4254], [4258, 4276], [4279, 4393], [4337, 4406], [2860, 2951], [3438, 3462], [3438, 3462]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Facetime with Abdalla Salem El-Badri , Secretary General of OPEC . Abdalla Salem El-Badri , Secretary General of OPEC , says $ 40 a barrel is not enough for oil producing countries in the current economic climate . In a TV exclusive , Abdalla Salem El-Badri , Secretary General of OPEC , talks to Marketplace Middle East on how $ 40 per barrel is not enough for oil-producing countries , and the ongoing search for the right balance for the consumer and the producer . The Secretary General says the Organization is prepared to trim more production if demand continues to fall and urges Non-OPEC producers to do the same . In focus : London Philharmonic Orchestra . Ever think you 'd hear of a Qatar , Abu Dhabi or Dubai Philharmonic Orchestra ? Well , it wo n't be long before you do . The London Philharmonic Orchestra is selling its brand to the Middle East . Can they succeed ? Or will they hit the wrong note amidst the global downturn ? Watch the show this week at the times -LRB- GMT -RRB- below : Friday : 0915 , 1945 Saturday : 0645 Sunday : 0815 . | Abdalla Salem El-Badri , Secretary General of OPEC , talks exclusively to MME . El-Badri is prepared to trim production if demand falls any further . Plus , The London Philharmonic Orchestra is selling its brand to the Middle East . Can an orchestra succeed in this region ? | [[234, 251], [254, 276], [307, 487], [488, 614], [806, 881]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Facetime with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum . Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum , Chairman of Emirates Airlines talks strategy and adresses rumours about the airline . Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum , Chairman of Emirates Airlines is at the center of Dubai 's aviation industry . As the world witnesses an unprecedented economic downturn , Emirates has embarked on a $ 4 billion expansion plan . MME speaks to Sheikh Ahmed to find out about his strategy , and address rumors about the airline itself . In focus -- Risky business . Northern Iraq holds great potential , which is largely underdeveloped and the country is thirsting for investors . But , there are risks , with the potential for conflict on three fronts . There are other risks too , according to Herish Mohammed , Head of the Board of Investment of the Kurdish Controlled Region -- an ancient banking system , lack of insurance policies and corruption . But as one American entrepreneur put it -- it 's not just about the money , it 's about the adventure . Watch the show this week at the times -LRB- GMT -RRB- below : . Friday : 0915 , 1945 Saturday : 0645 Sunday : 0815 . | Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum , Chairman of Emirates Airlines . Al-Maktoum , who is at the heart of Dubai 's aviation industry , on the economic downturn . Plus , the huge investment potential in Northern Iraq , despite the risks . | [[69, 102], [105, 134], [150, 190], [191, 224], [227, 305], [191, 224], [227, 305], [557, 671]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In focus : OPEC quota cuts . OPEC , which pumps 40 percent of the world oil , is set to announce this week plans to cut its output when it meets in Oran , Algeria . CEO Naguib Sawiris is expanding his mobile phone services into North Korea , an area where few businessmen venture . The cut in crude is hoped to stabilize prices and will be the third cut in quotas since September . So what 's behind the supply cuts ? Is it just a matter of price stability ? Or is OPEC trying to protect the cost of future investments ? Facetime with Naguib Sawiris , Chairman and CEO of Orascom Telecom . Amidst the economic downturn , one company is venturing into markets where others fear to tread . Orascom launches its mobile phone services in North Korea this week . CEO Naguib Sawiris tells MME about the company 's ambitious expansion plans and the effects of the international financial crisis . Watch the show this week at the times -LRB- GMT -RRB- below : . Friday : 0915 , 1945 Saturday : 0645 Sunday : 0815 . | OPEC , which supplies 40 percent of world oil plans on cutting more output . This is the third cut since the fall and is supposed to stabilize prices-will it ? Or is OPEC just looking out for its own interests ? Plus , CEO Naguib Sawiris talks about his North Korea expansion plans . | [[48, 52], [61, 94], [48, 52], [116, 120], [126, 149], [301, 346], [301, 317], [351, 400]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Facetime with Saad Hariri , Leader of Future Movement . Saad Hariri is the leader of Lebanon 's majority party , Future Movement . Lebanon 's economic growth may have slipped from an estimated 7 percent to 4 percent so far this year , but according to politician and businessman Saad Hariri , the country should largely escape the effects of the global slowdown . The leader of Lebanon 's majority party talks to MME about the credit crisis , its impact on remittances , and how he believes peace in the Middle East is the only way to bring political and economic stability to his country . In focus -- The Land Grab . The Gulf might have oil , but it has a shortage of arable land . A year ago , food prices skyrocketed and there were shortages of all kinds -- even for basics , such as bread . The shortage caught the region flat-footed , and now food security is a top concern for many countries . It has prompted the likes of Saudi Arabia and Qatar to use their petro-dollars to buy farmland in Africa and Asia to feed their people . In the long run , could this search for food security also develop sustainable agricultural businesses and local jobs in the process ? Watch the show this week at the times -LRB- GMT -RRB- below : Friday : 0815 , 1945 Saturday : 0545 Sunday : 0715 . | The leader of Lebanon 's majority party discusses the impact of the credit crisis . Hariri explains why peace in the Middle East is needed to stabilize Lebanon . Fearing a food shortage , the Gulf countries are buying land in Africa and Asia . | [[75, 129], [383, 459], [462, 609], [383, 459], [462, 609], [972, 1056]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As President Obama approaches day 100 of his administration , some in Washington caution that the torture tug-of-war could be a costly distraction . Leg restraints await detainees at Guantanamo Bay in this 2006 photo . Earlier this month , the Obama administration released four Bush-era memos detailing `` enhanced interrogations '' of suspected al Qaeda members . Now , the White House is reviewing former Vice President Dick Cheney 's request to make more memos public . Two weeks before Obama released any memos , Cheney submitted a request to the National Archives calling for the release of other documents . He says that what he requested will prove that the Bush interrogation tactics -- which critics have called a torture program -- worked . `` I have n't talked about it , but I know specifically of reports that I read , that I saw , that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country , '' Cheney said in an interview with Fox News last week . The White House is signaling that not only is it considering honoring Cheney 's request , it may go even further . `` I think the president , as you know , is a big believer in transparency , '' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Sunday on NBC 's `` Meet the Press . '' `` I think one of the things that will have to be examined is whether there are additional memos that have to be released that give a broader picture of what 's gone on in enhanced interrogation techniques . '' The almost daily revelations are dividing Democrats between those calling for full disclosure and those urging caution . `` We do n't just turn the page without reading it . We want to make sure what the mistakes were so that the Obama administration does n't make these mistakes , '' Sen. Patrick Leahy , D-Vermont . said Sunday . But Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-California , warned Sunday against moving to quickly . `` We need to find these things out , and we need to do it in a way that 's calm and deliberative and professional , because I think all of this , on the front burner , before the public , does harm our intelligence gathering , it does harm America 's position in the world , '' she said on CNN 's `` State of the Union . '' Across the aisle , Republicans are insisting the Justice Department drop any investigation of Bush administration officials who authorized harsh interrogations . `` I think that would be a stab in the back . I think he has already demoralized the CIA , put them in a CYA mode , '' Sen. Kit Bond , R-Missouri , said Sunday on Fox News . Arizona Sen. John McCain , the former Republican presidential candidate , said prosecuting those who gave legal advice is wrong . `` I do n't think those memos should have been released , but the fundamental point now is whether to prosecute people who gave the president , in my view , legitimate advice , even though it was wrong , '' he said . `` We should not be prosecuting people who gave legal advice . It 's wrong to do that to them , and it sets a terrible precedent for the future . '' Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan , the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee , and House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio are calling on the White House to release a list of who was briefed about the interrogation programs . `` Congress and the American people deserve a full and complete set of facts about what information was yielded by CIA 's interrogation program , and they deserve to know which of their representatives in Congress were briefed about these techniques and the extent of those briefings , '' Boehner said in a statement Monday . `` To date , the administration has fallen short in providing this information . ... The American people have been provided an incomplete picture of exactly what intelligence was made available by the interrogation program , '' he said . But Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman , a Democrat-turned-independent , said the whole debate over the memos is `` moot . '' `` What do we gain , first , by releasing the memos ; but , secondly , what do we gain from indicting lawyers for their opinions , if that is a possibility here ? ... It will poison the water here in Washington . It will achieve nothing . It will make it harder for President Obama to do some of the big things he wants to do for the country , '' he said . | Former Vice President Dick Cheney wants more memos released . Cheney says memos will show what was learned through interrogation process . Some Democrats are calling for full disclosure ; others are urging caution . GOP opposes any investigation of officials who authorized tactics . | [[431, 464], [476, 503], [431, 464], [476, 503], [881, 985], [1396, 1533], [1537, 1657], [1597, 1657], [1873, 1894], [1912, 1953], [2298, 2355]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Truly appreciating the beauty of Paris is a pleasure that ca n't be hurried . Stop , breathe , appreciate and perhaps kiss in the romantic city of Paris . Take time to wander down its wide boulevards , savour every sip of strong , black coffee and resist the temptation to fall into step with the throng of tourists and sightseers . Our advice to anyone who finds themselves with 24 hours to spare in the French capital is to stop , breathe , appreciate and indulge . Start the day with a walk down the Champs-Élysées . For some , it retains the title of the world 's most beautiful avenue . For others , the road 's historical charm has been blighted by the arrival of global brands , traffic and tourists . Sunrise offers the history without the hurry . Take a leisurely stroll down its expansive pavements and look up for impressive architecture without fear of bumping into shoppers . Treat yourself to breakfast at one of Paris ' oldest tea salons . Ladurée was founded as a family business in 1862 and now appears in luxurious locales in London , Monaco , Switzerland and Japan . The original , Ladurée Royale on Rue Royale , does n't open until 8:30 am -LRB- and later on Sundays -RRB- , so for early morning pastries drop into the Champs-Elysees store which opens at 7:30 am every day . The queues at Paris ' most famous art gallery , the Louvre , are notorious so impatient visitors are advised to go to the Musée de l'Orangerie , set in the historic Jardin des Tuileries . You wo n't see the Mona Lisa , but the gallery does boast a collection of Claude Monet 's Water Lilies . The queues are shorter the earlier you go and to really beat the crowds pre-book your time slot online . Head north to have your own images sketched by street artists in Montmartre , a former stomping ground for famous names including Salvador Dali , Claude Monet , Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh . Drop into the Basilique du Sacré Coeur to pray , light a candle or simply enjoy the spectacular views over Paris . From there , visit Rue Lepic where you will find Café des Deux Moulins , where actress Audrey Tautou waited tables in the 2001 film `` Amélie . '' Note that when you ask for a coffee in France , you 'll automatically receive a black espresso . If you 'd like something bigger and milkier , ask for a café au lait -LRB- already popular elsewhere -RRB- or café Americain -LRB- filter coffee -RRB- with milk -LRB- lait -RRB- . Further down Rue Lepic you 'll find Au Virage Lepic , a quaint bistro dripping in traditional Parisian atmosphere . It 's usually crowded with locals so book in advance . Getting around is easy in Paris . Take a bus or the Metro or join the legion of cyclists on hugely popular Vélib rental bikes . Pick up your own bike at one of the service points scattered around the city . You 'll need a credit card to register for a one-day subscription , or to speed up the process pre-book a one-day ticket online . It 'll cost you one euro and the first 30 minutes of every journey for the next 24 hours is free . After than , any additional time will be charged to your credit card until you return the bike to any stand in the city . In the afternoon , walk -- or cycle -- down Boulevard Saint-Germain on the historic Left Bank . Discover your inner intellectual over a coffee or dinner at Les Deux Magots , a former meeting place for Paris ' great literary minds including Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre . From Boulevard Saint-Germain , walk down Rue Saint-Sulpice , past Saint-Sulpice , a striking church founded in the 1646 and brought to a new audience as one of the buildings featured in Dan Brown 's best-selling novel -LRB- and subsequent film -RRB- `` The Da Vinci Code . '' Wander further on to Rue de Sèvres where you can batter your credit card with some upmarket shopping at Le Bon Marché and La Grand Epicerie . In the evening , soak up some Parisian chic at the De La Ville Café on Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle , or indulge in the opulence of Hotel Costes on Rue Saint-Honore . Both serve food and close at 2am . Treat yourself to a glass of champagne and start planning your next sojourn in Paris ! | It 's difficult to truly appreciate Paris with one eye on your watch , so slow down ! Wander through its historic areas , still popular with artists and intellectuals . Treat yourself to breakfast at Ladurée , end the day with champagne . | [[0, 5], [8, 111], [923, 988], [4091, 4175]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The arrival of autumn in Australia will be a welcome relief for international visitors emerging from a bleak winter in the northern hemisphere . There 's no mistaking the city of Sydney -- fine weather means you may struggle to see a cloud in the sky . Peak season may be winding up but with temperatures off their sticky summer highs it 's a great time to sample one of the country 's most recognizable cities . While few international visitors are likely to find themselves stranded in Sydney for 24 hours -LRB- if only ! -RRB- , here 's our fast-track tour for travelers short on time . See the sun come up over Sydney Harbour . At this time of year , the sun rises at around 6:30 am , an hour after the first ferries leave the wharf , so there 's plenty of activity on the water . Early risers can waste no time in immersing themselves in Sydney 's cultural highlights . At 7:00 am , the Sydney Opera House hosts tours for just eight people to backstage areas normally off-limits to theatre-goers . At $ 100 per person , the two-hour tour is not a budget option but it does include breakfast . Be warned , the tour includes 300 steps . If you 're not exhausted by the machinations of the Opera House , cool off with a relaxing dip . A recent spate of shark attacks may have put you off Sydney 's beaches , but there are plenty of outdoor pools that offer both sun and seawater . For serious laps , try the North Sydney Olympic Pool -LRB- next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge -RRB- or for a lazier affair have a massage at Wylies Bath in Coogee . Image gallery : 24 hours in Sydney '' Once in Coogee you can admire the Australian coastline by following it all the way back to Sydney 's famous Bondi Beach . Most people start in Bondi but there 's no reason why you ca n't do it in reverse . The two-hour walk takes you past bays and beaches and through the dramatic Waverley Cemetery where you can reflect on life while breathing in the views . The path ends at the Bondi Icebergs surf club where you can grab a cold fizzy beer at the bar or stay for lunch at the Bistro . The hungry seagulls and pelicans at the Sydney Fish Market make lunch there a more interesting affair . Select your meal from the huge variety of seafood inside the market , grab a bottle of wine and an outdoor table and prepare to guard your chips . There is no shortage of up-market alternatives when it comes to dining out in Sydney . For one of the best try Tetsuya 's in Kent Street . It was opened by Japanese-born Tetsuya Wakuda in 1989 and was lauded in a recent review as `` magical dining . '' It 's only open for lunch on Saturdays and you 'd be advised to book well in advance for dinner . A cheaper option would be any of the BYO -LRB- bring your own -RRB- restaurants dotted around the city . Most restaurants allow you to bring your own bottle of wine , but they will charge you corkage . Still , it 's cheaper than the mark-ups on bottles at licensed premises . Until May 24 , visitors can drop into the Art Gallery of New South Wales to see the finalists and the winner of this year 's Archibald Prize , Australia 's leading portraiture contest . Shoppers can pick up a souvenir close by in one of Sydney 's oldest and most beautiful shopping centers , the Queen Victoria Building . The building opened in 1898 , underwent major refurbishment in the 1980s and is now not only a great example of Victorian architecture but a stunning place to grab a quick coffee . -LRB- Note : The builders are back but the building remains open . The new improvements are scheduled to finish in July 2009 . -RRB- . In the evening , take a twilight cruise of Sydney Harbour aboard a yacht . Sunsail invites everyone for a `` fun blast '' around the harbor every Wednesday evening from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm . The yacht leaves from the Boat House in Lavender Bay , a short hop from the city on the north side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge . Two new festivals have been added to a busy calendar in Sydney this year . In June , Vivid Sydney promises to turn the city into `` a living canvas of music and light . '' And on October 25 , 20,000 people will have the opportunity to have `` Breakfast on the Bridge '' -LRB- yes , the Sydney Harbour Bridge -RRB- as part of the month-long Crave Sydney festival . Check the NSW Master Events Calendar for more . In the evening , join the pretty young things at The Ivy in George Street , or take the lift to the fourth floor of the Hilton Hotel where you 'll find the Zeta Bar . The Loft on King Street Wharf is also popular , but it has a strict dress code so do n't turn up looking like a traveler or you wo n't get in . And finally , there 's no better place to end the night than in one of Sydney 's karaoke bars . Some allow you to bring your own drinks . Check out the private booths at Karaoke World on Elizabeth Street where you can warble without shame until the early hours . | Start the day in Sydney with a backstage tour of the famous Opera House . Avoid shark scares by swimming in one of the city 's many outdoor pools . Eat fish and chips with the seagulls and pelicans at the Sydney Fish Market . End the night in one of the city 's Karaoke bars : some allow you to BYO . | [[894, 904], [907, 982], [1333, 1366], [2092, 2195], [4651, 4662], [4665, 4746], [4747, 4788], [4758, 4788]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In just one day , you 'll get a mere glimpse of Rome , a city teeming with over two millennia of culture -- but it will surely whet your appetite for more . The sun sets behind St. Peter 's Basilica on a beautiful spring day in Rome . Spring is one of the most beautiful times of year to visit the `` eternal city , '' when flowers begin to bloom from ancient monuments , cafe tables reappear on bustling sidewalks and throngs of summer tourists are yet to descend en masse . Food-lovers will also be thrilled to find many traditional Italian ingredients in high-season -- look out for fresh fava beans , agretti and wild mushrooms . Before dawn , head up to the Janiculum Hill to catch the sun rise . From here you 'll be able to see the Vatican , Borghese Gardens , Pantheon , Colosseum , Castel Sant ` Angelo and Campidolgio , all come to light in one breathtaking cityscape . In Rome , breakfast is on-the-go . Your best bet is to stroll through one of the early morning markets to pick up a hot cornetto and some fresh fruit . One of the oldest is Campo di Fiori , a daily mix of food and flower stalls in an eclectic renaissance square . Proceed from the Campo through the ruins of the Roman Forum , past the spot where Julius Caesar was slain , toward the Pantheon . Built in 124 A.D. as a temple to all the gods of Rome , the Pantheon remains today as a Catholic church and a tomb for Italian luminaries , such as the artist Raphael and King Vittorio Emmanuelle II . Stand in the center of the rotunda and gaze up to the heavens through the eight-meter-high oculus at the center of the five-ton concrete dome -- a stunning feat of ancient engineering , still intact after two thousand years . The most important part of the morning is the coffee , and Romans are passionately divided as to who makes the best cup : Sant Eustachio -LRB- Piazza Sant ` Eustachio , steps behind the Pantheon -RRB- or Tazza d'Oro -LRB- Via degli Orfani , a few feet in front of the Pantheon -RRB- . Take your coffee the traditional Italian way , standing up at the bar . Spend the rest of the morning exploring St. Peter 's Basilica and the Vatican Museums . Home to the papacy , Vatican City is brimming with extraordinary artworks and monuments of history . Once inside St. Peter 's , admire Michaelangelo 's `` Pieta '' and the incredible soaring dome he helped complete . Climb to the top of it for an incredible view , and perhaps another coffee . Image gallery : See more of Rome 's art treasures '' Splurge on a private tour guide for the Vatican museums to avoid the hour-long lines outside . Highlights include the Sistine Chapel , featuring Michelangelo 's famed ceiling fresco series and `` Last Judgment , '' works by Raphael , da Vinci , Caravaggio , and ancient wonders from Rome and Egypt . After the Vatican , stroll across Via Cola di Rienzo and the Ponte de Margherita to the Piazza del Popolo , where an Egyptian obelisk of Rameses II has stood since 10 B.C. . The food at Dal Bolognese , a fixture on the well-heeled lunch scene , is consistently outstanding and the view on the square can not be beaten -LRB- do n't miss the Caravaggios tucked inside the tiny Santa Maria del Popolo church nearby -RRB- . In the afternoon , head to the Borghese for a leisurely stroll through the gardens and a stunning collection of Baroque sculpture . If you 're in the mood for shopping , head down the Via Babuino towards the Spanish Steps . Drop into l'Offatorio perfume bar on the way for a `` fragrance tour '' and get a custom-made scent bottled . Also check out TAD , a minimalist-design luxury lifestyle store for everything from shoes to a haircut . Some of the city 's best boutiques are nearby - find them by meandering through the side streets between Via Croce and Via Condotti . Essential to any afternoon in Rome are a few scoops of ice cream . The renowned classic Giolitti , in the Piazza Colonna , is an Italian institution : politicians flock here between their government meetings . Enjoy a few of their 40-odd flavors of gelatto as you stroll around the Column of Marcus Aurelius . If you 're over by the Spanish Steps , try San Crispino on Via della Panetteria , and sit at the edge of Bernini 's Trevi Fountain while you indulge . In the evening , take in a performance before dinner either at the Teatro dell ` Opera , or the Accademia Santa Cecilia , for classical music . For dinner , Rome 's casual outdoor trattorias can not be beaten . For pizza , locals line up outside Da Ivo in Trastevere , then take their piping-hot thin-crust pie over to Piazza Santa Maria , the neighborhood 's heart , and watch impromptu performers and musicians cheer the crowds . For homemade pasta , try Maccheroni or Da Francesco -LRB- particularly for gnocchi -RRB- near Piazza Navona . For a formal meal , head to the Michelin three-starred La Pergola at the Cavelieri Hilton . Arrive early for a gorgeous view of the sunset from the hotel bar , perched high atop Monte Mori . At night , the spirit of Fellini 's `` La Dolce Vita '' lives on , in low-lit cafes , wine bars and nightclubs . Bar della Pace is a fashionable Roman classic for drinks . For all-night dancing , try the see-and-be-seen La Maison . Both are tucked behind the Piazza Navona , where you can stroll past Bernini 's `` Quatro Fiumi '' -LRB- Four Rivers -RRB- fountains , beautifully lit up in the early hours of the morning . What are your tips for getting the most out of the city ? Use the Sound Off box below and have your say . | Our tips for Rome : Hire a private guide to see Michaelangelo 's stunning frescoes . Indulge in homemade gnocchi and gelatto in Rome 's bustling piazzas . Taste the good life with the late-night locals at Bar della Pace . What are your favorite places in Rome ? Share them with CNN users below . | [[2512, 2567], [2607, 2617], [2647, 2721], [4410, 4420], [4423, 4476], [5479, 5506], [5479, 5482], [5511, 5526]] |
SINGAPORE -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Co-founder and executive director of Architecture for Humanity , Cameron Sinclair opened the second Principal Voices debate on Design for Good by outlining just what the term means to him , but also what it means to the communities his design solutions are aimed at . ` When your focus is social change ... why would n't you want to share that openly ? ' Taking the ego out of architecture , Sinclair sees the sharing of transformative design ideas as being a moral responsibility of today 's designers and architects . `` When your focus is social change and not financial change why would n't you want to share that openly ? '' Below are some of Sinclair 's thoughts on a number of topics that were discussed at the debate . On shared design . `` I always think of the design world like the medical world ; we have people who are plastic surgeons , but we have a lot of people who are in the emergency room and a lot of our designers are in the emergency room dealing with the critical issues like post-disaster issues or systemic issues or poverty . When I was in college the idea of being a socially responsible architect was unheard of , it was almost taboo : ` We 're trying to make jewels in the city ' , whereas a lot of us wanted to create cities that were jewels . '' `` When your focus is social change and not financial change why would n't you want to share that openly ? Innovation only succeeds when it 's shared . If you 're a pioneer and you come up with something that can change the world and you turn round and say ` I 'm not going to share this idea with anyone ' then you only impact the few and not the many . '' `` But we 're in a situation right now where we have to deal with a huge variety of issues . If you have a design idea that can improve the lives of a million people it 's almost ethically irresponsible to keep to it yourself . '' On sustainability . `` It angers me when sustainability gets used as a buzz word . For 90 percent of the world , sustainability is a matter of survival . When you as a designer design something that burdens a community with maintenance and old world technology , basically failed developed world technology then you will crush that community way beyond bad design ; you 'll destroy the economics of that community and often the community socially is broken . '' `` You have to do this marriage between what is appropriate , learning from the local nature , but also can we leapfrog technologies , so we 're not burdening people with outdated technologies . If we can come up with that , then it truly is sustainable . '' On community involvement in design . `` The community is not your client but your partner . You do n't just put up some nice big rendering and tell them this is what you might have and do a Q&A . Doing workshops within the community and having them design these quiet moments of innovation within the larger developments , not only allows an empowerment of that community , but also ownership . '' `` Just because you put their name on the building does n't mean they feel like they own it ; but empower them in the process not only does it quicken the process , but you find you have the political will you can put through things you never even imagined . '' `` When you have strong common will , then projects go forward . There 's nothing worse than selling or convincing , but if you 're inspiring and including then it 's a beautiful thing , and at the end of it you 're part of the community . '' | Second Principal Voices debate took place in Singapore on July 9 . Cameron Sinclair lead calls to take ego out of architecture . Believes that designers have moral responsibility to share good ideas . | [[384, 418], [421, 548]] |
Having a CT scan of the heart to check for heart disease ? You may want to ask how your hospital plans to conduct the test . A new study suggests that people who get the common heart test can get a dramatic range of radiation exposures . When cardiac CT angiography is used appropriately , the benefits far outweigh the risk of the radiation , experts say . In the study of 1,965 patients undergoing the CT scans -LRB- also known as cardiac CT angiography -RRB- , the median exposure was roughly equivalent to 600 chest X-rays , or about 12 milliSievert -LRB- mSv -RRB- of radiation , according to the report in this week 's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association . Traditional angiography -- a technique in which a catheter is snaked though a blood vessel and dye is injected near the heart -- exposes patients to roughly half the dose of CT angiography , or about 5 -- 8 mSv , says study author Jorg Hausleiter , M.D. , of the University of Munich in Germany . It 's also about the same amount of radiation as other standard cardiac screenings , such as the nuclear stress test . There was a wide range of exposures in the study depending on the medical center and the way the tests were performed . The median radiation dose ranged from 4.6 to 30 mSv . About 80 percent of the centers studied used techniques to reduce radiation , such as adjusting the CT scan to the patient 's size -LRB- meaning smaller patients get less radiation -RRB- or precisely timing the radiation dose to a particular point in the heart rhythm -LRB- which shortens the duration of exposure -RRB- . Health.com : How to help your heart for better health . Overall , the danger posed by radiation is very small , according to Hausleiter . Being exposed to 10 mSv increases an individual 's cancer risk by 0.02 percent , he says . However , the greater the exposure to radiation , the greater the risk . Watch Dr. Gupta talk about the cardiac CT scan '' Nearly all of the 50 sites in the international study , which included sites in the U.S. , Canada , Europe , Asia , the Middle East , and Latin America , were making at least some effort to limit excess radiation . Other medical centers may be doing even less to cut down on radiation during the test , says Andrew J. Einstein , M.D. , Ph.D. , of Columbia University Medical Center , who wrote an editorial accompanying the study . `` Probably the group of centers which were studied in this paper are more sophisticated and more aware of radiation-reduction methods than your typical center that is performing cardiac CT angiography , '' he says . According to Einstein , many other sites may not be using radiation-reduction techniques at all . When cardiac CT angiography is being used appropriately -- meaning , for example , in people with chest pain suggesting blocked heart arteries , rather than as a screening test for people with no symptoms of heart disease -- the benefits far outweigh the risk of the radiation , according to Einstein and Hausleiter . However , cardiac CT scans are often marketed directly to patients interested in finding out how much plaque they have in their arteries , even though there 's no evidence to show that this is an appropriate way to use the test , Hausleiter says . Health.com : 28 days , 28 ways to slash your risk of heart disease . Critics of cardiac CT angiography question whether its benefits warrant its current widespread use and the amount of radiation exposure . In fact , on Monday the American Heart Association issued an advisory warning that imaging tests , including CT scans , be used cautiously to minimize exposure to radiation . In the new study , Hausleiter and his colleagues looked at patients who underwent cardiac CT angiography at 21 university hospitals and 29 community hospitals between February and December 2007 . They found some regional differences in radiation exposure ; for example , the median dose was three times higher in South America and Latin America than in Canada and the United States . More than 70 percent of the centers in the study were using electrocardiographically controlled tube current modulation -LRB- ECTCM -RRB- , which is currently the best-known strategy for reducing radiation dose . It involves timing the radiation beam to the diastole , when the heart is resting between beats . This is when the heart is the quietest , so it 's easiest to get a good image of the organ . Health.com : Tricks to lower blood pressure . Another strategy involves using less energy -LRB- 100 kV instead of the standard 120 kV -RRB- , which is effective but useful only for patients who are not obese . Finally , sequential scans take a series of pictures of the heart at the same exact point in the cardiac cycle , which also reduces radiation dose . This approach , as well as ECTCM , can be used only in people with slow , steady heartbeats . Another problem , Einstein noted , is that doctors often do n't know what a patient 's heart rate will be until he or she is on the table being readied for the scan . But the fact that centers were able to use at least one radiation-reduction technique in most patients `` should serve as a wake-up call to cardiac CT laboratories that do not routinely use these methods , '' Einstein writes in his editorial . Health.com : I paid $ 450 to up my cancer risk . Patients who undergo cardiac CT angiography are within their rights to ask about what strategies , if any , are being used to reduce radiation dosage , he said . `` I would not recommend anyone to have this test done without discussing it with their doctor first . It 's not something patients should be initiating on their own , '' he adds . Caution is warranted not only due to the radiation exposure , according to Einstein , but also because the dye that must be injected into the veins to perform the test can cause kidney damage in some people . While a person 's doctor would be able to judge if he or she would be harmed by the dye and thus should n't have the test , he said , `` there are some sites that would be willing to perform this test on anyone . '' David J. Brenner , Ph.D. , D.Sc. , of Columbia University 's Center for Radiological Research was not involved in the current study , but he coauthored a 2007 report warning that overuse of CT scans could contribute to excess cancer risks . He said that such CT scans are still controversial . New technology can decrease the radiation dose from cardiac CT scans , but as this study shows , `` It 's very variable from institution to institution -- in part because there is no regulatory body making sure that there is some degree of quality control , '' says Brenner . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | Study finds dramatic range of radiation exposures for cardiac CT angiography . Median exposure for the heart CT scan is roughly equivalent to 600 chest X-rays . Several radiation-reduction techniques may be used , but protocol not standardized . Increase in cancer risk is small , slightly more than 0.02 percent for median exposure . | [[125, 237], [151, 237], [1100, 1192], [3839, 3897], [358, 388], [464, 582], [5344, 5387], [5452, 5493], [1734, 1812]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Teratomas of the brain are very rare and comprise less than 1 per cent of all brain tumors . Teratomas have been the subject of intense fascination among scientists because of their sometimes strange qualities -- some have been reported to contain hair , teeth , bone and , very rarely , more complex organs such as eyeballs . Thoughts about the origin of these tumors have attracted much debate . CNN spoke with Dr. Thomas L. Ellis , senior neurosurgeon at Wake Forest University School of Medicine , in North Carolina , United States , about the tumors sometimes known as `` the monsters '' . He explained some quick facts : . • `` Teratoma '' comes from the Greek word `` teraton , '' meaning `` monster '' . • Teratomas are seen most commonly in children and young adults . • Teratomas are made up of tissue from all three germ layers -- mesoderm , ectoderm , and endoderm -- that occur during the formation of an embryo . • Although teratomas can occur during embryonic development , most arise much later in life . • Teratomas occur most often in the midline of the brain , therefore often obstructing and putting pressure on critical areas of the brain . This can lead to loss of basic functions , but this loss can be temporary -- until the tumor is removed or reduced in size . • Teratomas are commonly very solid and rubbery making them resistant to dissection with standard instruments . | Teratomas of the brain are very rare tumors -- less than 1 % of all brain tumors . `` Mature '' teratomas sometimes contain highly developed tissues like teeth and hair . `` Teratoma '' comes from the Greek word `` teraton , '' meaning `` monster '' . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 72], [9, 32], [77, 128], [246, 362], [665, 707], [721, 747]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis has lost her appeal to clarify Britain 's laws on assisted suicide , a charity working with the woman said Thursday . Debbie Purdy and husband Omar Puente pictured outside the High Court in October 2008 . But the woman did get a strong hint that anyone who helped her travel to a country where assisted suicide is legal would not be prosecuted . Debbie Purdy , 45 , had asked the Court of Appeal to clarify Britain 's laws on assisted suicide -- an option she has said she wants if her pain one day becomes unbearable . Under the current laws , Purdy says , it is not clear at which point her husband would be breaking the law if he helped her to travel to an assisted suicide clinic . Purdy was appealing an October ruling by the High Court , which also refused to clarify the laws . Purdy suffers from primary progressive multiple sclerosis , in which symptoms become progressively worse over time . She has said she wants the option to travel abroad to have an assisted death should her condition deteriorate . Under Britain 's current law , Purdy 's husband , Omar Puente , could face 14 years in prison if he accompanies her to a country , such as Switzerland , where assisted suicide is legal . Purdy had asked the High Court judges to tell her at what point Puente would be subject to prosecution -- whether it would include helping her into a car , sitting with her on the plane to the clinic , or helping her with her bags . In its judgment Thursday , the appeal court did imply Puente would be safe from prosecution . The judges referred to the earlier case of Dan James , a 23-year-old British rugby player who died in an assisted suicide last year . James had been paralyzed from the neck down in a rugby accident . James ' parents , Mark and Julie James , flew with their son to an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland . They faced questions on their return to Britain but were not prosecuted . The court said the decision not to prosecute the Jameses `` is illustrative not only of the care with which the issue in these cases would be approached , but also an extremely helpful example of the kind of broad circumstances in which ... the ultimate decision would be that a prosecution should not be mounted , '' according to an excerpt released by Dignity in Dying , the charity that worked on Purdy 's case . `` If the prosecution amounts to an abuse of process , the court will dismiss it , '' the court said in its judgment . Purdy said that wording made her feel like she had won her argument , even though she lost the appeal . `` I am very grateful for , and respect the ruling of the appeal court , '' she said in a statement . `` They have done everything they can do to clarify that , given the Dan James judgment , Omar would be unlikely to be prosecuted if he were to accompany me abroad for an assisted death , and we are therefore one step closer to the clarification I need . '' Dignity in Dying has said it is important for the British government to distinguish between people who maliciously encourage suicide and those who accompany a loved one abroad to die . Under current law , the 1961 Suicide Act , assisting a suicide is a crime punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment . Anyone who aids , abets , counsels or procures the suicide of another , or an attempt by another to commit suicide , is liable . Dignity in Dying has said it ultimately wants British law changed to allow the terminally ill the choice of assisted death . To date , no one who has accompanied a loved one to the Swiss clinic Dignitas has been prosecuted , but they have been questioned by police and threatened with prosecution , according to Dignity in Dying . `` The courts have done all they can , '' said Sarah Wootton , chief executive of Dignity in Dying . `` They make quite clear that only Parliament has the authority to change the law . If there 's no public interest in prosecuting , there must be a public interest in updating the law to remove doubt . '' | UK court rejects appeal calling for clarification of laws on assisted suicide . But verdict hints anyone helping another go elsewhere to die would n't be prosecuted . MS sufferer Debbie Purdy wants option to travel abroad for assisted death . Parents of rugby player who died in Switzerland last year were not prosecuted . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [69, 154], [434, 446], [449, 530], [815, 829], [843, 872], [2615, 2636], [297, 375], [1522, 1546], [1549, 1615], [2206, 2225], [2235, 2339], [2757, 2868], [2872, 2924], [3134, 3139], [3144, 3181], [3554, 3561], [3564, 3651], [990, 1040], [1003, 1066], [1027, 1033], [1041, 1087], [1924, 1928], [1976, 1997]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An outbreak of the deadly ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo has prompted neighboring Angola to close its border with that country , Angola 's state news agency reported Tuesday . Angolan Health Minister Jose Van-Dunem announced the `` suspension of migratory movements '' at the country 's north-eastern border Sunday , the Angop news agency reported . The World Health Organization reports 41 suspected cases of the deadly fever in Congo since November 27 . Thirteen people have died , and 183 cases are under observation . Two people are being held in quarantine . The handling of dead monkeys may be the source of the outbreak , the WHO suspects , according to Angop . Diosdado Nsue-Micawg , the WHO representative in the Angolan capital of Luanda , said the health agency does not know the source of the virus , but fears that hunters and women who visit the forest might have been in contact with infected monkeys . The outbreak is centered in the western Kassi province of the Democratic Republic of Congo , which has been reporting intermittent cases of the disease since 1976 , according to Angop . | Democratic Republic of Congo has reported intermittent cases of ebola since 1976 . World Health Organization reports 41 suspected cases , 13 deaths , since Nov. 27 . As a result of the outbreak , neighboring Angola has closed its northeastern border . | [[1036, 1046], [1053, 1116], [386, 491], [424, 491], [492, 517], [0, 15], [93, 162], [212, 350]] |
High blood pressure is truly a silent killer . In fact , a heart attack or stroke may be the first sign that you even have a problem . That 's why it 's so important to get your blood pressure checked every time you go to the doctor -- especially if you 're a woman . High blood pressure can lead to stroke , kidney problems , heart trouble and other conditions . About 35 million American women have high blood pressure , and a third of them do n't know it . In part , experts say , the increase comes just because women are living longer and doctors are paying more attention to the problem . But less-benign factors -- such as the exploding use of anti-inflammatory medicines -LRB- which make your body retain salt -RRB- and ever-increasing waistlines -- may be at play in what the American Heart Association calls a rise in uncontrolled hypertension in women . Fortunately , there are many ways to control your blood pressure , even without medication . And just knowing your numbers is half the battle , says Dan Jones , M.D. , president of the AHA . But that does n't mean fighting high blood pressure is a cinch . Here are the stories of three women whose high blood pressure took them by surprise . Think about them the next time that cuff goes around your arm . Erin O'Connell Peiffer , 45 . While Peiffer experienced hypertension during all three of her pregnancies , her blood pressure always returned to normal after each birth . Later , as she juggled working and caring for her young children , the thin , nonsmoking telecommunications executive who lives outside of Baltimore , Maryland , considered herself healthy -LRB- except for her high cholesterol -RRB- . Then one day about seven years ago , she could n't stop coughing during a water aerobics class . A month later , she was shocked to find out that she had congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema , or swelling of the lungs . High blood pressure was behind the problems . Following open-heart surgery to repair a 99 percent blockage in her left main coronary artery , Peiffer was terminated from her job because of her illness and went on disability . She has n't worked in seven years because of chronic chest pain and other conditions . Learn some tricks to lower your blood pressure . Looking back , she remembers that in her 20s , her blood pressure was elevated when she was first found to have high cholesterol . `` They said it was white-coat hypertension -LSB- the idea that just being in a medical office can drive blood pressure up -RSB- , '' Peiffer says . `` No one said , ` Hey , you need to exercise , ' or anything . '' So she did n't . Now she 's on two blood pressure medications -- an ACE inhibitor that lowers levels of blood vessel-tightening chemicals and a beta-blocker that slows heart rate -- and her pressure 's normal . Daily two-mile walks help , too . `` Get a baseline number , and keep an eye on it , '' she says . `` Take care of yourself first so you can be there to take care of your children . '' Carolyn J. Daniels , 43 . On the way to a regular medical checkup last year , Daniels , an Atlanta , Georgia-area marketing director , was in good spirits . Her weight was under control at 145 pounds , and she thought she was healthy . Her blood pressure had been slightly elevated at past checkups , but she had never been told to do anything about it . This time was different . Her reading was 160 over 100 , and she remembers her doctor saying , `` You 're like a firecracker -- ready to pop . '' Daniels was petrified : `` I thought I was going to die . '' Her doctor put her on blood pressure medication immediately . Read which 10 foods are best for your heart . Now she takes a beta-blocker and a calcium channel blocker , which also relaxes blood vessels . To stay healthy , she and her husband walk every other evening after dinner . The hardest part ? Giving up the fried foods she loves . `` Every now and then , I 'll cheat and have some fried chicken over at my sister 's house , '' she confesses . But she 's learned to broil , bake , and stir-fry tomatoes , collards , cabbage , and other vegetables . Daniels is among the 43 percent of African-American women who have hypertension . The risk for African-Americans is much higher than for Asians or whites , although it 's not clear why . Daniels thinks there is only one way to cope : `` I felt fine , but that ' s not good enough . It 's especially important for African-American women to go to a doctor routinely . That 's the only way you 're going to know you have it . '' Antoinette Trammell , 50 . Even though her mother had hypertension , Trammell , a hospital human resources specialist in Richmond , Virginia , did n't think about her family medical history 20 years ago when she started having headaches and blurred vision -- two of the very rare symptoms of high blood pressure . Then one of the hospital 's nurse managers took Trammell 's blood pressure and sent her straight to a cardiologist . Read who is at risk of high blood pressure . Her blood pressure is now under control thanks to an ACE inhibitor , a diuretic , and some overdue diet changes . She 's trying to lose weight -- hoping to drop 30 pounds -- and the self-professed saltaholic has cut way back on her favorite foods . `` Potato chips , fries , all those good things , '' Trammell says . `` I could literally put salt in my hand and eat it . '' Too much salt makes many people retain water , which increases blood volume and puts more pressure on arteries . The diuretic also helps break that cycle . Why was n't Trammell more active in controlling her risks at a younger age ? Probably because she grew up on a farm , and her parents rarely saw a doctor . Her mother died at age 80 in 2002 after a stroke and heart attack . `` Now I make sure to have my blood pressure checked once a week , '' Trammell says . `` This is n't a condition that I can just take care of when I have the time . '' Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Health - CLICK HERE ! Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | About 35 million American women have high blood pressure ; a third do n't know it . Forty-three percent of African-American women have hypertension . Weight loss , excercise and cutting salt in diet can help lower blood pressure . | [[364, 420], [427, 459], [4163, 4185], [4190, 4209], [2218, 2266]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Would you still watch your favorite television program if you had to cycle for an hour before you could view it ? A computer-generated image of Club Watt , Rotterdam 's human-powered club . Couch potatoes will be horrified , but fresh advances in human-powered technology -- where users power appliances through their own motion -- could one day see a ` workout-to-watch ' scenario become reality . Human power is rapidly gaining in popularity worldwide as businesses seek ` greener ' methods of operating . The profile of the technology is set to receive a further boost this month when a human-powered gym opens in Portland , Oregon , and again in September when the human-powered ` sustainable dance club ' , Club Watt , opens its doors in Rotterdam , Netherlands . Human power is already being used to run the ` California Fitness ' gym in Hong Kong , and to power the recently opened ` Club Surya ' in London . iReport.com : Can you predict what the future will be like ? Beyond all of this , further concepts have been developed for human-powered ` river gyms ' for the waterways of New York . But , how does your sweat and strain turn into power for lights , music and machines ? The general concept is known as energy harvesting , which simply refers to the gathering of energy from one source and applying it to power an object . Italian inventor Lucien Gambarota , who designed California Fitness 's method of storing energy and using it to power lights and music in the gym , told CNN the concept is straightforward . `` One of the oldest types of energy used by people is muscular energy -- so this is nothing new . '' Gambarota said machines such as exercycles created a load , used as a counter-force by means of a resistor . `` I disconnected the resistor and started storing the energy into a battery ... that is then used as power . It was a way to show there can be very simple solutions . It does n't always have to be high-tech , '' he said . Portland 's ` green ' gym will have spinning bikes connected to wind-generator motors . The users should generate enough electricity to power the gym 's music system or run personal DVD players on the machines , the gym 's manager Adam Boesel predicts . While harnessing the energy from people working out at a gym seems logical , utilising the movement of clubbers at dance clubs is a little more complex . Two methods have developed -- the first of which is piezoelectricity , used by Club Surya , where crystals in blocks under the dance-floor rub together with the assistance of dancers on the floor . This generates an electrical charge which is then fed into batteries . A second method using wheels to generate energy under a slightly moving floor will be used at the soon-to-be-opened Club Watt . This model involves coils and magnets which move under the dance-floor to create a charge . Vera Verkooijen , spokeswoman for Sustainable Dance Club , the company which is behind the floor for Club Watt and produces smaller , portable floors , said the human power would be enough to power about 30 percent of the club 's requirements . Verkooijen admitted the first floors were not very efficient , and said the designers were already working on new models to improve the amount of energy captured . `` This is just the first version . We are willing to take it further , '' she said . At Club Surya the power shortfall is made up by solar panels and a wind turbine . Putting the current buzz aside , how far could this human-powered technology develop ? And how widely can it be applied ? Verkooijen told CNN she already had some indications of where the technology was heading . `` We receive a lot of requests from other companies for people who want to use the floors . We get many of these for bus and train stations -- places where there are lots of people . '' Lights and display boards at those spaces could be powered applying the same concept as that being used in Club Watt , she said . Evert Raaijen , technical director of energy conversion company Exendis , felt the technology could have a number of different applications . From pedal-powered computers on bicycles , to self-powered soldiers in militaries , Raaijen predicted human power would be developed widely in coming years . `` I think it 's a science field which will be one of the future , '' he said . Gambarota believed there were ways human power could be brought into practical use in the home . He had generated an idea of using human-powered batteries for television or portable video game consoles . `` With so many kids not exercising enough , a battery could be created for these devices so they had to create the energy to use them . The same could be done for television sets . `` We could get the situation where people have to cycle so they can use it , '' Gambarota said . Despite these potential developments , human-power is attracting its share of criticism . Although he shows enthusiasm for the battery project , Gambarota , who now spends much of his time developing micro wind turbines , is sceptical about the future of human-power on a mass-scale . He raises doubts about the efficiency of human power and questioned its economic viability . The average amount of power one person could produce going about normal activities on any given day was about one kilowatt-hour -LRB- kWh -RRB- , which only amounted to about $ 0.10 worth of electricity , Gambarota said . `` It 's a very good marketing tool for businesses , but in terms of economics it does not make sense at all . '' The main reason it was being used was because companies wanted to `` look green , taste green and smell green '' , he said . Raaijen , who was consulted on the Sustainable Dance Floor project , agreed that opting for human-powered technology at present was not a financially-based decision . `` The project -LRB- dance floor -RRB- in itself does n't save a lot of energy . It 's more of a statement than anything . '' Observing recent trends , the sustained drive for ` green energy ' should continue to push human-powered technology forward , and despite the limitations to development , human-powered gyms , dance clubs , and maybe even video game consoles are likely to feature strongly in our immediate future . | A Hong Kong gym and London dance club are part powered by human power . Italian inventor Lucien Gambarota says human power is simple to use . The concept could be taken to busy places like train stations or into homes . There are some questions about the economic sense of human power . | [[805, 889], [805, 816], [896, 951], [1375, 1408], [1523, 1564], [5152, 5154], [5209, 5244]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When HIV-positive Winnie Sseruma was invited to speak on the subject at the United Nations in New York last June , she never expected that her condition would prevent her from obtaining a visa . HIV positive Winnie Sseruma was repeatedly questioned before being allowed into the United States . Winnie Sseruma has been living with the disease for over 20 years . Preparing for her trip , UK-based Winnie discovered that the United States was one of 70 countries worldwide that either banned or restricted inbound travel for people with HIV . `` I was told I needed to come to the U.S. embassy for an interview and bring a doctor 's letter stating I was fit to travel , '' Sseruma , HIV coordinator for charity Christian Aid , told CNN . `` At first , the embassy told me that the first available appointment for my interview would be at a date past the U.N. High-level Meeting I was meant to attend . '' Only when the U.N. intervened on Sseruma 's behalf was she granted an earlier interview date . Sseruma was relieved when she finally received her visa on time . But the hurdles were far from over . At the airport in New York , Sseruma was detained twice for further questioning . `` It was so humiliating , '' Sseruma said . `` The immigration officers were asking me very personal questions about my health . '' A month after Sseruma 's ordeal , the U.S. Senate passed the re-authorization of President Bush 's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief -LRB- PEPFAR -RRB- , including an amendment to the ban on travel and immigration for HIV-positive non-citizens . But the United States travel ban still remains in effect , and will continue to be the law until the Department of Health and Human Services -LRB- HHS -RRB- modifies its regulations . Fifty-eight Members of Congress have sent a letter to the HHS , urging them to take action . Russia also places restrictions on travelers with HIV . Affected visitors are not permitted to stay in the country for more than three months . Anyone applying for a visa for long-term stay must present a certificate stating that they are HIV negative . The Russian embassy 's spokesperson in London told CNN no changes to the ban were currently being considered and declined to comment further . Crusading against these bans is `` Ctrl.Alt.Shift , '' a UK-based organization that attempts to engage youth to combat global and social injustices . The organization argues that there is no public health rationale for `` restricting liberty of movement or choice of residence on the grounds of HIV status . '' Are these laws outmoded ? What do you think ? Tell us in the Sound Off below . The fight against stigmas associated with HIV and AIDS has been widely adopted by the organization 's young members . Many are joining Ctrl.Alt.Shift 's protests across London . Last week , following two protests at the embassies of Saudi Arabia and South Korea -- both countries ban HIV positive travelers from entering their borders -- the organization launched its third protest in front of the Russian embassy in London . `` The level of proliferation of the HIV virus in countries that do not implement bans on HIV travelers is proof that these bans have no impact whatsoever , except for reinforcing the stigma , '' said Neil Boorman , Ctrl.Alt.Shift 's project manager . Boorman told CNN that the bans and restrictions further the spread of the epidemic by driving the issue underground and force people to lie about their health on visa applications . Tinchy Strider , a 22-year-old British rap artist , was also present at the protest . `` I 'm here because many young people are not aware of these issues , but if they knew these bans existed , they would want to do something about it , '' Tinchy explained . Eighteen-year-old Sian Anderson agrees . Anderson believes it is bad enough to live with HIV and that these regulations make life `` even harder . '' `` Some people are completely not at fault , they might have gotten the virus through blood transfusion and Russia does n't take that into consideration , '' Anderson said . `` Science has moved on from the days where HIV was an unknown virus . Now the world needs to move on too , '' Sseruma said . `` Stigma remains our biggest challenge . '' | Russia is one of 11 countries worldwide that restricts HIV positive visitors . The U.S. lifted similar ban last July , but has not yet been implemented . Protesters argue that ban forces people to lie about health to gain entry . | [[530, 577], [1873, 1879], [1885, 1928], [3338, 3519], [3360, 3385], [3458, 3519]] |
HONG KONG , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hong Kong authorities Sunday announced that two recalled candy products made by British confectioner Cadbury had high levels of melamine . The industrial chemical has recently been found in Chinese-made milk products that have sickened nearly 53,000 children in China , killing four . Countries around the world have since banned the import of Chinese products containing milk , or have withdrawn products that contain milk from China -- such as candy -- amid worries they contain melamine . Last week , Cadbury recalled all of its Chinese-made candy products after preliminary tests showed they contained trace amounts of melamine . Cadbury took the action because `` no level of melamine is appropriate , '' spokesman Tony Bilsborough told CNN on Sunday . He could not comment on the latest test results . The company stresses that its products manufactured at its Beijing plant are only exported to Taiwan and Hong Kong , with one product -- Cadbury Eclair -- sent to Australia , Nauru and Christmas Island . Hong Kong 's Center for Food Safety tested 104 samples of products made by a variety of manufacturers , including Cadbury , Nestle , and some U.S. and Chinese companies . Only two of the samples showed unsatisfactory levels of melamine -- Cadbury Dairy Milk Cookies Chocolate -LRB- bulk pack 5kg -RRB- and Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut Chocolate -LRB- bulk pack 5kg -RRB- . The sample of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Hazelnut Chocolate contained melamine levels of 65 ppm -LRB- parts per million -RRB- which is more than 25 times the acceptable level of 2.5 ppm , according to Hong Kong 's government . According to the center , a child weighing 22 pounds -LRB- 10kg -RRB- would have to eat more than 10 small pieces of the hazelnut chocolate to surpass the tolerable daily intake . An average adult weighing 132 pounds -LRB- 60kg -RRB- would have to eat more than 112 small pieces to surpass the level . The melamine levels in the samples of Dairy Milk Cookies Chocolate were 6.9 ppm -- more than twice as high as the legal limit of melamine . Hong Kong 's Center for Food Safety said it will continue to test dairy products and other products with dairy ingredients . Test results on other products -- including milk powder , soya drinks , yogurt , butter , baby food and frozen confections -- would be released on Monday , it said . Chinese authorities have implicated 22 Chinese dairy companies in the tainted milk scandal . Investigators suspect people watered down milk in an attempt to sell more of it , and added melamine in order to fool quality checks , Chinese authorities have said . The toxic chemical is used to bolster apparent protein levels in diluted or poor-quality milk . On Saturday China announced that a test of 607 batches of liquid milk from 27 cities found the samples to be melamine-free , state-run media said . The tests were the sixth Chinese officials have carried out since melamine was discovered in powdered infant formula last month . Chinese authorities have promised to subsidize farmers hit by the shrinking demand for milk , the news agency Xinhua said . Among them is the northern Hebei province , which has earmarked 316 million yuan -LRB- $ 46.1 million -RRB- for subsidies . That translates to giving a farmer 200 yuan -LRB- $ 29 -RRB- per cow , Xinhua said . Melamine is used to bolster apparent protein levels in diluted or poor-quality milk . Chinese authorities have arrested 40 people in connection with the scandal , including two brothers who could face the death penalty if convicted . Authorities have implicated 22 Chinese dairy companies in the scandal . | Hong Kong authorities say two Cadbury products have high levels of melamine . Cadbury recalled all of its Chinese-made candy products last week . Chinese milk products have sickened nearly 53,000 children in China , killing four . | [[0, 108], [81, 161], [146, 175], [505, 528], [1605, 1643], [81, 161], [529, 538], [541, 620], [227, 234], [235, 304], [307, 321]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Inspectors found mildew on a ceiling and other problems last year at a peanut butter producing plant in Georgia that has been linked to a salmonella outbreak , according to reports released Monday by the state Department of Agriculture . A salmonella outbreak linked to a peanut butter plant has sickened nearly 500 people , the CDC says . But the owner of the Blakely , Georgia , plant -- Virginia-based Peanut Corp. of America -- described the problems as `` relatively minor and for the most part corrected on site . '' PCA this month stopped production at the Blakely plant and launched a nationwide recall of peanut butter and peanut paste made there after July 1 , 2008 . The New York Times reported Monday that Georgia agriculture inspection reports from 2006 and 2007 depicted a series of sanitation lapses in the Blakely plant . Citing an inspection report from August 23 , 2007 , the Times noted at least three incidences in which `` food-contact surfaces '' were `` not properly cleaned and sanitized . '' In an apparent response to the Times article , PCA released a statement saying , `` When the observations were noted during inspections by the Georgia Department of Agriculture , corrective action was taken immediately where possible and subsequently when immediate action was not possible . '' The statement , which PCA sent to CNN accompanied by a copy of a state inspection report from last October , said `` the most recent inspection observations by the state -LSB- the October inspection report -RSB- were relatively minor and for the most part corrected on site . '' In the October 23 , 2008 report , an inspector said she found `` mildew and possibly some static dust on ceiling of butter storage room . '' The report did not specify the amount of mildew . The report continued with the notation , `` Correct By : 11/05/2008 , '' but the report did not indicate whether any action was taken or whether a follow-up inspection occurred . Moisture was blamed for an unrelated salmonella outbreak two years ago . That outbreak was traced to a different Georgia peanut processing plant . A June 2008 inspection of PCA 's Blakely plant found violations including dust buildup on a fan in the butter room , and `` possible metal flakes from metal scrubber which is used to clean outside of equipment , '' according to an inspection report . The report did not indicate where the flakes were found . PCA has said that the peanut butter and peanut paste made at the Blakely plant were sold in bulk to manufacturers , and that the recall does not involve any peanut butter jars sold directly to consumers . However , more than 125 products that include peanut butter or peanut paste , including Trader Joe 's celery with peanut butter packs and nutrition bars from Clif Bar , NutriSystem and Luna , have been recalled in connection with the PCA 's recall . See a list of recalled products . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has counted nearly 500 cases of salmonella illnesses in 43 states from the most recent outbreak , and says the bacterial infection might have contributed to seven deaths . The American Peanut Council has a list of peanut products that are not affected by the recall . | Inspectors : Plant linked to salmonella outbreak had mildew , other problems last year . New York Times : Earlier inspections found sanitation lapses at plant . Outbreak has led to nearly 500 salmonella illnesses , CDC says . Products made with Georgia plant 's peanut butter recalled this month . | [[19, 74], [123, 176], [737, 856], [1610, 1627], [1644, 1747], [737, 856], [257, 341], [344, 358], [2925, 3037], [2925, 2971], [3074, 3143], [88, 130], [542, 556], [601, 663]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraqi Security Forces captured 66 people believed to be connected to al Qaeda in Iraq terror cells , the U.S. military said Thursday . Members of the Iraqi Security Forces are working in Iraq to capture terrorists and insurgents . The suspects were captured during separate operations in northern Iraq this week , according to a military news release . The suspects included 45 men from al Qaeda in Iraq and 21 suspected terrorists from an umbrella group of al Qaeda in Iraq known as The Islamic State of Iraq , the statement said . The suspects are believed to be part of terror cells responsible for bombings , torturing of civilians , conducting attacks and warning insurgents about upcoming Iraqi and U.S. military operations , the military said . One of the suspects is believed to have conducted more than 12 attacks since July . `` These operations show the ability of Iraqi Security Forces to repeatedly capture criminals who undermine the security of Iraq , '' said Lt. Col. Neil Harper , a U.S. military spokesman . | Suspects blamed for bombings , civilian torture , warning insurgents about operations . Suspects include 45 men from al Qaeda in Iraq , 21 from the Islamic State of Iraq . One of the suspects is believed to have conducted more than 12 attacks since July . | [[567, 579], [647, 669], [567, 579], [672, 713], [683, 702], [720, 763], [387, 508], [786, 820], [826, 869], [786, 805], [818, 869]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Greek physician Hippocrates was the first to use the words `` carcinos '' and `` carcinoma '' in 400 BC to describe tumors , which led to the term `` cancer '' being coined . Greek physician Hippocrates was the first to use the words `` carcinos '' and `` carcinoma '' to describe tumors , which led to the term ` cancer . '' Since his day , medical advances in the treatment of cancer have evolved significantly . Below we chart some of the key moments in the battle against cancer . 1890 -- William Stewart Halsted , the first professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins , Harvard , and Yale , performs the first mastectomy to treat breast cancer . 1895 -- Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-ray radiation , which makes the detection of tumors in the body much easier and non-invasive . Later in 1899 , Tage Anton Ultimus Sjogren becomes the first person to successfully treat cancer with X-rays . 1896 -- Removal of the ovaries is performed for the first time to treat breast cancer . 1898 -- Marie and Pierre Curie discover radium and later use it to treat tumors . 1900 -- Thor Stenbeck cures a patient with skin cancer using small doses of daily radiation therapy . This technique is later referred to as fractionated radiation therapy . 1900s -- Dr. George Papanicolaou invents the Pap smear test after his findings suggest that vaginal cell smears reveal the presence of cancer . 1943 -- The first electron linear accelerator is designed for radiation therapy . Today , it is widely used for treatment of cancer . Late 1960s -- Lars Leksell develops the Gamma Knife -- a radiosurgical tool that uses a high dose of radiation to eradicate cancerous cells . 1964 -- The Epstein-Barr virus is linked to human cancer for the first time . 1974 -- Dr. Lawrence Einhorn finds a cure for advanced testicular cancer . This changes the cure rate from 5 percent to 60 percent . 1975 -- Scientists Georges Kohler and Cesar Milstein develop tailor-made antibodies in large quantities in a laboratory , leading to ways of attacking cancer and diagnosing disease . They go on to win the Nobel Prize in 1984 . 1976 -- Michael Bishop and Harold Varmus discover oncogene , a gene that , when mutated or expressed at high levels , helps turn a normal cell into a cancer cell . They win the 1989 Nobel Prize . 1980s -- Anti-nausea drugs are developed to suppress the side effects of chemotherapy . 1991 -- The U.S. Human Genome project begins . The first gene transfers in humans also take place in that same year . 1998 -- Tamoxifen , a drug that helps reduce the risks of breast cancer by half in women is approved for wide use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration -LRB- FDA -RRB- . 2004 -- The FDA approves Avastin , a monoclonal antibody that restricts tumor growth by blocking the formation of new blood vessels for the treatment of metastatic cancer . 2007 -- The FDA approves Nexavar , an oral inhibitor for liver cancer . This is the only drug approved for liver cancer . 2008 -- German scientist Harald zur Hausen wins a Nobel Prize for his research that found that oncogenic human papilloma virus , or HPV , causes cervical cancer , the second most common cancer among women . He made the discovery in the early 1980s . Sources : Emory University , Cure Today , Britannia.com . CNN intern Priyanka Deladia contributed to this report . | Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers X-ray radiation in 1895 . Lars Leksell develops the Gamma Knife in 1960s . Anti-nausea drugs to suppress chemotherapy side effects created in 80s . German scientist Harald zur Hausen wins a Nobel Prize in 2008 for HPV work . | [[664, 668], [672, 720], [1535, 1545], [1549, 1586], [2311, 2316], [2320, 2398], [2985, 2989], [2993, 3063]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A severely disfigured woman received the nose , cheeks , upper jaw and facial tissue from a female cadaver in the first near-total face transplant in the United States , the woman 's surgeon said Wednesday . Cleveland Clinic doctors replaced 80 percent of a woman 's face two weeks ago in the first such U.S. surgery . The 22-hour face surgery was completed two weeks ago by a team of eight surgeons at the Cleveland Clinic . The patient had severe deformity in the middle of her face and was missing her right eye and upper jaw , the Cleveland Clinic doctors said . She could not taste or smell , and she had trouble speaking . Dr. Maria Siemionow , the head of plastic surgery research at the Cleveland , Ohio , hospital , said many people are `` hiding from society because they 're afraid to walk to the grocery stores ; they 're afraid to go to streets because they 're called names and humiliated . '' `` Our patient was called names , and our patient was humiliated , '' she said . `` We very much hope for this special group of patients , there is hope , and one day they will be able to go comfortably from their houses and enjoy the things which we take for granted . '' The patient is doing well , the doctors said . Interactive : More details of the surgery '' Details about the recipient , including her name and age , were withheld at her request . In the surgery , 80 percent of the woman 's face was transplanted . The forehead and chin were left intact . In this transplant , tissue from the donor 's face was shaped and fitted into position . Multiple layers of tissue , bone , muscles and blood vessels , nerve grafts and each artery and vein were connected . Watch an explanation about face transplants '' `` Our hope is she should be able to smile again , '' said Dr. Frank A. Papay , chairman of the Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Institute at the Cleveland Clinic . With physical therapy , surgeons hope the patient will regain her ability to smell and blink and will have other facial functions . Siemionow said the patient never saw a photo of the donor and said , `` the donor never looks like the recipient . The recipient never looks like the donor . '' Siemionow had medical and ethical clearance for a full facial transplant since 2004 . She said it has taken 20 years of research and four years to find the right patient who understood the risks involved . The doctors ' approach from the beginning was to consider `` only patients who are the most disfigured '' and had `` exhausted all existing procedures , '' Siemionow said . `` This patient exhausted all conventional means of reconstruction and is the right patient , '' she said . Watch Dr. Siemionow in the news conference . '' Dr. Eric Kodish , the professor and chairman of the Cleveland Clinic 's Department of Bioethics , said doctors thought she would adhere to medications after the surgery . `` This patient had very robust decision-making capacity , '' he said . Like with all transplants , there is a risk that the recipient 's body could reject the graft . The doctors say they have n't seen any such signs . The transplant recipient has to take immune-suppressing drugs for the rest of his or her life to prevent rejection of the donated tissue . In the past three years , facial transplants have been completed in France and China , but these cases have raised medical and ethical questions . Read about the first facial transplant . Some candidates for a face transplant are survivors of trauma , such as burn or accident victims , who have exhausted all other reconstructive possibilities . The recipient in France , Isabelle Dinoire , had been mauled by a dog , and the Chinese man , Li Guoxing , was attacked by a bear . Both received major facial disfigurements . In 2007 , a French team performed the third partial facial transplant on a man who was disfigured by a genetic disorder that created large tumors on his face . Watch a 2006 report about China 's first face transplant . Guo Shuzhong , the face transplant doctor who handled Li 's case , confirmed to CNN that he died in July of unknown causes . Li last visited the hospital in summer 2007 , and he stayed in his hometown in Yunnan province . The doctor told CNN that Li had a checkup in a small hospital in his hometown three weeks before his death but that no health problems had been found . Watch an ITN report about the Li 's case . The facial transplants in France and China generated much controversy as questions arose about whether the patients were adequately vetted and informed about the risks . Those procedures have been `` under an ethical cloud , '' said David Young , a professor of plastic surgery at the University of California , San Francisco . The current face transplant patient understood the risk of rejection and of immunosuppressants , doctors said . Criticism of facial transplants . Critics such as Peter A. Clark , director of the Institute of Catholic Bioethics at St. Joseph 's University in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , said a facial transplant introduces unnecessary risks for a procedure that is not a matter of life and death . `` With something like a liver or kidney transplant , it 's a life or death transplant , '' Clark said . `` Even with a kidney or liver -LSB- transplant -RSB- , you have to be put on immunosuppressants with serious side effects . '' Bioethicist Dr. Arthur Caplan , chairman of the University of Pennsylvania 's Medical Ethics Department , said Wednesday on CNN 's `` American Morning '' that he initially had similar qualms about the facial transplant , which improves the quality of a life rather than saving it , but was gradually convinced . People with major facial disfigurements `` do n't come out and basically stay at home and have a huge suicide rate , '' Caplan said . `` They 're really up against it . '' At the news conference Wednesday , Kodish said the transplant had `` abundant moral justification '' : the face as a personal embodiment as self . He added that people with disfigurements are often isolated and suffer tremendously and that this case was `` not cosmetic surgery in any sense . '' Patient 's reaction . Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic said that because the patient has limited vision after the surgery , she has yet to see herself . `` At this point she ca n't see herself but can feel her face , '' Siemionow said . `` She was happy when she could go over her face '' and could feel that `` she has a nose , she has jaws and has a full face . '' After the surgery , the patient was heavily sedated from being on the breathing machine . As she was slowly awakening , medical staff members asked her how she was feeling and whether she was comfortable . `` She gave a thumbs up , first indication she was comfortable , '' said Dr. Chad Gordon , a fellow at the clinic 's department of plastic surgery . `` She has been speaking to us very slightly . Most of communication has been through writing . '' Siemionow said the patient will need re-educate her facial motion and need three to six months of nerve regeneration . CNN 's Miriam Falco and Judy Kwon contributed to this report . | Reconstructive surgeon Dr. Maria Siemionow led face transplant team . Eighty percent of trauma patient 's face reportedly transplanted . Siemionow has had clearance to perform full facial transplant since 2004 . Previous transplants have come under ethical cloud , professor says . | [[227, 337], [1382, 1396], [1399, 1449], [2202, 2287], [3354, 3413], [4426, 4508], [4596, 4648]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , recovering from pancreatic cancer surgery , plans to be back on the bench when the Supreme Court resumes oral arguments in 17 days . Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also had surgery for colorectal cancer in September 1999 . Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said Friday that the 75-year-old justice is expected to be on hand for the next public session February 23 , when the court will hear appeals in two cases . Ginsburg remains hospitalized at New York 's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center a day after undergoing surgery for the disease . Sources close to Ginsburg say that she continues to do well after surgery and that doctors and family remain cautiously optimistic . Those sources said she was resting comfortably and speaking with her staff about the court 's upcoming caseload . Watch friends talk about Ginsburg 's resilience '' The justice could be released from the hospital next week . A court statement Thursday said she will probably remain in the hospital for seven to 10 days , according to her attending surgeon , Dr. Murray Brennan . `` Justice Ginsburg had no symptoms prior to the incidental discovery of the lesion during a routine annual check-up in late January at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda , Maryland , '' the court said . The justices are on a month-long recess but return for a closed door conference February 20 . There is no word on whether Ginsburg will attend that meeting , among just the nine members of the court , to go over pending appeals . President Obama was hoping to speak with Ginsburg by phone later Friday , said White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs . Ginsburg underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in September 1999 . Court sources said she continued to work on pending cases while in her hospital bed and her subsequent recovery . Less than a month later , she appeared in public to give a speech and said , `` I am still mending but have progressed steadily . '' She never missed a day on the bench . The Brooklyn , New York , native has been on the federal bench since 1980 , the past 15 on the high court , where she is the he only female justice . | Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expects to return to the bench by February 23 . The only woman on the Supreme Court is hospitalized with pancreatic cancer . It is her second bout with cancer . She was treated for colon cancer in 1999-2000 . | [[0, 26], [104, 133], [280, 417], [468, 600], [2125, 2133], [2148, 2183], [193, 220], [226, 279], [1680, 1748]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An American Airlines Boeing 757 made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport an hour after taking off because the crew smelled smoke in the cockpit , a fire department official said . Inflatable chutes extend from a jet that made an emergency landing Tuesday in Los Angeles . American Airlines spokesman John Hotard said there was evidence of smoke in the cabin , but he could not say if it was visible or just an odor . Flight 31 was headed from Los Angeles to Honolulu , Hawaii . There were 188 passengers and seven crew members aboard . When it landed , the pilot ordered an emergency evacuation . Passengers evacuated by inflatable slides . Watch passengers slide down chutes '' `` It was split-second , ` Go , go , go . Do n't take any bags with you . Just go , get off , ' '' said passenger Julie Brown . `` And we just walked to the exit door , and there 's that huge slide . '' Five passengers had minor cuts and bruises , Hotard said . Hotard said the flight was the first of the day for the aircraft , and there were no reports of problems with it in the past 30 days . The pilot requested an emergency landing as a precaution , Hotard said . Watch as official tells what happened '' American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said most passengers would take an afternoon flight to Hawaii , although he added that a `` handful '' of passengers were not continuing to Honolulu . He did not specify why . CNN 's Tracy Sabo contributed to this report . | Honolulu-bound American jet lands at Los Angeles International Airport . Pilot requests emergency landing after smoke in cabin reported , official says . Passengers slide down inflatable chutes to get out of cabin ; minor injuries reported . | [[0, 11], [14, 40], [76, 138], [276, 281], [287, 337], [139, 141], [147, 209], [338, 423], [1142, 1198], [663, 706], [707, 744]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Beginning December 1 , Mexico City plans to hand out free medicine to elderly men with erectile dysfunction , the local government said . Medications such as Viagra , Levitra or Cialis reportedly will be offered under medical supervision . `` Everyone has the right to be happy , '' said Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon , governor of the federal district that encompasses the Mexican capital . `` We have to protect people -- senior citizens above all , '' he said in a statement Thursday . `` Many of them are abandoned and lack money . They do n't have medical services , and a society that does n't care for its senior citizens has no dignity . '' The government said it plans to offer Viagra , Levitra or Cialis -- medication used to treat erectile dysfunction -- under adequate medical supervision . It cited figures saying that 70 percent of elderly men suffer from the condition . To obtain the medicine , men must first undergo a `` very , very detailed '' medical check to screen for and possibly treat ailments such as hypertension and diabetes , the government said . Centers in Mexico City also will offer a variety of treatment to elderly men and women . | Elderly men in Mexico City must undergo medical screening first . Free medicine will be out handed out to those with erectile dysfunction in December . `` Everyone has the right to be happy , '' official says . Figures show 70 percent of elderly men suffer from condition , local government says . | [[945, 1010], [63, 147], [280, 317], [150, 177], [837, 919], [837, 839], [846, 919], [1089, 1110]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Capt. Chesley Sullenberger , the hero pilot who safely landed a full passenger jet in the Hudson River , was once again honored with cheers and applause Tuesday during a ceremony for him hosted by the governor of his home state . Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gives hero pilot Chesley Sullenberger a flag and license plate . California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , first lady Maria Shriver and other dignitaries greeted Sullenberger at the state Capitol rotunda in Sacramento . Taking a break from difficult negotiations over a troubled state budget , the governor presented Sullenberger with a jacket with the state seal , a California state flag that had flown over the state Capitol , a proclamation and a `` California Hero '' license plate . `` Today is a very important day , '' Schwarzenegger said . `` There are legislators upstairs that are negotiating and working on a budget -- -LSB- we -RSB- need a great hero in a state capitol . '' The Sullenberger family lives in Danville , California . Sullenberger 's response was understated -- as it has been at other ceremonies , including a New York City Hall event when he was given the key to the city by Mayor Michael Bloomberg . `` On behalf of the other four crew members of Flight 1549 and also on behalf of the many thousands of aviation professionals whose daily devotion to duty keeps air travel safe , I gratefully accept this recognition , '' he said . Sullenberger and his crew safely landed the damaged airplane , believed to have hit a flock of birds , in the Hudson on January 15 . All 155 passengers aboard the US Airways flight survived . CNN 's Scott Thompson contributed to this report . | California governor honors U.S. Airways pilot Capt. Chesley Sullenberger . Schwarzenegger : `` We need a great hero '' in state legislature like Sullenberger . Sullenberger safely landed flight 1549 in the Hudson River in New York . Sullenberger accepts recognition on behalf of crew members , others . | [[202, 248], [798, 822], [905, 958], [48, 62], [67, 121], [1435, 1495], [1383, 1419]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ever caught a glimpse of the secretive Iberian lynx ? Or heard the croaking bark of a Mediterranean monk seal ? Arctic foxes are trapped and skinned for the pelts . If not , and you want to do so , you had better hurry because pollution and habitat degradation have pushed both species to the brink of extinction . According to a recent study by the Switzerland-based World Conservation Union -LRB- IUCN -RRB- human activity is threatening almost one-sixth of Europe 's total land mammal population . Among marine mammals the situation is even more grave , with some 22 percent of total numbers being pushed towards annihilation . The IUCN 's recently published European Mammal Assessment identified 17 European mammal species that are `` vulnerable , '' seven that are `` endangered , '' and six that are `` critically endangered . '' The Mediterranean monk seal population , for example , has now dwindled to just 350-450 individuals . The outlook for the Iberian lynx is even worse , with only an estimated 150 still surviving , making it the most endangered cat species on earth . Other species on the critically endangered list include the Arctic fox , Bavarian pine vole , European mink and North Atlantic Right whale . `` This new assessment proves that many European mammals are declining at an alarming rate , '' said IUCN Director-General Julia Marton-Lefèvre , a position echoed by the EU 's Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas . `` The results of the report highlight the challenge we currently face to halt the loss of Europe 's biodiversity , '' said Dimas . `` It is clear that the full implementation of the Habitats Directive -LRB- adopted by the EU in 1992 to safeguard Europe 's endangered wildlife -RRB- is of the utmost importance to protect Europe 's native mammals . '' Europe is home to a rich diversity of native mammal species ranging from the small such as shrews and voles , to the large such as wolves and brown bears . to the enormous -- in the case of the 70-ton North Atlantic Right Whale . Human activity , however , especially in the form of agriculture , deforestation , hunting and pollution , has reduced the numbers of these species , leaving many of them in danger of vanishing . The aforementioned Habitats Directive -- a corollary of the 1979 Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats -- introduced a range of measures aimed at protecting endangered species -LRB- including plants , birds and fish as well as mammals -RRB- . That directive has certainly had an effect , with a number of mammals that previously seemed destined to disappear from Europe now enjoying something of a revival . The Alpine Ibex , for example , was almost hunted out in the 19th century , its population reduced to just a small group of survivors in Italy 's Gran Paradiso National Park . Thanks to extensive conservation and protection efforts , however , the species is once again flourishing and has been downgraded to the `` least concern '' category on the IUCN 's `` Red List . '' It is the same story for the European bison , which was limited to just a few zoos before re-introduction programs across eastern Europe helped re-build the population to current levels of around 1,800 . `` The fate of the European bison provides an example of the way in which a species may be brought to the brink of extinction in a very short time , and then saved only through great efforts , '' said Dr. Zbigniew Krasinski of Poland 's Bialowieza National Park . `` The saving of the bison has been an undoubted success , although further action will continue to be essential . '' Dr. Jean-Christophe Vie , Deputy Head of the IUCN 's Species Program , agrees that significant progress has been made . `` In Europe we now have a network of protected areas , as well as strong conservation laws , '' he told CNN . `` It is possible for species to recover even when their numbers drop to extinction level . `` Both the Alpine Ibex and European bison are recovering well because of appropriate conservation measures . `` The European beaver is another example . It was persecuted almost to extinction but has now been re-introduced and is colonizing all over the continent . '' While there are positive stories , however , the overall picture remains a disheartening one , as the European Mammal Assessment demonstrates . Commissioned by the European Commission and a year in the drafting , it is the first such overview of its kind and draws on the work of a Europe-wide group of scientists , zoologists and conservationists . Its findings provide an unequivocal picture of biodiversity loss and species decline . Habitat destruction , usually due to agricultural practices , is the key driver of that decline , although many other factors are involved , including pollution , disease and the introduction of invasive foreign species . The case of the European mink , one of the IUCN 's six critically endangered European mammals , is an example of how different elements can combine to drive a particular species to the brink of destruction . Once found in great numbers across Europe from Spain to the Urals , the mink population has plummeted in recent years . While hunting has certainly contributed to this decline , the main causes have been habitat loss and competition from invasive foreign species , according to Vie . `` The mink is freshwater dependent , '' explains Vie . `` The more you damage its habitat by polluting rivers , or channeling them , or building dams , the more the population declines . '' The introduction of the American mink into Europe for fur-rearing also proved disastrous , with some of those mink escaping from captivity , establishing their own colonies in the wild and setting up direct competition for food and resources with the native population . The result : an 80 percent decline in that population in the last decade alone -LRB- in 1993 the IUCN only classified it as `` vulnerable '' -RRB- . But experts say that species loss can be reversed . `` There is more and more perception across Europe that biodiversity conservation is crucially important , '' says Vie . `` And we are seeing good recoveries in some species . `` The picture in the mammal world is not nearly as bad as , say , among freshwater fish , where the number of threatened species is far , far higher . '' At the same time , the latest figures remain a source of considerable concern . At a time when so many conservation initiatives and laws are already in operation , the population of many European mammal species is in apparent free fall . It is not simply the possibility of losing a particular species that worries experts , but also how the loss will affect the species ' wider ecosystem . `` The food web is extremely complex , '' says Vie . `` If you lose one element that has a very specific role in that web , it has a knock-on effect and the whole system is threatened . `` It is very worrying . Some people think it is a disaster if a famous painting is lost in a fire , but that is just the work of a few weeks or months . These species and systems are the product of millions of years of evolution . `` I am biased , of course , but I think it would be an absolute tragedy if we lost these native species . '' E-mail to a friend . | Only an estimated 150 Iberian lynx remain . Human activity is endangering many animals . Experts say situation is redeemable . | [[1011, 1048], [1058, 1103], [2045, 2069], [2195, 2240]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For more than two decades , artist Robert Wyland -- simply known as Wyland -- has wowed people with his giant whale murals that cover the walls of city parking decks , high-rises , convention centers and hotels around the world . Arist Wyland in front of his 50th Whaling Wall in Atlanta , Georgia . They are an expression of his love of the sea and all its inhabitants , he says . Wyland , a conservation advocate , believes art can change the way people , kids especially , look at the ocean . `` Art can play a role in the 21st century for conservation of clean water and healthy oceans , '' he says . `` There are things we can do everyday to protect water and conserve it . '' Wyland is taking his campaign for clean water across the nation . Wyland and his non-profit Wyland Foundation will visit kids at zoos , aquariums and schools showing them how they can help conserve water . Watch Wyland paint a whale shark '' `` If we are going to keep the oceans clean we need to think about what we are doing here on land . We need to protect the rivers , the lakes , the ponds , the streams , the estuaries -- it 's all connected . Every drop of water on the planet is connected , '' Wyland explained . Along with mural painting with children , Wyland 's Clean Water Challenge tour includes a mobile learning truck where participants can learn about water quality . He hopes to encourage everyone to reduce water waste by 10 million gallons or more over the next year . Wyland and his team kicked off their campaign at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta on October 7 . Stops along the East and West coasts as well Chicago , Illinois ; Denver , Colorado ; and Phoenix , Arizona , are planned over the next month . At the Georgia Aquarium , Wyland was surround by children who joined him in painting a mural that will hang inside the aquarium . `` I got to paint a whale shark with kids . That was fun , '' he said . `` We have some great artists here in Georgia . '' `` Looking fantastic , everyone . Keep painting ! '' Wyland shouted enthusiastically . Roxie Stricker , 8 , from Atlanta , Georgia , asked Wyland if she could paint a baby right whale tail right next to his adult right whale tail . `` What a great idea , '' Wyland responded . Wyland says that when children paint their favorite animals of the sea , they become more aware and sensitive to those animals ' needs . And it 's this awareness that can make a difference . `` I learned that we should start saving water and stop throwing trash in it , '' said Stricker . `` I believe that this art is going to make a difference and these kids are going to change the world , '' Wyland said . `` Every drop counts . '' Growing up in Detroit , Michigan , Wyland , 51 , was surrounded by lakes but it was the ocean that captured his imagination . `` I was inspired by Jacques Cousteau , '' Wyland says . `` He was my hero . '' At 14 , he traveled west to visit his aunt in Southern California . `` I jumped into the ocean and I immersed myself in the Pacific for the first time . And as I came up two gray whales were migrating along the coast and spouted right in front of me and that changed my life , '' he says . Those two whales became the subject for his first Whaling Wall in 1981 in Laguna Beach , California . Over the past 26 years he has painted 95 Whaling Walls . See some of Wyland 's amazing Whaling Walls '' He collects no fee for his murals . Each is a gift to its city . In 1993 , he entered the Guinness Book of World Records for painting the largest mural in the world . Wyland 's `` Planet Ocean '' mural wraps around the Long Beach Convention Center , Long Beach , California . The mural , depicting a variety of sea life , is 1,280 feet in diameter and 185 feet high . He will reach his goal of 100 murals in the summer of 2008 in Beijing , China . Wyland , along with student artists , will paint an epic mural that will span nearly 3 miles . The Beijing Olympics will be his inspiration . He 's been selected as the official artist for the U.S. Olympic team . Wyland wo n't be taking any breaks after he completes his 100th Whaling Wall . He plans on tackling 100 over-sized bronze marine-life sculptures for 100 cities around the world . E-mail to a friend . | Artist Wyland world famous for his Whaling Walls . Wyland wants to teach kids about the importance of clean water . Wyland Foundation on a North American campaign to get kids involved . Will paint his 100th Whaling Wall in Beijing , China , in the summer of 2008 . | [[105, 111], [115, 159], [3369, 3415], [3784, 3853]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just after 7 a.m. Tuesday in the fifth district of Kabul , Afghanistan , a suicide bomber struck a bus carrying Afghan police and civilians . Afghan I-Reporter S. Samimi sent this photo of a bus struck by a suicide bomber on Tuesday . At least 10 people were killed , including four children . I-Reporter S. Samimi was in his car on his way to work , only 100 meters from where the blast went off . He jumped from his car , unsure of what had happened . Samimi asked people around him what was going on . Finally , the truth dawned on him . Samimi , 23 , grabbed his camera and made his way to the site of the attack . He said it was difficult taking pictures because his whole body was shaking . It was the first suicide bombing he had ever witnessed . Hands and limbs were scattered about the ground . Within minutes a crowd of hundreds had gathered around the bus , some of them family members of victims . `` People were screaming and crying , '' Samimi said . `` The situation was so bad . So tragic . I am so sad about it . '' Samimi said security guards were quickly on the scene and ordered him to stop taking pictures . He said at that point he was ready to leave . Samimi , who works as a secretary , said he was too shaken to concentrate on the job . `` I could n't work well , because my condition was so bad after having seen a scene like that for the first time . It was so tragic . '' He said he returned home to learn that one of his neighbors , a policeman , had been killed in the bombing . `` I saw his family screaming and crying over his death , '' he said . He talked about the bombing with his family . `` They were so sad when they heard about what had happened and when they saw my pictures . People in the neighborhood are still crying . '' Samimi explained why he sent his photographs to CNN . `` The world should see what 's happened in Afghanistan . The situation is not good in Afghanistan at the moment . '' E-mail to a friend . | On Tuesday , a suicide bomber struck a bus in Kabul , Afghanistan . Samimi , a 23-year-old resident of Kabul , witnessed the bombing . He shares photos , first-hand account of the tragic situation . I-Report : Send photos , video of breaking news situations near you . | [[92, 160], [208, 253]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A court has lifted a ban on identifying a man charged with one of a number of deadly wildfires that scorched southeastern Australia this month . A dirt track runs through the burnt out forest in the Kinglake region of Victoria state . The man , 39-year-old Brendan Sokaluk , did not appear in Monday 's hearing in Melbourne Magistrates ' Court , the Australian Associated Press reported . An order banning the publishing of Sokaluk 's street address or his image remains in place . Public passions are running high in the aftermath of the fires that have killed scores of people . One T-shirt says , `` The bastards who lit Victoria 's fires should : Burn in hell . '' Sokaluk is suspected of lighting a fire on February 7 . He was charged with arson causing death , intentionally or recklessly lighting a bush fire , and possessing child pornography , Victoria state police said last week . The fire Sokaluk is accused of setting killed at least 21 people in Gippsland . See map of fire-hit areas '' Sokaluk 's identity had already been revealed on social networking sites before the court lifted the suppression order on his name . There were 12 Facebook groups carrying details about Sokaluk , with one attracting more than 3,600 members . Watch more on arrest '' Robbie Shenton , who has joined one such group , told CNN : `` The judicial system had no right to suppress his name or photograph . '' Melbourne 's Age newspaper reported Police had contacted Facebook seeking removal of Sokaluk 's details . The death toll in a string of fires across Victoria climbed to 189 on Monday , police reported . The number of fires burning had dropped to six , from about a peak of about three dozen , the Country Fire Authority said . Watch a survivor tell his story '' Meanwhile , more than 150 detectives were working on the arson investigation , authorities said . The fires have destroyed more than 1,800 homes and displaced about 7,000 people . Priyanka Deladia contributed to this report . | Court lifts ban on identifying man charged with starting deadly wildfire . Brendan Sokaluk , 39 , did not appear in Melbourne Magistrates ' Court . Order banning publishing of Sokaluk 's address or image remains in place . | [[0, 15], [19, 64], [1020, 1152], [1100, 1152], [254, 263], [294, 362], [408, 481], [408, 500]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The leading champion of democracy in Myanmar , Aung San Suu Kyi , emerged from house arrest Wednesday to meet with political supporters , a diplomatic source told CNN . Activists display a portrait of detained democracy leader , Aung San Suu Kyi , in Myanmar . Military leaders in Myanmar , which is also known as Burma , let Suu Kyi leave her house to meet with senior leaders of the National League for Democracy , the source said . The meeting comes after the U.S. State Department criticized Myanmar for arresting 10 democracy activists . `` The United States condemns the regime 's decision to press criminal charges against ten Burmese pro-democracy activists ... for the peaceful expression of their political beliefs , '' the department said in a statement Tuesday . The department noted that the 10 were charged with crimes that can carry lengthy sentences . `` If the regime were serious about engaging in a peaceful transition to democracy , it would stop arresting and prosecuting Burma 's democratic leaders , and instead engage them in a genuine dialogue . '' The military government in Myanmar held Suu Kyi under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and again from 2000 to 2002 . It restricted her travel afterward and put her back under house arrest in 2003 . She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 . The regime in Myanmar used force to suppress a pro-democracy movement a few months ago . The government admitted that its crackdown killed at least 10 people , but human rights groups said they suspect the number is much higher . The government also acknowledged arresting several hundred people after democracy protests led by Buddhist monks . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Dan Rivers contributed to this report . | Aung San Suu Kyi emerged from house arrest to meet with political supporters . Junta allowed her to meet senior leaders of the National League for Democracy . Meeting comes after the U.S. criticized Myanmar for arresting 10 democracy activists . | [[0, 15], [85, 103], [111, 154], [280, 307], [341, 433], [280, 307], [341, 433], [454, 503], [478, 561], [565, 743]] |
L'AQUILA , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The youngest had n't lived half a year . The oldest had lived nearly a hundred . A rescue worker Friday kisses the coffin of a child killed by this week 's earthquake in central Italy . The official government list of victims from this week 's earthquake in central Italy reached 287 on Friday , as Italians held a mass state funeral to lay the victims to rest . They included Antonio Loavan Ghiroceanu , who was born December 11 . He would have been 6 months old on Saturday . The oldest-known victim of the quake was Evandro Testa , 96 , who was born in 1913 . More than 200 caskets were lined up at the funeral , draped with flowers . At least one small white coffin belonging to a child sat atop a larger coffin , a baby 's pastel outfit hanging off the side . The funeral was being held outside a hangar in Coppito , a town adjacent to the earthquake 's epicenter of L'Aquila . Officials elected to hold the Mass in the open air to avoid the risk of injury from falling debris . Aftershocks continue to shake the region more than four days after the earthquake , and some were even felt during Friday 's funeral . All of the area 's cardinals and bishops , along with 100 priests , attended the special funeral Mass. . Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was also there , greeting and embracing some of the thousands of mourners before the service . Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone presided over the Mass as an envoy from Pope Benedict XVI , who plans to visit the region after Easter . Watch Italy bury its dead '' Bertone said the funeral was a `` precious moment '' to understand the meaning of life and death . `` Everything can stop in a second -- projects , plans -- everything finishes . All that remains is love , '' he said . Watch more on funeral . Mourners , who were transported to the funeral on buses , dabbed their eyes and noses . Some stared at the ground or held each other . Few appeared focused on anything but remembering the victims . `` I feel rebirth in the heart , because below that rubble there is a will to rebuild , to start again , to plan and to dream , '' Bertone said , offering a message of hope . The towns of L'Aquila and the surrounding region , he said , `` will come back stronger , will have more courage and give life to these places with that power and strength and dignity of the soul that distinguishes them . '' As well as sending Bertone to deliver his message , the pope sent holy oils to L'Aquila and a chalice with which to take Communion . Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari of L'Aquila also planned to deliver a message . The 6.3-magnitude quake Monday morning left about 30,000 people without their homes . Almost 20,000 of them are braving chilly nights in tents while about 11,000 others are staying in hotels , said Agostino Miozzo , a spokesman for the Italian Civil Protection Agency . Watch more on the aftermath . Recovering from such losses and rebuilding the city of L'Aquila will take several years , according to Miozzo . The medieval city is about 120 km -LRB- 75 miles -RRB- northeast of Rome . Berlusconi has said rebuilding will cost several billion euros . Aftershocks have heightened anxiety in the area -- including a moderate 5.6 magnitude tremor that struck the area Tuesday . `` The mood is a little bit afraid , '' said Marco Volponi of the Civil Protection agency . He was working in a tent camp , housing people whose homes were inhabitable . In the nearby village of Onna , 40 people -- more than one out of every eight residents in the town of 300 -- were killed in the earthquake . On some streets , every single home was destroyed . Anna Rita Difilice lost her son , Fabio , 20 , to the quake -- the deadliest to strike Italy in decades and the first major quake in the country in seven years . She said she does n't know what comes next for her . Her village has become populated with tents , fold-up beds and feeding stations handing out food , water and other supplies for survivors . But she said she knew one thing : she 's not going anywhere . `` My son died here , '' she said . `` There is no way I 'm leaving this town -- not ever . '' | Italians have gathered to farewell nearly 300 earthquake victims . Almost 20,000 have braved chilly nights in tents , about 11,000 others in hotels . Toll from Monday morning 's earthquake continues to rise : 287 now dead . | [[2693, 2749], [2756, 2797], [222, 329]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Sri Lankan government said Thursday it has made more inroads into the remaining territory held by ethnic Tamil Tiger rebels after troops seized their command center in the north of the country . Sri Lankan workers bury the bodies of some 38 suspected Tamil Tiger rebels killed in recent fighting . The defense ministry 's announcement , also reported by the country 's Lankapuvath national news agency , could not be independently verified . Military jets pounded the rebel 's `` transit camp '' in the district of Mullaittivu Wednesday evening , the agency said . The defense ministry said rebels were firing at and killing civilians who were trying to flee the fighting . `` In the face of humiliating defeat , LTTE terrorists are tailoring a civilian tragedy , '' it said on its Web site . The LTTE , or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , are commonly known as the Tamil Tigers . They have fought for an independent homeland for the country 's Tamil minority since 1983 in a civil war has left more than 65,000 people dead . In recent days , the military has made significant progress in its campaign to recapture rebel strongholds . Earlier this month , troops regained control of the northern town of Elephant Pass , the point at which mainland Sri Lanka links to the northern Jaffna peninsula . It had been in rebel hands for more than nine years . The re-capture enabled the government to use a highway linking the mainland to the peninsula to move troops and supplies . Previously , it was done by air and sea . | Sri Lanka news agency says government jets bombarded rebel transit camp . Defense ministry says rebels killing civilians . Reported capture is latest in a series of claimed government successes . | [[321, 357], [365, 424], [465, 534], [588, 657], [588, 608], [614, 620], [640, 696]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani civilians were given a brief window on Friday to flee the ongoing fighting between government forces and Taliban militants in the country 's north , according to military officials . Pakistani civilians pack a bus leaving Mingora , the capital of the troubled Swat Valley . The Pakistan army is trying to push the Taliban away from regions within the troubled Swat Valley . A curfew was relaxed until 2 p.m. local time Friday in Kabal , Kanju and Mingora -- in the Swat Valley -- and in Malakand Agency , which is a separate district . The government provided an estimated 150 vehicles to evacuate people , as private cars are not allowed to enter Mingora . The Taliban have been concentrating forces there -- digging trenches , laying mines , taking positions on rooftops , according to strategic expert Reva Bhalla of Stratfor , a firm that describes itself as a global intelligence company . `` The Taliban are concentrating forces in Mingora -- digging trenches , laying mines , taking positions on rooftops , '' said Bhalla . `` It is not clear if the Pakistani military is trained and even equipped to go into a situation like that , '' she said , adding that even the United States military `` would have to think twice '' about such an offensive . She estimates there are 5,000 Taliban fighters in the area . `` The question is : Are they going to try to stand and fight , or try to regroup ? '' she asked . With a government offensive against the Taliban nearly three weeks old , a spokesman for Pakistan 's army said the military intends to drive the Taliban out of the contested area . `` The whole resolve of the government and the military is to once and for all finish the Taliban from the Valley of Swat , '' Pakistani military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told CNN 's Reza Sayah . The Pakistani military is trying to push the Taliban away from the heavily forested and mountainous regions of the Swat district toward the south , so the army can encircle the militants , Bhalla added . According to the chief minister of Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province , some 1.5 million people have been displaced by 10 months of fighting between the military and Taliban militants along its border with Afghanistan . The number of people at the Yar Hussain displaced-persons camp in Swabi district is expected to reach 2 million , Amir Haider Hoti said . The military announced earlier this week the number was 1.3 million . The huge refugee camps that the conflict is creating could be `` the perfect recruiting grounds for the Taliban to prey on , '' Bhalla said . Meanwhile , the United Nations ' top official on refugees told CNN Thursday the world must launch a `` massive international effort '' to care for the refugees , or it will be `` absolutely impossible '' to provide for them . Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani , in a speech to parliament Thursday , called the refugee crisis a massive and unprecedented predicament . `` They are our own people and their children are my children , '' Gilani said . | Curfew relaxed from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. local time in Swat Valley , Malakand . Taliban `` digging trenches , laying mines '' in disputed western city , expert says . Pakistan wants to push Taliban south so it can encircle militants , expert says . Some 1.5 million people have been displaced by 10 months of fighting . | [[403, 483], [687, 698], [739, 755], [687, 698], [758, 770], [687, 698], [804, 857], [967, 974], [978, 994], [997, 1009], [1829, 1974], [1977, 2015], [2109, 2258]] |
Editor 's note : Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University 's Woodrow Wilson School . His new book , `` Arsenal of Democracy : The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism , '' will be published this fall by Basic Books . Zelizer writes widely about current events . Julian E. Zelizer says it 's vital that new media provide support for journalism that strives for objectivity . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Last week , Sen. John Kerry convened a discussion of the troubled state of journalism in America by way of a hearing by the Senate Commerce Committee 's Subcommittee on Communications , Technology , and the Internet . In Kerry 's home state of Massachusetts , the Boston Globe is barely surviving . Several major metro papers have closed down , and there are indications that many more could soon follow . Experts have been warning in recent months that much of the newspaper industry may not survive . While the end of the metro newspaper would constitute a huge blow to journalism and the political system , realistically there might be nothing that we can do . The popularity of news on the Web and the potential of mobile devices such as the Kindle makes it difficult to see how we can sustain news in print -- unless electronic delivery can produce enough revenue to support the cost of newspaper staffs . Sometimes technological innovations and consumer preferences cause changes that are irreversible . The industry has seen other important shifts in the way that Americans receive their news , such as the advent of television news in the 1950s and 1960s . But the real issue is not whether we can save the newspapers , but how we can create the best Internet news system possible . As Kerry said in his opening statement : `` There also is the important question of whether online journalism will sustain the values of professional journalism , the way the newspaper industry has . '' The first challenge we must address has to do with editorial control . A great danger of blog-based news is that information disseminates instantly with very little editorial supervision . On too many sites , information goes right from writer to reader . In the heyday of daily newspapers and network news , the news cycle was slow , lasting over the course of a day . There was a considerable amount of time for reporters , editors , and producers to check and verify information before it reached the public eye . Those days are gone . The result is too often that incorrect information circulates quickly . It will be crucial that television news networks continue to maintain Web sites which have the financial capital to support an editorial and production staff and that the newspapers which do survive find ways to expand their online operations , turning them into commercially lucrative ventures . Only they can finance the kind of infrastructure that good journalism requires . The second challenge we face has to do with polarization . Most studies of politics show that polarization has increased significantly throughout American politics . The media are both a product and cause of this political phenomenon . In Congress , there are fewer centrists in either party who are willing to compromise . Unfortunately , we have seen a similar phenomenon in the news business . During the 1990s , FOX News promoted a style of journalism framed within a clear conservative perspective . In recent years , liberals have mimicked these efforts . The nightly broadcasts of MSNBC have offered a counterpoint on the left , with television shows offering news from a liberal perspective . Bloggers on the Web follow this model as well . Not believing that the norm of objectivity is attainable , they prefer to present their political views openly and tend to be much more partisan in how they interpret world events . Moreover , readers and viewers tend to go for their information to sites and channels where they can see their own perspectives confirmed . It will be difficult to counteract these kinds of trends since they are so deep-rooted in American politics . But at a minimum , someone needs to fund reporters who keep covering the story and who at least strive to achieve as much objectivity as possible . There are many Web sites that do undertake this mission , but it will be essential that there is continued and expanded support for reporting as the metro newspapers slowly vanish . The final challenge has to do with fragmentation of news outlets . One of the great advantages of the Internet is that it has broken the monopoly the networks and major newspapers maintained on reporting the news . But the cost of fragmentation is that there are so many competing sites , some run by lone individuals and others by organizations , that Americans have fewer sources that can expose them to a diverse range of stories and that can make clear the interconnections between events that are taking place . When you read the newspaper , it is possible to get a rounded picture of the world by flipping through the international news , national news , arts , business , sports , and more . Now , many sites focus on narrow subject matter . How can we bring the pieces together ? The multiplicity of sources on the Web forces the reader to be his own editor , and not many people are inclined to do all the work of scanning a variety of the relevant sites to get a full picture . All of these are challenges to journalism , but we should not lose hope in the potential of the Internet to provide high-quality news . The Internet offers many advantages . The speed can be an asset as readers learn of breaking stories more quickly . Editors have less power to stifle stories because of political or economic pressure . With so many more outlets , somehow the news will get out . Hyperlinked stories can offer readers easy connections to related information and even to original documents through which they can draw their own conclusions about what reporters are saying . The Internet offers room for many more perspectives than existed when just three network anchors and the local newspaper told Americans what was happening . The Internet can also combine written news with video and audio sources , as well as disseminate stories through social networking sites . Readers have the opportunities to interact with reporters and comment on stories . The death of the metro newspaper would be a huge loss . But rather than only focusing on lament , our best response would be to make the new medium of Internet news as strong as it can possibly be . We must address the major challenges by developing sites with the resources to edit , insisting on venues where the pursuit of objectivity remains a goal , and cultivating sites that help bring together different subject matter . If we do , the technological transition that we are living through can turn into a positive moment of advance for the media rather than a moment of decline . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | Julian Zelizer : Sen. John Kerry held hearing on future of newspapers and news . Zelizer says newspapers are endangered by rise of new media . Focus should be on what new media can do to ensure quality reporting . Zelizer : Pursuit of objectivity is a needed goal for Web-based news . | [[458, 463], [489, 694], [346, 426], [416, 426], [432, 457], [4237, 4288], [6727, 6733], [6740, 6781]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some of the $ 85 million in hurricane relief supplies given away as federal surplus will be sent back to Louisiana and given to nonprofit agencies for distribution , the state 's hurricane recovery office said Tuesday . Hand towels sit unused in Fort Worth , Texas . Goods ranged from cots to camp stoves to coffee makers . `` Today we can report that we have been notified that some of the surplus property has been located in Texas and will be coming to the state of Louisiana for distribution by Unity New Orleans , '' said Paul Rainwater , the executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority . A CNN investigation revealed last week that FEMA gave away the supplies as government surplus , even though agencies like Unity -- which works to resettle hurricane victims -- were still seeking the kind of supplies given away . After the disclosure , Rainwater 's organization asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to return some of the extensive stockpiles of household goods that had been purchased as `` starter kits '' for people living in trailers after Hurricane Katrina . After CNN reported on the giveaway , other Louisiana officials also asked that the supplies be redirected to the state , which originally passed on them . John Medica , director of Louisiana 's Federal Property Assistance Agency , told CNN he was unaware Katrina victims still needed the items because no agency had contacted his office . Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana , an outspoken critic of FEMA 's response to the hurricane , told CNN the supply giveaway was `` just a shame . '' `` It 's just another example of the failings of the federal bureaucracy , '' Landrieu said last week . She wrote Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to request an explanation . FEMA Administrator David Paulison on Sunday defended the agency 's decision , telling CNN that Louisiana had been offered some of the stockpiles , but that state officials had declined the goods . Rainwater said state officials `` will move to quickly get these supplies in the hands of those who need them . '' `` Moving forward , we have made it clear that I am to be the point of contact for FEMA when supplies for Katrina and Rita victims are set aside for our state , '' he said . `` We will also be informing nonprofits about how to access such supplies , so that we can all better serve our citizens who are struggling to rebuild their lives . '' CNN 's Abbie Boudreau and Scott Zamost contributed to this report . | Some of the $ 85 million in supplies will be given to state nonprofit agencies . CNN investigation revealed FEMA gave away supplies as government surplus . FEMA administrator has defended the agency 's decision to give away items . | [[0, 15], [87, 102], [138, 182], [346, 535], [2190, 2255], [0, 15], [87, 102], [138, 182], [624, 695], [668, 717], [831, 852], [1785, 1860]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The surgeon who performed heart surgery Wednesday on former first lady Barbara Bush said Thursday that she is recovering well from the 2 1/2 - hour surgery in which her aortic valve was replaced with a pig valve . Former first lady Barbara Bush had heart surgery Wednesday in Houston , Texas . `` From our perspective , this was a very routine procedure , and we expect her to make an excellent recovery , '' Dr. Gerald Lawrie told reporters at Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in Houston . Bush had experienced `` severe narrowing of the main valve that lets the blood come out of the heart into the circulation , '' Lawrie said . `` This valve , instead of being a soft , flexible structure that opens and closes , breaks down , '' he said , adding that calcium deposits cause it to stiffen , which can result in fluid in the lungs and progressive deterioration . He said an echocardiogram showed her condition was `` extremely severe . '' Typical symptoms of problems with an aortic valve include shortness of breath , fatigue , weakness and swelling , he said . Though his patient is 83 , `` she 's a very fit lady , '' which helped make the operation a `` relatively straightforward '' procedure , '' he said . Diagnosed with the condition less than a week before the surgery , Bush entered the operating room at 7 a.m. and , after an hour of preparation during which lines were attached to her and anesthesia was administered , the main work began , Lawrie said . In all , she was on a heart-lung machine for 55 minutes ; the implantation of the valve took 45 minutes , he said . She required no blood transfusion . Bush was back in the intensive care unit by 10:45 a.m. , where she awoke `` quicker than most '' patients of her age , he said . He described her as `` very lucid . '' `` She recognized all of us immediately and actually started tearing us up with some humorous comments just as soon as we took that tube out . '' He predicted she would remain in the ICU until Friday or Saturday , and then be transferred to a standard hospital floor for another five to seven days . But already , he said , she is `` walking around the room a little bit . '' Bush 's husband of 64 years , former President George H. W. Bush , visited her shortly after the operation . `` I 've been a nervous wreck about it , '' said the former president , who said he had received telephone calls of support from President Obama and all the other surviving former presidents . `` I think there is a lot of interest because of who she is , '' he said , his voice cracking . `` She looks well . I just came from her room and she 's doing well . I keep saying , ` You look great . ' -LSB- She says -RSB- ` Do n't tell me that . ' But you know , she does ... she looks well to me -- and beautiful . '' Bush added , `` She 's in command . She 's in control of our whole family . '' Asked to describe what occurred between the two when he saw her , he said , `` I do n't remember any words . I 'm not the anecdotal one in the family . It was just a reunion of two people who love each other . '' Afterward , the former president turned to a hospital administrator and said , `` I 'm sorry I get emotional , but I ca n't help it . '' The Bush family matriarch is the mother of former President George W. Bush and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush . | Surgeon : `` We expect her to make an excellent recovery '' Surgeons spent 2 1/2 hours replacing Barbara Bush 's aortic valve with a pig valve . Echocardiogram showed her condition was `` extremely severe '' Doctors think the former first lady will be in ICU until Friday or Saturday . | [[0, 15], [103, 171], [379, 422], [0, 15], [103, 171], [150, 171], [173, 218], [894, 966], [902, 966], [1964, 2029]] |
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